Senior Project Manager

Bamako

Organization: IRC - International Rescue Committee
Location: Bamako
Grade: Mid level - Mid level
Occupational Groups:
- Project and Programme Management
- Managerial positions
Closing Date: Closed

The IRC opened the country program in Mali in 2012. Our programs span the range from humanitarian relief to early recovery activities, focusing on child protection, education, economic wellbeing, nutrition, health, water and sanitation. We work both in the north, central and south of Mali. Conflict and drought have displaced hundreds of thousands both within Mali and in neighboring countries. The security situation in the north remains fragile. Nevertheless, the needs of IDPs and host communities affected by conflict are widespread and the issue of humanitarian access is a continuous process. The IRC works in the north of Mali to provide essential WASH, Education, and Health services at a critical time, child protection and Economic wellbeing programs in the most remote areas. The post is designed to contribute to enhance the capabilities and build the resources of populations to prevent and mitigate crises, manage change and enhance self-reliance and resilience.

Project Summary

The consortium composed of IRC (consortium leader) and Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), has been implementing since May 2019 a project entitled "Improving the quality, access and governance of basic education in the regions of Gao, Ménaka and Mopti" funded by the European Union, over a period of 39 months. The project aims to contribute to the overall objective of the European Union-funded Programme d'Appui à l'Inclusion Scolaire (PAIS) in Mali. The final beneficiaries of the project will include at least 50% of out-of-school girls. The activities are capacity building of schools, training of education actors, support of schools in school materials, revitalization of school management committees, sensitization of local communities and activities to reintegrate children who have fallen behind in the formal system through the Accelerated Learning in Emergency Situations Program (ALSEP) classes, but also to engage parents and communities on the value of education, particularly for girls, in order to change attitudes and behaviors and to get them to devote more resources to education.

Job Overview

Under the supervision of the Education Coordinator of the IRC in Mali, the Senior Project Manager will be responsible for the overall technical quality, timely implementation and monitoring of project deliverables ensuring alignment with project outcomes, strategy and design. He/she will coordinate the various project technical experts in order to deliver on the project’s outcomes to improve the quality, access and governance of basic education in the regions of Gao, Menaka and Mopti. The Senior Project Manager will be based in Bamako with frequent visits to the field sites. The project is part of a consortium composed of IRC (lead) and NRC and financed by the European Union, over a period of 39 months.

In accordance with project focus on integrated programming, the Senior Project Manager will work closely with in-country Technical Coordinators covering the IRC sectors such as Economic Recovery and Development (ERD), Environmental Health (WASH), Protection including Women’s Protection and Empowerment (WPE), and especially Education, as it is the main project objective. Under the supervision of the Education Coordinator, he/she wills be thus working in very close collaboration with the Wash, ERD Technical Coordinators with whom the Senior Project Manager will ensure the quality of the program.

He/she will be responsible for capacity building of national staff and partners engaged in the implementation of the project and have the support from Technical Advisors (TAs) based at the IRC HQ and Education coordinator based in Bamako to ensure effective, high quality delivery of all education and governance components. The Senior Project Manager will directly supervise 4 staff in charge of the Governance, Communication & Advocacy, Monitoring & Evaluation and ERD components. Additionally, he/she will have functional links with key personnel at the IRC and NRC, including the IRC Project Manager based in Menaka at 100% dedicated to this project and 2 NRC staff based in Gao and Mopti (1 Education Project Manager Mopti and 1 Education Project Manager Gao) partially dedicated to the project.

Major Responsibilities

1. Technical Monitoring and Program Quality

•Provide subject matter expertise and technical assistance to the program, technical staff of the consortium;

•Provide analytical and evaluative techniques to identify, consider, and resolve issues or problems;

•Lead and/or review and monitor programmatic functions, i.e. development of work plans, budgets and quarterly/annual reports.

•Monitor and review closely budget expenditures, forecasts vis a vis project implementation;

•Prepare and coordinate Grant Review/Closing meetings;

•Participate in and/or prepare necessary project-related reports and presentations;

•Organize and support, as needed, project trainings, conferences, workshops, and meetings;

•Supervise senior technical staff and provide guidance to mid- and junior level staff members;

•Ensure that education, WASH, construction, economic recovery and development and governance components utilize standardized protocols, policies and guidelines, as recommended by the Ministries of Education, Civil/social protection, etc.;

•Ensure that relevant entities of the Education Ministry, the Ministry of Energy and Water through its National Direction of Hydraulic are involved in quality control of the construction of water points in school;

•Ensure that all education, WASH, economic recovery and development and governance activities are consistent with established international and national best practices, in close collaboration with the Education, ERD, WASH and governance TAs;

•Lead all evaluation and learning activities in relation to Education, ERD and governance;

•Ensure appropriate follow-up and decision-making on data relevant to the consortium’s Education, WASH, ERD and Governance components;

•Ensure all stakeholders are provided with updates on the project on education and governance in Mali, HQ and the regional WASACH team, including Head of Office – Mali, Technical Unit, donors, etc.;

•Ensure regular performance monitoring of partners to achieve the set project’s objectives; provide technical support and guidance;

•Supervise the development of relevant M&E systems and ensure regular follow-up on monitoring data relevant to IRC and the partners’ education and governance components to feed into on-going review of project cycle and decision-making for programming;

•Provide overall supervision to ensure that the implementation of the project aligns with the project proposal and donor’s requirements;

2. Strategic Planning

•Monitor evolving needs of the target communities and adjust the programmatic priorities as necessary;

•In collaboration with HQ-based Technical Coordinators and Senior Management Team - Mali, lead the overall development of an overall strategies of the project in line with IRC Mali Strategic Action Plan (SAP) and IRC’s Outcomes and Evidence Framework (OEF);

•Work in collaboration with the gender sector/focal point to ensure that design, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation take into account existing gender disparities

•With the gender focal point ensure that relevant action are taken to address gender disparities, inequalities throughout the implementation of the program;

3. Coordination, Communications and Advocacy

•Design and lead technical assessments as a basis for education and governance program development;

•Work with relevant national and regional entities to ensure that gender specific policies are being enforced through the implementation of the program;

•Together with regional and HQ teams, identify communication opportunities for internal and external audiences highlighting humanitarian needs related to education and governance programing;

•Together with the Country Director, the Deputy Director of Programs, the sectorial technical coordinators and the relevant coordination mechanisms, identify opportunities for advocacy on issues related to governance and education.

•Liaise with the local, regional and national authorities to advocate for policy enforcement in accordance of the overall strategy of the government in education and governance;

4. Coordination and Representation

•Collaborate with other in-country technical coordinators, especially the Education/Protection coordinator, to ensure an integrated strategy to achieve education and safety outcomes outlined in IRC Mali’s SAP;

•In coordination with the supervisor, represent the consortium to UN, international and national NGOs, Ministries of Education, and donors for education and governance;

•As Education, wash and governance focal point at project level, participate actively in external Education, wash and governance and Cluster forums in coordination with the education/protection and wash coordinators;

•Participate in internal coordination and management meetings to promote effective and efficient information sharing, problem-solving and decision making;

•Ensure all stakeholders and partners are provided with updated information on education and governance programs in Mali, including Head of Office – Mali, Technical Unit, donors etc.;

•With support from the programs team, ensure conflict sensitivity, accountability to beneficiaries, gender sensitivity and inclusion are adequately addressed in IRC’s Education and Governance programs.

5. Staff development

•Develop and implement continuous staff capacity building plan to ensure quality education, WASH, ERD and governance programming;

•Ensure respect for IRC HR policies during the recruitment process;

•Provide timely and quality performance evaluations;

•Promote the IRC Way with all supervisees.

Job Requirements

•Masters level qualification in Social Sciences, International Development, Education, or related subject

•A minimum of 4-7 years professional experience in leading/managing Education projects in humanitarian contexts, ideally with a focus on Education governance. Experience in managing multi-sector and/or consortium projects would be an asset

•Proven experience in managing and/or technically supporting education, WASH in school, and governance activities

•Education experience in designing and implementing teacher training and continued professional development, knowledge of formal and non-formal education system in West Africa or specific to Mali (Franco-Arabic schools, alternative learning programs etc.), and knowledge of EGRA/EGMA assessments preferred.

•Excellent professional approach, strong building skills and proven ability to build staff capacity

•Prior experience and excellent understanding of working in emergency settings or insecure environments

•Strong leadership, management, project planning, monitoring and evaluation, analytical interpersonal and communication skills

•Strong budget management and reporting, skills;

•An initiator of initiatives, able to plan, prioritize and manage multiple tasks under pressure and deliver tangible benefits to a team

•Proven problem solving and results oriented

•Strong written and oral communication skills, comfortable in a multi-cultural environment and effective in representation and liaison

•Flexible work attitude – the ability to work productively in a team environment and independently

•Able to respond rapidly to changing environments and work under pressure

Fluency in French and English required

•Experience of working in West Africa required

•Contextual understanding of the nature of the conflict and perception of education in northern Mali a plus

•Excellent Computer skills: MS Word, Excel

Working Environment:

Security: The Senior Project Manager will be based in Bamako (phase II- Yellow) with frequent travel to sub-offices (phase Orange).

Accommodation: The Senior Project Manager will be provided with shared housing in Bamako. This position is non-accompanied.

The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Equality, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

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