Project Manager at Malaria Consortium

Donor title: Project Manager
Department: Management
Length of contract: 5 years
Travel involved: In-country travel (50%)
Child safeguarding level: TBC
Reporting to: Line manager: Team leader / Project Director
Direct reports: State Team lead for six states (Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kaduna, Lagos, Yobe)
 
Country and Project Background

• Malaria is highly endemic in Nigeria and it remains one of the leading causes of childhood and maternal morbidity and mortality in the country. Nigeria is deeply committed to making progress towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and it recognizes the fact that, without firm efforts to control malaria, achievement of the targets related to child mortality, maternal mortality, and reducing the burden of communicable disease will not be possible.
• Malaria therefore constitutes a significant development challenge for Nigeria. Interventions for reducing malaria burden in the country are documented in the national malaria strategic plan with Government taking the lead in its implementation with the support of all the RBM partners.
• The DFID funded and Malaria Consortium led malaria programme, SUNMAP, provided technical assistance and other support to the Nigeria National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP) covering the period 2008 to 2016. The anticipated follow on project, SUNMAP2 has been designed to strengthen the management and technical capacity of NMEP, State Malaria Elimination Programme (SMEP) and their stakeholders to drive the implementation of the National Malaria Strategic Plan, 2014 to 2020 and achieve its ambitious targets.
• This will include short term technical assistance and technical assistance embedded in NMEP in key areas of programme management, evidence generation and use, and capacity building across all project outputs and ultimately reducing Nigeria’s malaria burden and strengthening the Government of Nigeria’s health systems capacity to ensure long term programme and impact sustainability.

Job Purpose

• The Project Manager will steer project implementation through the state teams and ensuring value-for-money.
• He/she will provide oversight for programme management at state level and implementing partners.
• He/She will provide the oversight for the administration of the project’s national office and will be the liaison between SUNMAP2 and national project partners.
• They will be responsible for programme management systems and tools for efficient running of the programme, working closely with State Team leads, whom he/she will line manage.
• The position holder will ensure that state work plans are prepared and approved in a timely manner, and implemented to meet targets.
• He/She will be responsible for the project’s value-for-money framework, working closely with the SUNMAP2 SMT to prepare the framework, design appropriate tools and implement the framework.

Scope of Work

• The Project Manager will be responsible for oversight of State level implementation by leading and support State Team leads (for six states) and the project’s implementing partners.
• He/She will ensure strong project cycle management through a value-for-money framework.
• The position holder will ensure that state implementation complies with donor regulations and MC policies and procedures.
• He/she will serve as the first level of quality assurance for narrative project donor reports from state teams. He/She will be the focal person for Human Resource issues within the project, and the DFID procurement agent on the project’s procurement issues.
• The position holder will account for DFID asset and commodities and ensure those assets either in the SUNMPA2 offices or stakeholders’ store, are kept safely and accounted for, including keeping the MoU with the six supported states up-to-date and adherence to the provisions.
• He/she will provide capacity building to Federal Ministry of Health and National Malaria Elimination Programme as might be required for institutional capacity strengthening.
• The position holder will represent SUNMAP2 at the Programme Management sub-committee of NMEP, and will be the focal point for DFID regional representation.

Key Working Relationships:

• Team leader/Project Director as line manager, including project management
• Provide strategic, programmatic and management oversight to the State Team leads
• SUNMAP2 Senior Management Team for high-level strategic, financial and donor-related issues
• DFID Nigeria representation at regional level.

Key Accountabilities (Percentage level of effort)
Strategic planning, management and governance (20%):

• Provide strategic planning oversight to the State Team leads
• Provide effective stewardship to the members of the state-based SUNMAP2 team to ensure that implementation occurs according to operational plans
• Support the SUNMAP2 Senior Management Team in identifying opportunities which can be used to sustain the impact of the project and/or extend the scale of the project
• Ensure regular communication is maintained between the State-based team and the Abuja-based SUNMAP2 team.
• Be responsible for monitoring the collated state level project risk register. Work with the State Team lead in the identification, tracking, prevention and management of key programme risks especially those related to performance and fiduciary management.
• Be responsible for the project’s value-for-money framework and its implementation through State teams and Implementing Partners.

Programme management (60%):

• Oversee the development and implementation of state work plans, ensuring that partner work plans are integrated into an overall consolidated state level project work plan.
• Work with the State Team leads to oversee project partner’s inputs and subcontractors’ activities to deliver harmonized, aligned and effective outputs.
• Manage a number of complex public, civil society and commercial sector partnerships.
• Work closely with the SUNMAP2 SMT to see that work plans are aligned with project management best practices.
• Provide where necessary programme management strengthening support to the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP) and Implementing Partners (IPs).
• Ensure monitoring systems are in place and that project reviews/audits are carried out periodically in conjunction with the project state team, key stakeholders and project implementing partners.
• Ensure that state level implementation is aligned with the project’s value-for-money framework.
• Travel to the field as necessary to provide effective support and oversight to the State teams.
• Work with the State Team leads to ensure that all relevant authorities and stakeholders are included in the planning and implementation of the project as appropriate
• Maintain a good and proactive collaboration with the relevant authorities at State level, such as SMEP, and other stakeholders including other relevant DFID-funded programmes and GFATM malaria grant sub-recipients.
• Work with the SUNMAP2 SMT to see that project lessons and experiences are documented
• Work with the SUNMAP2 SMT to see that programme improvement is data-driven
• Remain engaged with current funding opportunities for malaria control/elimination through liaising with other INGOs, government bodies, donors and UN agencies

Logistics, Finance and Administration (10%):

• Work with the State Team leads to ensure the project is efficiently and accurately managed within allowable line item flexibility and there is full accountability of resources
• Work with the State Team leads to ensure familiarity with Malaria Consortium and donor compliance issues, ensuring all implementing partners in the state are compliant with these
• Work with the state-based team to prepare projected project expenditures
• Work with the State Team leads and the project’s Senior Finance Expert to monitor expenditure and budget compliance on a regular basis, report any concerns to the Team leader/Project Director and develop plans to mitigate any under or over expenditure
• Closely monitor state-related project budget spending and burn rates
• Work closely with the finance team to ensure timely financial reporting and assistance at audits for the project
• Work closely with the State Team leads and logistics team to ensure that all items required for the state-based activities are procured in a timely manner and in line with donor requirements

Human Resource Management (5%):

• Work with the HR team and State Team leads in the recruitment of State-based staff for the project
• Line manage State Team leads using performance-based management approaches
• Mentor State Team leads in negotiation the political and donor landscape for efficient implementation

Representation (5%):

• NMEP’s Programme Management Sub-committee
• Relevant national events to showcase the project’s achievements

Qualifications and Experience
Essential:

• Master's Degree in Public Health, Epidemiology, International Development or related discipline
• Mid-level management experience on large sized health projects in Nigeria
• Over 5 years working experience in international projects
• Experience managing at least one project for an external government client
• At least three years' experience managing teams of 5 or more
• Experience using value-for-money frameworks and/or working on performance-based contracts
• Experience in project and financial management with a proven track record of timely submission of high quality project deliverables
• Familiar with the Nigeria health system

Desirable:

• Experience managing donor grants or contracts such as DFID, GFATM or USAID/PMI.
• Experience working on maternal and child health programmes, including community health delivery

Work-based skills
Essential:

• Strategic thinking
• Ability to manage and inspire high performing teams
• Excellent programme management skills, with proven ability to implement high quality projects on time and within budget
• Familiar with value-for-money principles
• Good capacity building skills especially mentoring and coaching
• Strong negotiation skills, particularly in engaging government health officials at all levels
• Good influencing and persuasion skills and ability to remain compliant with organisational and donor policies
• Ability to manage and prioritize high workload and multiple tasks in a fast paced environment with tight deadlines
• Excellent problem solving skills
• Excellent English language skills, both spoken and written
• Capable of establishing strong working relationships with colleagues from different functions and cultures
• Excellent knowledge of Microsoft Office, particularly Word and Excel
• Excellent presentation skills
• A team player, with a friendly attitude
• Proactive and takes initiative as required
• Results-oriented work ethic.

Desirable

• Conversant with the basic epidemiology of malaria in Nigeria
• Resource mobilisation skills including an understanding of state and national public health and malaria networks
• Data-driven decision making mentality
• Excellent advocacy skills, and comfortable being a strong advocate for malaria control

Core Competencies
Delivering Results:

LEVEL D - Inspires wider teams to achieve outstanding results and to manage risks:

• Proactively improves effectiveness and performance of other senior staff to increase ability to meet objectives, acquiring new skills when appropriate
• Encourages mitigating risks amongst the teams/groups they work with/ manage
• Ensures the quality of all internal/external work of own and others

Analysis and use of Information:
LEVEL C - Works confidently with complex data to support work:

• Interprets complex written information
• Works confidently with data before making decisions: for example, interpreting trends, issues and risks
• Acquainted with the validity, relevance and limitations of different sources of evidence

Interpersonal and Communications:
LEVEL C - Adapts communications effectively:

• Tailors communication (content, style and medium) to diverse audiences
• Communicates equally effectively at all organisational levels
• Understands others’ underlying needs, concerns and motivations and communicates effectively in sensitive situations
• Resolves intra-team and inter-team conflicts effectively

Collaboration and Partnering:
LEVEL C - Builds strong networks internally and participates actively in external networks and think tanks:

• Builds strong networks internally
• Participates actively in external networks and/or think tanks
• Engages with relevant experts to gather and evaluate evidence
• Shares and implements good practice with internal and external peers

Leading and Motivating People:
LEVEL C - Effectively leads and motivates others or direct reports:

• Gives regular, timely and appropriate feedback
• Acknowledges good performance and deals with issues concerning poor performance
• Carries out staff assessment and development activities conscientiously and effectively
• Develop the skills and competence of others through the development and application of skills
• Coaches and supports team members when they have difficulties

Flexibility/ Adaptability:
LEVEL D - Clarifies priorities and ensures learning from experience:

• Clarifies priorities when leading change
• Sees and shows others the benefits of strategic change
• Helps colleagues/ team members to practise stress management through prioritisation of workloads and modelling of appropriate self-management and care
• Makes time to learn from experience and feedback, and apply the lessons to a new situation

Living the Values:
LEVEL D - Acts as a role model in promoting Malaria Consortium’s values:

• Champions and takes ownership of corporate decisions, values and standards and ensures team members implement them in a positive manner
• Acts as role model internally and externally in promoting Malaria Consortium’s values
• Is accountable for ensuring that cultural awareness is demonstrated across the area (s) they manage

Strategic Planning and thinking and sector Awareness:
LEVEL C - Keeps up to date with the internal and external environment:

• Takes into account economic, political and other business factors when drawing up medium and long-term plans, covering both public and private sectors
• Looks beyond the immediate operations to prospects for new business
• Engages with appropriate internal and external sources to establish major influences on future plans.

Remuneration

• Salary: Competitive
• Benefits: National.