Senior Programme Manager Sone Sei

Job Title: Senior Programme Manager, Sone Sie

Pay band: 8 / E

Location: Yangon, Myanmar

Department: Education

Contract type: Until March 2026 (International Assignee)

Role Purpose

The Senior Programme Manager will manage the FCDO-funded Sone Sie Programme in Myanmar administered by the British Council (total value 5m over three years). They will provide oversight and leadership of programme management, contract management, business management and delivery management standards to achieve excellence across this programme.

They will act as the lead programme role, co-ordinating internal and external resources to meet business targets, delivery milestones and client deadlines. Using the British Council’s standards, policies and frameworks, the programme manager will ensure that the Sone Sie Programme is managed in a way that maximises Value for Money, client satisfaction, compliance with British Council internal policy, compliance with FCDO contractual requirements and contribution to cultural relations impact.

Sone Sie builds on British Council’s award-winning work in Myanmar and has to date achieved huge success in its field. The current programme has two years left to run, and there may be options for further extension, or new opportunities. As a result, the role will include some element of business development.

Main accountabilities

Programme Management

• Ensures that Sone Sie is delivered according to all corporate (and where relevant, client) standards of quality and compliance (for example safeguarding, EDI, supplier and change management, social value and conflict sensitivity).

• Work with multiple colleagues to support design of results-based and impact-driven programmes and is responsible for planning and re-design as required.

• Responsibility for managing all contractual obligations on programme or project.

• Convenes risk meetings, updates risk registers and either mitigates or escalates risk

• Manages procurement, grants management and due diligence on programmes.

• Responsible for project/programme management reporting

• Develops M&E Plans and/or results frameworks (including indicators and relevant tools) and reports to both client and British Council impact targets.

Commercial and Financial Management

• Manages, monitors and reports on financial performance through the project life cycle.

• Ensures sound internal/external financial management, planning and reporting is in place.

• Oversight of Client invoicing process (if contract).

• Ensure effective management of project profit and loss accounts.

Relationship & Stakeholders

• Responsible for relationships with partners/funders clients and internal stakeholders at a programme/project level.

• Holds delivery partners, team members and consultants to account including through effective supply chain management.

• Communicates on a variety of platforms about the programme or project.

Business Development and Delivery

• Builds relationships with strategic clients/partners within area of influence.

• Uses insights to understand current and prospective business development opportunities for the British Council.

• Leads the development of Sone Sie related proposals and business cases in country/region.

• Ensures appropriate assessment, technical and commercial quality assurance and evaluation procedures for programmes and tender submissions in country.

• Provides direction and support on contract negotiations and delivery on individual contracts with FCDO and Partners

• Ensures internal and client compliance including legal finance, procurement, contract management and reporting.

• Contributes to the development of internal and external communications materials to highlight impact and support positioning for new opportunities.

Leadership, Strategy and Team Management

• Ensure and engage proactively in the development and implementation of all programme, process, and business strategies; role model leadership by: championing ideas for performance improvement within the delivery of the Sone Sie programme; keep up to date with priorities and targets whether they be client or internally driven; support colleagues to understand and engage effectively in the successful management and delivery of this training programme.

• Champions EDI within the programme and empowers team members to effectively. identify opportunities for mainstreaming EDI in the programme delivery.

• Lead cross-functional working groups and initiatives within the programme team.

• Develop and nurture internal relationships across the programme team including in Myanmar, regional team and the UK to ensure strategic objectives are aligned, understood and achieved, and opportunities to influence and contribute to global programmes and corporate approaches.

• Operationalise the work plans for this programme. Ensure all members of the programme team understand their responsibilities and how they can contribute and that implementation plans align with business planning and contract management timetables.

• Proactively contribute to best practice across the programme and wider regional strategy for achieving excellence in delivery, working closely as appropriate across the regional team, the Centre of Excellence in Programme and Programme Management.

• Contribute through training and support to building capacity and confidence across the wider programme team in agreed areas.

• Ensure career planning, development planning and continuous professional development are embedded in the team.

• Line manage programme managers / programme support colleagues.

• Actively contribute to the region being recognised as a centre of excellence in programme and programme management.

• Develop diverse professional networks which support Cultural Engagement to understand best practice in programme and programme management and develop new approaches and partnerships which increase the impact of the function.

• Develop relationships with the wider global network of individuals involved in programme/programme management to share information and ensure Sone Sie is aligned with organisational strategy and agendas.

• Represent the British Council externally and internally.

Role specific knowledge and experience

• Extensive experience (more than 5 years) of leading and managing programmes or large projects.

• Experience of managing multi country or large programmes or large that have met project closure standards and passed audits.

• Experience of working with several different funding sources and knowledge of different programme frameworks and compliance rules.

• Experience of working within a consortium arrangement or with other funding partners or sponsors and management of associated contracts.

• Extensive experience of managing complex, senior, client, stakeholder and partner relationships and reporting requirements.

• Experience of identifying risk, mitigating risk, and monitoring risk and reporting risk through appropriate channels.

• Experience of developing MEL frameworks and designing data collection mechanisms.

• Experience of leading a large, diverse, dispersed project or programme team

• Experience of presenting and communicating programme success to a range of external audiences.

Requirements

 First degree, preferably in public policy, political or social science, public administration, development studies or in another relevant area (such as economics, sociology, law).

 Applied Programme Management Professional (APMP) or equivalent level of qualification in programme management. (Desirable)

 The British Council systems and global processes operate in English. Written and verbal proficiency in English is required.

 The role may include occasional travel within the territory, region or internationally.

Closing Date: Tuesday, 23 January 2024 at 23:59 Singapore Time (GMT+8)