Job Title:    Project Manager
Location:    Nekemte, Oromia Region, Ethiopia
Reports to:    Country Manager
Salary:    Competitive salary commensurate with experience
Contract terms:    Full time, fixed term contract for 3 years
Leave:    25 days annual leave plus public holidays
Travel requirements:    Within the region and to Addis Ababa

Deadline for applications: Monday 29th March 2021 at 5pm

Key Accountabilities:

  • The Project Manager (PM) will be responsible for overseeing the successful implementation and completion of a 3-year School Eye Health project in Oromia.
  • He/she will manage the scope, schedule, finance, risk, quality, and resources of the project. In consultation with, and guidance from the Country Manager.
  • Ensure that all children and persons with disability are protected and always safeguarded.

 

Duties and Responsibilities:

  • The Project Manager shall be the project implementation lead and shall ensure effective planning, delivery of action plans and communication with project team and stakeholders.
  • Develop project milestones and schedules in consultation and with the guidance of the country Programme Manager.
  • Ensuring thorough identification, prevention, and management of potential risks and liabilities to the project, VAO and the funder (donor).
  • Communicating with Country Manager and VAO’s technical team to keep the project aligned with their goals and international best practices and standards.
  • Performing quality assurance and control on the project throughout development to maintain the standards expected, in consultation and with the guidance of the Country Manager.
  • Ensure adaptability to readily adjust schedules and targets on the project in response to realities and emergencies that might occur.
  • Motivating people involved in the project to complete tasks on time.
  • Assign, prioritize, and supervise project tasks (task management), implement, and manage changes.
  • Track project performance using appropriate KPIs, metrics, tools, and techniques.
  • Submit deliverables and ensure they adhere to quality standards.
  • Perform any other relevant, organisational, and project-related duties when needed.
  • Formulate monthly, quarterly, and annual action plans for the approved projects with timelines. Report on progress to the Country Manager.
  • Extend required support and undertake monitoring visits to the eye department in the project areas and communities.
  • Work closely with government, eye care professionals, and community elders and other relevant stakeholders to deliver project results.
  • Build the capacities of the community mobilizers and oversee their work pertaining to assigned project.
  • Coordinate with the district eye hospital and ensure all referred patients from the project areas are provided with required eye care services.
  • Ensure and insist on gender and inclusion in every stage of the project management cycle.
  • Ensure child protection and safeguarding throughout the project cycle and report any child abuse cases to the relevant authorities in accordance with VAO Child Protection and Safeguarding policy.

 

Community engagement:

  • Liaise with other stakeholders or NGOs in the project area to encourage collaborative working.
  • Provide a forum to gather feedback from the communities in line with VAO participatory approaches.
  • Work with the VAO staff to develop and refine appropriate Social Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) materials.

 

Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning

▪ Ensure the project complies with VAO’s Monitoring and Evaluation framework, theory of change, and specific donor requirements.

▪ Ensure timely and accurate data flow from schools and mobile eye health teams and to line manager/supervisor.

▪ Assist in data processing and analysis in line with VAO adaptive learning framework.

▪ Develop, along with the Country Manager, systems to harvest project outcomes.

▪ Gather case studies from students and schools in line with VAO communications strategy.

▪ Support baseline and end of project assessment processes.

▪ Help compile comprehensive project reports to key government stakeholders i.e., the Health and Education bureaus, donors, VAO staff and other stake holders.

 

Desired qualifications:

The role of the Project Manager requires an energetic, highly motivated and a result orientated individual, with demonstrated experience within the NGO sector and community engagement sectors.

  • Minimum undergraduate degree in Public Health or Social Work or any other relevant subject.
  • Solid experience of working in the health sector and demonstrable expertise in project management may qualify candidates for the position despite not having the undergraduate degree.
  • Three to five years of work experience in health or community development sector with main responsibility covering all areas of project management.
  • Experience of working in eye health sector and School intervention role for Government or non-profit organization (NGO).
  • Expertise and experience in developing project budgets, budget monitoring, and budget re-phasing
  • Proven skills in documentation, data management, and project report writing.
  • Good IT skills including MS Office.
  • A strong empathy with the cause of elimination of avoidable blindness
  • Good verbal and written communication skills in English, Afaan Oromo, and Amharic
  • Excellent management skills and interpersonal skills
  • Self-motivated and a self-starter
  • Willingness to spend substantial time with community-based health workers and target communities in remote locations.
  • Appreciable understanding of the Gender dynamics of Ethiopia and experience in inclusion.

 

Please note: This position is open to those with the legal right to live and work in Ethiopia. The successful candidate must be able to obtain a Police Clearance Certificate. Qualified female candidates are particularly encouraged to apply.

IMPORTANT: Applicants MUST send their CV and a detailed cover letter demonstrating how they meet the desired qualifications to [email protected] and COPY [email protected]

Deadline for applications: Monday 29th March 2021 at 5pm.