View Vacancy – Policy & Programme Manager HEO (10/24 ACC)

Main purpose of job:

The post will sit in the UK Foreign and Commonwealth and Development’s office (FCDO) at the British High Commission in Accra. The job holder will have substantial responsibility to delivering UK’s bilateral objectives through the effective management of programme and policies related to green economic transformation in Ghana. Additionally, the post holder will shape key aspects of policy work on private sector development (manufacturing and industrial) and agriculture transformation working with lead advisers in FCDO as well as provide direct support to the Team leader  for FCDO Green Economic Transformation Pillar and Team.

The FCDO Ghana’s Green Economic Transformation Team focuses its interventions on supporting Ghana’s green, and inclusive growth to drive job creation, innovation and economic transformation.   The team’s policy and programmes on helping Ghana to transform and diversify its economy. This involves enhancing value addition and fostering sustained transformation in critical sectors such as agriculture and manufacturing (industry) which supports both export and local production. This in turn create scale, jobs, and incomes and ultimately contribute to poverty reduction whilst ensuring transformation is green, sustainable and resilient. Th

The team does this by helping Ghana attract targeted private investment, build productive firms (including innovations with SMEs) and implementing policy reforms in higher productivity sectors (including value added agriculture, and manufacturing) whilst ensuring this growth is resilient to climate shocks and maximises green growth opportunities.  Additionally, enabling technology, innovation and infrastructure underpins the team’s work. The team also works collaboratively with other divisions across the BHC mission capitalising on partnership opportunities that deepen UK-Ghana interest.

About FCDO:

This role (Country Based Role) sits in the Green Economic Transformation team within the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office’s development  (FCDO) office at the British High Commission (BHC Accra).

British High Commission (BHC) Accra is a large post, currently employing around 40 UK staff from the UK (UKB) and 200 Ghanaian Country Based Staff (CBS). BHC is charged with delivering the UK-Ghana development partnership. BHC is a highly inclusive place to work, celebrating a workforce with both diversity of thought and background. To help achieve this, the BHC takes a values-based approach to leadership and people management and has a zero-tolerance for bullying and harassment. Our local values are Respect; Openness; and Honesty & Integrity. An understanding and commitment to inclusion and values-based leadership will be discussed during interview. 

How we approach our work is important. The How We Work Statement (below) sets out the ambition we share across the FCDO for how we lead and behave towards each other, how we make decisions, and how we get the job done. Some aspects may be particularly relevant to this role.

• We put respect and kindness first. We are inclusive, we get to know each other, and value our diversity and the contribution we each bring. We are fair, act with integrity, and tackle inequality and unacceptable behaviour. We work together and take responsibility to solve problems.
• We draw on the expertise, insight and diverse perspectives of people across the FCDO, HMG, and beyond. We use the best available data and evidence. We are open to challenge and take a sustainable, long-term approach. We are transparent about the rationale for decisions and smart about taking and managing risks.
• We are agile and alert to emerging opportunities. We encourage learning, innovation and use of data and digital. We are all clear on what we are expected to deliver and support each other in doing so. We look to reduce duplication and unnecessary process. We are committed to transforming both the FCDO and the way HMG delivers international policy.

Roles and responsibilities:

This is an exciting role for an experienced and motivated person looking to deepen and demonstrate their programme and policy capabilities.  The Policy and Programme Manager role will support BHC Accra and the CSII team to deliver programming on green economic transformation priorities, including supporting policy and programmatic coherence in this area. The post holder will support policy engagement with Government of Ghana officials on cross cutting issues around green economic transformation and investment, working with BHC Accra advisers, in particular on infrastructure, agriculture, and private sector development, to help maintain a coherent and influential UK economic transformation narrative. Working with lead advisers, the post holder will be responsible for maintaining and further building a strong network of relevant private sector and Government stakeholders across Ghana, identifying linkages and synergies, and areas of impact through influence. The post holder will be expected to provide strong corporate contributions which might involve: UK ministerial visit coordination including briefing, and development policy related corporate returns related to the team’s agenda. 

Policy Role

• Develop high quality and sustainable UK/Ghana partnerships that focus on UK and Ghanaian priorities, including developing and maintaining a network of senior level contacts across the UK and Ghana landscape related to green economic transformation.
• Contribute to new  programme including a new proposed programme on green economic transformation.
• Lead on selected policy briefing and reporting for Ghana related to investment and green economic transformation.
• Work closely with the other BHC policy teams and FCDO communications specialists to leverage and amplify UK’s programming, policies and partnerships relevant to the team’s agenda.
• Support efforts to promote visibility and HMG coherence on FCDO’s work on green economic transformation. This includes convening and supporting cross-mission meetings of policy specialists and advisers in the areas of agriculture transformation and private sector development.
• Provide direct support to the team leader on team management and overall coherence of team’s narrative and agenda. This will include but not limited to country business planning, team risk management and other corporate returns.

For programme management aspects of the role, the job holder will provide support across the different team portfolios in line with the FCDO Programme Operating Framework (PrOF). This includes (but not limited to) the following areas:

• Lead on new programme design including in the area of green economic transformation , helping to design and draft new project documents.
• Lead on reviewing of programme reports and representing the team in external meetings.
• Work closely with Lead Advisers on drafting and setting up programme management  arrangements including MoUs, commercial contracts, and accountable grant .
• Develop relevant ToRs and other project documents to support programme delivery, and ensure effective financial management.
• Engage with programme partners and beneficiaries on formal and informal reviews, using information, data and evidence to identify performance issues, ensure appropriate levels of performance are achieved and recommend remedial action.
• Lead the effective management and administration of assigned programme(s), contribute to developing high quality and compliant programme documentation, including submissions, concept notes and business cases.
• Develop close relationships with implementers and across HMG, working to build their understanding of FCDO processes and priorities, and improving their performance, and building relationships with the relevant government leads at national and district level.
• Contribute to the implementation of programme, team risk strategies, focusing on risk identification, mitigating the risk of fraud and corruption, and ensuring other risks are addressed in liaison with programme suppliers as required.

Cross-BHC Mission working

• Play an active part in corporate activities at the mission British High Commission.
• Support the delivery of the high level UK-Ghana Business Council, which is an annual meeting between respective Government’s on trade, investment and economic development.
• Support the team’s cross mission leadership work on climate and private sector development.

Resources managed (staff and expenditure): 

The role will sit in team which currently manages one bilateral programme and various policy work covering agriculture, infrastructure, manufacturing, and industrial transformation. The job holder will provide direct policy support for the Jobs and Economic Transformation programme which supports industrial and manufacturing transformation in up to five economic sectors in Ghana. The programme spends approximately £1-2 million pounds a year on its interventions. 

The team also manages other non-bilateral programmes including infrastructure and cities programme as well others on forestry and climate. These are global programmes with a Ghana footprint and partially managed from the Ghana office. The job holder will indirectly support these global programmes.

Overall, the team manages bilateral spend of approx. £3.5 million  per annum. This does not include other central management programmes which spend in excess of these.

• Minimum of first degree in or equivalent relevant work experience.
• Strong policy and briefing capability coupled with high quality policy and briefing skills
• Programme management experience in international development including the ability to bring together policy and programme levers to deliver a high impact in a challenging area, and experience in delivering programme quality and compliance.
• Ability to deliver and strengthen risk; finance; fraud; procurement; monitoring and evaluation; and value for money systems.
• Ability to build external networks and influence them.
• Experience of communicating, influencing, and engaging with senior stakeholders, utilising both written and oral communication skills, with ability to present confidently at team/office levels and stakeholders.
• Experience of using complex data from a wide range of evidence to provide easily understandable recommendations.
• Ability to deliver events, visits and work plans.
• Ability to work across teams, seeing and building synergies, and getting the most from specialist advisers.