Project Manager – SHE SOARS CARE

CARE works around the globe to save lives, defeat poverty, and achieve social justice. We seek a world of hope, tolerance, and social justice, where poverty has been overcome and all people live in dignity and security. We put women and girls at the center because we know that we cannot overcome poverty until all people have equal rights and opportunities.

CARE International in Zambia is implementing the SHE SOARS project which aims at improving the quality of access to, and demand for integrated health services and information, particularly for women and adolescent girls. The project is being implemented in Kenya, Uganda, and Zambia, with the Zambia programming focused in the three districts of Eastern Province namely, Chadiza, Kasenengwa and Mambwe

CARE Zambia, an International Non-Governmental relief and development organization with various projects in Eastern, Muchinga, Luapula, Lusaka, Northern, and Southern provinces of Zambia, is looking for an experienced, innovative and motivated individual to fill the following position;

Job Title: Project Manager – SHE SOARS   

Reports to: Program Manager – Health

Location:  Chipata

Type of Contract:  Fixed Term

JOB SUMMARY

The Project Manager will be responsible for the comprehensive management of the Zambia component of the SHE SOARS project, including all aspects of activity coordination, results reporting, budget oversight and program quality.

The Project Manager will form and maintain strong collaborative and participatory relationships with the partners, oversee project activities that support adolescents SHE SOARS health system strengthening, service delivery and ensure that appropriate technical linkages are created to strengthen adolescent SHE SOARS programming. The incumbent will also be responsible for sharing and integrating project learning with the teams in Uganda and Kenya.

Main Duties

Technical leadership Coordination for successful project delivery

• Provide management oversight to the project by supporting the project delivery structures.
• Lead in the preparation of the Project Folder (Approved proposal, approved work plan, signed contract, approved budget, staffing plan, procurement plan and update program and financial expense reports) detailed implementation plans, procurement plans, prepare budget tracking and expenditure tools and review them at least monthly and jointly quarterly in liaison with the partners.
• Organize partner inception and planning meetings, facilitate coordination, collaboration and effective delivery of all components of the project.
• Ensure communication flow is known by all partners and that timely communication for project concerns are shared with project governance structures, supervisor and other levels of management while ensuring that all official processes for external communication are adhered to.
• Establish good working relationship and coordinate with Project stakeholders to facilitate smooth project implementation, nurture support for key program components and successful growth of this program.
• Supporting in the identification of partnerships within the SHE SOARS and overall health sector and other related actors to better collaborate towards shared goals and elevate the voice of adolescents on SHE SOARS matters.
• Oversee and facilitate the networking, liaising and collaboration activities necessary to provide technical support to implementing partners in SRHR health system strengthening, service delivery, advocacy and organizational capacity building and partnership collaboration.
• Participate in regional project management meetings.

Contract and Budget management and Compliance

• Oversee the grants and partnership management implementation, enforcement, and compliance to all contractual requirements of the program.
• Ensuring partners’ capacity assessments are done and where need be, improvement plans are integrated into partner contracts.
• Ensuring that partners are fully aware of the interpretations of the contract clauses as per contracts signed with CARE to enhance compliance and minimization of risk.
• Ensuring timely identification of risks and communicate these in writing to CARE’s management through the designated supervisor.
• Ensure partners are oriented on the operational and grants accounting manual, sub grants and partnership management and M&E plans to ensure effective compliance to terms and conditions as well as systems and processes.
• Prepare, revise and in a timely manner operationalize procurement plans for the program.
• Review all project financial reports submitted by finance monthly while providing timely feedback on all aspects to enhance proper and efficient utilization of project funds, explaining budget burn rates against planned activities/expenditure plans.

Program Monitoring and Reporting

• Working with the MEAL Coordinator, support the development of an M&E Plan, Detailed Project Implementation Plan and Operational Plan together with the program team and implementing partners.
• Review reports from partners in line with signed contracts and develop a system for validation of information provided by partners.
• Organize and oversee field visits and monitoring plans for ongoing monitoring and review of ongoing project activities; with a view to ascertain that activities are ongoing, and that results shared with CARE are genuine and within approved priorities funded, which will be used to make decisions concerning revisions/adjustments to implementing partner’s contracts.
• Develop management project progress update reports.
• Support in the organization of partner review meetings taking into consideration performance review by various actors, to inform challenges and progress in program implementation.
• Support in the organization of partner review and sharing sessions for CARE and partners to present project progress updates, lessons learnt and best practices to enhance performance.

Linkage and networking with others

• Represent CARE in relevant planning meetings.
• Establish and maintain a good working relationship with other CARE colleagues and project staff, Partner agencies, CBOs, other stakeholders and enhance CARE image.
• Liaise with the National, Provincial and district government officials, CBOs, and other stakeholders as appropriate.
• Enhance teamwork and synergy in programming and CARE’s activities.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in public health, social sciences, or related field. Master’s degree in Transformative Community Development, Public Health, or relevant field will be an added advantage.
• Minimum 5-7 years of relevant work experience in implementing public health/adolescent sexual and reproductive health programs.
• Strong staff and project management skills.
• Experience in managing people and teams, with strong coaching and mentoring expertise.
• Proven track record in managing budgets, grants, and sub-contracts.
• Cross-cultural sensitivity and ability to work effectively in different socio-cultural contexts.
• Demonstratable experience in coordinating work with different implementing partners of varying interests.
• Experience in working with implementing partners and donors to generate high quality donor reports.
• Experience implementing social analysis and action approaches.
• Training in PSHEA/safeguarding including child protection.
• Organized, high level of accuracy, and meticulous attention to detail.
• Ability to synthesize information from multiple sources.

Contacts/Key Relationships 

• This role is expected to establish and maintain open, professional, and cordial relations with the Country Office internal, and external customers. These include and not limited to.

Internal

• Program Manager – Resource Mobilisation, Strategic Program Area (SPA) Leads, MEAL unit, Technical Advisors, Human Resource, Project Managers, and the regional program Management unit.

External

• Likeminded partners (INGOs, NGOs, CSOs etc), CMPs (CUSA, GAC etc) Populations of concern and their communities (including children, women, and girls); Departments and Agencies (MDAs); current and potential program Supporters (funders or donors); different levels of staff from partners and peer organisations.