Director of Programmes

Location: Accra, Sub Saharan Africa, GH

Company: British Council

We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide.

We work directly with individuals to help them gain the skills, confidence and connections to transform their lives and shape a better world in partnership with the UK. We support them to build networks and explore creative ideas, to learn English, to get a high-quality education and to gain internationally recognised qualifications.

Working with people in over 200 countries and territories, we are on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 2021–22 we reached 650 million people.

Director of Programmes, Ghana

Role Purpose

To support the Country Director in the effective running of the Ghana directorate and deputise for the CD as appropriate.  The role includes contributing to the design, implementation and evaluation of the country's strategy and plans, and ensuring that ambitious plans (including operational, governance, financial and non-financial plans and targets) are met, ensuring full compliance with relevant standards and policies in so doing.  This senior management role will also take the lead in actively securing and managing key partnerships, leading on business development opportunities and income generation aligned to the British Council’s strategy and vision.  The post-holder will also support the delivery of any change programmes.

Main accountabilities but not limited to the following:

• Operational management: Responsible for the operational delivery of the cultural engagement portfolio, including resourcing and finances. Leading on any efficiency programmes / new delivery models
• Compliance & risk management: Establishing full compliance in the work of the Directorate with all corporate values and standards, including implementation of policies such as EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion), Child Protection, Health & Safety, Environmental Framework Tool, security and incident management
• Business development/pursuit: Cultural engagement business development and pursuit, working with SBU colleagues
• Staff Leadership: Line-management of grant-funded programme teams and client/co-funded programme managers as appropriate in line with British Council brand and values. Coaching and supporting individuals and teams involved in delivering outcomes. Modelling appropriate leadership styles and behaviours.  
• Managing Change: Identifying what changes in processes, procedures and practices are needed to achieve change and deliver the planned benefits and ensuring that managers have the necessary information to communicate changes and their impact to staff. Working on the ground to meet staff and user groups to discuss change and encourage and motivate them to embrace the change to realise the benefits.

Main Deliveries

• Regional TVET leadership and management
• TVET sector/subject expertise
• Regional TVET strategy and planning
• Regional TVET relationship and stakeholder management

Role-specific knowledge and experience

Essential requirements

• Graduate degree in a relevant field or work equivalent experience
• Significant experience in programme management

Desirable

• Financial control or programme management qualifications
• Project management qualification
• Experience in client-funded work eg FCDO, EU, World Bank.

Role Specific Skills

• Extensive experience (more than 5 years) in leading and managing programmes or large projects.  
• Experience in managing multi-country or large programmes that have met project closure standards and passed audits.  
• Experience 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 in managing complex, senior, client, stakeholder and partner relationships and reporting requirements.
• Experience in identifying risk, mitigating risk monitoring risk and reporting risk through appropriate channels.  
• Experience in developing MEL frameworks and designing data collection mechanisms  
• Experience in leading a large, diverse, dispersed project or programme team  

Further Information

• Pay Band –  8
• Contract Type – Locally Engaged  
• Duration - 2 Year Fixed Term Contract
• Location –  Accra, Ghana
• Department/Function -  Education
• Additional information
• Language requirements: Strong written and oral English communication skills.  
• The Role holder must have existing rights to live and work in the country the role is based.
• Closing Date – 01 January 2024. Applications will close at 23:59 East Africa Time

A connected and trusted UK in a more connected and trusted world.

Equality , Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Statement

The British Council is committed to policies and practices of equality, diversity and inclusion across everything we do. We support all staff to make sure their behaviour is consistent with this commitment.  We want to address under representation and encourage applicants from under-represented groups, in particular, but not exclusively, on grounds of ethnicity and disability.  All disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria are guaranteed an interview and we have Disability Confident Employer Status. We welcome discussions about specific requirements or adjustments to enable participation and engagement in our work and activities.

The British Council is committed to safeguarding children, young people and adults who we work with.

We believe that all children and adults everywhere in the world deserve to live in safe environments and have the right to be protected from all forms of abuse, maltreatment and exploitation as set out in article 19, UNCRC (United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child) 1989.

Appointment to positions where there is direct involvement with vulnerable groups will be dependent on thorough checks being completed; these will include qualification checks, reference checks, identity & criminal record checks in line with legal requirements and with the British Council’s Safeguarding policies for Adults and Children.

If you have any problems with your application please email askhr@britishcouncil.org

Please note: Applications to this role can only be considered when made through the Apply section of our careers website. Our ‘ASK HR’ email is only to be used in case of a technical issue encountered when applying through the careers website. Emails with supporting statements and CV/Resumes sent to this email address will not be reviewed and will be deleted.