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Project Manager - Research, Innovation and Technology (SMART)

Toronto | Canada

  • Organization: ACF - Action Against Hunger
  • Location: Toronto | Canada
  • Grade: Mid level - Mid level
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Information Technology and Computer Science
    • Nutrition
    • Monitoring and Evaluation
    • Refugee rights and well-being
    • Scientist and Researcher
    • Project and Programme Management
    • Innovations for Sustainable Development
    • Managerial positions
  • Closing Date: Closed

About Us

Created in 1979, Action Against Hunger is a non-governmental organisation that aims to provide solutions to hunger. Our mission is to save lives by eliminating hunger through the prevention, detection and treatment of under-nutrition, particularly during and after emergencies linked to conflicts or natural disasters. Action Against Hunger focuses on nutrition, health and healthcare practices; food security and livelihoods; water, sanitation and hygiene and advocacy.

Since 2007, Action Against Hunger Canada has provided leadership on the development and implementation of one of the world’s leading nutrition survey methodologies: SMART (Standardised Monitoring and Assessment of Relief and Transition). The project has built the capacity of over 1,500 health workers around the world on how to apply this methodology when conducting nutrition and mortality surveys.

The SMART global project works closely with the Global Nutrition Cluster membership to ensure the accessibility of a wide range of tools, technical guidance and learning on the methodology. All SMART initiatives are targeted towards humanitarian and development stakeholders conducting surveys using the methodology. Strategically the global project aims to:

● Contribute to innovative research and development for the advancement of new contexts, target populations and technology for nutritional assessments;

● Provide high quality technical training and learning activities on nutrition assessments;

● Increase the global awareness of the methodology and advocate for the usage of it as the predominant nutrition survey methodology;

● Leverage new partnerships within the humanitarian, development and private sector to support the broader goals of the project.

About the Role

Action Against Hunger Canada SMART project is expanding its scope to effectively support the nutrition community on research, innovation and technology to revolutionize the way nutrition data, information and assessments are conducted. Furthermore, over the next couple of years, SMART will be significantly investing in the development of SMART Plus, a new technology platform which will be the future software for collecting, analyzing and sharing nutrition data. The Project Manager will be key in conceptualizing and developing this new software. Action Against Hunger is looking for an individual with passion and energy to lead the research, innovation and technology component of the initiative.

Specific Tasks and Responsibilities: The responsibilities of the Project Manager will be to:

1. Project Management
• Coordinate the preparation of an implementation plan and annual work plans for the SMART Plus component of the project ensuring consistency, coherence in overall planning.
• Manage the implementation of all activities for SMART Plus ensuring timeliness and high quality of all deliverables.
• Recruit, train and manage 1 Project Officer.
• Ensure robust financial management of the SMART Plus project components, including but not limited to: the development of project implementation budgets, budget follow up, cash forecasting, approval of expenditures and ensuring coherent and eligible expenditures within the regulations of the donor.
• Prepare and share project implementation and financial reports periodically with line management.
• Liaise with Finance, Logistic and Human Resource team for planning and execution of project activities
• Prepare, maintain standard processes such as clear and concise ToR, workshops/Training/Meeting Reports,
• Identify gaps, resource needs and work closely with line manager for revision of plans.
• Prepare concept notes, proposals and budgets and raise funds for the further development of SMART Plus.

2. Development of new software package to accompany the methodology (SMART Plus)
• Provide leadership on the conceptualization and development of a new software package
(SMARTplus).
• Provide technical support to nutrition stakeholders to ensure smooth transfer of the SMARTplus
technology from conceptual design to field application and scale-up for use in different contexts.
• Lead the scientific aspects of the product (technical evaluation, research design and definition of
methodologies to test and assess quality and field readiness of the different software
components).
• Coordinate and communicate with users the various stages of testing and roll-out of SMART Plus.
• Coordinate and contribute ideas to the software architecture/engineering aspects of SMART Plus.
• Document all processes of the development of SMART Plus.

3. Research and Innovation
• Lead on the design and development of optimal research agenda for the advancement and growth of the SMART methodology.
• Manage research contracts on innovative technical solutions of interest to the SMART initiative.
• Collaborate with the Action Against Hunger international research unit to provide ideas and content for the network on research and innovation in a bid to ending hunger in the world.
• Contribute to the SMART initiative strategic engagement with academia to advance the methodology and ensure sustained growth and technical rigor.
• Contribute to the SMART strategy and determine innovative solutions supporting strategy implementation.
• Synthesize broader learning and deliver webinars, articles, learning tools, on technical topics related to nutrition assessments and information systems.

4. Representation, Coordination and Communication
• Act as a technical point of contact for the research, innovation and technology advancement of SMART with stakeholders in government, UN agencies, international Organizations and local organizations.
• Organize/convene technical meetings with the Scientific Technical Committee for SMART Plus
• Represent SMART initiative in innovation and technology events that are deemed critical in the development of SMART Plus.

5. General
• Participate in SMART team meetings and planning sessions.
• Pro-active exchange and collaboration with the SMART Technical team at Region and Global level.
• Keep up to date with technical nutrition developments within the humanitarian sector and share information with the SMART program team.

Specific conditions

Staff work a five-day, 37.5-hour work week. However, the different tasks involved may sometime require irregular working hours, particularly in times of crisis.

Qualifications Essential Skills
• Masters’ Degree in Nutrition/Public Health/Epidemiology/Statistics or a mix of relevant study and work experience;
• At least 1 year of field experience undertaking nutrition and mortality surveys and 2 years of project management experience;
• Advanced knowledge of epidemiology and statistics;
• Demonstrated experience in managing software application development
• Demonstrated experience in research related to nutrition/public health/epidemiology.
• Demonstrated understanding and commitment to humanitarian principles;
• Demonstrated experience and high acceptability in working with government, humanitarian coordination mechanisms, NGOs, and donors.
• Demonstrated understanding of the SMART methodology and ENA for SMART software;
• Knowledge of the following tools: EPI info and SPSS/STATA;
• Demonstrated experience in using online data collection tools for integrated SMART surveys
• Ability to assess priorities and competently complete a variety of activities with a high level of accuracy and timeliness.
• Strong facilitation skills for trainings, workshops and seminars;
• Demonstrated commitment to gender equality;
• Excellent knowledge of MS Office;
• Fluency in written and oral English required.

Desirable Skills:
• Experience in the development of innovative training tools;
• Fluency in French and/or Arabic (written and oral) is a plus
• Understanding of software engineering

If you are interested in this position, please send your resume and cover letter to rec@actioncontrelafaim.ca by December 7th, 2018. In the subject line, please indicate Project Manager Research, Innovation and Technology (SMART).

To learn more about Action Against Hunger, visit our website at www.actionagainsthunger.ca

This vacancy is now closed.
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