Job Opportunity for Assistant Programme Officer at British High Commission in New Delhi

Roles and responsibilities / what will the jobholder be expected to achieve?

The UK government’s Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) works in partnership with developing countries to promote development and leads the UK’s work to end extreme poverty.

FCDO’s work in India has evolved. Traditional financial aid to India ended in 2015. FCDO’s portfolio focusses on economic development; increasing prosperity in India, notably for the poor & marginalised; developing inclusive markets that work for all Indians – and in due course also for the UK. We do this through programmes that use investment – which FCDO refers to as Development Capital – and technical cooperation. Our Development Capital usually works through existing or new funds, often as a co-investor. We work in partnership with the Government of India to deliver on joint Indian and UK priorities.

A “2030 Roadmap for India-UK future relations” agreed between the two Prime Minsters proposes to “Build on the UK-India Development Capital Partnerships and strengthen two-way investments between UK and India, with the goal of investing into Indian start-ups, early-stage and green businesses and other innovative ventures and contributing towards sustainable development and the achievement of Global Goals by 2030 and Boost entrepreneurial connections and exchanges to promote and strengthen closer cooperation, investment, mentorship and diaspora connects and sharing best practices” as a key area of collaboration. In April 2022, the two Prime Ministers reaffirmed this and “agreed to build on ten years’ of successful collaboration under India-UK development capital investment partnerships”

Information on UK’s development plans for India is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/profile-of-development-work-india

FCDO’s Development, Climate, Science and Tech department has following teams (i) Science and Innovation Network & Newton and Health Team / UK-India Tech Partnerships (ii) The Climate and Energy Team (ii) The Infrastructure and Urban Team and (iv) Capital team.

The current vacancy is in the Capital team. There are opportunities for progression within and across teams. The Capital team’s portfolio focuses on growth and diversification of the private sector to support : Energy & climate for green growth ; small infrastructure, micro, small and medium enterprises; tech start ups; innovations . It pans across India and largely uses Development Capital Investments (DCI) to support reforms that open markets, encourage investments, promote inclusion and maximize impact on poverty reduction with small amounts of technical assistance including for compliance e.g. legal, tax and ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) standards.

There is a high level of XHMG integration in the team’s work (including managing programmes funded jointly with other departments/teams). Working with other departments is therefore a key feature of programme management at FCDO India.

The post will be based at the British High Commission in Chanakyapuri, New Delhi.

Main Job responsibilities include:

Main Purpose of the Job: Admin support for Programme Management

Assistance in project and programme management:

• Provide administrative support for programme management. Typically, an APO provides support for 3-4 projects. Tasks include drafting project related correspondence, preparation of project supporting documents, liaising with Headquarters for payments and other matters.
• Handle contractual formalities before and after issuing contracts. Ensure that reports generated from consultants and projects are disseminated to all concerned and maintaining an inventory of project related documents for ease of access
• Provide the logistical and organisational support required on project related events (meetings/ workshops /seminars /conferences /review missions)
• Ensure smooth communication with project partners by forwarding information and following up on specific issues as required by Programme Managers.
• Ensure proper electronic filing for easy and effective information retrieval.

Assistance in Financial Monitoring and Programme Overview

• Processing project related payments – within 5 days of receiving claims.
• Liaise with Accounts, Contracting & Procurement section, and Consultants and answering queries regarding payments.
• Assist in collecting data and information required for compiling financial returns and data input into ARIES or relevant project management system

Assistance in coordination and administrative support tasks for the team

• Assistance in coordinating visits of senior functionaries and ministers. Tasks include drawing up car schedules, liaising with the High Commission on protocol, security and reception arrangements, fixing appointments etc.
• Collate comments on specific issues as required by the team to provide returns for FCDO India.
• Manage team corporate returns, which could include leave and travel calendar, and other non-financial returns etc.
• Maintaining an updated database of contacts for the Team.
• Provide effective admin support to the Team, including for work related travel, organising meetings etc.
• Provide good first drafts of the minutes of meetings and documents when required. 

Resources managed – Expenditure : Responsible for processing payments; collating and compiling financial information; liaising with partners to collate financial documentation(e.g. statement of accounts); ensuring compliance with internal rules and requirements on financial management. All with support and guidance of senior managers. The capital team has a portfolio of c.£330m investment with small amounts of technical assistance. The post holder will assist in managing a part of this budget.

Last date to apply is 30 October 2022