The vacancy
We help young people to build life-long belief in themselves, supporting them to take on their own challenges, follow their own passions and discover talents they never knew they had. Because when you prove yourself that you’re ready for anything nothing can hold you back.
Do you want to be part of that?
The Role
The position has become available as a result of an exciting internal promotion. Therefore, we are seeking a personable and proactive individual with exceptional attention to detail to join our team of Operations Officers.
As an Operations Officer, you will support the operational delivery and development of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) through managing a portfolio of Licensed Organisations (LOs). These LOs are mostly schools but we also work with other organisations such as colleges, local authorities, and community groups.
The role will be field-based, and you will be expected to visit organisations within your portfolio regularly. When not attending meetings, employees work from home where you will need to have an appropriate home office set up and live within, or close to, the portfolio area of Swindon and Southern parts of Gloucestershire. (please refer to the portfolio map in the job pack).
Whilst you won’t be working directly with young people, you will have the satisfaction of knowing that you are having a positive impact on their future opportunities.
What we are looking for:
We are looking for a team player who is enthusiastic and proactive in their approach. Someone who has a passion for the development of young people, who can engage and influence a variety of stakeholders and who will be an authentic ambassador for the DofE.
You will need to have outstanding communication and interpersonal skills to engage with internal and external stakeholders and have the skills to inspire and influence them to enable young people to participate in DofE.
To undertake the role, you’ll need to be exceptionally organised, have the ability to prioritise your workload, meet deadlines and have excellent administrative skills, being both computer literate and competent in MS Office applications.
We are looking for someone who is flexible in their approach, has a positive outlook and who will actively contribute to our team.
The successful application should live within, or close to, the portfolio area.
As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete competency questions and upload your CV.
What will you get in return?
The opportunity to work for a successful and dynamic charity that has the development of young people at its heart and the wellbeing and development of its people constantly in focus.
You will be joining a team of empowered colleagues working together.
From day one we offer excellent staff benefits including a generous pension contribution, an employee assistance programme, healthcare cash plan and volunteer leave. Also, 25 days holiday, plus Bank Holidays and an additional 3 days paid leave between Christmas and the New Year.
Through our Flexible Working policy, the DofE provides an opportunity to work flexibly to meet yours and our business needs.
How to apply
If you feel excited by this role and believe you have the necessary skills and experience to become a valued team member, please go to our website and apply.
The deadline for applying for this role is: Midnight on the 5th of May 2024
Interviews will take place on: 14th of May 2024 in person (Swindon area venue TBC)
The DofE are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people. All successful applicants will be required to undergo an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check. (e.g. DBS/PVG or similar), including references, checks covering any gaps of employment/education, confirm the ability to work in the UK and a health check.
If you would like to access the application form in a different format or if would like any assistance that might help improve your experience while completing the application, please contact us.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Job Title: Ecologist
Advertised Salary: £32,427
Base Location: Home-based with requirements for national travel.
We're the charity who look after and bring to life 2,000 miles of waterways across England and Wales, because we believe that life is better by water. Every role across the Trust plays its part in transforming our canals and rivers into spaces where local people want to spend time and feel better, bringing wellbeing benefits to millions.
We currently have an opportunity for an experienced Ecologist to join our Environment and Climate action team within the S&I Directorate and is responsible for delivering the Trust’s strategy and policy on all environment and climate related sustainability issues, including environmental compliance as a minimum, improvement of our protected sites and achieving a net gain in biodiversity across our canal network.
The Ecologist will be responsible for providing professional technical input into the Trust’s strategic activities around nature recovery. This includes collecting and analysing information and data to support a long-term action plan to move more of our protected sites towards favourable condition and support projects that increase biodiversity and the abundance of protected species across the network.
The Canal & River Trust is in an ideal position, as a large landowner with blue and green corridors connecting habitats across the landscape, to carry out environmental enhancements using our local volunteer workforce to ensure that we improve habitats and support biodiversity. Planting the right trees in the right places, reconnecting old hedgerows and restoring or creating wildflower meadows and linear species-rich grasslands to provide a safe haven for wildlife and a destination for people to retreat to from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Reconnecting people with the nature on their doorstep and offering them opportunities to get involved in looking after ‘their patch’ through guided walks and talks.
Our aim is to support the work of the Trust as a whole, while conserving and enhancing the environment of the inland waterway network. Finding simple and innovative solutions/methods of work to ensure that the modern-day use of the waterways, their historical importance, the Trust’s legal obligations and strategic priorities are met through sustainable development, conservation and enhancement of the natural environment.
Location
The role will be based working from home, with the expectation to attend main regional hubs either at Milton Keynes, Birmingham, or Little Venice (Paddington), for collaborative working. This is a national role, requiring collaboration with teams in all six of the Trust’s regions. There will be an expectation that the successful candidate will be able travel to attend meetings or fieldwork throughout the regional waterway network.
Knowledge, Skills/Qualifications & Experience
Key accountabilities:
- Provide ecological technical advice as requested. This includes input into Trust EMS standards and tools and nature recovery projects.
- Contribute to the Trust’s Nature Recovery Strategy and associated sustainability initiatives, with a view to increasing biodiversity across the Trust’s network
- Contribute to national programmes of engagement with customers, volunteers, stakeholders and the general public to promote the value of waterways and the work of the Trust to increase the Trust’s reputation and influence and secure additional resources for our work, focusing on our key sustainability priorities.
- Work with regional ecology teams to implement relevant inspection/monitoring and maintenance programmes for environmental/soft estate assets within their geographical remit, (re-)prioritising work to suit available resources and within delegated authority levels.
- Contribute to the implementation of an environmental management system (EMS; including associated processes & standards) especially with responsibility for monitoring national uptake
- Collaboration with regional teams to maintain ecology and nature recovery performance data (e.g. GIS layers, ecological baseline and species location data)
- Assist in the development of environmental training & competency
- Contribute to corporate targets on raising public awareness of and support for the Trust especially through interest in our environmental assets.
- Contribute to external engagement and fundraising nationally to secure additional resources for the Trust, especially through interest in our environmental assets
- Displaying the Trust values and behaviours at all times
- Ensuring that diversity and inclusion are integrated into all aspects of Trust life and promoting inclusion by challenging behaviour, practices, actions, or decisions that are counter to the objectives of the Trust’s policies and values
Knowledge, Skills & experience
- Degree or equivalent in relevant discipline.
- Associate member of relevant professional institution, e.g. CIEEM, CIWEM, CIWM, IEMA, etc
- Proven postgraduate experience in application of technical knowledge within a business environment.
- Able to negotiate effectively with internal and external contacts to achieve desired outcomes for the Trust.
- Able to support other areas of the Trust’s business in an appropriate manner, taking account of overall business priorities.
- Knowledge of, and practical experience of operating within, UK & European environmental policy and regulatory frameworks
- Experience of operating within a customer service environment
- Understanding of Trust governance, financial controls and systems of compliance
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient suitable applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.
What We Offer
Compensation is made up as follows: £32,427. Additionally, we also offer a competitive contributory DC Pension scheme arrangement, great holiday entitlement (increasing with years of service) and numerous other employee benefits.
- 25 days paid holiday, increasing to 27 days after 3 years.
- Competitive contributory DC Pension scheme arrangement, where we will double your contribution to a maximum of 10%.
- Annual £200 personal learning & growth award to spend on any learning related activity – hobbies; aspirations etc.
- Free access to specialist counselling on a range of issues – health; financial; lifestyle; well-being; domestic & neighbourly matters.
- Access to a range of employee benefits including – store discounts; boating holiday discounts; holiday purchase scheme.
- Expansive maternity/paternity provisions.
- Progressive access to learning tools and CPD.
- 2 days paid volunteering leave, volunteering for local community project work.
At the Trust we care passionately for our waterways, and as importantly, for those who look after and use them. We strongly believe that a diverse workforce brings with it a diversity of ideas, thinking and ways of working which enhances what we do as a Trust. We are striving to represent the diverse communities that we are a part of. All candidates will be treated on the basis of their merits, skills and abilities and solely by being assessed against the requirements for the job.
We believe that continuous personal & professional development are important, and through many Trust internal & externally supported development programmes we are pleased to support your ongoing growth and development in this role.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
1. Background
The International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie) promotes evidence-informed equitable, inclusive and sustainable development. We support the generation and effective use of high-quality evidence to inform decision-making and improve the lives of people living in poverty in low- and middle-income countries (L&MICs). We provide guidance and support to produce impact evaluations and associated formative evaluations; systematic reviews and syntheses, evidence gap maps and support for using that evidence in decision-making and capacity development. Our work encompasses a wide range of topics, sectors and themes, including but not limited to health, nutrition, education, agriculture, governance, microfinance, climate change, humanitarian interventions, and social protection. 3ie is registered as a non-governmental organization in the United States. It has offices in New Delhi, London and Washington, DC.
The Contracts and Compliance Officer will support 3ie’s efforts in contract, compliance, safeguarding and risk management guidance and oversight with an emphasis on providing direct billable compliance support to the FCDO Research Commissioning Centre (RCC). The Officer will work closely with various teams across the organization including project, business development, finance, and senior management teams to develop and implement compliance processes, tools, resources, and best practices, provide quality control, and build staff capacity in compliance and risk management. The Contracts and Compliance Officer will report directly to the Cost and Pricing Controller with informal reporting to the RCC Sr. Programme Manager.
2. Key Responsibilities
2.1 FCDO RCC Contracting, Compliance and Risk Management
- Draft, review, and negotiate contracts and grants for sub awardees delivering work under the RCC.
- Support strategies and systems to respond to FCDO and/or RCC project team requests for new research commissions, project related questions, and general advisory services providing information and interpretation on a broad range of topics including contract and subcontracting regulations, compliance procedures, management, and risk mitigation.
- Provide safeguarding leadership, including implementation of best practices for the RCC, review of downstream partner policies and practices, audit of safeguarding procedures, etc.
- Identify and propose mitigation strategies for RCC operational, financial, and other compliance gaps that pose risk to the project and/or 3ie.
- Review and provide guidance on proposed amendments to the RCC accountable grant agreement and daft RCC related subcontracts, sub-grants, amendments, services agreements, and independent contractor agreements.
- Draft and/or support development of approval requests and other donor correspondence related to procurement, grant, consultant, or other contractual actions.
2.2 Organizational Compliance and Risk Management
- Serve as the primary resource and subject matter expert on FCDO contracts, risk, and compliance to ensure quality control and guidance in order to maintain consistent approaches and implement best practices across 3ie’s FCDO portfolio.
- Stay updated on changes in FCDO and other donor rules, regulations, and industry wide compliance best practices.
- Support the development and implementation of 3ie internal policies and procedures to enhance contract and grant compliance. This includes but is not limited to reviewing, analyzing, and making recommendations to current policies, processes, and internal controls to ensure effective and efficient identification and mitigation of noncompliance and risks.
- Recommend improvements to the corporate authorities structure, file/recordkeeping processes, as well as support senior management in organizational risk management.
- Support the development and maintenance of a repository of contract and grant compliance best practices, innovative approaches, guidance documents, and tools.
- Contribute to increasing staff awareness and capacity of donor regulations, 3ie policies, tools, templates, and procedures through formal and ad hoc trainings and development of guidance materials
- Conduct internal compliance audits.
- Assist with ad hoc compliance related tasks as required.
2.3 Business Development
- Review tenders, assist with development of questions and/or responses to tends, and provide ad hoc proposal development needs ensuring consistency with corporate policies and strategies, relevant regulations, and FCDO requirements.
- Support review and negotiation process for new FCDO awards.
3. Qualifications and Skills
- Undergraduate degree in relevant field
- 3-5 years (Officer) or 5+ years (Sr. Officer) of experience in direct contract administration or compliance, preferably with FCDO and/or a mix of bilateral (USAID, GIZ, NORAD), multilateral (UN, World Bank), and foundations (BMGF, GAVI) in the international development context
- Strong knowledge and understanding of FCDO and/or other bilateral and multilateral rules, regulations, and policies required
- Experience with a wide variety of grants, contracts, and subcontract types and methodologies (commercial contracts, accountable grants, framework agreements, hybrid agreements/contracts)
- Experience managing payment by results or performance-based contracts.
- Experience developing and delivering participatory trainings on compliance, regulations, and policies
- Demonstrated experience in conducting internal compliance audits preferred
- Experience with various business development processes including cost and pricing, recruitment, contract negotiations, and/or writing preferred
4. Eligibility
We will recruit one or more individuals, preferably with the right to work in the UK.
3ie is an equal-opportunity employer committed to equality and diversity. We do not discriminate based on sex, age, religion, ethnicity, caste, sexual orientation or for being differently abled. We particularly encourage ethnic minorities and differently abled persons to apply.
5. Terms of Employment
Candidates should be available to start work as soon as possible. 3ie offers competitive remuneration based on location, experience and qualifications.
Our policies and procedures reflect our commitment to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults from abuse. We follow a zero-tolerance policy for any form of bullying or harassment in the workplace.
6. How to apply
Your application package must include the following*:
- A cover letter, highlighting your experience relevant to the terms of reference. It is mandatory to include information about your work authorization for the US/UK/ India, else it will be considered as incomplete;
- Curriculum vitae along with names and contact information for at least three professional references.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Only the shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
*Incomplete applications will not be considered
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.