United Kingdom: Project Operations Coordinator

If you share our values and believe that children’s lives should not be torn apart by war, we want to hear from you.

About Us: 

War Child, the specialist charity for children affected by conflict. For more than two decades we’ve delivering high-impact programmes that are rebuilding lives across Afghanistan, Iraq, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Central African Republic and Yemen. We understand children’s needs, respect their rights, and put them at the centre of the solution - from reintegrating children formerly associated with armed groups and armed forces (CAAFAG) in the Central African Republic to reuniting children with their families in Afghanistan. We look forward to a world in which the lives of children are no longer torn apart by war. This is a vision that can only be realised through the collective actions of children themselves, communities and their leaders, organisations like War Child, governments and key decision makers.

Child Safeguarding and Adults at Risk: 

Our work with children and at-risk adults to keep them safe is the most important thing we do. We are committed to the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults in all areas of our work. We have zero tolerance for any behaviours and practices that puts children and/or vulnerable adults at risk of abuse and/or harm.

Your Role: 

The Programme Operations Coordinator is an integral member of the programme operations team, providing effective and efficient support to country programmes in project delivery, grants management and operational management. The role also plays an important role in ensuring information from country programmes is shared across War Child, for example with fundraising and communications teams. The role holder is expected take initiative, problem solve and make decisions on a day to day basis in discussion with country programme staff that ensure a good level of programme delivery.

Your Responsibilities: 

• Provide continuous operational support as required to relevant country teams including day-to-day liaison; coordination; information-sharing; strategic planning; as well as monitoring and reporting on progress against Annual Plans.
• Provide effective and efficient support in grants management to country programmes through established best practices (including WCUK’s Grants Management Policy) including designing and providing training for country staff
• Proactively address risk throughout the grant cycle by supporting and strengthening compliance; and embedding risk management best practices across the country programmes.
• Maintain up to date grant management information on internal dataspaces including Salesforce.
• Facilitate, review and contribute to timely reporting with institutional donors, foundations and corporate donors for grants across the portfolio, and supporting key project staff to effectively compile high-quality and impact-oriented narrative and financial progress reports.
• Lead BVA monitoring and monthly review from a programmes operations perspective, in coordination with finance team.
• Facilitate effective internal communications between the programmes team and the rest of War Child, including providing regular updates/information on new projects and project progress.
• Provide support, with maintaining a sustainable pipeline through engagement with funding opportunities as required; providing timely and quality information for fundraising and advocacy.
• Maintain an up to date understanding of institutional donor compliance requirements related to current grants.
• Regular travel to War Child country offices to deliver support to the country teams
• Contribute to creating a culture committed to the safeguarding of children and adults and compliant to WCUK’s Child Safeguarding and Adults at Risk Policies.

These duties provide a framework for the role and should not be regarded as a definitive list. Other reasonable duties may be required consistent with the grade of the role.

You Are: 

• Experienced in managing projects with an (I)NGO. Field experience working in conflict and post -conflict environments would be a distinct advantage.
• Knowledgeable of grant management approaches and donor compliance, having experience of managing grants from institutional donors such as ECHO, FCDO and UN agencies
• Experienced in developing and reviewing project budgets, forecasts and workplans
• Experienced in writing and editing high-quality donor reports
• Experienced in working and coordinating with colleagues remotely
• Knowledgeable of child protection, safeguarding and child rights programming
• Aware of the security environment in places where War Child works that can be applied to day-to-day decisions.
• Self-motivated, working accurately and efficiently to deadlines and multiple priorities.
• Able to process and articulate complex issues in a clear and coherent way so that they can be shared with a wider audience.
• A strong communicator with excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to build positive working relationships with a broad range of stakeholders.
• An awareness of project development and implementation in emergency contexts would be desirable.
• A working knowledge of French would be highly desirable

How to Apply: 

• Please download the application form here: https://www.warchild.org.uk/who-we-are/jobs
• Submit a completed application form and a recent copy of your CV to recruitment@warchild.org.uk by 11:59pm on 29/01/2023
• Due to limited resources, we will contact only the shortlisted candidates
• Interviews will be held between 06/02/2023 and 10/02/2023
• If you have any questions about reasonable adjustments before or during your application, we welcome the opportunity to talk about what we can do to fairly adapt our process for you. Please share what you’re comfortable with to help us put the right support in place, by emailing recruitment@warchild.org.uk. Anything you tell us will be kept completely confidential by our HR team.
• We are unable to provide sponsorship for this post. In order to apply, you must be able to demonstrate your eligibility to work in the country where this role is based.

Contact Information: 

To explore the post further or for any queries you may have, please contact: Ashlea Brewer, Senior Programme Operations Manager: AshleaB@warchild.org.uk. For general information about working for War Child please visit: https://www.warchild.org.uk/who-we-are/careers