The British Council builds connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and other countries through arts and culture, education and the English language. 
 
We work in two ways – directly with individuals to transform their lives, and with governments and partners to make a bigger difference for the longer term, creating benefit for millions of people all over the world. We help young people to gain the skills, confidence and connections they are looking for to realise their potential and to participate in strong and inclusive communities. We support them to learn English, to get a high-quality education and to gain internationally recognised qualifications. Our work in arts and culture stimulates creative expression and exchange and nurtures creative enterprise. We connect the best of the UK with the world and the best of the world with the UK. 
 
These connections lead to an understanding of each other's strengths and of the challenges and values that we share. This builds trust between people in the UK and other nations which endures even when official relations may be strained. We work on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 2019-20 we connected with 80 million people directly and with 791 million overall, including online and through our broadcasts and publications.

THE CONTEXT

The Cultural Engagement Business unit has a portfolio of programmes and projects delivered across the British Council’s entire global network of 110 countries including the UK.It covers the following sectors:
•  Arts – visual arts; drama and dance; architecture, design and fashion; creative economy; cultural skills, culture and development; film; literature; music
•  Education – schools, skills and vocational education, higher education, science and research
•  Society – civil society and young people; social enterprise; justice security and stability; gender and inclusion

Cultural Engagement has a significant size portfolio of client-funded contracts from various HMG departments and the EU requiring a global approach to safeguarding implementation to client standards.  There is high profile reporting to these clients that needs to be globally coordinated and delivered through the Head of Safeguarding to manage our reputation.

THE OPPORTUNITY

This is an exciting opportunity to assist with the implementation of a new safeguarding framework across all Cultural Engagement programme delivery in line with the global Safeguarding strategy and policies. This role has been specifically created to support the Cultural Engagement Business Unit of the British Council one of two business units in the British Council.

There is already a foundation of good practice in relation to child protection in cultural engagement programmes, however, with a recent move by the British Council towards a more proactive wider safeguarding approach which includes adults at risk there is significant work to do to do in this area in partnership with the global safeguarding team.  

 Duties will include:

• Manage and ensure comprehensive implementation of the safeguarding framework across all Cultural Engagement programmes and projects aligned to the global safeguarding policy, strategy
• Create safeguarding tools and resources specifically for Cultural Engagement in partnership with the global safeguarding team to assist with risk identification, management and mitigation
• Provide safeguarding advice, consultation and support to all Cultural Engagement programmes/delivery, projects and events, including the provision of specialist advice and support as required to embed safeguarding 
• Support and advise the regional/country/global safeguarding leads as required in relation to Cultural Engagement activity and safeguarding risk management. 
• Create and share safeguarding data reports and analysis of incidents and cases relating to concerns/issues within this business area to Cultural Engagement leadership team
• Raise awareness of the new and increased safeguarding risk to programmes
• Update the Cultural Engagement framework of support and guidance for programme managers and all staff

ABOUT YOU

• Experience of working in an international development/humanitarian context within in an international organization
• A sound and demonstrable knowledge of child protection/safeguarding service delivery within international settings
• Experience of delivering effective safeguarding engagement and learning initiatives
• Demonstrate an understanding and in-depth knowledge of the global safeguarding agenda
• Experience of project management within an international context
• Have extensive experience of safeguarding risk management including safeguarding case management

Role Specific Skills            l

• Partnership working across varied stakeholders
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Data analysis, report writing and supporting the work of senior managers within a safeguarding setting
• International service delivery – within a safeguarding/child protection setting
• Networking and relationship building
• Supporting new service delivery
• Ability to be flexible and to work with all levels of seniority both internally and externally
   

What you will receive:
Outstanding Civil Service Pension Scheme
32 Days Holiday
Annual Travel Season Ticket Loan
Annual Performance related bonus
London weighting £3,300

Pay Band  8
Contract type: IndefinitieContract
Location:  Manchester, London, Belfast,Cardiff and Edinburgh

Finance & Administration Officer (CABB)
Reference: FEB20210360
Location: RSPB Northern Ireland - Belfast + Homeworking / Flexible
Salary: £21,718.00 - £24,294.00 Pro Rata
Benefits: Pension, Life Assurance, 26 days Annual Leave (pro-rata), potential job share
Duration: 9 months

The EU INTERREG VA-funded ‘Co-operation Across Borders for ‘Co-operation Across Borders for Biodiversity’ (CABB) project will contribute to the recovery of protected habitats (active raised and blanket bog) and priority species (breeding waders, hen harrier and marsh fritillary) at key sites across Northern Ireland, the Border Region of Ireland and Western Scotland.

The €4.93m project will support 2228ha of habitat to attain better conservation status and produce 8 Conservation Action Plans (CAPs) for Special Areas of Conservation, Special Protection Areas, Special Sites of Scientific Interest and Areas of Special Scientific Interest. Match funding is provided by the government of Ireland, the Northern Ireland Executive, Mines Restoration Ltd in Scotland and RSPB Scotland.

The objectives of CABB, are as follows:

• Mapping for 7 Conservation Action Plans (CAPs) preparation sites (Montiaghs SAC, Garron SAC, Pettigo SAC, Drumragh/ Pettigo SAC, Meentygranagh SAC, Croaghonagh Bog SAC, Lough Nilan Bog SPA. 1 site (Muirkirk Uplands SSSI) has already been mapped.  This objective will result in 8 protected sites of cross border relevance being mapped, one of which will be an actual cross border site. This objective will establish baseline data for use in CAP preparation, monitoring and evaluation.
• Development and implementation of CAPs for protected cross border sites.  8 CAPs will be prepared for the following protected sites: Montiaghs SAC, Garron SAC, Pettigo SAC, Drumragh/Pettigo SAC, Meentygranagh SAC, Croaghonagh Bog SAC, Lough Nilan Bog SPA and Muirkirk Uplands SSSI. 2,228ha will also be supported to attain better conservation status across the following 5 sites: Montiaghs SAC, Garron SAC, Drumragh/Pettigo SAC, Gruinart SPA and Muirkirk Uplands SSSI.
• Tangible conservation actions will be put in place for priority species to encourage sustainable natural regeneration of species populations. This includes the purchase of specialist machinery, capital works, works on sea wall and habitat trials.
• Development and sharing of best practice and enhancement of skills in ecosystem management.
• Develop databases to gather and share data on priority species and habitats.
• Education and outreach activities will be put in place resulting in greater awareness of protected habitats and species, their needs and the actions required for their recovery.

Key purpose of the role:

It is envisaged that the majority of your working week will focus on financial matters including claiming RSPB expenditure, auditing partner expenditure and minimising financial risk.

The outputs and objectives to be delivered via CABB are spread across South West Scotland, the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Each country will have staff allocated to the delivery of the programme. The majority of the Finance and Administration Officer’s (FAO) time will be focused in Northern Ireland, dealing with financial management including claiming grants mainly for RSPB NI and RSPB Scotland, auditing partner spend, liaising with external auditors, spend profiling and forecasting and on general programme administration, communications activity and on reporting to funders on progress. Grant claims are processed in euros.

The Programme Manager, to whom the FAO will be responsible, is the single point of contact for all partners and is the conduit of information to and from the Special European Union Programmes Body (SEUPB), managers of INTERREG VA funding. You will provide support to the Programme Manager in the dissemination of all relevant information to appropriate partners and stakeholders.  RSPB NI is the Lead Partner and the delivery partners are RSPB Scotland, BirdWatch Ireland, Northern Ireland Water, Butterfly Conservation and Moors for the Future.

The FAO will have the support of an RSPB Communications Volunteer. There will be scope to take on further volunteer support as appropriate.

Essential skills, knowledge & experience:

1. Excellent numeric skills
2. Highly proficient in the use of Microsoft Office, particularly Excel
3. Proven relationship and partnership building skills
4. Proven financial management skills, including problem solving
5. Proven risk management skills
6. Proven diplomacy and negotiation skills and cultural sensitivity
7. Proven report and minute and note taking
8. Knowledge of financial management, including auditing
9. Knowledge of working in other currencies
10. Advanced spreadsheet skills
11. Experience of handling financial data – spreadsheets and databases
12. Experience of dealing with large project budgets up to and above £500k, involving multiple partners

During Covid 19 restrictions, the FAO will work from home. Following the lifting of restrictions and at a time when the RSPB deem appropriate and safe to do so, the FAO will be based in our RSPB Northern Ireland Headquarters in Belfast. It is anticipated that the FAO will have to travel several times a year across the project area for audit and other project management reasons. There is scope for flexibility on the location of work, depending on individual circumstances.

This post is a full-time fixed term contract running to the 31st December 2021, with the possibility of part-time extension to 31st March 2022 or further, subject to the availability of funding. 

There is scope for this role to be considered as a job share. The financial aspects of the role will involve 3 full days per week, with general administration and communications duties occupying the other 2 days.

The FAO will be part of RSPB NI’s Operations Team, a team of 55 staff working closely across NI with our Fundraising and Communications, Policy and Business Support Teams.

Closing date: 23:59, 03 March 2021 
We are planning on conducting interviews week commencing 15th March 2021.

To Apply and for More Information:

If you would like to apply and find out more about this position, please click the apply button to be directed to our website where you can complete your application for this position. 

No agencies please.