Global Project Manager

• Position: Global Project Manager

Location: The basis for the contract will be a long-term consultancy contract – hence the selected candidate can be based where he/she wishes to be based

Date: March 2022

Reports to Team Leader West and Central Africa (WACA) – Plan International Germany

Duration approx. 426 days within 24 months (it is expected that the position’s tasks will require a fulltime equivalent in regards to working hours/days a month in the range of around/average 40 hours / 20 days per week/month)

Purpose:

The Joining Forces Alliance applied for a €16 million grant from the German Foreign Federal Office (GFFO) to address major child protection in emergency issues in various conflict settings across the world. The project “Joining Forces for Child Protection in Emergencies (JF-CPiE)” will be implemented in 6 countries (Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Colombia, South Sudan, Ethiopia,) across two years/24 months with an expecting starting date in July 2022. All six agencies that are part of the Joining Forces Alliance have a role in the consortium that has been brought together to implement this project, with 2 agencies having an implementation role in each of the six targeted countries. Plan International Germany is the consortium lead and will contract the overall Project Manager and MERL Coordinator as well as Controlling and Compliance Coordinator.

Under the project, this position is responsible for overseeing and coordinating the implementation of the project among the six project countries. The Project Manager will work on behalf of the consortium lead (Plan International Germany) and will be responsible for project reporting, oversight of the overall project implementation progress, and organizing together with the consortium members in Germany and the 12 country offices all “global” actions of this project.

The Project Manager will lead the Project Management Steering Committee (PMSC) and facilitate quarterly meetings with the Consortium Steering Committee (CSC). Furthermore he/she will report to the Consortium Steering Committee which has an oversight function and is represented by the 6 German offices of the Joining Forces Organisations.

Dimensions of Role:

The Project Manager is responsible for the overall management of project progress as per the project proposal, budget, logical framework and contractual compliance obligations. He/ She will oversee and ensure that country teams have the required level of support, guidance, and information in order to implement the project to high standards, coordinating and communicating effectively with consortium members to ensure follow up and support to country teams where required. He/ She will lead in providing technical oversight and support for country teams to utilize evidence based, best practice approaches and methodologies in child protection programming, drawing on the collective experience, capacity, approaches and methodologies of the consortium members and other external actors.

The Project Manager is responsible for effective communication of project progress, issues arising and proposed solutions to country teams, consortium members, the GFFO and external stakeholders as appropriate. He/ She will be responsible for meeting all reporting requirements of the GFFO.

He/ She will directly manage the MERL Coordinator and the Controlling and Compliance Coordinator and coordinate closely with other members of the Project Management Steering Committee (PMSC) and the Consortium Steering Committee.

Key End Results and Typical Responsibilities:

• Set up, manage and facilitate key project governance mechanisms; Project Management Steering Committee (PMSC) and Consortium Steering Committee, effective communication channels
• Develop and implement the project communications plan
• Establish effective project management standards and processes, support country teams to put these in place
• Develop and manage a risk register for the project, in coordination with the PMSC and CSC
• Lead on troubleshooting and issue resolution, in coordination with PMSC and CSC, and through effective communication with consortium members
• Lead and facilitate evidence based best practice sharing of methodologies and approaches to child protection in emergencies programming as an input to detailed activity design/ implementation planning and on an ongoing basis as needs arise
• With the support of the Control and Compliance Coordinator, regularly review, analyse and feedback on project reports and make recommendations and/ or approve budget modifications
• Perform regular visits to project implementation areas to support country teams
• Oversee the successful implementation of project base line, mid-term and end line assessments/ evaluations and ensure lessons learnt feed into project adjustments
• Oversee successful project close out, including disposal of assets and equipment, financial reconciliations, and sustainability and continuity planning for services and program activities.

Dealing with Problems:

The Project Manager is expected to be able to deal with the complexities of a consortium with six members and multiple different legal entities, each with varying ways of working, capacities, methodologies and approaches.

Reporting lines:

Reports to the WACA Team Leader – Plan International Germany

Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours Required to Achieve Role’s Objectives:

Knowledge & Experience

• Degree in social sciences, child development, social work or other related sectors;
• Five (5) years minimum experience in Program/ Project management
• Experience managing complex, large project budgets (> €5mil)
• Experience in developing and implementing Child Protection projects across multiple contexts and countries
• Knowledge of evidence based, best practice programming and standards for child protection and child participation (Child Protection Minimum Standards)
• Good knowledge and understanding of humanitarian principles and established international child protection standards; SPHERE standards and the Red Cross/ NGO Code of Conduct.

Skills

• Very strong facilitation, negotiation, communication and representation skills
• Very strong leadership and management skills
• Skills in monitoring, evaluation and reporting
• Strong analytical skills
• Excellent writing skills (incl. report writing)

• Requires general finance, administration, information management and telecommunication skills and proficiency in information technology/ computer skills (Word, Excel, PowerPoint);

• Fluency in English essential, German, French and Spanish language proficiency an asset for the application

Behaviours

• Demonstrates clear respect to all and especially children and women without discrimination
• Aware of own strengths, weaknesses and pro-active in using feedback and self-development
• Works with integrity and has a commitment to Plan’s core values and humanitarian principles

• Demonstrates honesty and transparency in holding self and others to account to deliver on agreed goals

• Patient, able to improvise and remain responsive under pressure.

Physical Environment and Demands:

• ·Work both at the office and in the field
• Frequent field visits: The Project Manager will spend at least 25% of his/her time in the field in the context of monitoring and support to country teams
• Frequent periods of intense working in multiple locations and on the move

Interaction with children:

• Mid-level interaction with children