Manager/Senior Manager - Deris Wanaag at Adam Smith International

Key Relationships

Internal

• Deris Wanaag Project Director/ASI Head of Somalia
• ASI Head of Africa
• ASI Africa & London Finance Team
• ASI Africa Administration and Operations team
• ASI Head of Global Risk & Security
• Somalia security team
• Deris Wanaag Team Leader
• Deris Wanaag Deputy Team Leader
• Deris Wanaag project team
• Deris Wanaag Key sub-contractors (2-3) and downstream partners

External

• FCDO Senior Responsible Officer, and their Deputy, for Deris Wanaag
• FCDO Programme Manager, and finance and compliance staff
• National and regional experts in focus sectors
• Relevant international partners, such as the wider donor community

Key Tasks

Project Management

• 1Manage the successful delivery of Deris Wanaag to the Terms of Reference, time, quality, cost and donor and counterparts’ satisfaction. This will include ownership in the following areas of project management:
  • Finances
  • Operations
  • Team
  • Quality assurance
  • Risks & issues
  • Evaluations
  • Client relationships
  • Impact, adaptation and change
  • Reporting
• Communicate the key risks and issues, updates and milestones to the Project Director and FCDO clearly, concisely and in a timely fashion, liaising closely with the Team Leader and Deputy Team Leader.
• Work effectively in politically sensitive and challenging environments, including when under pressure and alongside competing priorities.
• Build strong working relationships with the Team Leader, Deputy Team Leader and other team members, as well as partners, ensuring they feel part of the ASI ‘family’ and also that they are risk/issue aware and report these immediately.

Business Development

•  Seek, establish and nurture relationships with junior client counterparts that are characterised by trust and mutual respect.
• Proposal support: Take on ad hoc, discrete and accountable junior roles in larger technical and commercial proposals and expressions of interest, and be an effective member of bid teams. This will include support in the following areas:

Technical:

• Researching thematic context in particular countries / regions
• Updating CVs to terms of reference
• Formatting CVs and proposal documents to improve presentation
• Brainstorming methodology
• Drafting methodology components 

Commercial:

• Researching and benchmarking costs of operation
• Benchmarking fee rates
• Negotiating fee rates

Advice

•  Maintain awareness of and conversance with political economy and key topics in Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia.
•  Develop skills in technical advisory areas identified with line manager, and agree approach to developing the same further.
•  Where feasible, support delivery of technical deliverables.

Firm Building

Contribute to the growth and development of the East Africa team and to Adam Smith International through:

• Marketing: Contributing content and articles to external channels
• Marketing: Supporting at least 1 topical event per annum
• Knowledge management: Ensure all knowledge is shared via agreed team systems and processes
• Personal development: Take ownership to grow own capability, experience and expertise

Team Building

•  Advance opportunities for coordination with other projects and share lessons with peers, as well as supporting and/or mentoring colleagues when needed.
•  Always remain aware of, demonstrate and drive others to demonstrate ASI’s values – partnership, resourcefulness, creativity, respect and integrity.

Key Accountabilities

• Deliverables completed on time and within budget.
• Accurate expenses and fees forecasts submitted monthly; managing GM targets.
• All classified risks to project documented, mitigated and escalated if need be.
• Strong and effective relationships developed with project team/s.
• Development of a project team culture that reflects ASI values.
• Excellent client relationships, characterised by mutual trust, respect and responsiveness.

REQUIREMENTS
Qualifications

Academic

• A relevant undergraduate degree. (Required)
• A post graduate degree. (Desired)

Experience

• Planning and delivering results.
• Quality and accountability.
• Continuous improvement.
• Managing complexity.
• Innovation and change management.
• Communication and knowledge management.
• Leadership and direction.
• Collaboration and teamwork.
• Personal impact and effectiveness.
• Proven ability to work under pressure.

Knowledge

• Understanding of international development (Required)
• Knowledge of some relevant technical approaches. Good understanding of how to balance operational needs with budgets. (Required)
• Knowledge of peacebuilding, resilience, security sector reform, stability, and/or preventing and countering violent extremism approaches (Desired)

Skills

• Good written English and communication skills. 
• Superb attention to detail. 
• Proven ability to build effective, credible client relationships and networks. 
• Fluent spoken and written Kiswahili (Desired)
• Excellent computer skills, especially Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
• Good negotiation skills.
• Advanced project management skills.
• Good people management skills.
• Good budget, finance and forecasting skills.

Attitude

• Respectful to all
• Proven with clear evidence: integrity and resilience to political influencing
• An inspiring passion for international development in the East and Horn of Africa
• Interest and experience in working in developing and conflict-affected environments.
• Enthusiasm and flexibility.
• Positive, solution-oriented, can-do.
• Open-minded, flexible approach to problem-solving.
• Resilient to changing circumstances and challenges.
• Achievement oriented.
• Determination to complete work to an extremely high quality.
• Trustworthy, reliable, professional, conscientious and accountable.