Project Manager

We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide.

We work directly with individuals to help them gain the skills, confidence and connections to transform their lives and shape a better world in partnership with the UK. We support them to build networks and explore creative ideas, to learn English, to get a high-quality education and to gain internationally recognised qualifications.

Working with people in over 200 countries and territories, we are on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 2021–22 we reached 650 million people.

Role purpose

We are looking for a person passionate about educational and cultural projects with a strong motivation to implement them and make an impact on the environment, who will join us as Project Manager to support us in delivering our programmes. 
If you like managing projects and data management tasks, we encourage you to consider joining our team. The work can be performed partially remotely.

 

The role purpose will be to work as part of the Cultural Engagement British Council Poland Fundacja team to lead on the identification of opportunities and pipeline development for the British Council Europe via the Fundacja. To work collaboratively both with the business teams in Poland and  with other country and global teams, ensuring support for all areas of business development and operations and enable activity that is aligned to the British Council  Global Programmes structure, diversifies income streams and provides evidence of impact. To implement client funded projects, such as those of the European Commission across the cultural engagement portfolio, resulting in  the successful delivery of a range of  projects from start to finish including managing the contract or project plan, managing client or internal stakeholders and  successfully achieving reporting and meeting compliance standards. Some of the work may be within a larger programme or multi country programme on a particular component.

 

Main accountabilities
Relationship & Stakeholder management
•    Has relationships with delivery partners and stakeholders within country and is able to procure services and contract delivery partners.
•    Holds suppliers to account for delivering against contract.
•    Build strong internal relationships and networks
Project Management 
•    Contributes  development of Project Management Plan
•    Identifies risks in a project or programme and puts together mitigation strategies with Senior Responsibility Owner
•    Is responsible for internal and client, procurement, contracting, compliance and reporting  
•    Checks on and reports on compliance 
•    Manages procurement on a project or programme
•    Is responsible for data management  including timely data entry, quality assurance of data, undertaking basic analysis of monitoring data, and developing progress reports to meet funding needs
•    Undertakesprogramme-specific data collection as needed. This includes working with colleagues to identify indicators and tools for data collection, quality assuring all data, and undertaking basic analysis.

Business Development 
▪    Supports the development and management of relationships with strategic clients and partners.
▪    Applies due diligence requirements to potential partners. 
▪    Coordinates research in country/regional context such as analysis of client and partner trends and opportunities.
▪    Manages a network of associate advisors, consultants and partners. 
▪    Embeds effective processes, standards and tools to support pipeline and consultant/partner relationship management.
▪    Manages or supports the development of high-quality bids/proposals.
▪    Participates in contract negotiations with partners and clients, and prepares agreements such as non-disclosure, pre-bid contract or partner and consultant agreements.  
▪    Ensures timely reporting and communication on externally funded contracts/grant funded initiatives.
▪    Participates in programme and project reviews and closure activities, helping to ensure learning is embedded in the development of new business.

Commercial and Financial Management  
•    Ensures sound financial planning, working closely with finance teams to ensure British Council and client financial year plans are up to date. 
•    Ensures  accurate and timely monthly (re)forecasting is in place,  by running regular reports in the SAP system on actuals, monitoring outstanding purchase orders, reviewing commitments, analysing and commenting on reasons for variances to plan and recommending corrective actions.
•    Monitorsmonthly finances, including correct expenditure, ensuring the Purchase to Pay (P2P) process is being followed and correcting any mis-postings or journals as needed.
•    Leads on British Council, partner or client reporting (including, with Finance Manager, financial reporting) and ensures reports are delivered on time, to budget and to a high standard.
•    Ensures compliance of BC financial policies and procedures.

Equality, Inclusion&Diversity (EDI)

•    Actively contributes to an inclusive and anti-racist organisational culture, being aware of your own biases, and taking action to mitigate against these.  Ensuring people feel valued and are treated equitably, with support for people’s well-being and mental health.
•    Understands the British Council’s approach to equality, diversity and inclusion and how it applies to the role, and makes time for learning and development relating to EDI and anti-racism. 

Language Requirements 

C1 English 

C1 Polish

 

Additional job requirements 
Role could require some domestic and international travel as needed by the programme.

Some out of hours and evening work responding to programme/portfolio needs.

 

Role specific knowledge and experience
Essential
•    Experience of managing projects from start to finish and familiarity with project life-cycles.
•    Understanding of procurement, evaluation and reporting requirements of projects.
•    Proven experience of managing project finances.
•    Experience of managing stakeholders  
•    Project management qualification desirable.
•    More than 2 years working in project or programme management.  
•    Experience of using technology on project delivery.
•    Good understanding and experience of supporting monitoring and evaluation.
•    Experience of business development with either donors and/or foundations/ corporates
•    Understanding of and ability to analyse donor documentation/processes/funding procedures

 

Further Information

Pay Band – Local Pay Band G

Salary – from 8 200 PLN gross

Contract Type – 3 month probationary period followed by one year fixed term contract with a possibility of extension

Job type – Full-time

Location – Warsaw/Poland

Closing Date – Thursday the 10th of October 2024, applications will close 23:59 CET

 

 

A connected and trusted UK in a more connected and trusted world.

 

Equality , Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Statement

 

The British Council is committed to policies and practices of equality, diversity and inclusion across everything we do. We support all staff to make sure their behaviour is consistent with this commitment.  We want to address under representation and encourage applicants from under-represented groups, in particular, but not exclusively, on grounds of ethnicity and disability.  All disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria are guaranteed an interview and we have Disability Confident Employer Status. We welcome discussions about specific requirements or adjustments to enable participation and engagement in our work and activities.

 

The British Council is committed to safeguarding children, young people and adults who we work with.

 

We believe that all children and adults everywhere in the world deserve to live in safe environments and have the right to be protected from all forms of abuse, maltreatment and exploitation as set out in article 19, UNCRC (United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child) 1989.

 

Appointment to positions where there is direct involvement with vulnerable groups will be dependent on thorough checks being completed; these will include qualification checks, reference checks, identity & criminal record checks in line with legal requirements and with the British Council’s Safeguarding policies for Adults and Children.

 

If you have any problems with your application please email askhr@britishcouncil.org

 

Please note: Applications to this role can only be considered when made through the Apply section of our careers website. Our ‘ASK HR’ email is only to be used in case of a technical issue encountered when applying through the careers website. Emails with supporting statements and CV/Resumes sent to this email address will not be reviewed and will be deleted.

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