Senior Programme Officer UK JD.pdf - International Alert

Job TitleReports toManagement ResponsibilityJOB DESCRIPTIONJob locationGrade and level 3.2Annual SalarySenior Programme Officer - UKPeacebuilding Programme (maternitycover)Director of Emerging ProgrammesLine management of an Intern and closeliaison with key partner organisationsLondon£35,372 per annum (with more for anexceptional candidate) + benefitsContract DurationEmployment Status12 monthsAs it is unlikely that we will be able toobtain a Work Permit for this role, all jobapplicants must already have the right towork in the UK.Programme Description / Job PurposeAlert began working on conflict in the UK in 2010. Our aim is to help build resilientcommunities in what are complex, diverse environments undergoing tension, conflict andchange. We do this through partnerships in various different locations in the UK where bestpractice is evident and where lessons can be drawn to influence local and national policy.These locations include London, Derby, Preston, Burnley, and Bradford.We bring to these partnerships our experience of working in complex, challengingenvironments, some of which are the countries of heritage of those who make up the richdiversity of the UK’s population. We work together with local organisations working ondifferent aspects of community cohesion, good relations and peacebuilding, exchangingexperience and drawing together best practice from a variety of different contexts.The Senior Programme Officer (SPO) will consolidate current work into a strong UKpeacebuilding program that will begin making a difference in the UK and that will influencekey stakeholders within the UK government and UK civil society to develop peace-conducivedevelopment policies.S/he will lead on the implementation and development of Alert’s UK peacebuildingprogramme. Alongside managing existing projects s/he will work together with colleagues andpartners to develop innovative programming ideas and fundraise to consolidate and expandour UK work.Duties and ResponsibilitiesProject Management• To work closely with key partners in the implementation as well as furtherdevelopment of programmes, and when required, provide technical support to staffand partner organisations.• To ensure all projects are delivered on time and within budget.• To lead on Alert’s partnership with the Stockwell Partnership (SP) program as one of

Alert’s first UK Peacebuilding initiatives. This includes understanding conflict issues inStockwell, running training sessions and supporting community exercises tounderstand conflict and vision change.• To lead on the implementation of the Alert-EC project on raising public awarenesswithin UK based diaspora communities on the structural causes of poverty andconflict in their countries of heritage. This includes using new research on the impactof external conflict on diaspora communities in the UK as an advocacy tool with UKand EU government; working closely with partner organisations; integratinginternational peacebuilding approaches; and managing the steering committee of theproject.Strategic Development of the Programme and Fundraising• Work closely with the UK Intern to complete a conflict analysis of the UK and to usethis to inform programming direction and advocacy targets.• Lead on deepening and broadening partnerships with UK organisations.• Lead on regular knowledge updates into conflict and peace trends in the UK to informthe work of the UK programme.• Lead on the development of networks of practitioners for peacebuilding in the UK,connecting and sharing good peacebuilding practice and developing linkages topolicy platforms.• Work closely with the Director of Emerging Programmes to develop new programideas, design and fundraising for UK Peacebuilding Programme initiatives.• Work closely with the Director of Emerging Programmes to develop existing and newrelationships with donors for UK Peacebuilding Programme related work.Staff and Financial Management• To manage and oversee the operational activities of 1 Intern, working to solveproblems and ensure smooth delivery of program activities.• To manage the programme budgets of approximately 150,000 GBP p.a., ensuringthat the budget balances at the end of the year, that there are no deficits and thateffective systems for financial reporting on grants are established and maintained.Ultimately accountability for the good financial management of the project and assuringoutputs to specification, on time and to budget, including:• Ensuring clarity about roles and responsibilities among project stakeholders andinvolving /informing all stakeholders of plans;• Developing project implementation budgets and providing them to relevantstakeholders;• Planning and forecasting grant expenditure, project activities, procurement andstaffing to ensure compliance with the project contract and budget and to preventoverspending or under spending;• Monitoring grant income and expenditure and reviewing it for accuracy andcompleteness;• Ensuring that grant audits and evaluations are organised in a timely fashion andtimely, accurate financial reports are submitted to donors;• To ensure on-going compliance and quality with Alert’s Finance policies andprocedures and with Sri Lanka financial reporting requirements.Other• To provide input to the overall organisational development of Alert throughparticipation in relevant strategy meetings, working groups and seminars.• Contribute to team-wide communications and knowledge management, andparticipate in organisation-wide events and discussions on related topics/projects• Any other tasks as may be reasonably requiredTravel requirementsFrequent travel around the UK. Travel may be required from time to time within Europe.

PERSON SPECIFICATIONESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTSTalentsAt Alert, we have introduced Talent Management to our business model as we believe talentedpeople are crucial to the success of our work. We believe all individuals are talented andsuccess comes in matching the right talents to the right roles.For this role, the skills, qualifications and experience listed below are important, but we believethat to be great in this job you are likely, first and foremost, to have a talent for quiet butpersistent and persuasive advocacy – the ability to take the outputs of research and analysisand to craft and communicate key messages to targeted audiences in both government andnon-governmental spheres. Through this work you will develop and maintain constructiveworking relationships with people holding different views and values, using these relationships toinform the further development of our UK programme. This is what we will be looking for aboveall else.Degree in political science, international relations, development studies, peace and conflictstudies or other relevant discipline.Work experience dealing with conflict affected communities in the UK and/or other countriesdealing with conflict, development, and/or humanitarian issuesExcellent knowledge of community cohesion and conflict trends in the UK. Able to connect localissues with national trends and vice versa.Excellent advocacy and people skills – able to communicate clearly with a wide spectrum ofpeople from community members to politicians. Able to build strong and lasting relationships.Able to generate ideas collaboratively and turn concepts into practice. Ability to thinkinnovatively and bring local and international peacebuilding knowledge/experience to ourunderstanding of issues in the UK.Self-starter, able to work independently and to create programmatic areas.Strong facilitation, training in conflict sensitivity, dialogue and/or conflict resolution andworkshop moderation skills.Excellent writing skills to prepare reports and briefings on complex issues.Sound political judgement and skills in political analysis and diplomacy.An aptitude for figuresExperience in business planning, budgeting and budgetary management.Fluency in EnglishDESIRABLE REQUIREMENTSOrganisational development experience for providing accompaniment and institutional capacitysupport to small partner organisations.Relevant qualification or training (eg. grant management, finance for non-finance managers);Experience of grant financial management.

SUMMARY TERMS AND CONDITIONSAnnual SalaryPensionLeave entitlementNotice periodWorking hoursSport’s club membershipThe annual salary for the post is £35,372 per annum (withmore for an exceptional candidate) + benefitsAfter the successful completion of the six months ofemployment the post-holder becomes eligible for Alertpension rights, backdated to the start of employment atAlert. Pension contributions are paid into a personalpension of the employee’s choice and are currentlyequivalent to 10% of gross salary.25 days per year plus English statutory holidays.There will be an initial three months probationary periodduring which notice will be one month on either side. Onsuccessful completion of the probationary period notice willbe two months.Full time staff are expected to work a standard 35 hourweek, with some flexibility around start and finish times tobe agreed with the line manager. All staff are required towork core hours 10am – 4pm.Staff can take advantage of subsidised membership of alocal sports club.