Programme Manager for SHARE II Bale Eco-Region 76 views0 applications

Farm Africa, founded in 1985, is an international non-governmental organization working in Ethiopia since 1988. We drive agricultural and environmental change to improve lives. Our strategy has three pillars: agricultural expertise, management and preservation of ecosystems, and the power of business to drive prosperity.. We believe Africa has the power to feed itself and are helping make this happen by establishing and spreading the best farming and forestry techniques so that poor farmers and herders have more food to feed their families and to sell. We help smallholders manage their natural resources sustainably so that they can withstand climate change challenges and shocks and ensure their families have enough food in the future as well as now. Farm Africa works in partnership with communities, government, local and international organizations, and the private sector to innovate, learn and share best practices for maximum impact of our projects.

BACKGROUND

Farm Africa is implementing a large number of projects/programmes in the areas of agriculture (crop and livestock), natural resources management and market engagement across Ethiopia. We are increasingly designing and implementing complex and integrated multi-sector projects, some by ourselves and some others in partnership with like-minded organizations in the form of consortium.

Currently, Farm Africa, in partnership with SoS Sahel-Ethiopia, FZS, PHE-EC and IWMI, is finalizing agreement with a donor to implement an integrated multi-sector project in Bale Eco-Region in Oromia National Regional State of Ethiopia. The project is a follow up of an earlier project called SHARE Bale Eco-Region that employed an ecoregional approach to integrate and coordinator activities across sectors and actors so as to minimize trade-offs and maximize synergies across sectors and ecosystems at various altitudinal gradients, while ensuring a sustainable use and management of environmental resources for socio-economic development in the project intervention areas. The project will work across 16 woredas located in two zones, namely Bale and West Arsi. Farm Africa is seeking to recruit a dynamic and experienced person as a Programme Manager (PM) responsible for leading this complex, multi-sector and consortium based project.

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

The PM is responsible for implementation of the project undertaking project management, planning, implementation, playing leading role in internal and external project reporting, financial management, monitoring and evaluation of the project activities, outputs and impacts, coordination of activities among consortium organizations and liaising with government partners and the donor. Responsibilities involve ensuring that the project activities of all consortium members are integrated effectively, and that all project relevant stakeholders at all levels are fully engaged.

KEY TASKS AND RESPONISBILITES

Key areas of responsibilities are:

 Successfully manage the implementation of SHARE BER II project in accordance with the project’s agreed objectives, work plans and budgets

1. Project planning:

In coordination with consortium members,

• review and prepare the project’s work plan and budget during the annual planning process.
• ensure that plans of consortium members are well aligned and integrated to ensure the landscape approach/methodology of the project;
• manage monthly, quarterly and annual work plans for project logistics and activities, identifying and responding to the implications of interdependencies between different sub-project workstream activities.
• plan for and ensure successful implementation of a sustainable macro exit from the project.

1. Project delivery, implementation and internal reporting:

• Ensure that project activities are implemented and outputs achieved as planned and within the agreed budget.
• Coordinate regular project reviews, submitting quarterly internal progress review reports outlining progress, issues and actions being taken in the standard format to the HP .
• Participate in quarterly project progress review sessions with the Steering Committee including: in-depth review of financial spend/burn rate; achievement against activity and output plan, and a forward look on whether the project is achieving against its objectives.
• Proactively identify and monitor any risks to non-delivery and, where required, develop and implement action plans including training (capacity building) needs to address issues identified;
• ensure the timely submission of narrative and financial reports to the donor as per the reporting requirements indicated in financing agreement;

1. Financial management and governance:

• Manage the project within the agreed budget;
• Maintain strong leadership and knowledge on budget management, tracking spend of FA and partners alike.
• Prepare budget forecast and cash requests as per Farm Africa’s internal working rules;
• Undertake reforecasts, where required, to reflect changing financial context (e.g., inflation, exchange rates) and the project’s activity
• Identify and analyse the causes of spend variances to the budget and take action as needed
• Implement internal project financial controls, ensuring that financial management in the project field offices and by consortium members are in compliance with and exceeds the basic standards contained in the Farm Africa finance procedures manual as well as in compliance with the donor requirement.
• Review budget monitoring reports, and provide timely explanations and corrective actions for any significant variances
• Ensure that all procurement of goods and services follow the terms and conditions stipulated in the donor financing agreement.
• Ensure compliance of the project to the Charities and Societies Agency’s 30:70 directives.
• Work with the HPs to monitor financial risks, developing and implementing mitigation actions as needed

1. Monitoring and evaluation of the project’s outcomes and impact

• Working with the project MEL specialist, FA’s MEL unit and Farm Africa’s Head of Programmes, and other stakeholders, develop and implement a project monitoring and evaluation process that meets the basic monitoring and outcome reporting requirements of each consortium member.
• Work closely with the project MEL specialist and FA’s MEL unit to contribute lessons learned, ensure dissemination and maintain dialogue on key project findings
• Ensure the project’s log-frame and data collection plans are regularly reviewed and refreshed, and the project is collecting the breadth of indicators required at a frequency and timing in line with reporting purposes
• Lead the project’s annual self-assessment process ensuring that necessary evidence is collected and all staff are actively inputting into the process
• Ensure that the project is regularly (at least quarterly) conducting beneficiary surveys, collecting other data through relevant sources^[1], developing case studies and collating photos
• Oversee baseline, mid-term, final evaluation and other external evaluations, ensuring that learning and recommendations from those evaluations are explicitly incorporated into the project’s future implementation activity

 Lead consortium coordination, as well as grant and contract management for the project, ensuring that donor reports are at the highest levels

• Coordinate and report to, quarterly steering group meetings of the consortium
• Facilitate annual reflection processes to assess any adjustments needed to budget allocations for the project
• Ensure timely narrative and financial reporting is secured from all consortium members, in good time for submission to the donor as per the reporting frequency required by the donor;
• Proactively identify any required changes to donor-agreed workplans, objectives and/or budgets, working with FA’s HP and Country Directors of the consortium organizations to agree and implement any necessary contract revisions or renegotiations
• Ensure compliance with donor procurement and other contractual requirements
• Manage and oversee the quality of donor visits

3. Line manage the project staff

• In liaison with the relevant consortium member leadership, lead on the recruitment of new staff to the project team;
• Hold (at least) monthly staff meetings and send minutes and key action points to the Consortium steering group;
• Provide leadership and motivation to all project staff building values-based team working and individual staff skills relevant to the project;
• Regularly provide both informal and formal coaching and feedback to all project staff
• Actively seek feedback on own performance and effectiveness from leadership of consortium organizations as well as own project staff.
• Hold in-person supervision sessions with all line-managed staff at least once per quarter (to discuss progress against their personal development objectives and work targets) and carry out in-person annual appraisals with all line-managed staff
• Effectively and promptly deal with any poor performance and actively recognise and encourage strong performance

4. Manage and nurture mutually beneficial partnerships with consortia partners and other stakeholders

• Implement consortia governance and decision making structures, acting as the point person for day-to-day consortia partner management and relationship building;
• Conduct joint progress review sessions with consortia partners as well as participate in internal Farm Africa consortia learning and review sessions;
• Proactively identify and raise with the Farm Africa HP and CD (and others as appropriate) any consortia-related delivery risks, and work with consortia partner staff to implement action plans to resolve identified issues;
• Act as an ambassador, promoting the project, including hosting visitors, speaking at workshops and conferences, and meeting donors and other officials when required;
• Provide formal representation of the project with respect to key signatory government parties, ensure periodic reports are submitted to them on a timely basis;
• Convene quarterly project meetings, involving representatives from all stakeholder groups;
• Organise external events, forums and conferences to share project lessons and experiences, and
• Ensure that the project is represented at relevant Zonal, Regional and Federal level government meetings and forums.

5. Play an active role as a member of the Farm Africa Country team

• Contribute to the development and implementation of Farm Africa’s strategy
• Identify and explore opportunities to grow and expand the country project pipeline, both in relation to the current project (e.g., potential scale-up opportunities to take existing work to meso- or macro-level, replication in other geographies/regions) or related to new project opportunities
• Work with the Country Director and the UK Programme Funding Unit to prepare funding proposals where requested, ensuring that any lessons learned during implementation are documented and built into future project design
• Participate in country-level or pan-Farm Africa programme meetings with other project coordinators, as requested by the Country Director or HP.

These essential functions are not to be interpreted as a complete statement of all duties performed. Employees will be required to perform other job related duties as required. All work responsibilities are subject to having performance goals and/or targets established

DURATION & HOURS: Five years with probation period of 90 days

Job Requirements

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Required skills/expertise:

1. Technical

• MSc or above qualification in NRM, Watershed Management or related fields;
• A minimum of 8 years of progressive and relevant experience and research working in the areas of INRM, Watershed Management and/or landscape approach demonstrating knowledge of how actions and interventions can be integrated across scales and sectors;
• A sophisticated understanding of the role of natural resource management, agriculture and ecosystems and their relative balance and input to livelihoods
• Extensive experience and demonstrated successes in managing and implementing integrated and complex projects that involve multi-sector, diverse groups of stakeholders and natural resources;
• An understanding of the role of community-based approaches, in particular gender issues as they relate to livelihoods and conservation
• Demonstrated leadership experience, team work, excellent network and excellent relationship with government partners;
• Excellent record of writing including briefs, project report compilation, communication and dissemination;
• Knowledge of public policy development process in Ethiopia
• Additional skills and Abilities: GIS

2. Project management

• Structures and leads teams in problem solving to address complex issues, prioritising efforts towards the most critical issues and regularly updating the ingoing hypothesis as required to focus the team
• Creative thinker, inspiring innovative thinking among all team members to reach imaginative solutions with high potential for impact
• Ensures high quality from across the team in all activities
• Manages all aspects of complex projects well; dynamically adjusting work and activity plans and individual team member workloads as required as new opportunities emerge or the context shifts

3. Fundraising and grant/contract management

• Able to understand, interpret and deliver against contracts
• Able to craft and synthesise project activities, outcomes and learning into compelling donor reports
• Understanding of procurement and other standard donor requirements
• Able to develop proposals and concept notes

4. Team building and line management

• Develops strong capabilities and skills in team members, group members and organisations working with
• Balances workloads of team members to both ensure successful delivery of the project as well as provide development opportunities for people to grow and learn
• Builds an open and collaborative team environment, encouraging the contributions of the whole team, and creating a rewarding experience for all
• Able to motivate individuals building a shared pride in individual and team accomplishments
• Strong at performance management – combining coaching with effective and insightful feedback on strengths, development areas and ways to grow, even on tough issues
• Able to manage team members remotely
• Manages upwards to the HP CD, and other consortium leadership, actively bringing them into the team as required to challenge and support the team’s activity and keep them informed and abreast of the situation

5. Financial management

• Ability to develop, read and manage to budgets; and rapidly spot potential issues and solutions
• A strong leadership and knowledge on budget management, tracking spend of FA and partners alike.
• Able to accurately oversee the project’s finance staff in financial coding and
• Able to report spend vs. budgets accurately to donors

6. Participatory planning, monitoring & evaluation

• Able to build trust-based relationships with beneficiaries, understanding their culture, context, skills and views
• Constantly seeks beneficiary input, feedback and supporting data to ensure full understanding of the impact of interventions
• Good understanding of participatory impact assessment approaches and effective monitoring and evaluation techniques
• Able to develop and implement against well-structured and comprehensive linear log-frames and data collection plans that balance rigour and pragmatism

7. Communications skills (both verbal & written)

• Able to synthesise effectively and produce persuasive and engaging communications materials that engages the team, beneficiaries and other stakeholders to achieve maximum impact
• Able to present compellingly to a wide range of audiences, addressing challenging issues where required and commanding attention

8. Stakeholder engagement and management

• Negotiating and managing partner relationships
• Ability to build strong relationships with stakeholders based on trust, collaboration, demonstrated commitment and impact, deploying a wide range of influencing techniques as required

Our VALUES

Investing in smallholder farming is the number one way to combat poverty in rural Africa. Farm Africa is a leading NGO specialising in growing agriculture, protecting the environment and developing businesses in rural Africa.

EXPERT. Deep expertise and insightful evidence-based solutions are at the heart of everything Farm Africa does.

GROUNDED. Positive change starts with Africa’s people, so our experts work closely with local communities, engaging them in every level of decision-making.

IMPACTFUL. We take a long-term view so we can deliver lasting changes for farmers and their families.

BOLD. We model innovative new approaches and are not afraid to challenge strategies that are failing.

How to Apply

Those who meet the above requirements should submit their short CV (maximum of 3 pages) and a cover letter (maximum 1 page) addressing et[email protected] with the subject Programme Manager for SHARE II BER by April 19, 2019.

Documents cannot be returned and due to large number of applications, only short listed candidates will be contacted. Applications are especially welcomed from female applicants.