Senior Programme Manager 346 views0 applications

As the Montrose Senior Programme Manager based in Uganda you will to support the successful delivery of Montrose global programmes. You will represent Montrose, support the company’s delivery of high-quality international development programmes and nurture the growth of the company’s portfolio within the sector. You will champion the Montrose Vision, Mission and Values, have a willingness to learn, great attention to detail, communicate well with all stakeholders and be responsive and eager to grow with the company, demonstrating flexibility, creativity and initiative.

Montrose:

Montrose is an international development project management and consultancy company providing support to clients operating in the developing world. Specialised in the sectors of health, education, rural livelihoods and private sector development, our clients include bilateral and multilateral development agencies, the private sector, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and other development stakeholders.

Montrose Vision:

Creating pragmatic solutions which make lives better

Montrose Mission:

Montrose creates bespoke solutions which make lives better in Africa and Asia. We strive to add value to international development and corporate sustainability. Through our commitment to quality, responsiveness, and pragmatism, we aim to exceed expectations. We work with talented and passionate people who share our enthusiasm for our vision and style.

Montrose Values:

Montrose has four company values which guides our work and company culture. These are quality, responsiveness, people and innovation which are defined below.

· Quality – We strive to ensure not only the quality of what we deliver, but the certainty that we will consistently deliver high quality with respect to both our products and the way in which we operate.

· Responsiveness – Our responsiveness and flexibility reflect the value of working with a small and agile company. This goes beyond the minimum standard of a rapid response, but also considers how we respond to needs, contexts and challenges through the design of bespoke solutions delivered for, and with, our beneficiaries, partners and clients.

· People – From finding and effectively deploying the best consultants, to developing and growing with our teams, we reflect and value how the organisation can learn and improve by engaging and listening to our people whether they are beneficiaries, our personnel or our clients.

· Being innovative and forward-thinking in our approach to designing and implementing programmed helps us to understand potential initiatives which will ensure additional impact or improved delivery.

Montrose is a UK company with an Africa Regional Office in Kampala, Uganda and an Asia-Pacific Regional Office in Yangon, Myanmar. Montrose implements projects in over 20 countries globally

Purpose of the position: To support the successful delivery of Montrose global programmes.

Grade level: 6

Direct reports: Programme Officer(s) and Programme Manager(s) as appropriate

Location: Kampala, Uganda with willingness to travel to other countries in Africa and Asia

Core responsibilities of the role

The Montrose Senior Programme Manager based in Uganda will support the successful delivery of Montrose global programmes. This includes:

A. Technical Areas Specific to the Role

• The Senior Programme Manager will be actively involved in direct project management of specific projects and day-to-day implementation of the more complicated and strategic contracts. This includes:
• Oversight and quality assurance of work plans, ensuring they are up-to-date, comprehensive and logical
• Ensuring contractual deliverables are of high quality and on time with limited quality assurance required by the Deputy Programme Director/Programme Director
• Managing personnel and technical teams as appropriate
• Ensuring monthly review of working budgets against expenditure including re-forecasting is complete with limited quality assurance required by the Deputy Programme Director/Programme Director
• Coordinating writing of reports, proofreading and editing with limited quality assurance required by the Deputy Programme Director/Programme Director
• Managing procurement of programme equipment and supplies
• Oversight and management of Programme Officer(s) and/or Programme Manager(s), as appropriate, to implement travel and other logistical arrangements and procedures
• Identify gaps and potential issues in project delivery and propose solutions and/or improvements
• Support the development of project strategy, direction and theory of change
• Oversee (and at times draft), coordinate and monitor implementation of project management tools with limited quality assurance required by the Deputy Programme Director/Programme Director
• Undertake research on technical components of existing or new contracts where appropriate
• Day-to-day management of consultants, ensuring compliance with Montrose and client deliverables and expectations
• Ensuring full compliance Montrose policies by lower-grade employees
• Peer support to Senior/Programme Managers to enable their capacity development to work towards management of more complicated or strategic programme management
• First review of Terms of References (ToRs) developed by Programme Officer
• Developing ToRs where appropriate or in more complex cases where they cannot be drafted by the Programme Officer
• Ensuring the consultant level of effort in the ToR is logical and fits within the budget
• Responsible for ensuring the programmes managed are compliant with all contractual obligations and that internal policies are implemented
• Taking responsibility for ensuring the programmes managed are compliant with all contractual obligations and that internal policies are implemented
• Approving flights and logistics when costs are sourced by another employee and within agreed,
• Approving expenditure within agreed, updated budget
• Meeting and communicating with clients but not negotiating contractual terms and whilst ensuring the appropriate member of the Senior Management Team are in the loop on these discussions
• Managing more complex or strategic programmes and multiple simultaneous programmes

B. Grade-Level Roles and Responsibilities

1. Research

• Guide lower-grade employees in appropriate technical research approaches, including analytical reviews of reports and proposal inputs
• Lead more complex research or technical background analysis for projects and proposals
• Support and lead research components on project delivery as appropriate
• Oversee data collection and carry out complex analysis of data collected, drawing evidence-based conclusions from the findings of the analysis
• Oversee technical quality of project delivery and proposal development, ensuring appropriate technical input as needed

2. Finance

• Draft polished budgets having reviewed costing inputs and developed a logical budget structure
• Ensure financial accountability for all expenditure (within delegated authority)
• Lead monthly reviews of expenditure against pre-approved budget (compiling, reforecasting, oversight)
• Take responsibility for justifying and reporting changes to budget expenditure
• Identify and implement cost saving methods to ensure better Value for Money (VfM) (economy, efficiency and effectiveness)
• Approve financial spend up to pre-agreed delegated authority
• Approve flights within scope of updates working budget
• Demonstrate a clear understanding of cost savings, overheads, company profit

3. Consultant Management

• Lead the team to ensure effective consultant management systems are in place and being followed
• Interview consultants to identify the perfect teams for programmes, proposals or auditing purposes
• Develop ToR expectations and review and approve ToRs prepared by lower-grade employees
• Set and agree level of effort with consultants
• Negotiate rates with consultants where appropriate
• Ensure no consultant works off contract
• Train consultants on internal policies and company expectations
• Manage consultants’ deliverables and timelines
• Enforce quality standards for consultants’ work (behaviour, technical output, engagement)
• Ensure two-way consultant feedback happens and is shared/used
• Work with consultants to identify follow on (or other) work
• Anticipate and judge when and how to flag consultant management problems to higher levels

4. Key Documents

• Write and quality assure high level technical and strategic reports, proposals and audits
• Set and review report and proposal structures
• Carry out trouble-shooting of consultant management issues as they arise
• Responsible for overall management of consultant workplan, timelines and deliverables, including through review and supervision of lower-grade employees work where necessary

5. Risk Management

• Have advanced understanding of risk management and its importance in Montrose
• Research, review, quality assure and manage risk registers for projects, proposals and offices including context
• Anticipate risk and flag changes to risk management with clear action plan of mitigation measures
• Manage personal risk (e.g. draft a journey management plan before travel)
• Identify improvements to risk management
• Conduct training on risk management for lower grade staff, consultants and partners, including proactive identification of training improvements and needs
• Lead and oversee duty of care of consultants, partners and lower grade employees including acting as journey manager; management of field teams’ risk (partners/consultants), health etc.

6. Administration

• Ensure all consultants and lower grade employees are fully trained and compliant with Montrose policies
• Identify and share potential gaps or improvements to Montrose policies and procedures to ensure more efficient delivery and systems

7. Strategy and Leadership

• Lead the delivery of complex projects and proposals coordinating inputs and ensuring efficient, quality delivery on all aspects of implementation and financial management
• Mentor Grades 2 and 4 staff on the effective delivery of projects, helping them to anticipate and plan for potential delivery issues
• Provide input in to departmental strategies and annual plans, and actively report on designated areas of these plans on a quarterly basis
• Identify potential areas for designated departments to consider (new technical directions, new ways of working, improvements to delivery, etc.)

8. Representation

• Draft, update and implement stakeholder management plans for projects and review and drafts developed by Grades 2 and 4 staff
• Lead representation of Montrose with partners and clients
• Ensure good preparation for client meetings and networking events; identify clear meeting objectives and strategies; guide more junior staff in the meeting preparation ahead of time
• Demonstrate the ability to analyse and think strategically during external meetings, showing good judgement and effective communication throughout
• Report on any representation to ensure effective partner/client management, and follow up (with guidance where this involves proposals required for clients)

9. Internal HR

• Review gaps in the team and relevant HR systems, putting improvements in place or making suggestions to increase efficiencies where appropriate
• Implement HR systems and ensure they are followed by lower grade employees
• Peer support to other grade 6 and, where appropriate, relevant grade 4 employees
• Line management of grade 2 and/or 4 employees as appropriate
• Set, review and meet personal KPIs
• Identify and undertake CPD opportunities to increase capacity development
• Show understanding and potential of internal career progression

10. Company Culture

• Proactively strengthen the company culture with the team and the direct reports
• Promote the Montrose work ethic and values (People, Quality, Innovation & Responsiveness)
• Act as a Montrose professional at all times and follow the Montrose Code of Conduct

Personal Specification

1. Essential

• Masters degree or equivalent in a relevant field e.g. International Development, Public Health, Education, Statistics, Programme Management etc.
• A minimum of 7 years Programme Management experience working in the development sector
• A passion for doing development work better, working with all types of stakeholder, partner, client, consultant, government counterpart, and community members to improve people’s lives
• Exceptional drive, and a willingness to work hard to deliver high quality outcomes
• Strong time management, organisational and communication skills, and exceptional attention to details
• Ability to work well within a team
• Experience of managing employees and consultants
• Excellent written and spoken English, with the ability to write accurate, and relevant reports
• Excellent problem-solving skills, with the experience of seeking creative ways to overcome complex problems
• Willingness to learn and adapt with the growing Montrose Programme Team
• Ambition, drive and determination to succeed
• Microsoft Office proficiency (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, SharePoint)
• Right to live and work in Uganda essential

2. Desirable

• Knowledge of French, Spanish or another African language
• Knowledge of the research, monitoring and evaluation, enterprise, environment, education and health sectors