Project Operations Coordinator

As Programmes Operations Coordinator, you will be a key member of the London-based programme operations team, providing excellent support to our country programmes, in the day-to-day delivery of projects and management of grants as a focal point for our country programmes in London. This will include day to day problem solving, ensuring all donor reports are clear, accurate, and submitted in a timely manner, and that learning is at the core of every project we implement. You will also provide support and oversight to monthly and quarterly budget and reporting processes and ensure effective internal communications between the Programmes team and the rest of War Child. Emphasis will be on ensuring that all teams get adequate information to support their needs, and that advocacy priorities are informed by programmes experience and evidence. The position will be UK based although there will be regular travel to the country programmes the role supports, to provide project implementation and operational support, subject to security considerations.

If you share our values and believe that children’s lives should not be torn apart by war, we want to hear from you.

About us

War Child, the specialist charity for children affected by conflict. For more than two decades we’ve delivering high-impact programmes that are rebuilding lives across Afghanistan, Iraq, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Central African Republic and Yemen. We understand children’s needs, respect their rights, and put them at the centre of the solution – from reintegrating children formerly associated with armed groups and armed forces (CAAFAG) in the Central African Republic to reuniting children with their families in Afghanistan. We look forward to a world in which the lives of children are no longer torn apart by war. This is a vision that can only be realised through the collective actions of children themselves, communities and their leaders, organisations like War Child, governments and key decision makers.

Your role

The Programme Operations Coordinator is an integral member of the programme operations team, providing effective and efficient support to country programmes in project delivery, grants management and operational management. The role also plays an important role in ensuring information from country programmes is shared across War Child, for example with fundraising and communications teams. The role holder is expected take initiative, problem solve and make decisions on a day to day basis in discussion with country programme staff that ensure a good level of programme delivery.

Your responsibilities

• Provide daily operational support to country offices, for e.g. monitoring of security context and contributing towards the problem solving and troubleshooting required to keep the programme progressing.
• Act as the focal point in the London office, for work on country strategies and annual plans and coordination of quarterly reporting against these. Monitor and support programme implementation against these plans.
• Support the implementation of and compliance with the grant management policy across War Child programmes, including designing and providing training for in country staff.
• Responsible for maintaining up to date grant management information on Salesforce.
• Input into proposal development by gathering background information and lessons learnt from previous and current projects and ensuring alignment with annual plans.
• Facilitate, review and contribute to timely reporting with institutional donors, foundations and corporate donors for grants across the portfolio, and supporting key project staff to effectively compile high-quality and impact-oriented narrative and financial progress reports.
• Lead BVA monitoring and monthly review from a programmes operations perspective, in coordination with finance team.
• Maintain an up to date understanding of institutional donor compliance requirements related to current grants.
• Facilitate effective internal communications between the programmes team and the rest of War Child, including providing regular updates/information on new projects and project progress.
• Coordinate the involvement of country programmes in advocacy priorities and provide advocacy initiatives with evidence and experience from current and past projects.
• Regular travel to War Child country offices to deliver support to the country teams

These duties provide a framework for the role and should not be regarded as a definitive list. Other reasonable duties may be required consistent with the grade of the role.

You are

• Experienced in managing projects with an (I)NGO. Field experience working in conflict and post conflict environments would be a distinct advantage.
• Knowledgeable of grant management approaches and donor compliance, having experience of managing grants from institutional donors such as ECHO and UN agencies
• Experienced in writing and editing high-quality donor reports
• Experienced in working and coordinating with colleagues remotely
• Knowledgeable of child protection, safeguarding and child rights programming
• Aware of the security environment in places where War Child works that can be applied to day-to-day decisions.
• Self-motivated, working accurately and efficiently to deadlines and multiple priorities.
• Able to process and articulate complex issues in a clear and coherent way so that they can be shared with a wider audience.
• A strong communicator with excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to build positive working relationships with a broad range of stakeholders.
• An awareness of project development and implementation in emergency contexts would be desirable.