Project Manager at International Alert

Location: Maiduguri, Borno

Job Purpose

• The project manager is responsible for the timely and effective implementation of the project through the establishment of appropriate systems and procedures and the leadership of the project team.
• The project manager is also responsible for timely and accurate financial reporting, monitoring progress and impact of the project in both financial and technical terms, and providing adequate reporting on activities as well as mid and final reports.
• As this is a project implemented with several local partners in Maiduguri and other LGAs in Borno state, the project manager will need to play an important role in ensuring good communication and coordination among the partners and assuring connections between the partners and other actors working in similar work in the Borno and the NE in general.
• As a senior member of the Nigeria country team, the Project Manager can be requested to take leadership and representation responsibilities as necessary.
• Implementation will begin in May 2017 and will run through April 2019 with the possibility of extension. Therefore, the project manager is expected to provide proactive leadership to ensure the timely implementation of planned activities and to successfully achieve the project’s objectives.

Duties and Responsibilities
Staff Management:

• Lead the project team(POs and Partners)
• Line-manage partner organizations and supervise consultants, including recruitment, work planning and performance management
• Provide technical support in the recruitment and supervise consultants for evaluations, base/end-line and trainings

Management of Project Activities:

• Take overall management responsibility for the designate Alert project, including overseeing project roll out in Maiduguri and overall implementation of activities over the project period;
• Ensure clarity about roles and responsibilities among project stakeholders involving them in planning and informing all stakeholders of implementation plans
• Develop and implement a monitoring and evaluation plan in collaboration with International Alert M&E Officer, Programme Manager and Senior Advisor on Conflict Sensitivity;
• Monitor and continuously assess the operating context and the project activities, and recommend changes in approach accordingly;
• Ensure partner reporting on activities is completed in a timely manner;
• Provide narrative progress reports after three months and the annual report on activities and impact by at close of project.
• Oversee partner assessments (including both programmatic and financial assessments), identify partner training and support needs and organize appropriate responses together with donor.
• Oversee the production of project reports in a variety of formats (written, audio, video)
• Identify appropriate fora for the dissemination of project information and materials, and organise appropriate dissemination activities
• Ensure compliance with Alert Nigeria and donor operational policies
• Liaise and coordinate with relevant local and international stakeholders.

Financial Management of Project Implementation:

• Develop project implementation budgets in close collaboration with the International Alert Programme Manager and Finance and Operations Manager (FOM)
• Authorise project expenses based on project plans in close collaboration with the International Alert FOM
• Authorise project expenses based on implementation plans in close collaboration with the International Alert FOM
• Plan and forecast grant expenditure, project activities, procurement and staffing to ensure compliance with the project contract and budget and to prevent overspending or under spending
• Provide timely and accurate financial data to the Nigeria and Africa Programme Finance staff for purposes of planning, reporting and audit.

Reporting and Evaluation:

• Take overall responsibility for complying with reporting (narrative and financial) requirements set by Alert and Donor
• Ensure the timely submission of narrative reports on all aspects of the project that are required by International Alert and donor
• Provide technical input in the Design of all M&E templates and required documentation by M& E officer and Programme Manager
• Plan and manage the baseline and end-line surveys at project start and end
• Plan and manage the overall external project evaluation to take place in the last month of the project.

Coordination with other Alert Staff and Activities in the Region:

• Participate actively in the management processes of the project team, including team meetings, sharing of information, context analysis, and strategy development.
• Participate and contribute to other Africa Programme activities and events including regional meetings, and also promote cross-learning and help create linkages between different country programmes.

Contribute to wider organizational goals within Alert Nigeria Country Strategy:

• Participate actively in the management processes of the International Alert Nigeria team, including team meetings, sharing of information, context analysis, and strategy development
• Any other tasks as may be reasonably required.

Management Responsibilities

• The consultant will be line managed by the program manager Acting, International Alert Nigeria .

Requirements

• Within Nigeria, regular travel between Abuja and Maiduguri may be necessary. Also, travel to target LGAs of Bama, Gwoza, Damboa and Dikwa may be necessary if security permits.

Essential Requirements

• University degree in relevant field
• Three years of relevant working experience with management responsibilities
• Knowledge of gender sensitive approaches
• Knowledge of peacebuilding approaches
• Previous experience of working in high-risk areas of Borno, Adamawa, Yobe, Taraba, Bauchi and Gombe
• Excellent working knowledge English
• Good coordination and communication skills
• Attitude for team work and good leadership skills
• Experience of partnership development and management
• Responsiveness, and ability to handle stressful situations and intense work periods
• A high degree of emotional intelligence and the ability to interact successfully with a diverse range of people. Being non-judgmental and able to understand different perspectives
• Possessing a can-do approach, willing and able to improvise and adapt

Desirable Requirements:

• Experience of networking or advocacy on political and/or gender issues in Nigeria
• Experience of working with civil society organisations
• Knowledge of hausa and Kanuri

Timeframe for Consultancy:

• International Alert seeks to contract for a total of 154 working days over a period that runs between the 15 May and 31 December 2017 with the option to renew for FY2018 if satisfactory performance is observed and documented.