The Organisation
Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls.
We believe in the power and potential of every child. But this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination. And it’s girls who are most affected.
Working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges facing girls and all vulnerable children.
We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood. And we enable children to prepare for – and respond to – crises and adversity. We drive changes in practice and policy at local, national and global levels using our reach, experience and knowledge.
We have been building powerful partnerships for children for over 80 years, and are now active in more than 70 countries.
ROLE PROFILE
| Title | Project Manager- Sustainable Development Goals- WASH Project | ||
| Functional Area | Programs | ||
| Reports to | National Program Manager- WASH | ||
| Location | Kampala | Travel required | Yes |
| Effective Date | April, 2019 | Grade | |
role PURPOSE
The Project Manager (PM) has the overall responsibility for the successful initiation and set up, planning and design, implementation, monitoring, controlling and closure and transition of the Sustainable development Goals WASH project. The PM delivers the project results in the context of time, budget, quality, scope, risk and in accordance with Plan International’s values and behaviours, including gender transformatory outcomes.
The project aims to contribute to achieving access to and use of safe and affordable drinking water for 110,000 people and contribute to achieving access to and use of adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for 133,424people. The project will be implemented in Kamuli, Buyende, Tororo & Nebbi districts. It will specifically target households that have no sanitation facility at all. Girls are targeted through working on school sanitation, using among others the School Led Total Sanitation approach, including menstrual hygiene management facilities
The PM is overall accountable for the delivery of the project. He will supervise the project team, direct project planning, monitoring and review. He/she is accountable for project cost management making sure project financial resources are well managed and that we achieve value for money. He is responsibility for coordinating project parts building into high quality results and on time.
Dimensions of the Role
- Project Set Up and Project Planning – define/review the project governance structure; launch of the project and define key communication mechanisms with the different stakeholders. Develop a comprehensive and detailed implementation plan and review on regular basis to reflect the changing context of the project.
- Project Implementation – Lead project implementation planning, making sure the process is, regular, participatory and gives opportunity to the project key stakeholders to input, learn and reflect together. ,dealing with issues and creatively integrating the different elements of the project plan, including gender transformatory outcomes.
- Staff Management – this position supervisees all staff under the project.
- Partnership Management – manage the partners implementing the project activities; support their capacity building process and manage relationship building.
- Budgets/Assets – responsible for managing a total budget of 2,028,875 Euros and all the assets from the project, monitor budget performance and review financial reports to ensure consistency with narrative reports.
- Project Monitoring, Evaluation and Control – measure the project progress and identify appropriate corrective action in situations where the project’s performance deviates significantly from the plan. Report to donors following the donor compliance guidelines.
- End of Project Transition – implement all the transition activities to ensure proper closure of the project (lessons learned, financial and contractual closure activities, etc.)
- Advocacy, Influencing and Visibility –representing Plan International at district and national level to implement the advocacy activities as stated in the project.
Accountabilities
Project set up and project planning
- Define the scope of the project in collaboration with senior management.
- Develop a comprehensive and detailed implementation plan which identifies and sequences the activities needed to successfully complete the project.
- Determine the resources (time, money, equipment, etc) required to complete the project
- Develop a schedule for project completion that effectively allocates the resources to the activities.
- Review the project schedule with senior management and all other staff that will be affected by the project activities; revise the schedule as required.
- Define/review the project governance structure.
- Launch of the project and define key communication mechanisms with the different stakeholders.
- Determine the objectives and measures upon which the project will be evaluated at its completion
Staff Management
- In consultation with the National Programme Manager (NPM), recruit, interview and select staff and/or volunteers with appropriate skills for the project activities.
- Manage project staff and/or volunteers according to the established policies and practices of the organization.
- Ensure that all project personnel receive an appropriate orientation to the organisation and the project.
- Initiate and manage the process of contracting qualified consultants to work on the project as appropriate.
Project Implementation
- Execute the project according to the project plan.
- Liaise with the MER team to develop forms and records to document project activities.
- Set up files to ensure that all project information is appropriately documented and secured.
- Monitor the progress of the project and make adjustments as necessary to ensure the successful completion of the project.
- Establish a communication schedule to update stakeholders including appropriate staff in the organization on the progress of the project,
- Review the quality of the work completed with the project team on a regular basis to ensure that it meets the project standards.
- Ensure that the Programme Quality Policy and Procedures are followed in his/her project.
- Ensure gender equality related action plans are planned, implemented with clear gender transformatory outcomes.
Partnership Management.
- Manage the partners implementing the project activities following the Partnership Framework and Guidelines.
- Ensure proper capacity assessment of all partners.
- Ensure all legal documentation is in place before bringing partners on board.
- Support their capacity building process and manage relationship building.
- Ensure that the partners follow all the requirements stipulated by the donor.
Project Monitoring and Evaluation and Control
- Measure the project progress and identify appropriate corrective action in situation where the project’s performance deviates significantly from the plan.
- Write high quality reports to donors following the donor compliance guidelines.
- Follow the communication protocols with donors and the Resource Mobilization team and provide information as outlined in funding agreements.
- Monitor all budgeted project expenditures and cash flow projections and report actual cash flow and variance to senior management on a regular basis.
- Manage all project funds according to established accounting policies and procedures, ensuring value for money and strong accountability.
- Ensure that all financial records for the project are up to date.
- With support from Finance Department, prepare financial reports and supporting documentation for funders as outlined in funding agreements. Ensure consistency between narrative and financial reports.
- Ensure that the project deliverables are on time, within budget and at the required level of quality.
- Evaluate the outcomes of the project as established during the planning phase.
- Optimize the use of the SAP system to manage project outputs, budget, and expenditure and project closure.
- Manage project risks, ensuring they are effectively tracked and reported. Manage audit process and follow up audit action list.
Advocacy, Influencing and Visibility
- Represent Plan International at district and national level to implement the advocacy activities as stated in the project.
- Support with technical documentation of evidences from the project and write stories of change when required.
- Ensure close technical and operational collaboration and coordination with Government Agencies & WASH Net works
- Ensures that the project is fully aligned with the Advocacy Strategy and the SDG influencing plan.
End of Project Transition and Project Integration
- Implement all the transition activities to ensure proper closure of the project (lessons learned, financial and contractual closure activities, etc.)
- Promote full integration of the project with other initiatives implemented in the same location in close coordination with the Programme Unit Manager.
- Participate and provide valuable input into the technical network meetings.
- Support the Resource Mobilization Unit and the National Programme Manager in developing proposals that may facilitate the continuity of the project.
Dealing with Problems:
- Building and sustaining smooth working relationships with project partners and other key stakeholders.
- Compliance to donor requirements and ensuring quality and timely project outputs and communications
Child Protection Policy Responsibilities (mandatory for all staff)
- Adhere to the Child Protection Policy, Code of Conduct and reporting any CPP issues.
- Responsible for the implementation of the CPP standards as they apply to area of responsibility plus the development of actions to address identified gaps and monitoring their effectiveness.
- Ensure that all Plan International partners, visitors and associates in his/her area of responsibility are provided with, are made aware off and have signed and returned a copy of the child protection policy. Inform the partners, visitors and associates that they must comply with the policy in all contacts and communications with children during their visit.
- Ensures that Plan International’s global policies for Child Protection (CPP) and Gender Equality and Inclusion (GEI) are fully embedded in accordance with the principles and requirements of the policy including relevant Implementation Standards and Guidelines as applicable to their area of responsibility. This includes, but is not limited to, ensuring staff and associates are aware of and understand their responsibilities under these policies and Plan International’s Code of Conduct (CoC), their relevance to their area of work, and that concerns are reported and managed in accordance with the appropriate procedures.
Sponsorship Commitments Responsibilities
- Design and support implementation of programmes that are aligned with the Sponsorship Commitments, ensuring that the interventions benefit Sponsored Children.
Key relationships
- Communicates with tact, diplomacy and maintain professional working relationships at all times.
- Close collaboration and interdependence with the Programme Team and Resource Mobilization Unit at CO level, and other support departments (Finance, Admin, Risk Management, HR, Sponsorship)
- Regular working relationship with PU teams, especially PC/PM and other focal points implementing similar projects.
- Communications Department to ensure proper visibility and compliance to branding.
- Local, national and international Civil Society Organizations, Private Sector actors, Government institutions and UN agencies to ensure Plan’s work is well linked to other initiatives.
- Plan Federation: other COs, Regional Offices, National Offices and IH as requested by the project demands.
Technical expertise, skills and knowledge
Essential
Knowledge
- Master’s degree (preferred) in Engineering, Social Sciences, Public Health, Environment or its equivalent, with professional training on WASH programming.
- At least 5 years managerial or technical advisory experience in the design, implementation and evaluation of WASH programmes, including donor compliance.
- Knowledge of environment and current effective practices of WASH in Uganda, including existing networks, CSOs and government stakeholders
- Excellent project management and team leadership skills
- Demonstrated skills and experience in report writing, donor compliance and budget management.
- Identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learned directly linked to grant implementation, promote knowledge management, document best practices and lessons learned from project implementation, and facilitate dissemination in appropriate format to relevant stakeholders.
- Extended experience in implementing project through partners, with skills in capacity building and civil society strengthening.
- Influencing and skills in working with advocacy networks at national and district level.
- Knowledge and dynamic in working with vulnerable young girls and boys.
- Promotes high performance among project staff and provides vision and direction.
- Establishes effective partnerships with external organizations.
- Coaches project staff and leads others.
- Excellent communication (verbal and written) and interpersonal skills, with ability to work with people from diverse cultures
- Proven computer skills and knowledge of Microsoft software including MS Word processing, Power point presentation, Excel spreadsheets, e-mail and web based research.
- Experience of gender mainstreaming gender equality and inclusion in WASH
Desirable
Skills/Competencies
- Communicate Effectively: Speak, listen and write in a clear, thorough and timely manner using appropriate and effective communication tools and techniques. Strong verbal communication skills, including networking, negotiating ability and influencing others.
- Creativity/Innovation: Develop new and unique ways to improve operations of the organization and to create new opportunities.
- Lead: Positively influence others to achieve results that are in the best interest of the organization.
- Make Decisions: Assess situations to determine the importance, urgency and risks, and make clear decisions which are timely and in the best interests of the organization.
- Organize: Set priorities, develop a work schedule, monitor progress towards goals, and track details/data/information/activities.
- Plan: Determine strategies to move the organization forward, set goals, create and implement actions plans, and evaluate the process and results.
- Solve Problems: Assess problem situations to identify causes, gather and process relevant information, generate possible solutions, and make recommendations and/or resolve the problem.
- Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work with people from diverse cultures, ability to lead and motivate people to work in teams
- Good understanding and ability to use participatory approaches for involvement of stakeholders and creating program ownership.
- Excellent skills of working with children, facilitating child participation and gender equality.
Plan International’s Values in Practice
We are open and accountable
- Promotes a culture of openness and transparency, including with sponsors and donors.
- Holds self and others accountable to achieve the highest standards of integrity.
- Consistent and fair in the treatment of people.
- Open about mistakes and keen to learn from them.
- Accountable for ensuring we are a safe organisation for all children, girls & young people
We strive for lasting impact
- Articulates a clear purpose for staff and sets high expectations.
- Creates a climate of continuous improvement, open to challenge and new ideas.
- Focuses resources to drive change and maximise long-term impact, responsive to changed priorities or crises.
- Evidence-based and evaluates effectiveness.
We work well together
- Seeks constructive outcomes, listens to others, willing to compromise when appropriate.
- Builds constructive relationships across Plan International to support our shared goals.
- Develops trusting and ‘win-win’ relationships with funders, partners and communities.
- Engages and works well with others outside the organization to build a better world for girls and all children.
We are inclusive and empowering
- Seeks constructive outcomes, listens to others, willing to compromise when appropriate.
- Builds constructive relationships across Plan International to support our shared goals.
- Develops trusting and ‘win-win’ relationships with funders, partners and communities.
- Engages and works well with others outside the organization to build a better world for girls and all children.
Physical Environment
Office based with frequent travel to the field within Uganda (at least 30% of time).
Level of contact with children
This position has been classified as “Mid contact”: Occasional interaction with children.
Additional Responsibilities:
Child Protection Policy Responsibilities (mandatory for all staff)
- Adhere to the Child Protection Policy, Code of Conduct and reporting any CPP issues.
- Responsible for the implementation of the CPP standards as they apply to area of responsibility plus the development of actions to address identified gaps and monitoring their effectiveness.
- Ensure that all Plan International partners, visitors and associates in his/her area of responsibility are provided with, are made aware off and have signed and returned a copy of the child protection policy. Inform the partners, visitors and associates that they must comply with the policy in all contacts and communications with children during their visit.
More Information
- Job City Kampala
