Project Manager (WAM) Angola

Weapons and Ammunition Management (WAM) Project Manager

Permanent. Full Time position

Location – Luanda, Angola

Salary – Between £40,000 to £55,000 depending on experience.

About Us

The HALO Trust is the world’s largest and oldest international humanitarian mine action charity. Our mission is to save lives and restore livelihoods for those affected by conflict. HALO is known for its work to clear landmines and the disposal of other explosive hazards such as bombs, rockets, and improvised explosive devices (IEDs). HALO was established in Afghanistan in 1988 and now employs over 9,000 staff across 26 countries and territories.

In addition to its extensive mine-clearance operations, HALO Angola is working in partnership with the Angolan government to develop Weapons and Ammunition Management (WAM) capacity, incorporating risk assessment of storage sites, development of national frameworks for lifecycle management, and disposal of surplus/obsolete/at-risk ammunition. HALO seeks an experienced project manager to lead its WAM activities in Angola, overseeing construction, training, and weapon and ammunition disposal.

About the Role

The WAM Project Manager is responsible for the successful and safe delivery of all HALO Angola WAM/PSSM projects. They are responsible for project management of WAM contracts through creating implementation plans, monitoring targets, and managing operations to adjust as necessary. The WAM Project Manager will be organised ensuring the timely delivery of activities and monitoring projects against indicators and timeframes.

The WAM Project Manager will manage the WAM Construction Manager and their team in programme to ensure the timely assessment of sites and the construction and rehabilitation of armouries. The WAM Project Manager will quality assure these operations, conducting QC of site assessments, review of construction plans, visits to construction sites and monitoring of activities. The WAM Project Manager will also provide oversight and quality assurance of this work and the logistical and finance processes associated with them to ensure that all activities are conducted in line with HALO policies and donor contracts.

The WAM Project Manager will conduct senior level liaison with key stakeholders for WAM projects, including police, military and donors. They will maintain and build relationships for the sustainability and expansion of WAM activities on programme. They will develop personal relationships, host visits and be proactive in relationship growth. The WAM Project Manager will have the autonomy to explore new opportunities and will support in the writing of donor proposals and reports on WAM activities.

The WAM Project Manager will work closely with the senior management team, including programme’s Chief EOD Officer and operations management team. The WAM Project Manager will support EOD, BAC and WAD activities where required and work closely with the mech teams to explore solutions to WAD work.

Responsibilities

Project Management

• Planning and managing the delivery of armoury risk assessments, construction/rehabilitation projects, and training to PSSM personnel.
• Monitoring and planning project scheduling and delivery
• Build capacity of national security services through technical training and field support
• Coordination with programme management and global WAM specialists to facilitate training and evaluation visits.
• Liaising with national authorities to develop projects in line with national priorities.
• Monitoring and forecasting grant budgets in coordination with the Finance Manager.
• Provide quality assurance, monitoring and evaluation of the PSSM construction and training activities through field visits to project locations.
• Drafting of proposals of new project concepts for PSSM at a national and regional level
• Managing the procurement, supply levels, and movements of associated PSSM equipment.

General

• Coordinate with other departments across the programme, such as logistics, finance and data.
• Mentoring and developing staff and trainees
• Coordination with the programme operations management to facilitate WAD and BAC activities
• Being prepared to provide assistance to management team, such as assistance with training courses or covering colleagues’ absences.
• Ensure all WAM activities are conducted in accordance with HALO policies and procedures.

Person Specification

Essential

• International project management experience, including RBM

• Previous experience working alongside host-nation military/police forces
• Liaison experience with a range of different stakeholders at national level
• Fluent written and spoken English
• Fluent written and spoken Portuguese
• Contract and budget management experience
• Report and proposal writing
• Experience line managing staff
• Advanced Microsoft Office skills, especially Excel
• Good interpersonal and communication skills
• Exceptional organisational skills

Desirable

• IMAS Level 3 Explosive Ordnance Disposal qualification
• Experience in weapons and ammunition storage in different contexts
• Knowledge and application of International Ammunition Technical Guidelines and the Modular Small Arms Implementation Compendium (MOSAIC)
• Experience managing large and distributed construction activities
• Experience writing and reviewing Standard Operation Procedures

Key Information

The role will be based in Luanda but with frequent travel across the country and programme to visit operations and conduct liaison. This will include significant time in HALO’s Angola HQ in Huambo and locations such as Menongue. Therefore, the successful candidate will need to be as comfortable in high level meetings as with staying in camps and visiting tasks in the field.

HALO requires its applicants to work in line with our values, which are:

• Courage
• Discipline
• Integrity
• Respect for Others
• Loyalty
• Selfless Commitment

How to Apply

Please submit a CV (no more than 2 pages) and a cover letter/email (no more than 1 page) in English outlining how your experience matches the key skills and competencies required.

In addition to confirming that you can meet the essential skills, competencies and HALO’s values, job offers are subject to two satisfactory references, a pre-employment medical and a criminal records check. Closing date for applications will be 27th January 2023.

Benefits

• Salary commensurate with experience, range from circa £40,000 to £55,000
• Local overseas allowance of $350 monthly
• Shared accommodation in a rented HALO apartment, provided at nil cost
• 7 weeks leave per year, accrued monthly
• Three economy return flights to the member’s official home address (or an alternative location up to an equivalent cost)
• Comprehensive insurance package: life assurance and emergency medical insurance, including evacuation and repatriation.