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Project manager for the disaster risk reduction project PILLAR-PLUS

City/location:
Addis Ababa
Organization:
Save the Children International

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Grade: 3.1
Reports to: Deputy Programme Operations Director, Save the Children UK
Line management responsibility: 11 project staff
Budget Responsibility: Responsible for overall PILLAR Plus Budget of Euro 1 million
Child Protection Level: 3

Introduction:

Save the Children UK has been operational in Ethiopia since 1973 and the organisation has developed into one of the largest international NGOs in the country. Currently Save the Children UK operates a programme that involves humanitarian relief, development and the relationship between them. Programmes encompass three thematic areas: Hunger Reduction, Health and HIV/AIDS and Education. Save the Children UK works to ensure quality programming on the ground which forms the basis upon which to advocate for changes in policy and practice by key duty-bearers at regional, national and global levels.

With the financial support from ECHO, Save the Children UK would like to recruit a highly experienced Project Manager for its DRR PILLAR Plus Project which will be operational in six districts of the Somali Region and 3 in Afar Region of Ethiopia. The project is implemented by Save the Children UK and its sub grantee Save the Children USA.

The Preparedness Improves livelihoods and Resilience (PILLAR) PLUS project is a Drought Preparedness project based on Disaster Risk Reduction Approach. It is funded by the ECHO 2010 Funding Decision for the Greater Horn of Africa, through Save the Children UK. PILLAR plus is 15 months project, and the Project Manager is responsible for the overall project including Save the Children USA's interventions Component.

The principal objective of the project is to enhance the resilience to drought risk in the GHoA and the specific objective to enhance the capacities of the communities, including children, of the Ethiopian arid lands- afar and Somali regions- to reduce their vulnerability to drought risk The project is designed to address the key underlying causes of drought vulnerability in six priority districts selected so as to maximize and enhance the potential for sustainable impact. Community Managed Disaster Risk Management (CMDRR) is the core component of the project where Disaster Risk Management plans are expected to be developed and guide implementation.

Job Purpose:

The Project Manager will be responsible for the overall management and successful implementation of both the Save the Children UK and sub grantee Save the Children USA's component of DRR PILLAR Plus Project which will be operational in six districts of the Somali Region and 3 in Afar Region of Ethiopia. This will include assuring timeframes, required deliverables/outcomes, and both technical and managerial requirements are met, including sub-grantees, and managing relevant government/stakeholder and donor liaison requirements.

Key Accountabilities:

Project Management

* Ensure the DRR PILLAR Plus project is delivered according to the contractual requirement of the donor, i.e. all activities and deliverables are completed within the agreed timescale and budget, reports are submitted as per the agreed schedule and formats and any other requirements or criteria are fulfilled as specified in signed agreements.

* Regularly update detailed annual and periodic work plans with project implementation and ensure this is used by the whole project team to monitor project progress towards completion.

* Ensure programmatic reports for donors, government and Save the Children are prepared as required, ensuring these are of a high quality and submitted to the Grants Liaison Unit in Addis Ababa in a timely manner

* To highlight and prepare, together with the Grants Liaison Unit, documentation for any project modifications, amendments or extensions which require donor and/or Government consent and approval. Ensure such changes are made in close consultation with the Regional Coordinator, the Project Managers, Finance staff and all relevant project staff and senior managers.

* To provide guidance and supervision to the field based Project Coordinators, together with the Area Operations Managers in Samara and Jijiga, to ensure s/he has clear objectives and receives regular supervision and reviews.

* Establish protocols for communication and management arrangements with project team. Ensures the field based team is copied all donor and government monitoring reports to facilitate their area reporting and coordination roles.

* Ensure the project's grant status and progress is monitored monthly with either or both the Grants Liaison Unit and the Deputy Operations Director.

* Participate in regular field based project review meetings, to include Grant Liaison Unit, Finance and Operations.

* Ensure close working contact and overseeing of the progress of project implementation of Save the Children USA.

Budget Holder responsibilities

* As primary budget holder for this project, responsible for the overall management and revision of a realistic budget, ensuring proper authorization and monitoring expenditure in line with the budget and donor guidelines, Save the Children grant management and financial guidelines. This will include preparation of budget plan and, supervision of quarterly variance analysis reports on all budgets. The post holder will need to ensure all sub-budget holders are also fulfilling their budget holder responsibilities

* Ensure financial reports for donors, government and Save the Children are prepared as required, ensuring these are of a high quality and submitted to the Grants Liaison Unit in Addis Ababa in a timely manner and be fully aware of the grant compliance regulations for ECHO.

Technical programme Effectiveness


* Identify technical support needs of the projects and staff, and, jointly agree how these needs will be addressed within the project, with special focus on DRR .

* In collaboration with the Project Coordinators and DRR senior Coordinator, and other technical and project staff, develop Terms of Reference, commission and manage consultants (national or international) to cover all requirements that cannot be met by staff, as per the project design.

* Assist project staff in the use of key generic and Save the Children UK tools. These include, among others, child participation, child right programming and mainstreaming of gender, diversity and HIV/AIDS.

* Technically oversee, with the Project staff and the policy and program technical managers, the monitoring and evaluation plan for the projects, to include outcome, output and input indicators.

* Technically support the Project Coordinators in implementation of the project through regular visits to the project implementation sites, in arranging the mid term and/or end evaluations, as per the donor requirements.

Strategic Donor Relations / Resource Mobilization


* Serve as the Save the Children UK senior project representative for the donor, nurture appropriate Save the Children UK public relations and donor relationships.

* Regularly communicate and coordinate with the Save the Children US project manager, and other senior technical and management staff of the sub-grantee.

* Provide regular updates on the project to the sub-grantee and to the donor. This may also include case studies, photographic documentation, and reports outside the donor are reporting requirements.

* Build on the technical knowledge and current/previous programming to guide further development of the project, as appropriate.

* Accompany and facilitate donor visits and provide relevant background materials.

Strategic Programme Development

* Ensure learning from the project informs Save the Children UK's strategic approach to the technical areas covered in the project

* Ensure learning from the project informs the strategic design of new interventions, as appropriate.

* Provide relevant project input to support the development of internal annual operational plans. Provide project input to the internal programme planning and review meetings, regional team meetings quarterly and annual reports.

Policy Analysis, Policy Engagement and Advocacy for Policy Change:

* Be fully aware of national and regional policy debates, and engage with relevant government and other stakeholders in the sector of DRR

* Represent Save the Children UK at all relevant technical external task forces including contribution for Regional Policy Advocacy Project under the auspices of ECHO funding decision where the Children UK is a representative for Ethiopia Programme; working groups, seminars or other meetings which have been identified as critical for the project and related technical debates.

* Develop good relations with government, other NGOs, development and UN agencies etc working in the sector of DRR to advance common approaches.

* Internally, close working with the Program and policy department colleagues in joint reviews and technical advice.

* Ensure that the voices of children guide advocacy messages.

Other:

The Project Manager may be responsible for additional tasks and duties as and when required to support the overall Country Programme, regional and head office priorities.

Working contacts:

External:
Significant involvement with government officials in relevant departments at senior national and regional levels. Attendance at regular and ad hoc technical and policy level meetings. Have frequent interactions with both technical and management counterparts of other key stakeholder agencies. Regular involvement with representatives of donors, international agencies and local civil society. Regular Contact with Oxfam GB in Kenya Nairobi for REGLAP project implementation in Ethiopia.

Internal: The Project Manager will report directly to the Deputy Operations Director. Regular engagement with the field Project Managers, the Area Operations Managers and staff in Afar and Somali Regions, and other Save the Children UK Directors and technical managers is essential. Work should also be coordinated with the other thematic teams to enhance cross-fertilisation and ensure integrated programming. Collaboration with all departments, and support of overall aims of the country programme, are also essential.

Budget: Euro 1million

Person specification:

Essential:

* Masters degree in a DRR related field (Disaster Risk Reduction/Management, socioeconomic, Livelihoods, and Development Studies etc). First degree in relevant field.

* Minimum of five years of international experience in DRR/livelihoods/development programming with international organizations, donors or institutions in developing countries

* Experience in working with government counterparts and other partners at various levels - from field to federal/national levels.

* Proven conceptual skills and an ability to think and plan strategically

* Demonstrable experience in M&E

* Strong representation and networking skills with the ability to liaise well with a wide range of individuals from different backgrounds and cultures.

* Strong interpersonal skills and an ability to mentor staff

* Proven ability to manage a complex and demanding workload

* Excellent spoken and written English

* Good computer skills (particularly Excel, Word and databases)

* Willingness and ability to frequently travel to all project areas- Somali and Afar Region of Ethiopia- within approved security frameworks.

* Team player

Desirable:


* Work experience in food insecure regions of Africa, particularly in pastoral areas

* Experience managing ECHO funding

* Understanding of the DRR sector in Ethiopia at both field and policy levels.

* Experience on children rights programming

Child Protection:

The responsibilities of the post may require the post holder to have regular contact with children or young people. All posts are considered to be level 3 posts in view of potential situations which may allow unsupervised access to vulnerable children and young people.

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