Programmes Manager (CPA Small Branches Coordinator)

About the CPA

The CPA is a membership-based organisation that connects, develops, promotes and supports Parliamentarians and parliamentary staff to identify benchmarks of good governance and the implementation of the enduring values of the Commonwealth. The Association is made up of almost 180 Legislatures (CPA Branches) divided between nine geographic regions of the Commonwealth. It offers a vast opportunity for Parliamentarians and parliamentary staff to collaborate on issues of mutual interest and to share good practice through CPA programmes and activities.

CPA activities focus on the Commonwealth’s commitment to its fundamental political values, including: just and honest government, fundamental human rights, international peace and order, the rule of law, equal rights and representation for all citizens, the separation of powers among the three branches of government and the right to participate in free and democratic political processes.

About the CPA Small Branches network

The CPA Small Branches network represents small jurisdictions of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) to identify their particular needs and requirements in parliamentary strengthening, development and cooperation. CPA Small Branches are classified as those jurisdictions (national and sub-national) with populations of up to one million inhabitants. The CPA has a long history of working with its CPA Small Branches and since 1981, has held an annual CPA Small Branches Conference for Parliamentarians to promote cooperation and share best practice.

Role Description

Reporting to the Deputy Head of Programmes (Multilateral Engagement), the role holder will have responsibility for developing, planning, implementing and reporting on the CPA Small Branches network’s work with respect to strengthening the institutional capacity of smaller Legislatures and supporting capacity building for the Parliamentarians and parliamentary officials that work within those Legislatures.

This includes drafting the CPA Small Branches network’s strategic objectives and priorities of the CPA Small Branches Work Plan, managing activities undertaken within the Work Plan, leading on the governance and coordination of the CPA Small Branches Steering Committee, delivering the annual CPA Small Branches Conference and the annual CPA Small Branches Workshop, alongside other relevant projects with CPA member Parliaments. In liaison with senior colleagues, the role holder will also manage and administer the Regional Initiative Fund, a pooled fund to support CPA Small Branch initiatives, as well as the wider annual CPA Small Branches budget.

The role holder will also be required to support the wider programmatic output of the CPA, including our bilateral work, under the guidance of the Deputy Head of Programmes (Bilateral Engagement). This may include, but is not limited to post-election support, technical assistance programmes, parliamentary standards and benchmarking, and the CPA’s online Parliamentary Academy.

Main Activities:

• Leading in the delivery of a portfolio of work related to the mission of the CPA Small Branches network, and in contribution to the CPA’s strategic commitment to empowering small jurisdictions.
• Leading and coordinating the planning, drafting and delivery of the annual CPA Small Branches Work Plan.
• Delivering in-person and virtual events and activities such as the annual CPA Small Branches Workshop and Conference, as well as webinars and other relevant events.
• Delivering other CPA Small Branches outputs such as handbooks and toolkits on areas of particular importance and relevance to the CPA Small Branches member Parliaments.
• Acting as the primary Point of Contact for the CPA Small Branches Chairperson and coordinating and supporting their leadership role within the network, managing their travel budget and supporting their attendance at key events.
• Maintaining and supporting CPA Small Branches International Steering Committee governance structures and matters as they relate to the CPA Small Branches Steering Committee, specifically through the coordination of Chairperson elections, Steering Committee meetings and the CPA Small Branches Conference in the margins of the CPA’s annual Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference.
• In coordination with the Communications Team, delivering CPA Small Branches communications outputs including updates and information through relevant sections of the CPA website, social media platforms and network e-newsletters and updates.
• Contributing to and conducting monitoring and evaluation across all assigned bodies of work, including theories of change, log frames and preparing reports.
• Commissioning consultants and resource people to deliver Programmes outputs and acting as the primary liaison for those individuals.
• Delivering and/or contributing to elements of wider programme delivery, including supporting the CPA Parliamentary Academy, post-election support and technical assistance programmes as agreed by the Deputy Head of Programmes (Multilateral Engagement) and/or Head of Programmes.
• Line managing team members as and when required.

Person Specification:

Essential

• A proven track record in programme design and delivery in an international context.
• Excellent event design and management skills.
• A sound understanding of parliamentary democracy, parliamentary practice and procedure, the core functions of Parliament, the role of Parliamentarians and parliamentary administration.
• Confident working with senior internal and external stakeholders from a variety of contexts and backgrounds, and with the ability to establish positive and productive working relationships and professional credibility.
• Experience as a budget holder managing finances across a portfolio of work and the ability to account for and ensure value for money across assigned budget lines.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including public speaking, delivering presentations on complex topics, and the ability to influence and communicate to a wider and diverse audience.
• An understanding of and commitment to diversity and inclusion within a work environment, including gender sensitivity, with experience of working with people from different geographical regions, backgrounds and cultures.

Desirable

• A relevant graduate/post-graduate qualification in international relations, development studies, public policy, politics or another relevant field.
• Experience of working with Parliamentarians/parliamentary staff.
• A working knowledge of the wider international community, including across the Commonwealth, its shared values and associated organisations and the parliamentary strengthening community.
• Experience of delivering results across multiple different contexts, including in developing and developed countries.
• Experience with line management, including developing new and existing staff to achieve high performance, or proven experience of oversight and supervision for colleagues assigned to specific projects and programmes.
• Project/programme management qualification (e.g. Prince2 or Project DPro).
• Experience of engaging with donor organisations and seeking and managing funding to support new and emerging areas of work.

Details

• Full time, Permanent
• Salary - Scale Point 16 - £42,023 per annum (inclusive of London Weighting Allowance)
• Attractive benefits including Pension, Travel insurance, Life Insurance, generous annual leave, and flexible working arrangements.
• Please apply via our website www.cpahq.org by completing a short application form, together with a copy of your CV and a covering letter of no more than two A4 pages, stating how you fulfill the requirements of the role.
• Full details including the Job Description and Person Specification can be found on our website.
• Closing date: Sunday 31 May 2026 (UTC+1 23.59)
• Interviews will be held during the week commencing 8 June 2026.
• For informal enquiries please contact Sharon Moses, Head of Human Resources - email: sharon.moses@cpahq.org

NOTE: All posts are subject to UK Border Agency requirements for those who already have the right to work in the UK. In order to fulfil our security clearance vetting requirements, you are required, in addition, to hold at least 3 years UK residency.