Project Manager- FPUR Project at TechnoServe

Job Summary:

The Project Manager will manage a team of up to 4 staff members to implement an 18-month project in Kano and Ogun States, Nigeria. S/he will lead the overall implementation and management of the project, including providing oversight of activities, developing work plans, overseeing the project budget, overseeing M&E, and reporting to the donor on delivery and progress. The Project Manager will continuously develop operational efficiencies and drive innovations in delivery and will serve as the primary point of contact with the donor, ensuring that the project meets established objectives and targets.

Program/Practice/Department Overview:

TechnoServe’s Fortified Parboiled Unpolished Rice Project (FPUR) will pilot the uptake of parboiled unpolished rice and fortified parboiled unpolished rice to combat malnutrition in the two states and increase the production, availability and consumption of whole grain, fortified, nutritious foods through the National Home-Grown School Feeding Program (NHGSFP) and large-scale fortification. The project aims to impact up to 1.4 million children who are beneficiaries of the program.

Primary Functions & Responsibilities:

Project Inception Phase

• Work with the HR team to recruit and onboard project team members.
• Complete a rapid assessment of the selected communities and develop a database of stakeholders playing in the rice value chain in the project geographies, i.e., rice producers, millers/processors, school communities where the home-grown school feeding (HGSFP) program is taking place and research institutions such as the National Cereal Research Institute (NCRI) and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).
• Develop the work plan for the entire project and disaggregate for each year of the project which must be signed off by the Deputy Country Director.
• Support the MEL officer in developing the MEAL Package and tools.
• Support the procurement of contractors by developing the ToRs/RFPs/EOI as required.
• Drive community entry and sensitization activities using simple and fun models that encourage and attract buy-in from target beneficiaries and stakeholders in the communities.
• In collaboration with the Deputy Country Director and the Head of Operations, develop a procurement plan based on resource requirements for the duration of the project.

Project Implementation Phase

• Lead the implementation of activities that will achieve all the project targets and milestones.
• Develop a risk register that would capture the risks and mitigations encountered throughout the life of the project
• Ensure that monthly/quarterly/annual reports are submitted to the donor(s) on or before the due date(s)
• Provide leadership to the project team and ensure they comply with all laid down processes and procedures of TechnoServe.
• Identify areas where team members need to expand their capacity and work with the HR team on the different options available.
• Update project work plans monthly and ensure timely implementation of the activities in line with work plans and activity schedules.
• Monitor project budget regularly to ensure that spending is aligned with i) donor’s burn rate expectation and, ii) TechnoServe’s policy of zero spend on non-allowable expenses.
• Work closely with the project MEL officer as well as the regional MEL advisor to ensure high-quality data for internal programming and reporting purposes.
• Together with the MEL officer and communications officer, develop a detailed knowledge and communication plan for disseminating learnings and impact to both internal and external audiences.
• Lead the development of the training materials and manage the train-the-trainer sessions.
• Identify simple farm entry technologies that would drive a significant impact on the livelihoods of the farmers.
• Continuous engagement with the relevant state government agencies focused in the rice value chain especially with the desk officers.
• Facilitate market linkages between farmers and processors to create a direct and efficient supply chain.
• Assist program management and business development when required.
• Represent the project and organization, at internal and external functions, as assigned.

Basic Qualifications:

• A Bachelor’s degree in Human Nutrition, Food Science and Technology, Agriculture Economics or a related discipline with at least 5 years’ experience or a Master’s degree in similar fields listed with at least 3 years’ experience in the below:
  • At least 3 years of project management leadership in the development sector
  • At least 3 years of experience in implementing agriculture/value chain development projects in Nigeria
  • An in-depth understanding of the rice value chain in Nigeria
  • Demonstrated understanding of the end-to-end operations of food processing at the micro and small enterprise level.
  • Experience in implementing projects with nutrition or fortification outcomes is an advantage.
  • Experience in market linkages i.e., linking producers with end users.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Related work experience and knowledge of the Nigerian economic, social and development context preferred.
• Demonstrated experience in the management of multi-stakeholder relationships.