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Job description

Job Purpose: To manage MapAction’s new programme enhancing Geospatial Information management for anticipatory action decision makers
Location: Hybrid with monthly travel to Chinnor, Oxfordshire
Salary: £40,816 per annum
Contract: Full time, substantive position for 18 months. Start ASAP.
Reports to: Director of Innovation and Technology

The Opportunity

MapAction is embarking on a new phase of work delivering Geographic Information Management expertise in the field of Anticipatory Action (AA), with a new two year programme of works about to commence. The Programme Manager will be responsible for stakeholder engagement along with the detailed development, delivery and monitoring of the programme.

Why MapAction?

MapAction is a leading humanitarian mapping charity delivering information services and products to enhance decision making in disasters and conflicts. In collaboration with our partners, this mapped information helps responders understand vulnerabilities and target their response effectively, contributing to saving lives and minimising suffering. We work through a team of skilled volunteer professionals and a small paid staff team.

We have built a strong reputation in the humanitarian sector and are a technical partner of the United Nations, Non-Government Organisations and Civil Society Organisations, the Red Cross, Red Crescent Movement, regional entities and national authorities.
The humanitarian sector is evolving, and technical expertise such as GIS, mapping, information management, data processing and visualisation are becoming increasingly utilised for improving decision making in complex humanitarian response. MapAction and our partners are uniquely positioned to provide technical expertise in support of this.

We have an exciting and ambitious new strategy which will see us help reduce vulnerability in emergencies for those at greatest risk through supporting local technical and emergency leadership and promoting the exchange of well analysed data. A particular area of focus will be on the use of Anticipatory Action prior to an emergency.

About you

You are an experienced Programme Manager who is passionate about delivering high quality programme management across the entire programme life cycle. You are skilled at building strong working relationships (internal and external) with your interpersonal skills to deliver complex programmes. You are able to listen to partner needs and understand how these translate into deliverable actions relevant to MapAction, with meaningful impact. You are experienced in the theory and practice of programme management and comfortable using tools to support the planning, monitoring and delivery of project elements. You are comfortable taking the initiative, problem solving and developing incremental improvements to programme delivery processes and workflows, as well as supporting and coordinating with others to adopt improved ways of working.

Your preferred style is to manage through collaborative working, to ensure the programme objectives are completed to the highest standards. You share the MapAction ‘can-do’ attitude, rooted in our volunteer values. You relish a challenge and like us, feel excited about the future and what we can achieve together. You want to work in a diverse organisation that is concerned about minimising its environmental impact, and cares about everyone in the team. Be assured, you will be supported in your role as you grow.

What will you do?

This role focuses on programme management in the context of MapAction’s Anticipatory Action activities over a two year period. You will be key in the development, delivery and monitoring of the programme, which covers Geographic Information Management activities in anticipation of emergencies affecting vulnerable populations across the world. The role will require you to develop close collaboration with International Non-Governmental Organisations (INGOs), technical experts, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), and the MapAction staff and membership. You will be the focal point for ensuring that partner needs are met and that project activities are clearly developed and delivered by MapAction. There will be a considerable focus on the sustainability of the activities undertaken during this programme. To this end, you will be working with our Head of Monitoring Evaluation and Learning to ensure that the programme achieves this sustainability goal.

Main Responsibilities

• Ownership of the Anticipatory Action (AA) programme and associated projects, under the direction of the Innovation and Technology Director.
• Development of detailed work plans for the purpose of: * Resourcing, in collaboration with Departmental Directors
• Monitoring Evaluation and Learning, in collaboration with the Head of MEAL
• Technical delivery, in collaboration with Departmental Directors
• Budgeting, in collaboration with Finance Department
• MapAction focal point for internal and external stakeholder engagement with regards to AA.
• Coordination of projects and activities under the AA programme, in coordination with the MapAction staff and membership, in line with partner needs and donor priorities.
• Technical project descriptions and collaboration with Innovation and Technology team to ensure delivery of activities such as data preparation, storage and visualisation, data analytics, and Geographic Information Management training.
• Management of the budget allocated to the AA programme including regular reporting to the Finance Director, and where appropriate to donors.
• Collaborate with the Project Management Coordinator to ensure regular and appropriate reporting to the Management Team and donors.
• As this is a new role, responsibilities will include the development of Programme Management best practice Standard Operating Procedures in collaboration with MapAction staff representatives from Business and Finance, Income, Innovation and Technical, and the wider Programme and Partnership teams.
• Contribution to regular donor reporting and wider sector communications.
• Contribution to future funding activities including bid preparation and external communications in collaboration with the Fundraising and Communications Team.

Key Competencies (E- Essential D- Desirable)

We have identified some essential competencies but, in understanding the role, you might have skills and experience we did not think of to supplement this list. If you think you do, please tell us about them. This role includes opportunities to develop and grow your competencies over time.

Essential:

• Qualifications in Project Management Professional (PMP) certification or equivalent, or significant experience in lieu of formal qualifications
• Excellent communications skills with the ability to coordinate with multiple stakeholders at all levels of seniority and across different countries.
• Proven ability to manage programmes consisting of multiple projects, according to outlined scope, budget, and timeline
• Strong familiarity with project management, including IT systems, software, tools, methodologies, and best practices
• Proficiency working collaboratively online
• Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships and engage others to adopt new systems and ways of working
• Resourcefulness and proven ability to solve problems creatively
• Commitment to working with volunteers

Desirable:

• Excellent IT skills, and experience of Microsoft Office, google applications, electronic record keeping (Salesforce) and Atlassian applications (Confluence, Jira) for Project Management
• Comfortable with managing multiple demands on your time
• Humanitarian knowledge/ experience, particularly in the fields of AA and/or Disaster Risk Reduction
• Geospatial information management knowledge/ experience, particularly in the fields of risk and hazard analysis.

Additional Information

• This is a Hybrid position and you will be expected to attend some weekend training events throughout the year (camping at various venues around the UK). Travel expenses are paid and reasonable time off in lieu provided.
• This is a full time position for 18 months with a possible extension to be confirmed end of 2024
• Required to work remotely from the office and to attend team days near the MapAction office in Oxfordshire once a month at own expense.
• 30 days holiday (pro rata) with a workplace pension and also paid training opportunities to help further your career.
• Must have the right to live and work in the UK - MapAction is unable to consider candidates who do not already hold appropriate permissions and can not help facilitate a relocation.
• Part time of 4 days a week will be considered, please state when applying if you would like 4 or 5 days a week.

This is an important role in a small, highly specialised charity and an appreciation of, and affinity with the humanitarian purpose of the charity is essential, as well as a willingness to take up additional tasks outside of the normal role when needed.

Equal opportunities policy

MapAction is an Equal Opportunities employer. All employees have a personal responsibility to promote and support measures designed to create a working environment which is free from harassment or discrimination on the grounds of gender, marital status, age, race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, membership of the Traveller community of HIV & AIDS status. MapAction also positively encourages women and those from the BAME community to apply.

How to apply:
Please provide a CV and cover letter that sets out how you meet the required competencies for the role, this is a mandatory requirement for this position. All applications should be made via our website and GoHire. Deadline for applications is 24th July 2023 however we are running a rolling recruitment and will interview any suitable candidates as soon as they apply.