Project Manager

KRA 1: Project Planning & Initiation

Lead the transition from project design to project implementation, ensuring that detailed plans, resourcing strategies, and monitoring frameworks are in place to ensure project targets are achieved on time and to standard:

Review the results of situational analysis and baseline studies and ensure full understanding of the project scope, targets and intended impact

Ensure a good understanding of other projects (both grant and sponsorship) that are being implemented in the Programme Area (PA); explore opportunities to optimise the PA team's impact and cost-effectiveness by working together

Liaise with members of the Programme Development & Quality team to understand &/or further develop the frameworks for monitoring, evaluation and quality control of the project:

• Ensure Standard Operating Procedures are in place and fully understood
• Ensure the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning framework is in place, along with relevant and user-friendly data collection tools
• Ensure that an effective knowledge management / record-keeping structure is in place

Develop a detailed implementation schedule (identifying and sequencing the activities needed to complete the project) and ensure it is uploaded into a project planner / results tracker

Define/review the project governance structure as well as the donor reporting requirement; clarify what information will be needed, by whom, to provide effective oversight and accountability

KRA 2: Partnership Management

Ensure that the partner on-boarding process is well coordinated and implemented in a timely manner; maintain ongoing relationships with partners to support effective implementation of the project:

Work with the Partnership Manager to translate strategies/standards for  Partner selection into concrete plans and timelines for partner on-boarding; support any partner selection processes that are still ongoing (e.g. by participating in procurement committees)

Meet with the leadership of potential partners to develop joint project concepts in line with PIS mission / Project goals; ensure that partners are supported to develop & submit project proposals (including detailed workplans and budgets)

Organise and coordinate colleagues in carrying out partner due diligence and capacity assessments, ensuring that the information gathered is incorporated in the project plan as well for planning capacity-building efforts

Once project proposals have been approved, develop partner MOUs and liaise with the Partnership Manager for review and formal signing by both PIS and the partner

Organise partner induction coaching and training, liaising with PIS colleagues (and any expert consultants) to ensure that the partner fully understands and agrees to:

• Their role & responsibilities
• The MEL framework & data collection tools and responsibilities
• All risk management & accountability requirements (including safeguarding, gender equality, and any project-specific SoPs) 

Ensure ongoing monitoring and management of partners, in coordination with the MEL and finance teams, to make sure project activities and spend are on track, and that they will lead to impact desired

Organise regular review meetings with partners, and assist them to adaptively manage in response to contextual changes, evidence from implementation and results achieved, and work closely with PIM, partnership manager, and finance manager as needed to deal with any issues which arise with partners.

KRA 3: Communicating for Influence 

Actively participate in the development and implementation of an innovative influencing & communication plan for the Renewed Women’s Voice and Leadership (RWVL) project; ensure that plans will result in key programme stakeholders being influenced effectively:

Work with senior colleagues and the Influencing & Communications Officer to implement an influencing & communications plan that will support the achievement of PIS’s outcome and impact targets and raise PIS’s profile with important stakeholders

Contribute to the implementation of the Influencing Strategy in target programme areas::

• Build relationships with key actors, and implement influencing interventions that drive change
• Build strategic partnerships, networks, coalitions and alliances relevant to the project and link with national level strategic engagements
• Spearhead, coordinate and promote project-specific advocacy, lobbying and influencing initiatives
• Represent Plan International, at all times behaving in line with Plan's values and Code of Conduct (CoC) to give a faithful representation of the organisation

Work with implementation teams to ensure internal PIS’s Principles of Communication are embraced.

Work collaboratively with Programme Implementation Managers (PIM) and other colleagues to develop and implement a cost-effective and impactful community engagement strategy, ensure an accurate representation of the project benefits is communicated, and carefully manage expectations

Ensure that   regular community awareness meetings about Plan programs and approaches are done across all Communities, in particular ensuring that sponsored families and communities are updated on Plan’s interventions and the graduation process

KRA 4: Ensuring Impactful Implementation 

Manage and coordinate the implementation of Renewed Women’s Voice and Leadership (RWVL) Project, so that results are achieved and quality outputs are delivered in line with the Strategic Plan; ensuring that learning from interventions is fully utilised to maximise impact and innovation:

Execute the project according to the project plan, ensuring that all activities are carried out on time, scope and budget; provide timely justification for any changes or modifications required

Collaborate closely with the PD&Q and MERL team to ensure collection of data, analysis of results and identification of opportunities for improvement in a blame-free spirit of academic enquiry:

• If desired results have been achieved, initiate strategies for widespread awareness-raising
• If desired results have not been achieved, support the partner / implementation team to adapt their approach
• Periodically review theories of change, revising as appropriate

Ensure the project is implemented in line with project management minimum standards; including development and regular updating of workplans, procurement plans, budget analysis, sustainability plans

Ensure gender considerations are mainstreamed into project implementation, to provide gender aware and gender transformative outcomes across project interventions.

Review the quality of the work completed with the project team on a regular basis to ensure that it meets the project standards; ensure that Programme Quality Policy and Procedures are followed

Implement all the transition activities to ensure proper closure of the project (lessons learned, financial and contractual closure activities, etc.); aim to ensure the impact of the project is sustained post-funding

KRA 5: Risk, Compliance & Accountability

Ensure that all project activities comply with global, country and statutory policies and guidelines; lead the effective identification and management of risks, in particular those associated with procurement, finances, safeguarding, and staff health, safety and security:

In collaboration with the Risk Assurance Manager, ensure that all risks and compliance-requirements relevant to the project are comprehensively mapped; ensure that the project risk management matrices is developed and rigorously implemented

Lead the project team to understand and implement all relevant policies, procedures and guidelines (e.g. finance, procurement, security, IT, gender equality & inclusion, harassment, bullying & non-discrimination policy as well as Children and Young People Safeguarding policy etc.)

Ensure that staff and associates are aware of and understand their responsibilities under these policies and Plan International’s Code of Conduct (CoC), their relevance to their area of work, and that concerns are reported and managed in accordance with the appropriate procedures

Manage all project funds according to established accounting policies and procedures, ensuring value for money and strong accountability; monitor all budgeted project expenditures and cash flow projections and report actual cash flow and variance to senior management on a regular basis

Ensure compliance to donor requirements, especially through quality and timely project outputs and communications; work collaboratively with the assigned Grants Accountant if budget extensions are required

Support the Resource Mobilization Unit and the Technical Advisor in developing proposals that may facilitate the continuity of the project.

KRA 6: Leadership & Staff Management

Lead the Project Team in a manner that empowers them to contribute effectively towards achievement of PIS’s strategy:

Ensure that the project is resourced with the expertise necessary for success through a combination of recruitment and management of staff, mobilization of community volunteers, and procurement of consultants

Lead and manage the team towards high standards of performance through clear roles & responsibilities and provision of appropriate support; coordinate effectively with others to ensure high performance within PIS’s matrix operating structure

Develop and encourage talent through on-going staff development, succession planning, career management; proactively address poor performance through timely constructive feedback, coaching and appropriate corrective action

Foster an inclusive environment by implementation of policies and ways-of-working that provide for diversity and equal opportunities and utilisation of a leadership style that will drive employee engagement

Ensure that staff are managed in accordance with good HR management practice and provided with a safe and conducive working environment; includes ensuring that all legal and statutory obligations are fulfilled

KRA 7: Safeguarding, Gender Equality & Inclusion

Ensure that Plan International’s global policies for Safeguarding Children and Young People and Gender Equality and Inclusion are fully embedded in accordance with the principles and requirements of the policy including relevant Implementation Standards and Guidelines as applicable to their area of responsibility. This includes, but is not limited to ensuring staff and associates are aware of and understand their responsibilities under these policies and Plan International’s Code of Conduct (CoC), their relevance to their area of work, and that concerns are reported and managed in accordance with the appropriate procedures.

Qualifications

Bachelor degree in social work, psychology, sociology, international relations or any other related field. Master’s degree is an asset

Certification in Project Planning and Management and/or M&E

Minimum 5 years of experience working in Gender Equality, Women Empoerment, attitude change programming, FGM, GBV and in Child protection (or relevant) programming; working in emergency response is a plus. 

At least three years prior experience of managing partnerships as well as implementing donor projects