Senior Programme Manager Arts UK/NG at British Council Nigeria

The British Council is the world's leading cultural relations organization and creates opportunities for people in the UK and worldwide to understand each other, to work together and learn from one another. We see this as crucial to building secure, more prosperous and sustainable futures for us all. We build trust and understanding between different countries and cultures and develop strong international links that are of benefit to people in Britain and the rest of the world.

We are recruiting to fill the below position:

Job Title: Senior Programme Manager Arts UK/NG

Location: Lagos
Department/Country: Programmes/Nigeria
Pay Band: Pay Band 7
Duration: Fixed term till August 2016
Reports to: Ojoma Ochai Director Arts

Purpose of Job

• To lead Programme Management of the high profile UK NG 15/16 Arts Season in Nigeria including the implementation, direction and co-ordination of up to 80 arts projects that will be delivered through partners in Nigeria and the UK, and 4 large scale, flagship events that will be held in Abuja, Calabar and Lagos.
• This position will work directly to the Director Arts Nigeria and lead the UK/NG delivery team of x staff, deploying the team’s roles, skills and talents effectively and efficiently to ensure delivery of high quality events and projects throughout the programme within budget that meet our audience targets and programme objectives.
• The Programme Manager will work effectively with the partners who are engaged on the projects and the vendors who will be contracted to deliver the flagship events,  The Programme Manager will also have responsibility for ensuring that monitoring and evaluation of the Season is carried out according to plan, and will work closely with colleagues in Marketing and Communications team to ensure widespread and appropriate recognition and publicity for the Season and the Partnerships Manager to ensure that benefits to sponsors and partners are delivered.

Context and Environment

• As part of a global programme of big seasons of arts activity in the organisation, Nigeria will have a programme aimed at strengthening artistic exchange and collaboration between Nigeria and the UK in key arts sub sectors. The programme is tagged UKNG:2015/2016.
• UK/NG 2015/2016 that aims to connect over forty million young Nigerians (aged 18 - 35) to the UK by building new audiences for UK and Nigerian arts and culture. The programme will take place in 3 cities across Nigeria and 2 - 3 cities across the UK, feature over 30 projects at 80 events all aimed at increasing collaboration between young people in both countries through the arts.
• By increasing access to arts and culture from the two countries, we are aiming to build mutual understanding among young people in both countries and reaffirm the UK's position as a partner for the growth of the arts and creative industries in Nigeria.
• UKNG 15/16 will establish new and larger audiences for British Council Nigeria that are four times the current size. It is expected that this scale will be maintained going forward and will continue to require large scale and flag ship events management.

Timings:

• The programme spans the period April 2015 till March 2017. There will be a focus period within this from September 2015 till April 2016 during which the main showcase events will be held. The longer term projects will run till March 2017.

Key Dates are as follows:

• August 2015 - Season Announcement / Launch
• September 2015- April 2016 - Focus period
• May 2016 - Mar 2017 - Legacy activity

Accountabilities, Responsibilities and Main Duties
Programme management:

• Plan and implement an effective UK/NG programme management plan deploying financial and team resources to deliver required impact and audience targets.
• Lead the UK/NG delivery team, delegating effectively, supporting responsible managers to deliver to high quality standards and holding them to account
• Adapt event, project and team work plan(s) in the light of operational changes and external events
• Contribute to the management of programme governance structures by providing high quality, accurate reports and updates that anticipate requirements
• Contribute to the development of content within each project and flagship event, supporting external partners and working with internal British Council resources.
• Working with the Director Arts ensure appropriate monitoring and reporting of programme progress against agreed indicators and measures

Event production, management and delivery:

• Develop plans to, produce and deliver high profile flagship events working through vendors, partners and/or suppliers, in compliance with corporate event management standards and to agreed production objectives, audience targets, budget and timelines.
• Lead the team to deliver the Flagship Events, delegating effectively, supporting responsible managers to deliver and holding them to account
• Accountable for relationships with venues and event management vendors
• Work with Partnership Manager ( UKNG 2015/2016) to ensure appropriate branding of high profile events in line with corporate, sponsor and /or partner requirements
• Ensure co-ordination of Health and Safety and Access checks of event venues ensuring adherence to corporate standards on health and safety and corporate policy on equality, diversity and inclusion
• Ensure Monitoring and Evaluation of event quality, audience numbers and demographics and customer satisfaction using UK NG M&E framework.

Financial Management and Reporting:

• Plan, manage, monitor and reforecast budgets for UK/NG according to British Council corporate financial standards
• Delegate event and project budgets within the team effectively and hold budget managers to account for effective budget management
• Manage cost effective procurement of event management services following established corporate policy and procedures;
• Manage cash flow profiling and monthly reporting of budgets managed 

Team leadership, management and development:

• Line management of the Arts Programme manager to corporate performance standards
• Coach, support and develop the Arts Programme Manager to manage and  lead an effective, efficient and accountable UK/NG delivery team of project managers and project officers
• Develop processes, toolkits and methodologies for effective project and event management by the team
• Model appropriate programme management  skills and behaviours for the UK/NG team

Relationship and Contract Management:

• Work with Director Arts, Partnership Managers and Project Managers to manage relationships with key industry stakeholders, donors and partners.
• Prepare and manage contracts for event suppliers and, vendors ensuring roles and, responsibilities are clearly outlined using established corporate contract templates
• Prepare and manage event partnership and sponsorship agreements ensuring roles, responsibilities and benefits are clearly outlined using established partnership agreement templates

Risk Management:

• Identify and manage all risks associated with the UK/NG programme including events, financial, reputational, security, health and safety and delegate effective controls to appropriate team members
• Be responsible to maintaining and updating corporate risk registers with event management risks
• Participate in regular risk review meetings

Others:

• Deputising for Director Arts as required

Key Relationships:

• Director Arts Nigeria, Uk/NG Season Programmes Board members; Partnerships Manager (UKNG 2015/2016), Arts Programme Manager, UK Stakeholder Manager,  Arts Project Team Nigeria, wider British Council team in Nigeria
• UK/NG Season partners and sponsors
• Creative Industry Stakeholders.
• Corporates, Government, Trusts , Foundations that are corporate partners
• Suppliers and vendors

Other important features or requirements of the job
Required candidate will also need to possess:

• Excellent team leadership skills
• Strong organisational and event management skills
• Ability to work with senior leadership, external clients and suppliers and strong interpersonal skills.
• Attention to detail
• Ability to work effectively with tight deadlines
• Regular attendance at evening and weekend events are a normal part of the job.

Person Specification
Behaviours:

• Connecting with Others (At more demanding level)
• Working Together (At more demanding level)
• Being Accountable (At more demanding level)
• Making it Happen(more demanding)
• Other behaviours needed for the job but not evaluated at interview
  • Shaping the future (essential)
  • Creating Shared Purpose (essential)

Skills and Knowledge
Managing projects - Level 4

Managing People:

• Provides full line management to a team where all members are working in a similar area of expertise or business. Scope includes planning, setting objectives, role modelling an inclusive culture, recruitment, development and performance management.

Managing Projects:

• Analyses requirements with the sponsor/stakeholders, defining the specification, planning, revising, implementing and evaluating on medium-to-large scale and/or high risk projects.
• Coordinates a diverse team with awareness of equality and diversity impact as part of the project specifications and handles changes in specification or plan to meet unexpected circumstances

Communication Skills:

• Displays good listening, writing and speaking skills, setting out logical arguments clearly and adapting language and form of communication to meet the needs of different people/audiences.

Managing Finance and Resources:

• Monitors and controls an agreed budget within a defined area, producing reports and analyses and contributing to planning

Experience:

• At least 5 years recent experience of programme leadership in UK or Nigeria
• At least 5 years' experience of managing successful project or programme delivery teams
• Proven ability to manage relationships with partners, contractors and vendors
• Track record of managing risk
• Proven experience of working with senior leadership, external using strong interpersonal skills.
• Experience of delivering programmes and projects events in the arts / creative industries /enterprise sectors in Nigeria or UK (Desirable)
• Proven ability to manage and deliver high profile events in Nigeria or UK. (Desirable)

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree.
• Project/Programme Management qualification (Desirable).
• Event management qualification (Desirable).

Application Closing Date
15th June, 2015.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Click here to download job details MS Word

Click here to download BC Core Skills (pdf)

Click here to download BC Behaviours (pdf)