Project Manager- Temporary at International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)

Key Responsibilities

Program reporting and administration

• Plan the project cycle, including defining timelines and deliverable endpoints for all project work packages in conjunction with the relevant co-PIs and Program Management teams.
• Work with academics and students in the project to plan, organize and implement field data collection and laboratory activities.
• Co-ordinate project components with other members of the project team, on behalf of the co-PIs.
• Pro-actively work with all project team members to ensure work plans are documented and on track and to identify problems before they arise, ideally achieved through regular (every 2 weeks) meetings with each of the project teams to oversee ongoing activities and catalyse the solving of any issues.
• Implement and maintain project database systems for lab and field data collection.
• Take primary responsibility for ensuring project data are collected appropriately with the support of project Principal investigators.
• Manage existing online collaborative tools and contribute to the creation of new ones / or revise existing ones based on lessons learnt.
• Maintain a contacts database for all project staff, students and visiting academics.
• Maintain the project output repository in liaison with the ILRI communications staff in the program (for open access on the ILRI repository).
• Write monthly summary reports for dissemination to all project members, summarising project progress and progress in meeting project targets.
• Develop and maintain a Risk register and assist the co-PIs in managing risks to the project’s timely delivery.
• Ensure compliance of all projects through Institutional Research Ethics Committee (IREC), Institutional Animal Care and Use committee (IACUC), Institutional Biosafety / Biosecurity committee (IBC) etc.

Budget Management

• Work with the program accountant and institutional program managers to oversee, plan and track the project budget.
• Partner institutes have their own budgets (for staff expenditures), but the post holder will be responsible for tracking expenditure across all partner institutes.
• Ensure timely sharing of budgetary information with senior budget staff.
• Follow up with ILRI finance department to ensure disbursement of funds to partners.
• Assist the Program Accountant in the monthly routine accounting duties.
• Oversee day to day project field expenditure.
• In consultation with the PI and co-PIs, draft annual reports to the donor/funder.
• Manage stores supply/ordering with external suppliers and maintain up to date inventories of supplies and consumable shipping, including tracking budgetary allocations for these project activities

Communication

• Act as a primary point of contact for all issues related to projects. This will include being the contact person for the project’s primary stakeholders, with whom a long running positive relationship should be established.
• Meet regularly with project stakeholders (facilitated through the ILRI co-PIs).
• Support communication by coordinating communication with project partners, including government officials, collaborators and local administrators.
• Organize conferences, workshops, science write shops, internal and external meetings, project annual retreat and quarterly meetings, and other events as required.
• Participate actively in project meetings, some of which will be held internationally.
• Contribute to the online presence of the project, including maintaining project website, twitter feed and newsletter in collaboration with the Communication specialist.
• Plan and oversee logistics for project meetings (internal/multi-partner).
• Perform any other related duties as may be required

Requirements

• Master’s degree in business administration, Program Management and/or a scientific subject (e.g., veterinary medicine, epidemiology, microbiology).
• Professional training or demonstrable practical experience in leadership and project management.
• At least 7 years relevant experience in program management working in an internationally focused research or development organization.
• Knowledge of administrative and financial management of development programs and/or donor funded projects/programs.
• Experience in managing work plans, results-based budgets and systems to monitor and report progress.
• Strong English language skills, both written and spoken.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and an engaging personality.
• Experience with science communication will be an added advantage.
• Ability to work in a multi-disciplinary environment.
• Strong IT skills.
• Experience with data entry in electronic databases will be an added advantage.
• Experience of working with epidemiology and public health researchers will be an added advantage.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with interdisciplinary teams of scientists and partner organizations.
• Ability to communicate with different stakeholders.
•  Ability to handle electronic data entry and data management.