Summary purpose and objective of role

This is a senior programmatic role in Options Global Health Team. As Senior Programme Manager you will be responsible for ensuring our most complex, multi-country and multi-partner contracts are delivered to Options’ high quality standards and meet the needs of our donor clients.

Senior Programme Managers are the bridge between Options headquarters and donor funded programmes, playing a coordination role between a project team, country offices of operation, and Options’ globally-based finance, HR, legal and compliance, technical and programmatic experts.  While reporting into the programmatic team within Options’ Global Health department, they are still expected to work closely with the Project Director/Team Leader of a specific programme, as an integrated member of a project team.

While the SPM could work on any programme, this role will initially be assigned as the Senior Programme Manager for the Girl Generation-Support for the Africa-led Movement to end FGM/C (TGG-ALM). TGG-ALM is a £28m FCDO programme that is working towards ending all forms of female genital mutilation. The programme works with a range of national and international NGOs, advocacy organisations and grassroots CSOs across Kenya, Ethiopia, Senegal, and Somaliland to achieve positive change in social attitudes towards ending FGM/C. Using an innovative learning-based approach, the programme develops ‘core models’ to address FGM/C and then working with partners and stakeholders to sustain and scaleup. The programme is underpinned by a strong communication and advocacy team and grants mechanism that contributes towards a global movement of individuals and organisations to advocate for the end of the FGM/C. The complex and innovative nature of the programme makes it a particularly interesting programme management opportunity.

This role is far-reaching, including: engagement with Options global team, consortium partners, donors and other external stakeholders; ensuring gold standard project management including budgets, reports, logframes and other contractual requirements are met and of the highest quality; resource planning including engagement of consultants as required; report writing; contributions to new business as required.

This position includes regional and international travel.

Person specification

• Significant experience of working in international development at a Programme Management level
• Extensive experience of the development and management of large, high risk, complex, multi-country, multi-partner programmes and complex consortium managed programmes
• Experience of line management and management of teams and coaching and supporting junior Programme Managers
• Experience in distance management of relations between a head office and an internationally based team
• Experience managing grants and contracts funded by donors including FCDO, USAID, BMGF, CIFF and World Bank
• Experience of managing large, complex donor-funded budgets that operate in consortiums across multiple countries (£10m+)
• Experience working in sub-Saharan Africa
• Experience engaging with and managing consortium partners at a senior level as a prime operating across multiple geographies and managing delivery performance
• Experience establishing and maintaining effective relationships with key stakeholders including consortium partners, donors, and government
• Experience of contract management and performance management approaches used by clients and funders including payment-by-results
• Experience of effective oversight and management of partner contractual delivery, financial reporting, and performance
• Experience developing grant management procedures and managing grant programmes (desirable)
• Experience of networking to build successful relationships with potential clients, collaborators, and consultants (desirable)
• Experience in fundraising/business development (desirable)
• Experience strengthening organisational systems and processes (desirable)
• Experience managing public health programmes and/or programmes
• French language ability (desirable)