Project Manager – UP-WOMAN

The UP Women project aims to contributing to bridging the gap young women/girls face to enter in strong career paths through improved opportunities for skills training through Integrated Functional Adult Literacy (IFAL) and short term skills training in market demanded, non-traditional skills and subsequently find (self-)employment with a decent income and in women-friendly training and working environments. This will be achieved through a combination of Integrated Functional Adult  Literacy (IFAL), Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) knowledge, access and services, life skills and vocational skills training, and job placement (JP) schemes, that ultimately results in a gainful income, contribute to gender transformation and dignity for young women. The project would work both with public and private training providers with a results based financing (RBF) approach and would also contribute to developing their capacities.

Main Tasks

Project Management, Learning and Reporting 

• Takes overall responsibility of the project and assure its quality based on the agreed project document and associated documents (e.g. logical framework, budget)
• Takes overall responsibility of finance, admin and human resources management, documentation and reporting with the support of the concerned finance, admin and HR staff from the PMU and the program office (Addis)
• Leads in monitoring and adapting the changing contexts considering risks mitigation measures and in consultation with the concerned team members and PD/CD
• Leads in promoting and mainstreaming the agreed project approaches (e.g., Results-Based Financing, gender transformation, Do-No-Harm) described in the project document
• Responsible for budgeting, budget monitoring, overall financial management
• Ensure finance, admin and HR policies and procedures are complied and promoted in accordance with the requirements of the government, donor and Helvetas
• Responsible for the initiation and preparation of necessary amendments required in project document, logical framework, budget and other associated documents.
• Responsible for the overall HR management, which requires promoting team spirit, building and managing the project team, management of their performance and development of their human resources
• Prepare consolidated Annual Plan of Operation (APO)
• Prepare periodic reports (both narrative and financial) for the donor(s), government, head office and the program office (Addis) in collaboration with the MEAL personnel and partners
• Takes overall responsibility of Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) with the support of the concerned MEAL personnel
• Ensure the project’s achievements and challenges are properly documented, learned and shared for information, communication and educational purposes
• Ensure all project-related documents are filed physically and online (e.g. dedicated SharePoint) with the support of the Project Officers, MEAL personnel and Digital Expert

Partnership and Capacity Development

• Responsible for preparing necessary documents for the government (e.g. MoU, project document)
• In collaboration with the MEAL Officer, support the government for their mid-term review, terminal evaluation and reports
• Ensure the project has the right partners who have the right resources (financial, technical, human) to be able to implement, monitor, learn and manage the assigned activities or outcomes
• Ensure the project has the right service providers who are required to provide agreed services and goods
• Lead and facilitate necessary steering, coordination and management mechanisms/meetings as per the project document and requirements of the government
• Lead in conducting partnership mapping required for the project management and developmenbt
• Lead in assessing the partnership with existing and potential partners
• Lead in learning from and capacitating the partners in view of mutual learning and capacity development
• Lead in holding and promoting accountability of/with the partners and stakeholders
• Explore, engage and establish networking with necessary stakeholders for coordination, avoiding duplication, promoting development effectiveness and sharing the project’s approaches and successes.

Project and Program Development 

• Leads to conduct and provide necessary assessment for the development of project and program in the area of SJI
• Lead the development of project for expansion, extension, replication and scaling up by preparing concept note and/or full proposal
• Contribute to the development of program in the area of SJI by providing inputs and feedback or necessary assessments for the preparation of concept note and/or full proposal
• Manage MEAL Officer and other Project Officers to be able to prepare/implement information, communication and educational materials/activities for the purpose of project/program development
• Provide necessary reports, inputs, documents and clarification to the (existing/potential) donor(s), government and head office for the project/program development.

v. This project currently working in Sidama Regional State and it has a possibility to expand to Shashimene, Oromia Region. 

• A minimum of bachelor degree in Social Science, Development Studies, Public Policy, Public Administration and/or related fields of study.
• Masters degree in the above mentioned fields are advantageous.
• Post-graduate certificate in management, education and skills development.

Work Experience: 

• At least 10 years’ relevant experience in development work at least with 4 years of project management experience.
• At least 3 years of experience in skills development and employment sector.
• Strong experience of working for youths and women is an asset
• Experience of working with/through the government and training providers (Labor and Training Bureau, Women and Child Affairs Bureau, Enterprise Development Bureau, TVT college, private training providers) is compulsory.
• Sound knowledge and understanding of gender and social equity, vocational training, and jobs creation/employment, enterprise development sectors in Ethiopia.
• Sound knowledge of the contexts of the project areas and ability to work with/for different ethnic groups is compulsory
• Sound knowledge of the migration and experience of working with industrial parks is an asset
• Proven track record in conceptualizing and implementing projects in a multi-implemented and gender centered development approach.
• Proven record in knowledge management and documentation.
• Strong conceptual, analysis and writing (letters, ToRs, reports in English) skills is compulsory.

Specific Skills and Competencies: 

• Commitment to gender equality and gender transformation
• Strong motivator, facilitator, and mentor/coach
• Excellent, conceptual, visionary, and programmatic competencies
• Good reporting and writing skills.
• Result-oriented personality meeting deadlines
• Excellent interpersonal and intercultural competencies and sensitivity
• Eager to learn and fill gaps where needed
• Project cycle management
• TVET/Skills Development
• Enterprise Development
• Gender and Social Equity
• Do-No-Harm (DNH)
• Monitoring and Evaluation
• Risks management