Job Description
Title: / Programme Support Manager
Responsible to: / Head of Programmes
Responsible for: / An overseas programmes team of approximately 3-4 Project Managers
Location: / Based in London, UK with significant travel to Africa. In the first year overseas travel is estimated to account for 40% of the time and could be for periods of up to 6 weeks at a time
Job Purpose: / To support Transaid’s quality programme delivery and organisational growth

About Transaid:

Transaid is an international UK development charity that aims to reduce poverty and improve livelihoods across Africa and the developing world through creating better transport.

We do this by building local skills and knowledge to make transport safer, cheaper, cleaner and more effective, ensuring better access to the essentials for everyday life such as healthcare, education and training, and economic opportunities.

Transaid’s history goes back over 25 years and is strongly supported by the European Transport and Logistics Industry. Through combining this expertise with our longstanding experience of working in the developing world, we partner with organisations in the public and private sector including local community organisations, governments, institutions and donors to build capability and achieve our aims. This collaborative approach enables Transaid to provide innovative solutions to some of the key challenges facing transport and development today.

Our team is committed to the goal of increasing the charity’s capacity and capability to deliver effective technical projects in Africa and elsewhere.

Transaid was founded by Save the Children and The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport and our Patron is HRH The Princess Royal.

Main Responsibilities:

  • Provide supervision and management support to 3-4 project managers working overseas
  • Work closely with the relevant project managers to ensure assigned programmes are planned correctly, completed on time and within budget, to a high standard with optimum impact being achieved;
  • Where required provide direct technical assistance to projects, either as a individual on a short term assignment or as part of team providing short term technical assistance as part as a wider programme
  • Contribute to Transaid’s organisational strategic planning and policy development processes.
  • Support the roll-out of stronger project management processes
  • Support with the collection and publication of impact indicators and case studies
  • Develop Transaid’s Monitoring and Evaluation approach to help guide efforts for optimum impact and measurement of impact
  • Work closely with Transaid’s Head of Finance and Head of Marketing

Representation

  • Represent and promote Transaid externally at senior level overseas and in the UK;
  • Network with appropriate development agency and transport and logistics industry partners.

Communication and Learning

  • Create and implement materials to facilitate programme development;
  • Support programmes monitoring, evaluation and reporting;
  • Disseminate programmes information and experience internally and externally;
  • Facilitate learning between programmes and programme development partners;
  • Promote relevant research to support programme activity.

Person Specification for the Programme Support Manager, Transaid

Essential

  • Proven experience of working overseas and successfully managing international development projects
  • Proven experience of direct and distance management of teams and individuals
  • An understanding of the importance of transport and logistics in international development and an ability to communicate this to potential partners, donors and Governments
  • Knowledge and experience of the international development sector, and a demonstrable understanding of developmental processes
  • An ability to successfully manage high-level relationships in the public and private sector / organisations
  • An understanding of the role of the private sector in international development
  • An ability to work effectively with people at all levels

Desirable

  • Knowledge of the transport and logistics industry in UK
  • Experience of development contracting
  • Cross sectorexperience, for example in transport and logistics/health /livelihoods would be an advantage
  • Language skills would be an advantage – especially French
  • Experience of working with a variety of partners and donors

Remuneration

We are offering a competitive salary, 25 days leave per annum and a generous optional pension scheme

Closing date for applications:

Please send a letter of application and CV (no longer than 3 sides) to . The closing date for applications is Friday 21st December 2012.

Interviews will take place during in early to mid January

Expected start date

The expected start date is February 2013.