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: Business Development Manager

Location: Abuja, Nigera
Contract Type: Up to 12 months fixed term contract, full time
Department: Programmes
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 Consultant
Hours: Full time, as per country office standard working times
Type of contract: Fixed Term (1 year), renewable

Main Purpose

• The Assistant Director of Programmes (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 responsible for high quality delivery of Options portfolio, with cross-departmental responsibilities.

Main Responsibilities
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

Selection Criteria
Qualifications:

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

Experience:

• 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, significant USAID experience preferred
• Proven experience in planning, budgeting, and programme control
• Proven experience in risk management Proven experience in change management
• Experience of successful working relationships with partners and consortia members
• Experience of contracts and contracting
• Experience of networking to build successful relationships with potential clients, collaborators, and consultants
• Experience in fundraising / business development

Person specification: 

• Significant and proven work experience in the development sector at a senior level
• Extensive experience of delivery health and social development programmes within low-middle income countries
• Experience of overseeing the delivery of large, complex programmes, supporting senior leaders to deliver against agreed contracts
• Strong commercial acumen and budgeting skills
• Strong negotiation and influencing skills
• Excellent line manager motivating and supporting teams to deliver

Knowledge and Skills:

• 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:

• 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

Benefits

• Options offer a comprehensive benefits package, including generous annual leave allowance commensurate with experience.

Application Closing Date
31st August, 2022.

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

Click here for more information (PDF)

Other information

• As an equal opportunity employer, Options Consultancy Services is committed to the equal treatment of all current and prospective employees and does not condone discrimination on the basis of age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, gender identity, or marriage or civil partnership. We aspire to have a diverse and inclusive workplace and strongly encourage suitably qualified candidates from a wide range of backgrounds to apply and join Options Consultancy Services.
• Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and post holders to share this commitment.
• We seek people who are pro-choice, promote diversity and inclusion, are energetic and enthusiastic about Options’ vision.
• Applicants must have the right to work in their chosen country of employment; the UK, Kenya or Nigeria.