United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Programme Administrator

Job Description

Job Title: Project Administrator

Purpose of Job

The purpose of the Programme Administrator role is to provide general administrative and secretarial support to the Climate and Energy Programme team, as well as dedicated support to two multi-year, multi-partner programmes housed in CEP: the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) and the Low Emission Development Strategies Global Partnership (LEDS GP).

The Climate and Energy Programme (CEP) is one of ODI’s 14 thematic research programmes focused on supporting climate compatible development and poverty reduction through high quality research, analysis and debate on adaptation and resilience, climate finance, green growth and natural resource management.

The Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) is a flagship programme designed to help decision-makers in developing countries tackle climate change. It provides high-quality research, cutting-edge technical assistance and knowledge and partnership services to developing countries.

Working in partnership with decision-makers in the public, private and non-governmental sectors nationally, regionally, and globally, CDKN is managed by an alliance of organisations led by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC), and includes the Overseas Development Institute (ODI), Lead Pakistan, SouthSouthNorth (SSN), and Fundacion Futuro Latinamericano (FFLA). Within the broad scope of climate compatible development, CDKN works across four strategic themes:

• Climate compatible development strategies and plans;

• Improving developing countries’ access to climate finance;

• Strengthening resilience through climate-related disaster risk management;

• Supporting climate negotiators from the least developed and most vulnerable countries.

Since September 2015, the CDKN programme, through ODI, has been delivering the Secretariat functions of the Low Emission Development Strategies Global Partnership (LEDS GP). LEDS GP works to advance low emission, climate resilient development around the world through a vibrant community of practitioners.

ODI's specific role in LEDS GP includes

• Supporting the Global Secretariat Functions in close coordination with NREL

• Providing Knowledge Management and Communication support

• Fostering Communities of Practice, including increasing private sector engagement;

• Designing and delivering the LEDS GP Annual Event;

• Steering the Africa LEDS Partnership through CDKN’s regional office in Africa;

• Supporting the Asia LEDS Partnership and LEDS LAC Platform;

• Providing coordination support and strategic guidance to the Working Groups on Benefits Assessment and Communications; Finance; and Subnational Integration;

• Coordinating and delivering technical assistance through the Remote Expert Assistance on Low Emission Development Strategies (REAL) tool in collaboration with NREL; and

• Contributing to the development and launch of a LEDS Fellowship program and Country Activity Database.

The successful candidate will work collaboratively with the Programme Officer and Head of Programme and throughout ODI’s central departments such as finance, HR, IT and facilities on general support to CEP. They will also work closely with the CDKN and LEDS programme leads based at ODI, to provide support to the timely and accurate financial management, administration and coordination of the programmes.

Your responsibilities will include administration and expenditure tracking of knowledge management and communication projects administrative and logistical support across the team.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

General programme administration and coordination:

· Act as a central point of contact and coordination for Programme members and activities both internally and externally

· Coordinate and minute Programme meetings and retreats

· Support the Programme Officer with the intern programme and new staff inductions

· Organise meetings and events, including overseas events: finding and booking venues, arranging facilities, liaising with participants

· Work with team members to support timely document and file management

· Make international travel and hotel bookings

· Maintain good knowledge of ODI’s systems, processes and policies – providing team updates as required

Project support:

· Administer the programme’s payments systems – invoices, credit cards, staff and contractor expenses.

· Prepare documents in support for bids and proposal development

· Support with bids and proposals

· Preparing and coordinating subcontracts

· Providing back-stop cover in absence of PO

CDKN and LEDS specific support

• Assist CDKN and LEDS programme leads in drafting and monitoring of budgets
• Tracking all project expenditure (actual and committed) against CDKN and LEDS budgets
• Preparing invoices and supporting financial reporting to donors
• Processing subcontractor invoices against contracts and getting senior staff approval
• Coding all suppliers’ invoices and obtaining approval from the appropriate person
• Provide webinar support
• Support the delivery of the LEDS fellowship programme including collating submissions and managing correspondence with partners, selection panels and awardees.

Person Specification

Essential

Knowledge and Qualifications

• Education to degree level
• High level of numeracy and literacy

Experience

• Experience of budget monitoring
• Experience providing support in a project environment

Skills/Abilities

· Strong interpersonal skills and cultural sensitivity, the ability to deal with people from a variety of backgrounds

• Strong organisational skills and self-motivation
• Outstanding people skills and a friendly outgoing personality
• Advanced IT skills to include Excel, PowerPoint, Word, databases, Outlook
• Ability to learn to use new software quickly
• Data management skills
• Multitasking capabilities
• Ability to work to work under pressure and to strict deadlines
• Excellent communications skills, both written (to be tested as part of application process) and verbal
• Excellent attention to detail

Desirable

• Foreign language skills (particularly Spanish and/or French)
• Experience reporting to donors
• Interest in international development
• Experience of the SharePoint document management system

Key Relationships and Contacts

• CEP Head of Programme and Programme Officer

· Central service staff:, facilities, IT, finance, HR

• CDKN Programme and Partnerships Manager
• LEDS GP Project Manager and Director
• CDKN Global Knowledge Manager
• Other CDKN and LEDS GP Programme staff at ODI, and other administrative and management staff in the Climate Change and Low Carbon transitions programme at ODI.
• CDKN and LEDS GP Programme staff across CDKN’s Alliance Partners – SSN, Lead Pakistan, FFLA, and PwC
• PwC Financial Controller
• ODI finance and communications department

All staff are expected to:

• Positively support equality of opportunity both within ODI and externally

• Help maintain a safe working environment and take responsibility for own and colleagues’ Health and Safety

• Undertake such other duties within the scope of their post as may be requested by their Manager

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