PCB Project Manager at International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC)

The Project Manager, PCB

The Project Manager is responsible for providing overall vision, leadership, coordination and liaison with donors and stakeholders to ensure efficiency and effectiveness in project implementation. Specific roles include:

Leadership

1. The Project Manager will lead the IFDC team and serve as the primary point of contact with donor with regard to the day-to-day activity implementation and management matters relating to the contract.
2. The main duties of the Project Manager will be overall project planning, implementation, and management, including financial management.
3. The Project Manager must ensure the smooth functioning and coordination of all project functions: program quality development and implementation; project finances and administration, outreach and reporting, monitoring and evaluation.
4. The Project Manager will seek to ensure the technical quality and appropriateness of the technical services provided through the project and the quality of the results generated.
5. The Project Manager will be the primary point of contact for information on the progress and current status of all project activities and will establish appropriate mechanisms to ensure that activity progress and specific implementation concerns are regularly and promptly reported.
6. The Project Manager will manage the preparation and presentation of proposed implementation plans and all reports.
7. Coordinates contributions from all consortium members;
8. Maintains coherence between project interventions and recommendations of the project advisory committee;
9. Represents IFDC and the project at all meetings, conferences and other opportunities conducive to publicizing, promoting and marketing the impact of the project; and
10. Create and maintain good working relationships with the Embassy of Ireland in

Programmatic and Technical

1. The Project Manager will have technical and management responsibility for all project personnel and be the IFDC representative to the Donor, relevant government agencies and partners, county government officials, other donor, private companies, technical agencies and other participating organizations as required.
2. The Project Manager will have overall responsibility for assuring that all assistance provided, whether by international or local experts/personnel, is technically sound and appropriate for the needs to be addressed; and for adequately managing and supervising the work of all experts/personnel provided under the agreement.
3. Set strategic and technical direction for the project, ensuring consistency between the different components and compliance with the approach of the project.
4. Lead regular management meetings with consortium members.
5. Initiate and organize project management committee meetings at least twice a year, as well as project advisory committee meetings at least twice a year.
6. Ensure all project activities are in line with policies and regulations of local/national authorities, as well as of the Donor.
7. Provide supervision, support, and direction to long- and short-term staff to achieve the results of the project.
8. Review and approve all project deliverables and documents.
9. Monitor project indicators in accordance with the Performance Monitoring Plan, evaluate program results and take necessary corrective actions whenever needed.
10. Supervise completion of timely and high-quality work plans, progress reports and financial reports.
11. Prepare and lead major project interventions (backstopping, evaluation, etc.).
12. Participate in regular field visits to the project areas to assure project progress towards activity objectives and goals.
13. Ensure overall coherence and coordination of activities by all actors.
14. Develop strong synergies with the 2SCALE project and other relevant projects led by IFDC.

Reporting

The Project Manager will report to the Regional Director for East and Southern Africa or his designee.

Communication and Outreach

1. Oversee the communications strategy of the project.
2. Liaise with IFDC regional communications department on topics to be highlighted through success stories, case studies, fact sheets and other outreach materials.
3. Review and approve all public relations materials.
4. Establish, maintain and strengthen relationships with IFDC colleagues involved in other relevant projects, county and national government officials and the private sector.
5. Facilitate the internal communication and sharing of experiences among staff, including among consortium members.
6. Represent the project at all relevant public events.

Financial and Administrative

1. Oversee and be responsible for financial and administrative aspects of the project including managing the budget.
2. Ensure all activities are conducted within the scope of the project budget.
3. Ensure quality of partner contracts and their smooth handling
4. Prepare and submit donor reports – technical and financial as per donor requirements

 
Requirements

1. A minimum of a Masters’ degree in Development, Business Administration, Public Administration, Economics, Agriculture, Natural resources, International Relations or Social Sciences.
2. At least 7 years’ experience in project management preferably in Agricultural projects and working with key donors; USAID, DFID, EU, WB and other key players in the Agricultural sector
3. At least 5 years’ experience in fund raising, proposal writing, documentation and donor reporting required.
4. At least 5 years’ experience capacity building and training of farmer groups, organizations, private companies and/or other agribusinesses.
5. Strong communication skills in English (both written and verbal).
6. Strong computer and database management skills required. Knowledge of data analysis programs/software desired.
7. Ability to exercise significant professional judgement relating to program development implementation, monitoring and evaluation, reporting and must have an ability to prioritize in a multi-task environment.

 
Others

1. Ability to work independently under pressure, and able to take initiatives.
2. Ability to work in a multidisciplinary and international environment.
3. Strong interpersonal skills, team working skills with ability to maintain effective work relationships.
4. Excellent communication skills with ability to express ideas clearly, logically, and effectively
5. Strong coordination and collaboration skills.
6. Working experience in a similar role is highly desired