Project Manager – SUN II Project CARE Zambia

CARE Zambia an International Non-Governmental relief and development organization with various projects in Central, Copperbelt, Eastern, Muchinga, Luapula, Lusaka, Northern, North-western, and Southern provinces of Zambia, has the following vacancy available under the UNICEF funded SUN II Project:

Job Title: Project Manager – SUN II Project

Reports to: Program Director – Nutrition & Health

Type of Contract: Fixed Term

Location: Mpika District

Job Summary

The Project Manager (PM) will successfully deliver all aspects of CARE’s UNICEF supported SUN II program by working closely with relevant government line ministries to support the implementation of the 1^st 1000 MCDP in selected districts. The job entails providing overall management and oversight on project implementation in five CARE supported SUNII districts in two provinces: Muchinga (Chinsali, Mpika and Isoka) and Southern (Choma and Monze).  S/he is responsible for providing strategic direction, oversight and appropriate leadership to all CARE SUNII District Teams and other stakeholders including maintaining direct liaison/coordination with all CARE Zambia’s partners and government line ministries at national, provincial and district level. The Project Manager maintains overall responsibility for all project operations, both technical and financial. S/he is responsible for all project planning, implementation, monitoring and reporting on project performance, ensuring program quality, adherence to project work plans, budgets and reporting schedules, overseeing compliance to CARE and UNICEF/donor regulations. Directly manages SUNII Project staff at provincial level

SPECIFIC DELIVERABLES, RESPONSIBILITIES AND TASKS 

• Manages all protocols relating to the overall project planning and management for the SUNII Project including developing project work plans and budgets, implementation, monitoring and reporting on project performance, ensuring program quality, adherence to project work plans, budgets and reporting schedules.
• Provides strategic direction, oversight and leadership to the SUNII Project team and other stakeholders.
• Coordinate program implementation with other CARE projects and nutrition interventions at provincial and district level, maintains oversight on the activities of the District Nutrition Coordination Committee (DNCCs), Provincial Nutrition Coordinating Committee (PNCCs) and the key government line ministries involved in the implementation of the SUNII Program.
• Participates in relevant coordination meetings with other partners and Government ministries implementing the 1^st 1000 MCDP to promote stakeholder engagement and consensus building.
• Oversee timely preparation and dissemination of analytical and critical reports on the progress of project activities, ensure quality documentation (narrative reports) and sharing of project performance, best practices and lessons learnt with the donor, CARE management and project partners.
• Ensure compliance with donor (UNICEF) and CARE policies and procedures with respect to project implementation.
• Develop and maintain donor and stakeholder relations at national, provincial and district level, ensuring functional linkages within CARE Zambia, other NGOs and all key project partners at district and provincial level such as NFNC and the line ministries of Health, Agriculture, Fisheries and Livestock, Community Development and Local Government and Housing including beneficiary communities;
• Sets up and manages the information channels and tools essential to keeping all stakeholders “in the loop” in a timely and efficient manner.
• Participates in long-range strategic planning exercises and contributes professional expertise and operational experience to the development of strategies for CARE Zambia programs; acts as an advocate and change leader for best practices in project management methods, techniques, tools and technologies.
• Conduct onsite inspections/observations of day-to-day progression of all project activities; prepares activity, status and problem reports for management decisions, provide training, mentoring/coaching and other capacity building support to project staff and partners.
• Manage the approved project budget including disbursement of funds to districts/sectors in accordance with agreed spending plans as well as ensure budgetary and financial controls to account for and report on the utilization of project resources i.e. personnel, assets/equipment and financial resources.
• Guide SUNII project staff and perform the full range of human resource management tasks including recruiting team members, delegating work, inspiring a team approach and monitoring, evaluating and reporting on individual staff performance.
• Perform any other duties which are consistent with the nature of the job and its responsibilities as may be assigned by the supervisor.

Qualifications and Experience:

• A Bachelor’s Degree in Nutrition, Public Health, Development Studies from a recognized university  with a minimum of 7 years working experience in a similar position.
• Knowledge and demonstrated experience in implementing or supporting the implementation of multi-sectoral Nutrition related activities
• Proven experience with practical and impactful gender equity and women’s empowerment approaches to development and humanitarian action.
• Strong project management skills including budget management and tracking.
• Other added advantages include:

• • Experience working with government
  • Experience working in an international non-governmental organization
  • Good facilitation  and participatory methodology skills
  • Computer literate, including word processing and excel/spreadsheets
  • Experience in People Management

Contacts/Key Relationships

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

Internal

• Key internal collaborations involve the Country Director, Assistant Country Director, sector leads, other Project Managers, Knowledge Management unit, and Support Team Leads.

External

• Current donor, government Ministries departments and Key SUN II project Implementing Partners/sectors.