Strategic Lead, UK Overseas Territories Project, International Partnerships Team

Job summary

CPA UK works on behalf of both Houses of Parliament and the wider CPA to provide resources, support and peer to peer learning for parliamentarians throughout the Commonwealth. CPA UK is headed by a Chief Executive who is Secretary of the CPA UK Branch and Regional Secretary to CPA British Islands and Mediterranean Region. CPA UK is organised into three teams to plan and deliver its work. CPA UK is funded by the Houses of Parliament and leverages additional external funding for strategically aligned projects.

Since 2016, in partnership with the National Audit Office (NAO) and Government Internal Audit Agency (GIAA), CPA UK has been the lead organisation in delivering the UK Overseas Territories Project (UKOTP). Phase I of the Project was a four-year, multi-stakeholder programme supporting good governance and oversight of public finance in the United Kingdom Overseas Territories (OTs). The project offered practical advice and support to international legislators and officials in building the capacity of supreme audit institutions, internal audit units and public accounts committees (PACs) to enable effective public financial oversight. The second phase of the project builds on the successes of Phase I and seeks to address remaining challenges. More ambitious in scope it includes increasingly more work in the area of governance, including on legislative oversight and electoral reform.

The UK Overseas Territories Project is funded by the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) under the Overseas Territories and Polar Department s (OTPD) International Programme. The funding cycle for Phase 1 run from March 2016 until March 2020. The funding for Phase 2 runs from April 2020 to March 2025. Funding will be requested for an additional year to March 2026 with opportunity to plan for a further multiyear project.

Job description

This role sits within the International Partnerships Team at CPA UK. The Strategic Lead for the UKOTP is responsible for and leads the strategic development and implementation of the Project overseeing and coordinating the planning, delivery, monitoring, and evaluation of the project. The post holder will also be responsible for managing programme expenditure against budget and reporting to the Head of International Partnerships, CPA UK s Chief Executive, the FCDO and to a Project Board made of senior stakeholders. The project is currently delivered by a team of 4 staff. With CPA UK as lead Consortium partner, they are responsible for managing the relationship and contributions of the two external partners on the project as well as sustaining and managing relationships with parliamentary, national and international stakeholders. This role requires a high degree of initiative and autonomy and has the responsibility of managing complex relationships with senior project partners and beneficiaries in often sensitive contexts.

Person specification

Strategic Planning and Programme Management

• Plan, develop and deliver the UKOTP strategic and business planning, seeking advice and guidance from the Chief Executive and Head of International Partnerships at CPA UK, the FCDO Overseas Territories Polar Directorate, other stakeholders and with input from project partners.
• Prepare the annual bid and work-plan for the UKOTP mindful of key deliverables and reporting requirements.
• Develop a Monitoring & Evaluation Framework, monitor and evaluate the UKOTP progress across all areas and all territories in accordance with donor requirements.
• Ensure the project maintains its focus on target territories, key deliverables, and indicators in this complex and high-profile area of work.
• Provide leadership, line manage and support the personal development of two programme officers and a project assistant, and coordinate the work of the UKOTP team members in line with CPA UK policies and good practice.
• Coordinate the input and work of stakeholders as necessary including NAO and GIAA.
• Liaise with the wider International Partnership Team and CPA UK team to ensure complementarity in approaches and participation from the Overseas Territories in line with project objectives.
• Be responsible for management and financial reporting of the UKOTP budget (550K+ annually). Provide timely and accurate financial reconciliation and reporting to internal stakeholders, Project Board and to the funder (FCDO).
• Operate effective financial forecasting and financial planning and work in close liaison with the CPA UK Finance Manager and Head of International Partnerships Team for invoicing and ensuring payment from the funder.
• Be responsible for the management and mitigation of risks to the project.
• Together with the Chief Executive, Head of IPT, be aware of opportunities for new and innovative work and look to further pipeline development with other stakeholders.
• Report to the UKOTP management Board made up of senior stakeholders including UK parliamentarians as laid down in the terms of reference.
• Chair the consortium meeting attended by Project partners and occasionally the funder.

Partnerships and Stakeholder Management

• Successfully build and maintain relationships with senior stakeholders in the UK and in territories including with Clerks, PAC and other Committee Chairs, Speakers, Premiers, Governors, Governor s Offices and FCDO OTPD.
• Build on existing relationships and partnerships with linked organisations whose objectives align with, and can add value to the UKOTP (including Audit Wales and Audit Scotland),
• Maintain relationships within and outside the UK Parliament and CPA UK with all partners and other stakeholders including the UK Overseas Territories Association (UKOTA).
• Work with Board Members consisting of senior UK Parliamentarians, a UKOT representative, and relevant stakeholders, as well as with Commonwealth legislatures to ensure the successful delivery and development of the UKOTP.

Communications

• Lead on the development of a communications strategy and the management and production of core project outputs that contribute to project outcomes including events, print materials, social media, media, the OTP newsletter, etc. in close liaison with relevant colleagues.
• Maintain strong communication and partnership with project beneficiaries including Supervisors of Elections, PAC and other Committee Chairs, Committee Clerks, Clerks of Legislatives Assemblies, Heads of Internal and External Audit.
• Ensure that team keep the CPA UK website and other information outlets up to date.
• Provide regular updates to CPA UK team members and to other involved partners / stakeholders.
• Work closely and coordinate with your opposite number in IPT and MPT and with CPA UK s communications manager to ensure UKOTP programmes are covered within CPA UK s communications strategy.

Governance

• Report to the Head of International Partnerships, CPA UK s Chief Executive and the Project Board.
• Maintain clear controls and reporting of budget within CPA UK and funder s existing rules.

Play an active role in the CPA UK Management Team, representing the work of UKOTP as appropriate and working with others to promote continuous improvement within and across teams.