Programme Manager TVET at British Council

Role Purpose

The Project Manager will provide integral project management and operational support to the TVET element of our new Going Global Partnerships (GGP) Programme operating in the country, and high-level support to related activity in Higher Education (HE).

GGP builds stronger, more inclusive, internationally connected higher education and technical and vocational education and training (TVET) systems. It supports partnerships between universities, colleges, education policymakers, civil society organisations and industry partners in the UK and around the world.

The Project Manager will work with colleagues in our central UK-based GGP team and with the Country Director and HE colleagues in South Africa, to deliver effective and impactful projects and position for and attract partnership income to support the long-term sustainability and growth of the TVET programme in South Africa.

The role will ensure quality and compliance with published standards by utilising and supporting a single, common, approach across all our products and services.

Main accountabilities but not limited to the following:

Operational Delivery

• Manages the implementation of project activities in South Africa to meet (daily/weekly/monthly) agreed service/programme/product delivery performance targets, schedules and deadlines.
• Manages resources within own nominated area to ensure that work is carried out efficiently and effectively, such as agreeing on priorities and resolving day-to-day operating resource issues, to ensure high quality, consistent and efficient services are delivered.
• Uses digital platforms and technological advancements to improve efficiency, impact and quality of project delivery.
• Incorporates specific actions to address equality, diversity and inclusion priorities in programme design and delivery.
• Makes recommendations to senior managers on procedural improvements, resource requirements and other operational initiatives to drive and/or enhance team performance, cost-effectiveness, service quality and efficiency.
• Undertakes regular quality checks and reviews, following agreed corporate or relevant external protocols, to monitor the quality, consistency and effectiveness of service/product/programme delivery.  Reports on findings and recommends appropriate remedial actions as required.
• Identifies and shares examples of process/procedural best practices with appropriate colleagues in the country/region/SBU to drive continuous improvement in the British Council’s operational capability, efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

Partnership Development and Stakeholder Management

• Translates agreed corporate/regional customer service and client management strategies into appropriate local operational policies and procedures. 
• Monitors and reports on the team/unit’s achievement of agreed customer satisfaction performance targets.
• Ensures that customer/partner feedback is regularly gathered, analysed and acted upon to drive continuous improvements in customer experience.
• Researches and develops partnership opportunities and develops key stakeholder relations to support the long-term sustainability and growth of the TVET portfolio in South Africa and the delivery of the GGP objectives in the country.
• Reports on potential business development or extension opportunities to regional and global SBU colleagues to enable ongoing commercial success for the British Council.

Risk & compliance

• Uses standardised processes to monitor compliance with agreed corporate risk management procedures relevant to service delivery (e.g. EDI, safeguarding, anti-racism, security policies, financial protocols, anti-fraud measures, and cyber security) to protect the interests of the British Council and its customers at all times.  Highlight to senior managers any instances of non-compliance.
• Uses standard corporate protocols to assess a range of risks in service/product/programme delivery.  Makes appropriate contingency plans to manage delivery safely and effectively in challenging or high-risk circumstances.
• Manages the monthly control checks (MCC) and annual compliance check (ACC) process for the nominated team to ensure risks & issues are captured across the entirety of the project/programme in a consistent and compliant manner.

Analysis & reporting

• Ensures data collection on project/programme delivery that supports accountability, decision-making and learning including EDI issues and reports to the GGP and Country Team via monthly and quarterly governance processes and structures.
• Conducts analysis using a range of standard methodologies and across multiple datasets to provide high-quality and evidence-based recommendations on procedural improvements and/or highlight resource requirements needed to enhance operational performance.
• Presents complex information clearly, using an appropriate combination of written, graphical and financial data/analysis, to enable evidence-based operational decision-making and planning.
• Able to analyse project context and evidence of impact through a diversity lens and incorporate recommendations for increasing equality in reporting.

Commercial and financial management

• Directly plans and controls specific cost variables (rather than the total budget) to meet established targets, ensuring compliance with all relevant corporate financial systems and processes.
• Using agreed financial procedures/templates conducts monthly and year-end analysis and reporting on income and expenditure/profitability and risk/pipeline/actual performance versus plan targets.

Leadership & management

• Shares intelligence and ideas to support senior managers in identifying/developing/implementing new or improved operational plans.
• Provides high-level support to the HE Project Officer, and identifies and delivers on opportunities for cross-SBU collaboration where appropriate.
• Drives integration of measures to support equality issues within teams and programmes
• Inclusive Leadership and Management: Volunteers and contributes to EDI-related initiatives, tasks, events, research and publications. Celebrates cultural diversity. Avoids prejudgment in assessing the performance and capability of others. Recognises incidents of inappropriate or non-inclusive behaviour. Seeks to involve others in decision-making.

Role-specific knowledge and experience:

Essential requirements:

• Extensive knowledge of and experience working in or with the South African TVET sector.
• Experience in using technology effectively in the workplace.
• Demonstrated project management knowledge and experience, particularly client-funded and/or partnership projects.  
• Experience in managing teams and projects in line with Centre of Excellence Project Management standards.
• Experience of working across different cultures and recognising and then addressing any unconscious biases.
• Experience in promoting equality, diversity and inclusion within project planning and delivery including use of appropriate tools.
• Understands and promotes ethical conduct, and can ensure that own behaviour and the behaviour of others is consistent with these standards and values of the British Council including those set out in our EDI priorities.

Desirable:

• Association of Project Management (or equivalent) certification
• Knowledge and experience of Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL).  
• Knowledge of and passion for the Education sector.
• Experience working with the South African Government.

Role Specific Skills

• Confident user of information technology (Word; Excel; PowerPoint), Microsoft 365 functionality and working knowledge of the British Council SAP system (aptitude if recruiting externally)
• Able to manage the delivery of digital (Microsoft Teams) and face-to-face workshop and conference events, ensuring all project standards are met, including those for accessibility and safeguarding.
• Well-organised, able to determine project priorities at all stages, develop and communicate work plans, track progress towards goals and use data and evidence to assess achievement.
• Ability to analyse equality issues relevant to projects/programmes and identify opportunities to address these in the delivery.