Project Manager (Humanitarian Cash Assistance)

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Programming

1.1  Project Planning

a) Develop overall cash project implementation strategy (incl. the transition/phase out strategy), approaches, tools, SOP;

b) Identify and plan technical skills and requirements to implement the cash project as per relevant standards;

c) Develop the Work Plan in North Area for ensuring of implementation the cash project in timely and comprehensive manner 

d) Create the work schedule by sequencing the work packages and related tasks;

e) Organize, plan and lead project kick-off and end of project transition planning meetings, and follow-up on the project-related action points originating from these meetings.

1.2  Project Implementation Follow-up

a) Control the work plan, monitor the implementation status of the cash project and update the project progress on a daily basis in North Area;

b) Document implementation progress and challenges by regularly updating the Project Management Framework (PMF) and sharing it with Area Coordinator in North Area;

c) Ensure that relevant technical quality and standards are considered and respected during cash project implementation;

d) Operate following the “do no harm principles” in order to ensure projects are safe for communities;

e) Anticipate and mitigate risks and issues, and trouble-shoot any unforeseen challenges during the project implementation;

f) Coordinate and manage changes in project implementation, in particular identifying change needs to occur, reviewing proposed changed, analyzing the impact they have on the project plan, approving/denying requested changes and controlling and updating the scope, cost, budget, schedule, and quality requirements based upon approved changes and in coordination with the Project Development Unit and the Finance Department with informing Area Coordinator in North Area and Cash Project Coordinator;

g) Provide regular and timely updates on progress and challenges to supervisors and other team members.

1.3  Documenting and Compliance

a) Ensure project records and documents, in particular documents that proof completion of activities (beneficiary list, attendance sheets, etc.) are adequately prepared, compiled and filed according to ACTED procedures and donor specific procedures;

b) Maintain a beneficiary master database containing all beneficiary registration and baseline information as well as the activities from which the beneficiaries benefitted ensure the data is protected from misuse in line with ACTED’s data protection policy;

c) Ensure staff awareness of, and respect of, ACTED’s code of conduct, FLATS procedures and donor requirements.

1.4  Beneficiary Engagement and Accountability

a) Ensure project staff adhere to ACTED’s Code of Conduct and treat all beneficiaries with respect and without any distinction or discrimination based on nationality, race, ethnicity, tribe, gender, religious beliefs, political opinion or disability;

b) Oversee the appropriate, achievable and acceptable selection of project beneficiaries;

c) Develop a communication strategy with communities so that factual, objective and actionable information is provided to project stakeholders;

d) Ensure project stakeholders are empowered to participate throughout the project cycle;

e) Ensure that ACTED’s Complaints and Response Mechanism is communicated to target communities and solve complaints related to the project in coordination with the MEAL.

1.5  Internal Coordination

a) Organize regular project coordination meetings with the project team in North Area;

b) Participate in Weekly Meetings (WMs) and when requested/as relevant in Cash Meetings in country level, and provide updates about implementation progress, challenges, risks, changes in context.

1.6  External Coordination and Stakeholder Engagement

a) Support, facilitate or undertake communication and liaison activities to actively consult and involve beneficiaries, key informants, actors, partners and stakeholders in all stages of project design (liaising with the PD unit) and implementation;

b) Coordinate and collaborate with others by cultivating good relations with key humanitarian actors – local and international, including government authorities and non-state actors, through regular attendance at technical meetings and bilateral meetings;

c) Identify opportunities to collaborate and coordinate efforts with other organizations to ensure ACTED’s cash activities build upon - rather than replicate - the work of others;

d) Refer unmet needs to other relevant actors;

e) Share externally learning and innovation with communities and other stakeholders.

1.7  Partner Management

a) Clarify roles/responsibilities as well as expectations, notably in terms of processes to be followed as well as budget, from the start of the partnership in order to avoid issues at a later stage.

b) Provide support to partners in project implementation and ensure timely and qualitative implementation of cash projects by partners in line with ACTED and donor requirements;

c) Refer partners to relevant ACTED staff to support and/or train them in FLATS procedures where relevant;

d) Lead review meetings with partners, with particular attention given to the relationship aspects of partnership collaboration, and ensure that any issues or disputes are resolved in a timely manner.

1.8  Security

a) Regularly conduct a context analysis in the project implementation area by identifying and following micro signals (e.g. security indicators, socio-economic indicators) and support the Area Coordinator and the Security Department;

b) Ensure project stakeholders have a good image of ACTED thus increasing the acceptance of ACTED’s presence and activities in the project implementation area;

c) Manage the movement of the project implementation team and ensure that the movement SOPs are strictly respected by the team members;

d) When necessary, negotiate access with local stakeholders.

2. Human Resource

a) Define the structure of the project team and develop project organizational chart within the limitations of the budget;

b) Develop and/or adjust ToRs outlining staff roles and responsibilities in line with ACTED standards;

c) Submit recruitment plan for the project to HR Department;

d) Participate in the recruitment of technical project staff;

e) Ensure that project staff understand and are able to perform their roles and responsibilities; 

f) Follow-up the work plans and day-to-day activities of the project staff;

g) Ensure a positive working environment and good team dynamics; 

h) Undertake regular appraisals of staff and follow career management;

i) Manage interpersonal conflicts;

j) Ensure capacity building among staff in relevant sectors.

3. Logistics

a) Participate in the procurement planning processes, launch procurements required for the project in a timely manner, and follow procurements closely in collaboration with logistics;

b) Send accurate and precise order forms in a timely manner;

c) Check the quality of the required goods/supplies at the contracting stage as well as at reception point and contribute to procurements committees to finalize suppliers’ selection according to applicable scenario;

d) Follow-up closely project stock levels in coordination with logistics, and monitor pro-actively current, pipeline, distributed and required stock;

e) Participate in effective fleet management through timely and reasonable vehicle requests;

f) Ensure that the cash project team in North Area has adequate assets necessary for performing its duties.

4. Finance

a) Participate in the review of the BFU, and forecast initial and regular costs and cross-check expenditures for projects activities;

b) Forecast monthly cash requirements of the project and submit to AC;

c) Participate in new budget development processes through the provision of expert programmatic advice related to contextual knowledge.                 

5. Quality Control

a) Participate in MEAL planning processes and actively support the delivery of MEAL activities in line with the project MEAL framework and MEAL Manual;

b) Plan and organize internal qualitative assurance checks by the project team;

c) Assess the activities undertaken and ensure efficient use of resources;

d) Undertake regular field visits to provide technical guidance and supervision as well as regularly monitor the progress of project activities; 

e) Discuss, plan and deliver appropriate corrective actions, including based on MEAL findings and recommendations;

f) Collect and apply appropriate lessons learnt and best practices to current projects, and ensure these lessons learnt are pro-actively shared with supervisor, the MEAL and other team members to apply them in future project development processes.

6. Grant Management

a) In close collaboration with the Project Development Unit, manage contractual obligations and ensure the adherence to donor procedures;

b) Report regularly on project activities, challenges and indicators through monthly submissions of the PMF and PM report; 

c) Contribute to drafting of (external) project progress reports, ensuring the quality and accuracy of technical information provided;

d) Organize, plan and lead the project close-out meeting and follow-up on the project-related action points originating from this meeting

e) Participate in communication activities through the regular collection of pictures and stories related to project activities;

f) Participate in new proposal development processes through the provision of expert programmatic advice related to contextual knowledge;

g) Where relevant, liaise with donors and work closely with partners on project updates, site visits and other communication, in coordination with the Project Development Unit.

7. Other

a) Offer technical support and inputs to other projects in similar sectors;

b) Any other tasks as assigned by the Line Manager.

Key Performance Indicators

• % of milestones completed on time as per the original plan
• % of consolidated up to date PMF shared with country coordination on a monthly basis
• Project completed on time without the need for an NCE
• Project completed within budget flexibility (not requiring a budget amendment for project lines)
• % of performance indicators achieved
• % of MEAL assessment ToRs and findings provided feedback on in a timely manner
• Project records and documents (beneficiary lists, attendance sheets, payment sheets) available for all project activities
• Positive monitoring and evaluation reports (internal and external) 
• % of staff members trained on accountability and the CRM 
• % ineligible expenses on project budget lines

% retention rate of project staff throughout project lifetime

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