Download Senior Coordinator, Sustainable Markets Group

International Institute for Environment and Development
Sustainable Markets Group (SMG)
Job Description
Job Title:
Senior Coordinator, Sustainable Markets Group
Responsible to:
Senior Coordinator, Sustainable Markets Group
Main purpose:
To provide project management and administrative support to
the Sustainable Markets Group, particularly related to finance
and contracts
Main contacts:
Internal: SMG staff, Finance Team staff – particularly the SMG
Group Accountant, other IIED staff
External: Consultants, partners, donors, suppliers, other
organisations, the general public
Salary:
£33,654 – £37,055 per annum depending on experience (up to
£41,812 for exceptional candidates), plus benefits
Contract:
Full time, one year fixed term contract (maternity cover) from
18 November (or earlier if possible)
Location:
Central London office
Background to the post
The International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) is a policy
research organisation that provides expertise and leadership in researching and
achieving sustainable development at local, national, regional and global levels. In
alliance with others, we are helping to tackle the biggest issues of our times - from
climate change and cities to the pressures on natural resources and the forces
shaping global markets. With 106 members of staff working with associates and
partners around the world, IIED has been at the forefront of policy-making in
sustainable development for over 40 years.
The Sustainable Markets Group (SMG) drives IIED’s efforts to ensure that markets
contribute to positive social, environmental, and economic outcomes. We do this
through policy research, advocacy and engagement. The group brings together
IIED's work on Market Governance, Business Models, Tackling Market Failure,
Sustainable Consumption and the Green Economy, Investment, Economics of
Climate Change, and Energy.
We have a wide network of partners throughout the world and we currently have
projects in Latin America, Africa, Asia and Europe. We often engage interns, who are
usually Masters or PhD students from UK or overseas universities.
The group is made up of the following staff:
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Steve Bass, Group Head
Emily Benson, Senior Researcher, Green Economy Coalition
Sarah Best, Senior Researcher (maternity cover)
Emma Blackmore, Researcher (consultant based overseas)
Abbi Buxton, Researcher (maternity leave)
Ebru Buyukgul, Assistant Coordinator
Ethel Del Pozo-Vergnes, Researcher
Ben Garside, Researcher
Oliver Greenfield, Convenor, Green Economy Coalition
Maryanne Grieg-Gran, Principal Researcher
Laura Jenks, Coordinator
Kate Lewis, Senior Coordinator (maternity leave from December 2013)
Rodney Lunduka, Researcher
Essam Mohammed, Researcher
Ina Porras, Researcher
Frances Reynolds, Senior Coordinator*
Bill Vorley, Principal Researcher
Emma Wilson, Senior Researcher
*Postholder’s line manager
We are seeking a Senior Coordinator with sound financial and project management
skills to join our Coordination Team - initially for one year while one of the Senior
Coordinators is on maternity leave. The postholder will support up to eight people
and take responsibility for several large budgets alongside some communications
and general project management support work for the group.
IIED is currently planning its next five-year strategy (2014-19) and IIED’s and SMG’s
strategic priorities may change. Therefore it is possible that the details in the job
description may change and that the contract could be extended beyond the first
year.
Key responsibilities
The postholder’s key responsibilities are as follows:
Finance administration (the postholder can expect to dedicate approximately
70% of their time to this area of responsibility)
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Manage the budget, finances and administration for several major research
projects and minor programmes of work (ranging from £20,000 - £1m) in
collaboration with Project Leaders for the Economics and Green Economy
Coalition (GEC) teams plus other teams where required. This includes:
o Checking and finalising donor contracts before review
o Managing project budget finances and subcontracts, adjusting
budgets as necessary
o Managing invoices and authorising expenditure on projects
o Liaising with partners and donors on financial reporting, keeping track
of contract milestones, any compliance and contractual issues
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Ensuring reporting requirements are met and payments are made on
time
Reviewing actuals versus budgeted costs
Monitoring staff funded time, liaising with Team Leaders and
Researchers on the teams’ work plans and budgets to help ensure
they deliver quality work on schedule
Liaising with Finance staff to ensure budgets are up-to-date and
figures are correct and that financial reports are prepared correctly
and checked.
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Manage the planning, reporting and budgeting processes for specific projects
funded by the DFID Accountable Grant (AG), including monitoring budget,
spending, and reporting, ensuring work plans and deliverables are on track,
logging details on the DFID AG Tracker and keeping relevant colleagues
informed.
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Input to the development of IIED finance systems in collaboration with the
Group Accountant, and engage with the Coordinator and Core Group (COG) Finance Working Group to work towards a common understanding of issues
and priorities and address finance- and project-related problems.
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Assist with fundraising activities by contributing to draft proposals and grant
applications, in particular drafting project budgets and providing institutional
information.
Communications (the postholder can expect to dedicate approximately 15% of
their time to this area of responsibility)
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Update content and publications on the relevant pages of the IIED website
and the IIED Portal (Intranet), in liaison with team members and
Communications staff. This will entail gathering content, drafting text,
uploading material, and creating links.
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Draft, proof-read and format documents.
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Maintain and update the teams’ contacts on the Hub (the IIED database of
addresses and contacts) in liaison with IIED’s Database Manager. This will
include adding new information, reviewing and deleting old records, marking
up records for cross institutional mailings and developing own mailings with
the use of filters.
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Assist the Communications Team with promotional and marketing activities
for SMG.
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Attend and contribute to COG monthly meetings.
Administration (the postholder can expect to dedicate approximately 10% of
their time to this area of responsibility)
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Organise and participate in seminars, workshops, conferences and meetings
in the UK or overseas, as required. This could include flight and
accommodation bookings, communications with participants, assistance with
visa applications, preparation and circulation of documentation, and minute
taking.
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Provide coordination and project management support to Researchers - to
include liaison with partners, circulation of information, electronic and paper
filing management, and dealing with general enquiries.
Other (the postholder can expect to dedicate approximately 5% of their time to
this area of responsibility)
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Represent the Sustainable Markets Group at internal meetings and report
back to the group.
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Support teams with recruitment and supervision of volunteers and interns as
appropriate.
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Engage with IIED-wide activities outside the day-to-day job, such as
participating in working groups.
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Take responsibility for prompt handling of general enquiries and requests for
information - replying directly whenever possible and referring to other staff
when necessary.
The job description defines the level of responsibility and area(s) of involvement of
the post; the details of the duties may change over time and do not form part of the
contract between IIED and the post holder.
Person specification
1. Essential requirements
Academic and professional qualifications
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First degree or equivalent level of education
Relevant experience
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Experience of managing donor grants and contracts with strict compliance
requirements (such as DFID and EU)
Experience of organising meetings and events
High level of numeracy and substantial experience of budget management
and monitoring, and financial reporting
Key skills
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Excellent knowledge and experience of business software (word-processing,
spreadsheets, and internet and communications software)
Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to build effective working
relationships with staff and project partners in a challenging, multi-cultural
environment
Excellent project management or coordination skills and the ability to manage
and monitor project finances and administration for multiple projects
Time management skills and the ability to be adaptable and flexible, prioritise
work effectively and balance conflicting demands without close supervision
Excellent written and verbal communication
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Ability to work independently and as part of a team
Work experience in an international and/or academic setting, and/or in the
not-for-profit sector
2. Desirable requirements
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A finance/accountancy qualification
Experience of drafting funding proposals
An interest in and understanding of the issues involved in sustainable
development
Experience of working in the international development sector
Working knowledge of another major international language