Programme Officer

Programme Officer

Strategic Group: Shaping Green and Resilient Mountain Economies

Position overview

We are seeking a results-driven and motivated Programme Officer experienced in programme management to support the management of activities, finances, and partnerships. This applicant must have excellent skills in planning, financial management, monitoring, and reporting, and must be able to work across multiple workstreams. The selected candidate will play a crucial role in supporting the Strategic Group Shaping Green Mountain Economies, which houses two Action Areas: AAC: Adapting and Transforming Livelihoods, and AAD: Restoring and Regenerating Landscapes. Each Action Area houses 3-4 interventions – which deliver the results against set targets. The Programme Officer will report to the Lead for this Strategic Group (SGL) but will also support the Action Area Coordinators (AACs) and Intervention Managers (IMs) within the Strategic Group, on all planning, management and financial matters related to the delivery of activities.

Responsibilities

The Programme Officer will be responsible for delivering results in line with the commitments we have made in our Strategy 2030: Moving Mountains and our Medium-Term Action Plan V (2023–2026): Embracing Change and Accelerating Impact.

The Programme Officer shall fulfil the following duties and responsibilities:

• Planning, monitoring and reportingProactively support the AACs, under the supervision of the SGL, in fast-paced planning coordination, and management of all interventions under SG2 while keeping oversight of the project management cycle and the requirements of ICIMOD’s regional member countries and funding partners
• Support the SGL and AACs in the allocation of programme resources (human, financial, and material) across all interventions.
• Support the SGL, AACs, and IMs to develop and implement annual plans and budgets for the interventions, aligning with ICIMOD’s Results Framework that falls in line with the Strategy 2030 and Medium-Term Action Plan (2023-26). This also involves providing relevant budget calculations and inputs to annual planning processes.
• Support interventions by coordinating all data, information and evidence required for monitoring and reporting progress against annual milestones, following ICIMOD’s Monitoring and Evaluation Framework and Plan guidelines and templates liaising closely with the Strategic Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (SPM&EL) Unit Management, finance, and administration
• Keep track of the spending patterns of each intervention, ensuring there is minimal variance between planned budget and spending and that all expenditures fall in line with ICIMOD’s financial policy, guidelines and operating procedures, liaising closely with the Finance and Administration Unit and provide regular feedback on over and under spending to the SGL, AACs, and IMs
• Support the administration and management of all partner agreements (Memoranda of Understanding, Letters of Agreement/Intent) and all consultancies.
• Ensure funds are transferred on time to the relevant stakeholders and partners.
• Ensure all matters relating to financial year-end closure are dealt with in a timely and appropriate manner and that financial reporting is accurate and timely.
• Provide support where necessary on management-related communications.
•  Coordinate and support activities, such as overall planning, administration, partnership management, financial tracking and reporting, management-related communications, and provide support on external communication activities where necessary.

Documenting and reporting

• Coordinate progress reporting, as required by bilateral donors and for institutional reports, ensuring they meet the standards and are delivered against the given templates.
• Ensure timely submission of all required bilateral project and institutional reports to relevant stakeholders and donors as per organisational guidelines.
• Coordinate and support compilation of all other documents, as required, for example, presentations and agendas.
•  Conduct regular and timely follow-ups with partners and consultants on expected deliverables and review and summarise partners’ reports as required by the agreement and/or contract.
•  Prepare minute meetings and summarise key messages from workshops, when required.
• Ensure the Programme Associate is filing all key and final documents on the ICIMOD filing system.
• Stakeholder management and engagement
• Coordinate regular meetings and flow of information with the SGL and core team members.
• Coordinate events, conferences, and workshops in close collaboration with the SG Communications Officers and Programme Associates for different interventions.

Stakeholder management and engagement

•  Coordinate regular meetings and flow of information with the SGL and core team members.
• Coordinate events, conferences, and workshops in close collaboration with the IMs, SG Communications Officers and Programme Associates for different interventions.
• Represent the SGL and AACs at meetings and workshops as and when required.
•  Ensure timely communication with stakeholders and partner institutions and provide timely and appropriate information as needed.
• Support the SG in building and maintaining strong working relationships with key stakeholders, including partner organisations, donors, government agencies, and communities.
• Participate in stakeholder consultations, workshops, and meetings to facilitate effective communication and collaboration.

Other

• Assist in any other issues relevant to delivery as and when required by the SG.

Minimum qualifications and experience

ESSENTIAL

• A master’s degree in business administration\financial management or geography\international relations, or an environment- and development-related degree with a background in project management, financial management, and/or monitoring and evaluation with a minimum two years of relevant experience. A firstlevel university degree in combination with four years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• Experience working in international organisations supporting the administrative and financial management of large-scale environmental\development projects.
• Past experience in planning, monitoring and reporting for donors.
• Excellent report writing skills (in English) and analytical skills with an ability to understand and document results.
• Proven skills and experience in budgeting and financial management, including budget preparation, tracking expenditure, financial reporting, and variance analysis.
• Excellent MS Office skills, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint as well as good working understanding of data management software.
• Knowledge of donor regulations and planning, monitoring, and reporting requirements for financial management in development projects
• An interest in climate, environmental, and development issues in mountain areas is an added advantage.

Reporting and supervising

The Programme Officer will work under the overall supervision of the Strategic Group 2 Lead and in coordination with Action Area C Coordinator and Action Area D Coordinator.

Location

You will be working in a cross-cultural, impact-oriented environment at ICIMOD’s head office in Kathmandu, Nepal. Frequent travel in the HKH region will be required. Kathmandu is a lively and exciting place to live. People are friendly, living costs are comparatively inexpensive, food is delicious (with a range of local and international cuisines), and there are good local and international schools and a low crime rate. Nepal offers amazing trekking trails, white water rafting, and safaris, combined with a rich culture and charming yet lively nightlife.

Duration

Two years, with a probation period of six months. There is a possibility of extension subject to performance and ICIMOD’s future funding levels.

Remuneration

This is an international position at ICIMOD. Remuneration is commensurate with experience and qualifications. Salaries and benefits at ICIMOD are competitive compared with other international organisations. We offer a comprehensive benefits package, which includes a provident fund, health insurance, severance pay, children’s education grant, and paid leave (30 holidays and 10 public holidays per year).

For expatriates, there is a tax exemption in Nepal; they are responsible for their home country’s tax payments. Expatriate staff are entitled to housing allowance, annual home leave ticket, shipment of personal effects, and an installation and removal allowance.

ICIMOD’s core values

Our core values are integrity, neutrality, relevance, inclusiveness, openness, and ambition. These values are an expression of our culture and are central to the guiding beliefs and principles of our work and behaviour. Our core values will lie at the heart of ICIMOD operations and delivery. They will underpin everything we do and frame how we work with our partners. They reflect our founding intentions and the balances we seek to hold, while equipping ourselves for the future.

Diversity, equity, inclusion, and safeguarding

ICIMOD’s human resource selection process is based on the qualifications and competence of the applicants. As an employer, ICIMOD is committed to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion, and offers equal opportunities to applicants from all backgrounds and walks of life, including but not limited to gender, age, national origin, religion, race, caste, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, or social status. ICIMOD strongly encourages applications from all eligible applicants, especially women, from all parts of the HKH region.

ICIMOD is dedicated to establishing and upholding a safe and nurturing work environment, where all its employees can participate fully and meaningfully without fear of violence,

harassment, exploitation, or intimidation. Any type of abuse or harassment, including sexual misconduct, by our staff, representatives, or stakeholders is not condoned or tolerated.

Background to ICIMOD

The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), based in Kathmandu, Nepal, is the leading institute for the study of the HKH. An intergovernmental knowledge and development organisation with a focus on climate and environmental risks, green economies, and sustainable collective action, we have worked in our eight regional member countries – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan – since our foundation.

Entering our 40th year, ICIMOD is perfectly positioned to support the transformative action required for the HKH to face the challenges of the escalating effects of climate change, pollution, water insecurity, increased disaster risk, biodiversity loss, and widespread socioeconomic changes. We seek to raise our ambition to support the required transformative action to step up our engagement through to 2030.

Method of application

Applicants are requested to apply online before September 19,2023 (11:59 PM Nepal Standard Time) through the ICIMOD Vacancy Application Portal.

Only shortlisted candidates will be notified.

Tagged as: Kathmandu, NGO INGO, Program Officer