Consortium and Project Manager

Job Profile

Under the guidance of Afghanaid’s Director of Programme Implementation and Quality, the Consortium and Project Manager will provide overall leadership and management and ensure the timely implementation of the project.

Key Responsibilities

• Ensure smooth project implementation of partners and Afghanaid’s project activities, achieving the project’s envisaged impact and planned outcomes in compliance with organisational, donor and other national and international standards and guidance
• Provide strategic direction and technical support to Afghanaid project staff to support achievement of the outcomes/results of the project, including through regular field visits
• Ensure community acceptance and ownership through proactive involvement of local stakeholders in Afghanaid’s project implementation
• In consultation with Afghanaid’s project coordinators (PCs) and partner organisations, prepare a detailed project implementation plan, as well as annual, quarterly, and monthly work plans in line with the project proposal and LFA
• Establish a monthly and quarterly progress review and planning mechanism for project team
• Provide strategic guidance and support to partners through the facilitation of consortium-level Steering Group meetings on a quarterly basis, as well as ad hoc meetings as needed
• Manage close working relationships with consortium partners, especially Project Managers, ensuring full and timely compliance with all contractual requirements, Afghanaid policies, project deliverables and reporting requirements, pre-emptively raising and addressing any concerns
• Coordinate the timely development and submission of high-quality narrative and financial reporting for the donor and Afghanaid’s management.
• As needed, conduct field visits to partners’ implementation areas and meet with stakeholders to monitor, guide and support consortium partners in attaining project targets
• Prepare annual, quarterly and monthly spending forecasts linked to the project work plan
• Working closely with finance staff, produce monthly budget versus actuals analyses which highlight where project spending is off track and identify solutions
• Ensure sound financial management and transparent use of financial resources in line with the approved budget as well as organisational and donor standards and guidance
• Prepare a procurement plan and ensure timely procurement of services, goods and materials following organisational and donor procurement and logistics protocols and guidance
• Proactively assess the need for adjustments to the budget and lead the revision of the Afghanaid and consortium budgets where needed, working closely with the finance and PDRM teams
• Take the lead in the recruitment of project staff with the support of the HR department
• Provide training to the project team on key aspects of the project design and deliverables
• Build the technical capacity of the project team through coaching, mentoring, and connecting staff to learning opportunities
• Represent Afghanaid in relevant coordination forums at the national, provincial, and district level
• Manage close working relationships with donor representatives, the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL), and other relevant ministries and departments
• Develop a network for coordination of activities, exchange of experiences, and mutual learning with other agencies working in the same implementation areas and sectors
• Organise lessons learned workshops and prepare presentations on project achievements and lessons learned for external fora
• In coordination with the consortium partners, develop a communications plan for the project in line with the donor’s visibility requirements and guidance
• Coordinate Project Steering Committee Meetings on regular bases
• Coordinate with the communications team to develop project specific information products, such as case studies and updates for the Afghanaid official website and social media channels
• Work closely with the M&E unit to develop a monitoring framework and MIS to track results of the project activities throughout implementation
• Support the M&E team by facilitating collection, compilation and analysis of qualitative and quantitative data to measure progress and outcomes of the project and Organise workshops to share best practices and lessons learned
• Contribute to the development of the baseline assessment, midline assessment and end line evaluation, as well as any ad hoc studies and research required
• Lead the documentation of learning on disability inclusion, incorporating expertise and materials contributed by consortium partners
• Lead the continuous development of the project risk register
• In close coordination with the security team and provincial and district-level security focal points, effectively manage the security of the project beneficiaries, staff and assets

The Consortium and Project Manager is expected to perform any other related duties as and when assigned by the Managing Director and/or Line Director.

Person Specification

Education/ Training

Master’s degree in international development or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.

Work Experience

At least 5-6 years of experience in project management, especially of livelihoods programming. Past experience with management of EU-funded projects is considered an advantage, as is past consortium or partner management experience.

Professional Skills, Competencies, Values and Attitudes

Afghanaid seeksdependable professionals with a stronginitiative, judgment and adaptability as well as excellent skills in leadership, communication, representation, interpersonal relations, decision making, reporting, budget analysis, partner management, and monitoring & evaluation.

Specifically, candidates for this position should demonstrate the following:

Essential

• Past project management experience, especially in management of livelihoods programming
• Excellent understanding of different livelihoods support approaches, including vocational training, savings and loans groups, and sub-grants for enterprise development
• Consortium and Partnership Management experience
• Excellent knowledge of community development and mobilisation
• Knowledge of exit strategies and sustainability approaches
• Proven management ability and strong interpersonal skills
• Problem solving and leadership skills
• Strong communication, facilitation, and writing skills
• Ability to deal with challenging, frustrating work situations
• Results-oriented approach to delivering work priorities and meeting tight deadlines
• Sensitivity to Afghan and Islamic culture
• Excellent understanding of Microsoft Office and Google Suite tools

Desirable

• Experience with cash for work programming
• Experience or familiarity with similar projects funded by institutional donors such as the EU, World Bank, Asian Development Bank, USAID, etc.
• Past consortium or partner management experience
• Previous work experience in Afghanistan and/or conflict area
• Past experience with gender and disability mainstreaming, especially in livelihoods programming and in conservative cultural contexts
• Working knowledge of Dari and/or Pashto

Values and attitude

• A clear and firm commitment to human rights, equality, and the empowerment of women, persons with disabilities, and minorities
• An outgoing and engaging personality, with cultural and gender sensitivity
• Ability to work and live collaboratively with others and manage relationships with a variety of stakeholders in a diverse multi-cultural environment.
• A willingness to live, travel and work in isolated and possibly insecure locations