The Project Manager for the TOGETHER Project will ensure the timely and quality implementation of all project activities in line with established plans, budgets, and donor guidelines. The role involves comprehensive project oversight, supervision of 15+ staff, risk management, stakeholder engagement (including County Government partners), accurate monitoring and reporting, and contributing to the overall sustainability and scale-up potential of the project.
Specific Tasks
Project Implementation and Accountability:
- Ensure the timely planning of project activities through the development of Program Implementation Plan (PIP), Annual Work Plans, Detailed Implementation Plans (DIPs), Monthly Activity Schedules and Procurement Plans.
- Oversee the accomplishment of the project activities in line with the project plans and DIPs within the approved project timeframes.
- Identify and manage project risks, whilst ensuring timely communication of emerging risks and possible mitigation measures, to the programs department.
- Ensures timely preparation and summation of all activity approvals, financial and purchase requests for all related project activities by the project staff, as well as timely programmatic and financial reporting.
- Develop strategic innovations that enhance the sustainability of the project and create an opportunity for scale up or future funding.
- Ensure that quality and standards are maintained through the entire project implementation.
Staff Management
- Supervises 15+ staff assigned to the project.
- Guide, mentor and coach the project staff under his/her supervision in ensuring quality planning, execution, monitoring and reporting of the project activities.
- Set achievable targets and key performance indicators for the project staff, in line with the project objectives.
- Conduct performance appraisals for the project staff, and report to the programs and HR department.
- Ensures clear communication amongst the project staff, proper behavioral conduct and an amicable way of resolving issues. Escalate issues that need attention of and action by the senior management.
- Mentor the project staff on project implementation, collaborations, stakeholder relations, project reporting and communications.
- Identify any staff training needs and propose to the Programs Department.
Project Monitoring, Reporting and Transition
- Responsible for the overall monitoring of the implementation progress of the project in line with the project outcome and output indicators.
- Ensures all project reports (monthly, quarterly, semi-annual and annual) are prepared and submitted as per the donor guidelines (ensuring timeliness and quality). Progress reports may be requested on a need-basis.
- Prepare a timely project exit strategy and plan, for gradual and system planning to the end of the project.
Stakeholder Management and Collaborations
- Map out, document, and share on a regular basis all the stakeholders relevant to the project.
- Identify and address any needs amongst the stakeholders, which may influence the project implementation.
- Establish and maintain good working relationships with other implementing organizations and stakeholders within the project location.
- Strategically engages relevant County partners and stakeholders in the project activities.
- Represent ADRA Kenya in all relevant County and Stakeholder forums including CSGs.
- Actively participate in County planning meetings and/or with other agencies, for strategic maximization of possible complementary funding of the project activities.
Documentation:
- Responsible for the safe keeping and filing of all project documents including the Agreements, Project Proposals, Change Requests/Proposals, Budgets, Quarterly, Baseline, Quarterly, End-Evaluation and Project Closure reports and back-up on the office server.
- Lead the project officers in documenting project and submitting success stories with every progress report.
- Lead the project officers in ensuring that all project photos and all relevant media from the project initiation to closure are deposited in a named project folder and backed up in the office cloud server.
Additional Job Responsibilities
- Support the design and development of new concepts and proposals for related programming information management and reporting.
- The Project Manager may be tasked with additional duties within their level of expertise and experience as deemed relevant to the assignment and advancement of the project objective by the supervisor.
Desired Competencies and Minimum Qualifications
- Education: University degree in Project Management, Development Studies, Health, Education, Gender, or any other relevant academic qualifications.
- Experience: At least 3-year experience in a comparable position.
- Knowledge in project management (technical, budgets and staff/people management).
- Extensive experience in strategic planning and management, including project/program development and implementation and grants’ management.
- Experience in Health, rights and education related programming.
- A good understanding of the social-economic and environmental dynamics of the ASAL counties of Kenya, particularly the Turkana region.
