Assistant Director of Programmes - Maternity Cover at Options Consultancy Services Limited

Options Consultancy Services Limited was established in 1992 and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Marie Stopes International. We are a consultancy organisation providing technical and management expertise in the health and social sectors to governments and international development partners to transform the health of women and children.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Assistant Director of Programmes - Maternity Cover

Locations: Abuja
Contract Type: 12 month fixed term maternity cover
Department: Programmes Department
Reporting to: Director of Programmes
Responsible for: Head of PRU, Team Leaders (direct reports)
Liaison with: Options London Staff, Programmes’ Resource Unit, Options Senior Management, Overseas Options Staff, Long and Short-term Consultants
Hours: Full time, as per country office standard working times

Main Purpose of Job

• The Assistant Director of Programmes (ADoP), maternity cover, reports to the Director of Programmes, and is based in one of Options offices in central London, Nairobi or Abuja, with some overseas travel.
• The ADoP supports the Director of Programmes in the development, direction and strategic management and operational oversight of Options’ portfolio of programmes. The ADoP has delegated oversight of programmes within the portfolio and line manages Team Leaders. The ADoP also oversees the Programmes’ Resource Unit (PRU) with line management of Head of PRU. The ADoP works with the New Business and Partnerships Team, Technical Department, Management Services and Country Representatives in Tier 1 countries to ensure high quality programme delivery and growth across the company. The ADoP is part of the Programmes Department Senior Management Team with programme and cross-departmental responsibilities.
• Note: All levels of position in the organisation assume some degree of responsibility for safeguarding. Your accountabilities will align with the level and scope of the position and appropriate training will be provided

Main Duties
Management oversight to Options’ overseas programmes:

• The ADoP is responsible for overseeing and ensuring effective, efficient and quality programme delivery and management;
• Work with Team Leaders, Options staff and Directors, partner, and consortia organisations to ensure the strategic management of a portfolio of Options’ projects;
• Oversight of planning, implementation, and progress monitoring of programmes, liaising with clients on any revisions to the programme’s contract, log-frame, terms of reference, deliverables and budgets;
• Lead negotiations and engagement with programme funders on contractual issues, including the formulation and attainment of milestones and deliverables;
• Work closely with Options’ Technical Directors and Programme Team Leaders to ensure the effective allocation of Options’ in house technical team and core consultants to enable the delivery of timely high quality technical outputs;
• Represent Options with clients, partners, and other stakeholders.
• Ensure appropriate communication and coordination among a programme’s implementing partners;
• Lead the set-up of new programmes;
• Oversee programme progress reporting to Options’ Directors and clients;
• Help to ensure Options provides value for money from its programmes;
• Support colleagues in cross learning and knowledge exchange among Options’ programmes;

Financial and Risk Management:

• Work with the Finance Team and Assistant Director of Programmes to monitor and control Options’ programmes’ finances, including overseeing the preparation of programmes’ annual, mid-year and monthly tracking sheets, contributing to the monthly management accounts, annual audit process, and regular budgeting and re-forecasting.
• Supporting Team Leaders to oversee the accurate and timely financial management of programmes;
• Overseeing the Programmes‘ Resource Unit to support Programme Managers and Team Leaders to manage programmes according to Options Project Cycle Management approach and utilising the programme delivery toolkit.
• Report on risk management across programmes.

Support to grow new business:

• Provide Programmes Department leadership to identify and grow new business from our existing portfolio.
• Work with the New Business and Partnerships Team to support the development of bids for new programmes, including support to development of programme management and governance arrangements, support to team design / sourcing of experts and support to development of proposal budgets;
• Lead / provide technical inputs on technical design of proposals as required.
• Contribute to development of commercial strategies for bids as required, ensuring value for money, coherence between technical and commercial approaches.

Technical Support to Options’ programmes:

• Work with Technical Directors; Assistant Technical Directors and Team Leaders to ensure high quality technical delivery of programmes; including planning, implementation, and monitoring of progress on programme activities, framing payment deliverables, logframe revisions and terms of reference.

Line Management:

• Direct line management of selected Team Leaders and Head of PRU. Manage and motivate team members in all aspects of their work and career progression;
• Conduct performance appraisals support Team Leaders and Head of PRU in appraising members of their teams;
• As part of Programmes Department SMT, support and manage the deployment of PM team members to existing and new programmes.
• Senior Management
• Contribute to overall management of Options through participation in governance groups when invited.
• Deputise for the Director of Programmes when requested.
• Note: this job description reflects the present requirements of the post. As duties and responsibilities change and develop the job description will be reviewed and be subject to amendment in consultation with the job holder.

Qualifications
Desirable:

• Master's in relevant subject area or equivalent experience.

Experience:
Essential:

• Significant and proven experience working in international development at a senior level.
• Extensive experience of the development and implementation of programmes within the health sector
• Strong record of people management and management of teams, including distance management experience
• Experience of managing large, complex, multi-country, and multi-donor budgets within the health sector
• Proven experience in planning, budgeting, and programme control
• Proven experience in risk management
• Experience of successful working relationships with partners and consortia members
• Experience of contracts and contracting.

Desirable:

• Proven experience in change management
• Experience of networking to build successful relationships with potential clients, collaborators, and consultants
• Experience in fundraising / business development.

Knowledge and Skills:
Essential:

• Excellent financial and commercial contract skills
• Ability to work on a wide range of projects and other issues simultaneously
• Self-starter, can work independently or as part of a team
• Critical thinking and problem-solving skills
• Planning and organizing
• Decision-making
• Communication skills
• Influencing and leading
• Negotiating skills
• Knowledge of a spread of international donors, including DFID
• Extensive knowledge of the health sector, including
• Knowledge of the health sector in general, especially of reproductive health, maternal and child health sector strengthening

Other Requirements:
Essential:

• Commitment to equal opportunities
• Applicants must have the right to live and to work in the UK, Kenya or Nigeria.
• Ability to travel internationally for up to 3 weeks at a time at least 6 times a year
• Pro-choice
• A commitment to the programme’s and Options’ principles of Safeguarding, Do No Harm, and to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights.

Salary
Commensurate with experience.

Benefits:

• Options offers a comprehensive benefits package including generous annual leave allowance. For more details please contact HR at opportunities@options.co.uk for country specific benefits.

Application Closing Date
5th June, 2022.

Interview Date
Interviews will be held week commencing 13 June 2022.