Programmes Co-ordinator

About the Role

The Programmes Coordinator is a crucial player in the Programmes team, responsible for managing a portfolio of SDDirect’s medium scale to larger and more complex programmes, including delivery against agreed workplans and budgets, managing risks, ensuring compliance with Client regulations, and maintaining key relationships with Clients, partners and technical experts. The role is a mid-level staff position within the Programme Management Unit and plays a pivotal role in the day-to-day management of active contracts.

As a key member of SDDirect’s programmes operations team, the Programmes Coordinator will also contribute to the review of systems, processes and workflows to help improve SDDirect’s operational efficiency and effectiveness, while mitigating risks within individual projects as well as the wider organisation.

About Us

Social Development Direct (SDDirect) is a leading provider of high-quality, innovative social development expertise, consultancy and research services. As a specialist firm, we offer in-depth thematic expertise in safeguarding; gender-based violence prevention and response; governance and inclusive societies; and inclusive economic empowerment, amongst others.

We have a strong track record, over 20 years, of providing high quality services that include technical advice and support, research, development assistance programme design, delivery and management, monitoring and evaluation. Our clients are leading international bilateral and multilateral development agencies, INGOs and Foundations. We are a medium-sized social enterprise, wholly owned by Plan International UK, and with a global track record in over 50 countries. Read more about us and our work at: www.sddirect.org.uk.

ROLE OVERVIEW

Reports to: Programme Manager

Location: This is a UK based role. You must have eligibility to work in the UK.

Our London Head Office works on a hybrid basis – we are open to flexible working.

Appointment term: Permanent, Full Time

Remuneration Package: £30- £43,000

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Programmes Management (90%)

· Leads on contract delivery and relationship management with individual Clients, including amendments and coordination of upsell/programme expansion.

· Ensures client and donor compliance throughout the lifecycle of the programme.

· Oversees preparation and submission of forecasts, financial reporting, and invoices to Clients using SDDirect’s internal financial system.

· Responsible for maintaining a Project Management Information System to track implementation progress and maximize profitability on projects.

· Leads regular internal programme management meetings aimed at monitoring overall progress, milestone delivery, budget utilization, risk management and escalation, and action point follow up.

· Builds and maintains strong relationships with a pool of pre-identified experts/consultants and acts as point of contact for contractual and logistical support.

· Responsible for resourcing, negotiating, and issuing contracts for new project personnel and sub-contractors, including undertaking due diligence checks.

· Leads risk management on allocated projects: identifying, assessing, mitigating, and escalating risks.

· Work with partners on budgets and workplans and ensure that these are reflected in accurate contracts and budgets.

· Leads review of project documents such as budgets and financial/narrative reports to ensure compliance with Client expectations and internal quality benchmarks.

· Responsible for planning recurrent client meetings including setting up agendas, delivering progress updates and distributing minutes.

· Coordinates inputs from partners and contributes to the production of quarterly/annual knowledge sharing products from the programmes.

· Proactively identifies areas for improvement in PMU processes and works collaboratively to resolve them, as well as disseminating lessons learned from project work.

· Supports with knowledge management of project lessons learned.

· Builds capacity, shares knowledge, and provides support to consultants.

Internal Operations (10%)

· Supports SDDirect management to strengthen internal operations through identifying, applying and streamlining best project management practices across all programmes.

· Ensure staff and consultants are compliant with SDDirect internal processes and procedures with the aim to ensure consistency, maximise efficiency and minimise project risks.

· (Possibly) take on oversight and delivery of internal special projects/tasks within SDDirect, improving processes where possible and providing support to the wider team.

This is not an exhaustive list as duties may vary from time to time in consultation with the post-holder.

Person Specification

Essential:

Experience and Knowledge

· At least three years of experience of managing funding from the UN, FCDO, International Financial Institutions or donors with similar requirements.

· Undergraduate degree (desirable in a relevant field e.g., International Development, International Politics and Governance, International Relations).

· Experience of implementing large, complex, consortium projects (desirable of Technical Assistance projects).

Project management

· Demonstrated ability in grant compliance, financial management, tracking activity costs and performance.

· Experience in financial data analysis through excel.

· Proficient IT and Microsoft Office skills.

· Experience in implementing information and knowledge management in programmes for cross-organisational learning.

Planning and self-management

· Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and to prioritise tasks in response to multiple requests.

· Ability to adapt skills and knowledge to address projects of different complexity, context and clients.

· Demonstrates drive and motivation towards achieving successful results on the project/programme.

· Ability to identify, analyse and solve problems and respond to external opportunities and challenges.

Communication

· A highly proficient communicator with excellent written skills and the ability to communicate complex ideas to a diverse range of audiences.

· Ability to negotiate contractual requirements with clients.

Leadership and Team

· Strong team-working skills, as well as the ability to work on your own initiative.

· Excellent interpersonal and relationship management skills and cross-cultural competency

Desirable:

Education and Experience

· Good understanding of social development issues, particularly gender equality and social inclusion.

· Experience working on Gender-Based Violence programmes.

· Postgraduate degree (desirable in a relevant field e.g., International Development, International Politics and Governance, International Relations).

· Experience working in a consultancy role or as an employee of a donor agency, international development NGO or foundation, development research body or multilateral development organization.

· Project Management Qualification.

Project management

· Experience using Salesforce and Sharepoint.

· Experience managing/coordinating project teams.

· Knowledge of monitoring and evaluation and measuring results.