Project Manager – Islamic Relief

October 04, 2021 

Job Title:                     Project Manager
Reports to:                 Program Manager
Duty Station:              Hargelle 60% and Addis Ababa 40%

Salary:                        As per the organization Scale

Required:                   One

Duration:                    One year with possible extension based on performance                                                      

Introduction to IRW

Islamic Relief is an international relief and development charity founded in 1984 with its headquarters in Birmingham, UK. As well as responding to disasters and emergencies, Islamic Relief promotes sustainable economic and social development by working with local communities – regardless of race, religion or gender. The office officially started its operation in Ethiopia in 2004. Islamic Relief Ethiopia (IRE) is operational in the Somali Regional State with a base office in Hargelle, Elkere, Bare and Dekasuftu, Afar Regional State; Ewa and Gulina, Oromia Regional State; Chiro and Meayso and an additional operational office in Addis Ababa. For more information please visit our website: http://www.islamic-relief.org/work-with-us.

Background to the position

Islamic Relief Ethiopia has received funding from the UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO)   for a resilience building project to be implemented in Somali region. The project aim is to protect livestock and reduce their mortality to strengthen the resilience of 3,000 pastoralist HH (19,800 individuals) to withstand drought shock through five pillars: livestock insurance, disease prevention, DRR technology, water infrastructure and fodder production. The project will be implemented in Hargelle woreda targeting Cid-dhere, Dawacale, Dirinder, Hayir and Sogsog kebeles.

To successfully deliver on the project’s results IRE requires an exceptional manager who has demonstrable   knowledge, expertise and experience in project management preferably in the area of livestock insurance project management, DRR/Resilience/Integrated WASH/Food Security for our FCDO funded project in Hargelle, Somali region. The preferred candidate must have expertise and experience managing institutional grants especially that of FCDO projects and must be well versed with current donor strategies and guidelines.

Responsibilities/Tasks

This position reports to the Islamic Relief Ethiopia Programme Manager. His/her main tasks include;

·         Ensure project activities and objectives are agreed and implemented in-line with IR missions and values, and all policies and procedure are maintained and followed in all functional steps

·         Ensure that the project  is implemented, monitored and evaluated and effectively handed over to the relevant government sectors and respective communities  on completion

·         Apply and adhere to the legal requirements,  principles and compliance clauses of the FCDO Accountable Grant Agreement (AGA) throughout the lifetime of the project

·         Provide managerial and technical leadership during project implementation with an aim of establishing DRR and resilience of the pastoralist communities in the targeted Hargelle areas.

·         Ensure coordination and integrated team efforts in the delivery of livestock insurance, WASH components, food security and agriculture that will create disaster planning, response, mitigation and resilience building

·         Work closely with IRE country office management, WASH and Food Security and livelihood (FSL) coordinator to strengthen sector components of the project towards programme goals

·         Work with DRR/Resilience specialist on Disaster Risk financing through commercial and community-based livestock insurance models.

·         Work with the safeguarding focal point and MEAL team to ensure that effective safeguarding complaints and beneficiary feedback  mechanisms are in place

·         Facilitate and provide capacity building support and training, coaching and skills development for the project team, Woreda technical team and IR Ethiopia country team on resilience and DRR in line with innovative components of the project, livestock insurance system,

·         Asses, analyze and report Disaster Risk financing, DRR data, new tools, approaches and recommendation with relevant staff at Country office

·         Deliver innovative strategies on disaster risk financing to IRE management and the regional team and communicate and manage risk; and the use of disaster risk financing in disaster mitigation

·         Contribute to the broader directions and management of IR through experts’ input on integrated disaster risk financing innovative components

·         Represent IR with partners in government and other stakeholders at Somali Regional State on matters related to the project

·         Plan and ensure that project quality standards are met. Undertake financial forecast, monitoring and controlling

·         Produce quarterly and annual financial and narrative donor reports to a high standard

·         Review progress through project field visits, data analysis, project budget utilization status and forward planning

·         Develop project plans and risk assessments

·         Ensure project staff adhere to all IR and donor mandated safety and security regulations, policies and practices; ensure adherence to those regulations and take corrective actions as required.

·         Perform other relevant duties as may be requested by the IRE, Program Manager and or Country Director.

As project Manager, the following competencies and ethical standards are essential for you to be considered for the position;

· Knowledge of the INGO sector and institutional donors

· Plan strategically and set clear goals

· Co-ordination and collaboration including information sharing with partners

· Team builder and work with team professionally

· Prudent financial management and reporting

· Experience in designing and facilitating training, conference and knowledge sharing activities or programmes for disaster risk/financing and management

· Lead, motivate and manage project staff under his/her supervision

· Adhere to all policies particularly to policy against sexual exploitation and abuse, and harassments which IR holds Zero tolerance

· Commitment to high ethical standards

· Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

· Good written and spoken English and the ability to produce high quality written reports

Technical lead (preferable);

· Proven skills in Disaster Risk analysis, planning, and management and capacity building

· Technical expertise in livestock insurance as a component of Disaster Risk Financing

· Technical skills on GIS/Remote sensing

· Skills in either WASH or Livelihoods or both

Qualification/Expertise/Experience

• Masters degree from a recognized university in either Disaster Management and Sustainable Development, Resilience, Agricultural Economics, Dryland Management, Natural resource Management,
• Excellent practical team management
• A minimum of ten years’ professional project management experience and  experience in disaster risk management, with a focus and expertise on disaster risk financing and management
• Demonstrated practical experience in DRR and resilience building programming including in far-flung areas
• Have extensive experience managing  FCDO or UN grants including at international level and is able to submit examples of previous reporting to FCDO/UN institutions at interview stage
• Holds a project management qualification eg PMDPro, Prince II etc
• Knowledge of Somali language an advantage

Professional Skills

• Strong team work and leadership attributes
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Simple and practical ability to tolerate basic field condition in the remote areas
• Adaptability and ability to live within the community

Safeguarding and Equal Opportunity

Islamic Relief and Islamic Relief staff considers the welfare and protection of children, young people and people at risk to be paramount to the organization. And must adhere the principle of ‘do no harm and leave no one behind.’ It is critical we do not expose communities or staff we work with to the risk of harm through our interventions.  With a zero tolerance approach Islamic Relief have a number of related policies which also describe standards in behavior expected from the organization, its staff and representatives towards each other and those we serve. Islamic Relief is committed to responding swiftly, appropriately and constructively to any and all information children, young people and people at risk have disclosed.

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks. We participate in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme and will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and child abuse during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment before signing the contract agreement.

Islamic Relief believes everyone has the right to be safe, respected and valued regardless of who they are or their circumstances, and an equal employment opportunity  to all candidates and qualified applicants, we do not discriminate on the base of age, sex, race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, disability status and diversity.