Country Programme Manager, Green Cities and Infrastructure Programme, HEO (Tổng Lãnh Sự Quán Anh)

Required behaviours:Communicating and Influencing, Making Effective Decisions, Seeing the Big Picture, Working Together.
Application deadline: 14 August 2024
Grade: Higher Executive Officer (HEO)
Type of Position: Full-time, Fixed term, with possibility of renewal
Working hours per week: 39.5
Region: Asia Pacific
Country/Territory: Vietnam
Location (City): Ho Chi Minh City
Type of Post: British Consulate General
Number of vacancies: 1
Salary Currency: VND
Salary: VND 59,138,000
Start Date: 2 October 2024

Main purpose of job:

The Green Cities and Infrastructure Centre of Expertise (GCI COE) is looking for a Higher Executive Officer (HEO) Programme Manager to help deliver the UK’s Green Cities and Infrastructure Programme (GCIP).
GCIP is the main delivery mechanism of the GCI COE, established by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and is part of the FCDO’s Economic Development and Partnerships approach – the UK’s economic and development offer to partner countries. GCIP provides comprehensive technical assistance offers to developing countries on low-carbon infrastructure and climate-smart urban development. In Vietnam, GCIP will build from previous UK Government projects, including the Global Infrastructure Programme and the Prosperity Fund Global Future Cities Programme, as well as from short-term technical assistance funded by GCI and delivered by different UK government agencies including the UK’s Infrastructure and Projects Authority, Crossrail International, and Connected Places Catapult. GCIP helps to deliver the UK in Vietnam Network’s target on mobilising critical sources of finance to support Viet Nam’s net zero and sustainable economic development ambition through the British Investment Partnerships toolkit, alongside harnessing opportunities for green UK investment and expertise-sharing through partnerships.
This new position will be included in the Climate Team and located in the British Consulate General HCMC. The post holder will work closely with development, political, infrastructure leads, and other trade colleagues in the British Embassies/ British Consulate Generals in Vietnam and Indonesia to help lead the design and implementation of the GCIP in both countries. The role will include: shaping the overarching strategy in line with the UK Government’s International Development White Paper ; ensuring high quality, value for money delivery of GCIP projects primarily in Vietnam and Indonesia though also potentially other countries in the region such as Cambodia and Laos; identifying opportunities for new programme interventions; establishing themselves as the main point of contact in the region on programme management with GCIP partners and maintaining a strong stakeholder network and coordinating engagement; and contributing to smooth programme and budget management and reporting.
It is critical that the post-holder demonstrates strong stakeholder management skills. As part of this role, you will need to maintain good working relationships with colleagues of the UK in Vietnam Network and other FCDO offices, organisations under the UK Centres of Expertise and other HMG departments as well as the GCIP programme team led by the international consultancy firm PwC and effective collaborative relations with officials. Whilst being an effective team player, you will be able to plan ahead and take independent action and undertake in-depth fact finding and analysis where issues require more perceptive judgements in identifying the best approach or solution from a range of options.
The post is funded under GCIP. Should FCDO withdraw funding to the programme, the position will end after any required notice period.
The post-holder will have substantial responsibility and the opportunity to influence the design and delivery of a high-profile political priority. The role combines diplomacy and international development delivery, including on the UK’s International Climate Finance commitments.

Roles and responsibilities / what will the jobholder be expected to achieve?

We all have a responsibility to embrace the changes of the FCDO as it transforms, building the culture we want to see and delivering our cultural statement in how we lead and behave towards others; how we make decisions and how we get the job done is everyone’s responsibility.

In this role you will also be responsible for:

GCIP Stakeholder Engagement (30%)

Engaging and managing relationships with relevant ministries and offices to lead the design and implementation of the programme. Support the Resilient Cities and Infrastructure team (UK-based) to develop deeper climate collaboration with Vietnam and Indonesia at national, state and local level. Responsibilities include:

Prompt strategic, regular communications with key stakeholders in the UK, Vietnam and Indonesia and other regional stakeholders to facilitate best practice sharing where appropriate. This may require regular involvement in providing complex information, negotiating changes, securing agreement to proposed actions and providing advice to senior grades on the effects of policy or operational changes.
Publicly represent UK in Vietnam Network (British Consulate General and British Embassy) and the UK Government as a credible interlocutor in climate related engagements as necessary.
Ensure proactive coordination on requests around UK engagement on cities, transport and sustainable infrastructure programmes and initiatives supported by other donor agencies, identifying opportunities for multilateral cooperation where possible.
Proactively seek cross-team collaboration opportunities amongst the UK in Vietnam Network to continue supporting a mainstreamed approach in bilateral programmes.

Project Delivery (60%)

Overseeing where necessary direct programme/project delivery in the region of the Green Cities and Infrastructure Programme (GCIP) in line with the FCDO Programme Operating Framework .
Working at pace, ensuring GCIP delivers quality outputs and outcomes on time.
Ensuring PwC led GCIP Team and other delivery partners meet their milestones and reporting is high quality and on time, demonstrating the impact of the GCIP.
Managing financial aspects of the GCIP: budget forecasting, monitoring and budget allocation of individual projects and the overall programme.
Managing risks and mitigations by actively monitoring and escalating when necessary, using judgement to provide options and recommendations on solutions.
Working closely with teams in the UK in Vietnam Network and with other programme managers across other Centres of Expertise to enhance join up and impact to ensure programmes do not work in silo but benefit from lessons learned.
Ensuring FCDO approaches to monitoring and evaluation are applied by PwC to ensure the necessary framework is in place across all projects and providing a challenge function so that monitoring and evaluation is sufficiently captured.
Work with partners and Comms & Press Affairs colleagues to develop effective communications inputs.
Remain flexible and open to engage on new areas as and when they arise.

Corporate Objectives (10%)

Play an active part in the wider corporate business of the UK in Vietnam Network, including on supporting the GCI programme linkages to broader climate and Economic Development and Partnerships work.

Essential qualifications, skills and experience

Strong understanding of and experience with Programme Cycle Management.
Programme management experience in green growth, transport, urban development, construction or related fields.
Ability to organise and prioritise own work and deal with several matters simultaneously avoiding backlogs of work.
Ability to take responsibility for quality of work, and to identify and resolve issues.
Computer literate and familiar with basic features and use of simple spreadsheets.
Excellent command of written and spoken English. Able to create clear and accurate first drafts of project documentation, correspondence, and notes of meetings.
Able to listen well and communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders.

Desirable qualifications, skills and experience

Experience working with development partner-funded programmes in the green cities and infrastructure field.
Experience engaging with a range of senior private sector and government stakeholders.

Other benefits and conditions of employment

Learning and development opportunities (and any specific training courses to be completed):

We encourage all staff to develop their capabilities, through both formal training courses and informal opportunities such as job-shadowing, coaching and on-the-job training. All staff are encouraged to share their skills and experience with colleagues, through informal training sessions or coaching/mentoring. We have an active L&D committee who organise a varied programme of learning for all staff. All staff are eligible for 5 Learning and Development days a year. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is committed to developing its staff. There will be opportunities for formal training alongside collaborating with a wide range of colleagues delivering on-the-job learning.

Working in a diplomatic mission
International policy skills course
UK Diplomatic Academy foundation learning
Regional and London-based formal learning opportunities

Employment offers are subject to successful clearance of pre-employment and security checks. Staff who are locally recruited by the British Embassy are subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local employment law. No accommodation or relocation expenses are payable in connection with this position. Visa sponsorship may be possible for non-Vietnamese nationals if meet local requirements. Employees who are not liable to pay local income tax on their Mission salary may have their salaries reduced by the equivalent local income tax amount. Disabled and ethnic minority applicants will be invited to interviews if meeting the minimum requirement of the job.

Working patterns:

Full time - 39.5 hours per week with one hour lunch. Mon-Thursday 08:30–16:45, Friday 08:30–15:00 The Embassy has a smarter working policy and is committed to offering flexible working patterns balanced with the operational requirements of the role. In crisis/emergency situations you may need to work as required to support the Embassy response, sometimes on a shift pattern working which may result in unsociable hours and/or weekend working. The Embassy is committed to supporting flexible working wherever possible. For security reasons, routine working outside of the office is not possible. As an inclusive employer we are happy to discuss alternative working patterns at interview or at the point of any job offer.

Additional information

The FCDO also operates an agile workforce. To facilitate this, you may be required to undertake other duties from time to time as we may reasonably require. Employment offers are subject to successful clearance of pre-employment and security checks. Staff recruited by the British Embassy are subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local employment law. The British Government is an inclusive and diversity-friendly employer. We value difference, promote equality and challenge discrimination, enhancing our organisational capability. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status or other category protected by law. We promote family-friendly flexible working opportunities, where operational and security needs allow.

All applications must be received before 23:55 (Local Vietnam Time) on the day of the deadline indicated above.

Please be aware that the deadline for submitting applications is considered to be the time zone for the country where the vacancy has arisen. All applicants are required to mandatorily fill the online application form completely including the employment and educational details, experience, professional skills and behaviour-based questions. We will be thoroughly reviewing the applications and incomplete form in any respect may not be considered while shortlisting for the next stage. Only shortlisted candidates for interview will be contacted. Interviewees will be assessed on the core behaviours/qualifications listed above. Unsuccessful candidates will be notified via the system in due time. Appointable candidates who were unsuccessful may be placed on a ‘reserve list’. If during the reserve period of 6 months the same or a largely similar role becomes available, that role may be offered to the second or subsequent candidate”. Please check the application centre regularly for any update on your application.