Job Description
Job Title
DFID Programmes Manager
Job Band
SAME
Ref
TBC
Department
Humanitarian Policy
Division
International
Reporting To Head of Humanitarian Policy Location
(interim)
Duration
2 year (with possibility of
extension)
UKO
Last Updated September 2011
Context
The British Red Cross helps people in crisis, whoever and wherever they are. We are
part of a global voluntary network, responding to conflicts, natural disasters and individual
emergencies.
The British Red Cross (BRC) is part of the largest voluntary humanitarian organisation in
the world; the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. It promotes
humanitarian principles and provides emergency support to people in crisis overseas and
in the UK. Within the UK, BRC operates through some 35,000 volunteers and 2,800
staff. Internationally, BRC is an active member of the International Red Cross and Red
Crescent Movement and is committed to strengthening the International Federation of
Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), supporting the work of the International
Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and building the capacity of National Red Cross and
Red Crescent Societies (National Societies). BRC’s mission is “to mobilise the power of
humanity so that individuals and communities have the capacity to prepare for, deal with
and recover from crisis.”
Scope
This is an exciting opportunity to play a leading role in the British Red Cross’ growing
relationship with DFID. The DFID Programmes Manager will be responsible for providing
institutional oversight of the BRCS relationship with DFID.The post holder will ensure the
effective grant management of DFID funding to BRC and IFRC.
Based in the International Division and supported by the Institutional Funding Grants Coordinator, the DFID Programmes Manager will play an active role in providing support
and guidance to programme teams and field offices throughout programme design,
monitoring and reporting processes, coordinating the input of all involved. The DFID
Programmes Manager will work with others to develop and implement a funding plan and
donor management strategy for DFID, in line with the Red Cross Movement’s strategic
priorities.
Overall Purpose Of The Post

To take a leading role on the relationship with DFID for the British Red Cross and
the wider Red Cross Movement, ensuring that support from DFID is developed
and sustained;

To act as a focal point for oversight of DFID support to the Red Cross Movement;

To support and advise programme teamsandfield offices with regards to DFID
programmes, funding applications and relationships;
To help ensure consistency and high quality across DFID funded programmes in
which BRC is directly involved;
To coordinate and support consistent and high level performance management
and accountability across DFID grants, including the documentation of
programme learning and impact.


Main Duties and Responsibilities
A. Grant and Information Management (on funding to BRC, IFRC and National
Societies):
1. Taking lead responsibility for effective coordination of BRC’s DFID Programme
Partnership Agreement (PPA) grant, including ensuring appropriate systems are
in place for monitoring, reporting and funds dispersal, coordinating and leading
monitoring and reporting and serving as the primary focal point for programme
teams and DFID;
2. Taking lead responsibility for BRC’s involvement in the IFRC’s DFID core funding,
including coordinating evaluation and reporting support, facilitating donor
monitoring visits, supporting high quality reporting to DFID and serving as BRC
focal point on DFID-related issues for the Federation Secretariat;
3. Setting up in-house processes and systems to ensure that programme design,
monitoring, and reporting system relating to DFID funded grants (PPA, IFRC and
National Society) are set up in a well-coordinated, cohesive and resource-efficient
manner, ensuring a degree of consistency between objectives and performance
frameworks (to ensure high standards and to ease reporting) ;
4. Embedding and managing processes and procedures to ensure that required
standards are consistently met in a timely way, and with integration of programme
and budgetary components;
5. Taking a lead role in managing funding relationships with DFID, acting as a Red
Cross focal point for DFID, managing donor requests, attending donor review
meetings, donor discussions and donor learning events (for PPA, IFRC and
National Society grants), as well as supporting BRC, Federation Secretariat and
where relevant, National Society engagement with DFID helping to ensure
consistency in communications;
6. Ensuring institutional oversight of all DFID grants so as to capture information on
grants, funding, and programme progress,in order to inform BRC strategy and
management decision-making;
7. Monitoring DFID strategic and funding priorities at both London and in-country
levels;preparing and updating positioning guides on key strategies and policies;
and in coordination with fundraisers, supporting the identification of funding
opportunities in accordance with BRC’s strategic objectives and facilitating high
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quality and timely funding applications from BRC and other components of the
Movement;
8. Monitoring DFID contractual and accountability requirements, including on audits,
ensuring that grant applications and reporting are consistent therewith and
keeping BRC, the Federation Secretariat and relevant National Societies up to
date with these requirements.
B. Support to programme teams on design, implementation and monitoring
and reporting
1. Coordinating support and advice to programme teams on proposal writing;
monitoring and evaluation and reporting and on contractual obligations and MOUs,
working with other teamsto ensure high quality and consistency. This involves
establishing clear systems for the involvement of different teams (fundraising,
finance, PMER) in proposal writing support and includes coordinating fundraising
involvement in country proposals and/or being directly involved in proposal writing
support where appropriate.
2. Where BRCS does not have an existing programme or field presence, supporting
interaction between National Societies and DFID in-country in accordance with the
Red Cross Movement’s interests and priorities. Where there is an existing BRCS
presence, supporting and advising programme teams in this regard;
3. Helping to identify key countries, programmes and thematic areas requiring
performance management and accountability support; coordinating this support
and capturing and informing learning across programmes. Supporting and, where
required,monitoring / evaluating performance on DFID funding;
4. Acting as focal point between the International Division and the Trusts and
Statutory (TS) Fundraisers to ensure effective communication and collaboration;
working with the Head of TS to task manage the Institutional Funding Grants Coordinator and to coordinate support from TS fundraisers.
C. Other
1. Initially, task manage an Institutional Funding Grants Co-ordinator (line managed
by Head of Trusts and Statutory Funding) and line manage interns or volunteers as
required;
2. Undertake other appropriate duties and tasks assigned by the Head of
Department;
3. Uphold the Fundamental Principles of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
and to work within the Society’s Equal Opportunities Policy and to demonstrate the
competencies and behaviours set out in the Society’s Management Development
Framework.
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PERSON SPECIFICATION
JOB TITLE: DFID PROGRAMMES MANAGER
REF:
EDUCATION/
TRAINING
EXPERIENCE
KNOWLEDGE/
TECHNICAL
SKILLS
PERSONAL
SKILLS
GRADE: SAME
Degree level in relevant subject.**
Master’s Degree in relevant subject desirable.
-Demonstrable overseas field experience as a humanitarian
practitioner, including experience developing and managing
humanitarian or development projects**
-Experience of building and maintaining relationships, raising funds
and managing significant grants from institutional donors, preferably
DFID**
-Experience of developing and reporting on significant project
proposals, including development of complex programme
proposals, budgets and logframes**
-Experience of being responsible for quality of project proposals and
narrative and financial donor reports **
-Experience of line managing staff**
-Experience of successfully working with DFID’s new business case
and reporting framework preferable
-Experience of developing or working with internal procedures so as
to ensure effective and efficient grant management
-Experience of coordinating complex information from a range of
sources and countries, including liaison directly with country based
staff, to present to a donor in an appropriate format
-Experience of designing and undertaking programme monitoring
and evaluations
-Familiarity with DFID funding priorities and procedural
requirements**
-Up to date knowledge of current thinking and best practice in
impact and performance measurement**
-Understanding of the Institutional Funding policy environment
-Understanding of the humanitarian policy environment, preferable
-Advanced use of Excel, Word and E-mail. Knowledge of
computerised accounts systems. Highly computer literate**
-Excellent written English, with experience of writing strong
proposals and reports**
-Excellent budgeting and financial skills, and the ability to report on
budget formats
A self-starter, with ability to work independently, set own objectives
and priorities and to manage competing priorities under pressure**
Strong communication skills, both written and oral; particularly
capable of communicating to colleagues who work remotely**
Strong representational skills**
Good negotiation and inter-personal skills with ability to coordinate
processes with multiple stakeholders**
Good planning, organisationaland time management skills**
Strong judgement around tailoring communication and choosing
effective methods to communicate
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BEHAVIOURS
COMPETANCI
ES
ADDITIONAL
Commitment to values of humanitarian work
Cross cultural sensitivity
-Uphold the Fundamental principles and act with integrity and in
accordance with the Society’s values and obligations
-Ensure equal opportunities and anti-discriminatory practice and
promote diversity
-Recognise and value the contribution of others
-Take responsibility for own and team’s decisions and actions
-Demonstrate flexibility and open mindedness
-Give feedback and support
The British Red Cross Management Development Framework
competencies apply. In this post, those which are emphasised are:
Interpersonal and communication skills of the highest order
Leading people / Managing colleagues
Planning and managing projects and activities
Analysis, decision-making and problem solving
Innovative and creative thinking
Willingness to work out of office hours when necessary
Able to travel/flexible regarding working conditions
Willingness to work overseas on a regular basis and outside normal
hours on an occasional basis
** minimum shortlisting criteria
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