Project Manager

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Project Manager

Department: Public Policy & Global

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: London, UK

Reporting To: Director of NatCen International

Compensation: GBP 32,000 - GBP 40,000 / year

Description

The National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) has over 50 years' experience of listening to the public in Britain and making sure their voice is heard. We are a not-for-profit, independent, and trusted social research organisation with a track record in methodological rigour, award-winning surveys, and social policy research.

NatCen International is the global arm of the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen). Through rigorous research, advisory services and policy engagement, we work to empower societies to shape global social policy and practice.

In addition to our six workstreams, our NatCen International Academy provides tailored and contextualised training courses on a wide range of research methods and social policy areas.

We are a dynamic, ambitious and multidisciplinary team with expertise in a wide range of international development and social policy areas including peace, conflict and security, countering violent extremism and terrorism, migration, climate change, health, philanthropy, civic engagement, education, economic growth, gender, humanitarian policy and human rights. We have a successful track record in leading projects, large and small, and expertise in complex project and consortium management.

Our work is global, and we work in partnership with local governments, organizations, universities and research centres to ensure that our research is rooted in the lived social and economic realities of the countries we engage in.

We have recently added digital societies as a core thematic area alongside our three existing ones: global health equity, migration, and climate change.

About the Role

The Project Manager (PM) will oversee the development, management and delivery of multiple NatCen International projects (ranging from low to high complexity). This includes research projects, training courses, strategic advisory services and events in the UK and globally. Project complexity is determined by the size of the project, number of partners and collaborators, project duration, operational, reputational and quality risks. NatCen International projects involve engaging with several partners and subcontractors, and a number of bilateral and multilateral donors and foundations in multiple currencies.

The PM will be responsible for the entire project management cycle, ensuring that outputs are delivered to time and budget. They will support the research leads (Research Directors and Senior Researchers) and their line manager as needed. The PM will contribute to business development activities, including providing support for complex tenders. The PM will engage regularly with the NatCen Finance and New Business teams and will report directly to the Director of NatCen International.

What you will do...

Project Management
• Developing and owning project plans with the project team and ensuring key milestones are identified and communicated to key stakeholders.
• Establishing and monitoring project controls related to scope, schedule, budget, risk and quality.
• Setting up internal milestones and monitoring project deliverables against contractual requirements and invoicing schedules.
• Coordinating the production and submission of donor narrative reports, incorporating partners' submissions as relevant
• Liaising with donors on contractual matters, ensuring compliance with donor requirements and NatCen policies
• Managing the contracting process and liaising with consultants and partners on contractual matters.
• Supporting the negotiations of terms and conditions.
• Leading and managing the project's compliance with NatCen's procedures, particularly in relation to Information Security and establishing and maintaining safeguarding frameworks, travel & security.
• Providing progress updates to the Director of NatCen International, the advisory board and other relevant stakeholder groups.

Financial Management
• Ensuring the correct and effective set up, the financial management and the closure of allocated projects following NatCen procedures and donor requirements.
• Independently or with the support of the Finance team, modelling the financial impact of resourcing options proposed by the research lead throughout the project life cycle and propose alternatives and/or manage risks associated with potential losses.
• Liaising with donors, project partners and subcontractors on financial matters.
• In collaboration with the Finance team, producing financial donor reports according to contractual requirements.
• Collating project-related information for audits and work closely with the Finance team before, during and after the audit field work, including on follow-up activities and discussions with donors on audit reports.
• Working with the research lead and/or line manager to identify the financial impact that delays or changes in the delivery schedule have on the projects' financial performance.

Business Development
• Contribute to the preparation of bids and proposals, including developing budgets and tailoring technical documentation.
• Representing NatCen International in weekly New Business meetings and liaising regularly with the Business Development team regarding new opportunities.

What you will need...

Education/Professional Qualifications

• Evidence of Prince 2, APMP, PMP, Agile, Lean, DevOps or similar or can demonstrate experience in delivering projects using a structured approach.

Experience/Training

• Experience managing projects of low to large size and complexity throughout the full project cycle.
• Experience of working in a complex/challenging business environment and an understanding/awareness on how projects contribute to the organisation's financial and strategic objectives.
• Experience in donor compliance and administrative procedures and donor relationship management, including reporting both financial and narrative reporting.
• Knowledge, skills and experience in programme or project management, including ability to manage multiple stakeholders in maintaining rigorous project governance and documentation management throughout the lifecycle of assigned project.
• Experience of budget monitoring including experience of creating accurate and timely financial reports.
• Experience of participating in the development of proposals.
• Experience working with and configuring IS systems, scoping existing and new systems requirements and project managing through to system implementation.
• Experience of visualising complex data and simplifying complexity for various stakeholders; especially in creating papers for leadership team and other senior management team.

Skills and Competencies:

• Strong ability to identify opportunities for improvement, develop plans and implement changes necessary to cover risks.
• Able to challenge and influence others, including more senior colleagues and stakeholders, through sound and well-reasoned arguments to ensure right outcomes are achieved.
• Strong attention to detail and an ability to work in a fast-paced and ever-changing environment, ensuring data/ reporting integrity and accuracy.
• Collaborative team player with a pragmatic approach and ability to work positively with the wide range of individuals.
• Proven ability to work on own initiative with excellent planning and organisational skills.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills with the ability to work closely with stakeholders across the business and levels and translate complex findings into actionable insights.
• Excellent facilitation and presentation skills.
• High quality standards with a strong focus on targets and outcome.
• Assertive and proactive.

Desirable Requirements

• Master's degree in a relevant discipline
• Experience in contract negotiations
• Experience managing staff
• Knowledge and understanding of development and/or humanitarian issues
• Experience working in a developing country or with developing country partner organisations
• Foreign language skills (particularly Arabic, German, Spanish and French)
• Experience in organising workshops or events, including logistics.
• Experience of SharePoint document management system and Access FocalPoint

What you'll get...

Benefits:

As well as a competitive salary, attractive bonus structure and excellent working environment (including a home/office hybrid working environment) you will be working for the largest independent social research organisation in the UK. We are proud of the benefits we offer our employees which include:

• 25 days holiday (plus 8 bank holidays) and flexible working
• Generous company pension scheme
• Life insurance and health cash plan
• Cycle to Work scheme and season ticket loan
• Career development, professional subscriptions support and mentoring support from industry-leading experts.