Project Manager at CABI (Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International)

PURPOSE

• The Project Manager is central to the project’s success, ensuring its seamless execution through oversight of daily operations, effective coordination of activities, and proactive problem-solving. This role involves developing and managing work plans, budgets, and schedules in collaboration with the project team, stakeholders, and donors, ensuring all activities align with project objectives, timelines, and resource allocations. By fostering a collaborative, results-oriented team environment, the Project Manager provides leadership, mentorship, and performance support to the project team, ensuring all members are motivated and equipped to deliver.
• The Project Manager closely monitors the project’s progress, tracks key performance indicators and milestones, prepares detailed reports for the project board and donors, and maintains open communication channels to address emerging issues promptly. Risk management is a critical component, with the Project Manager identifying potential obstacles, developing mitigation strategies, and ensuring contingency plans are in place.
• In addition, the Project Manager is tasked with ensuring compliance with national regulations, organisational policies, and donor requirements. In overseeing financial management, the Project Manager ensures that funds are used transparently and efficiently, producing accurate financial reports to sustain trust and facilitate ongoing support.

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

• Oversee the day-to-day management of a suite of projects, ensuring effective coordination and execution of all approved activities.
• Develop and manage project work plans, budgets, and schedules in collaboration with the project team and stakeholders to ensure alignment with project objectives and timelines.
• Lead and guide the project team, fostering a collaborative and results-driven environment, and supporting team development and performance.
• Monitor the project’s progress against its objectives, timelines, and budgets, ensuring accurate and timely reporting to the project board and donors.
• Liaise with the Finance and Operations teams to ensure that grants and projects’ delivery align with forecasted expenditure
• Identify, assess, and manage project risks, and implement mitigation strategies to ensure that risks do not impede the project’s progress.
• Ensure the project complies with all relevant regulations, policies, and donor requirements, maintaining the highest standards of governance and accountability.
• Oversee financial management, ensuring transparency and accountability in using project funds, and providing accurate financial reporting.
• Leverage opportunities for new business development.

ABOUT YOU:

• Advanced degree in agriculture, crop protection, agricultural economics, or a related field.
• At least 10 years of experience in project management, preferably in agriculture and development, with a proven track record of successfully leading complex multi-donor projects across multiple locations in developing countries.
• Strong understanding of agriculture, crop protection, and smallholder farmers' challenges, particularly in sustainable practices and plant health systems.
• Understanding of development of sustainable value chains, as well as sanitary and phytosanitary related issues and how to mitigate them to comply with market requirements would be an added value
• Proven ability to lead, manage, and motivate multidisciplinary and multinational teams, ensuring high performance and collaboration.
• Demonstratable ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, tasks efficiently in a high-stress, fast-paced environment
• Experience designing and implementing Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning frameworks, and other project management tools for tracking progress against objectives, and reporting to donors and stakeholders.
• Solid experience managing project budgets, ensuring financial transparency, and preparing accurate financial reports.
• Strong communication skills, and ability to work effectively with government institutions, local partners, donors, and other stakeholders.
• Working knowledge of USDA grant and loan requirements, compliance frameworks, and stakeholder reporting.

Personal Characteristics:

• Demonstrates integrity and accountability and remains calm under pressure.
• Adaptable and resourceful, skilled at navigating challenges and finding solutions.
• Focused on accuracy and achieving measurable outcomes.
• Respecting and promoting individual and cultural diversity.

ROLE DETAILS:

• Role: Project Manager
• Grade: HAY Band 6
• Reporting to: Regional Director
• Direct reports: None
• Key peer group: Project Managers, Senior Scientists
• Conditional recruitment: The position is subject to confirmation of funding.

WHAT WE OFFER:

We aim to recruit and retain passionate people who have the necessary skills, knowledge and commitment to help us achieve our mission. Our benefits are designed to make our lives easier, improve our work-life balance, save money, and safeguard our well-being. They include:

• Competitive salaries.
• 30 days of annual leave, plus public holidays.
• Defined contribution pension scheme with employee contribution.
• A culture committed to being a fully inclusive, enjoyable, and fulfilling place to work.
• An Employee Assistance Programme, with a full calendar of health and well-being initiatives.
• Flexible working options.
• Career development opportunities, including internal promotions, mentoring, and a Development Bursary to visit another CABI center.
• Medical insurance and long service awards.