Position: PROJECT MANAGER - NUTRITION/ FSL
Department: Project Implementation
Location: Baidoa
Contract Duration: 10 Months
Direct Hierarchy: Area Coordinator
Starting date: October 2024
Background on ACTED
Created in 1993, ACTED is an international non-governmental organization pursuing a dual mandate of emergency response and development interventions in 40 of some of the world’s most vulnerable countries affected by conflicts, disasters, or socio-economic hardship. With a team of 7,000 national staff and 400 international staff, ACTED implements 500 projects a year to support more than 20 million beneficiaries, notably in hard-to-reach areas.
ACTED goes to the last mile through programs and approaches that look beyond the immediate emergency towards opportunities for longer-term livelihood reconstruction and sustainable development. Guided by the motto “Think Local, Act Global” and its 3Zero –Zero Exclusion, Zero Carbon, and Zero Poverty – strategy, ACTED puts local territories at the center and provides tailored support to local needs.
ACTED is looking for a professionally confident, self-motivated, experienced, and committed team player to fill the PROJECT MANAGER - NUTRITION/ FSL position based in Baidoa, Somalia.
Position Profile:
Under the supervision of the Area Coordinator and the technical coordination of the Food Security and Livelihoods Technical Coordinator, the FSL/Nutrition Project Manager will be primarily responsible for ensuring that the project’s activities are fully implemented according to proposals, ACTED rules, regulations, and donor requirements. The FSL/Nutrition Project Manager will oversee the implementation of livelihood and nutrition/FSL activities, supervise the FSL/Nutrition Project Officer and Nutrition Community Mobilizer, and provide necessary capacity-building guidance. Additionally, the Nutrition/FSL Project Manager will serve as the focal point on the ground for ACTED, facilitating coordination and collaboration with local authorities when required
OBJECTIVES
Leads the Systemic Nutrition, Permagarden, and restocking activities for vulnerable communities in Baidoa & Afgoye in SWS and, Kismayo & Baardhere in Jubaland.
To contribute to increased systemic resilience to climate change, nutrition, and food crises in SWS and Jubaland.
Representation in the food security and livelihoods sub-national cluster, Nutrition Cluster, sub-national cash work group, and other stakeholders’ engagement in SWS and Jubaland.
Conduct regular meetings with community leaders, and Permagarden members and ensure community participation in coordination meetings through community mobilization activities
FUNCTIONS
Programming
1.1 Project Planning
a)Develop overall project implementation strategy (incl. the transition/phase-out strategy), systems, approaches, tools, and materials.
b)Identify and plan technical skills and requirements to implement the project as per relevant standards.
c)Develop the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) to organize the various project deliverables and the work required to complete them into smaller and more manageable parts (work package);
d)Create the work schedule by sequencing the work packages and related tasks.
e)Prepare the work plan, which brings together the WBS and the schedule, to serve as a comprehensive and detailed model map for the successful implementation of the project.
f)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 project, and update the project progress on a daily basis.
b)Document implementation progress and challenges by regularly updating the Project Management Framework (PMF) and sharing it with country coordination.
c)Ensure that relevant technical quality and standards are considered and respected during project implementation.
d)Operate following the “do no harm principles” to ensure projects are safe for communities.
e)Anticipate and mitigate risks and issues and troubleshoot any unforeseen challenges during the project implementation.
f)Coordinate and manage changes in project implementation, in particular identifying change needs to occur, reviewing proposed changes, 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.
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 prove completion of activities (beneficiary list, donation certificates, 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 to ensure the data is protected from misuse in line with ACTED’s data protection policy.
c)Ensure staff awareness of and respect for, 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 AMEU.
1.5 Internal Coordination
a)Organize regular project coordination meetings with the project team.
b)Participate in Weekly Area Meetings (WAMs) and when requested/as relevant in Monthly Coordination meetings (MCMs), and provide updates about implementation progress, challenges, risks, and 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 our activities build upon - rather than replicate - the work of others.
d)Refer unmet needs to other relevant actors.
e)Share external 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 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 on time.
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 in preparing the monthly update of SEC-02GZ.
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.
Human Resource
a)Define the structure of the project team and develop a 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 the recruitment plan for the project to the HR Department.
d)Participate in the recruitment of technical project staff.
e)Ensure that project staff understand and can perform their roles and responsibilities.
f)Follow up on 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.
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 the reception point and contribute to procurements committees to finalize suppliers’ selection according to applicable scenarios.
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 project team has adequate assets necessary for performing its duties.
Finance
a)Participate in the review of the BFU forecast initial and regular costs and cross-check expenditures for project 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.
Quality Control
a)Participate in AMEU planning processes and actively support the delivery of AMEU activities in line with the project AME framework and AME 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 AME findings and recommendations.
f)Collect and apply appropriate lessons learned and best practices to current projects, and ensure these lessons learned are proactively shared with the supervisor, the AMEU, and other team members to apply them in future project development processes.
Grant Management
a)In close collaboration with the Project Development Unit, manage contractual obligations and ensure 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 (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.
Protection Mainstreaming
a)Considering gender, protection, and GBV concerns in all aspects of activities.
b)Promoting and adhering to Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse policy and guidelines (for site residents, ACTED staff, partner agencies, casual labor)
c)Supporting and promoting the participation of women, youth, people with specific needs, and marginalized groups in camp governance mechanisms and FSL/Nutrition Activities.
Others
a)Offer technical support and inputs to other projects in similar sectors (e.g. BOQ design
b)Provide translation of various documents (e.g., reports, minutes, beneficiary lists, information signs) upon request by the line manager.
c)Perform any additional task as requested by the line Manager.
Completion of a university degree in Agriculture, Agronomists, nutrition, Public Health, or another relevant degree
- Minimum five years of experience in international and/or local NGO; ideally involved in directly implementing field-level humanitarian assistance to refugees or IDPs and rural agropastoral communities.
- Excellent communication skills
- Excellent interpersonal and team-playing skills.
- Proficiency in English and Somali language, both oral and written.
- Knowledge of logistics and procurement processes.
- Highly flexible, with the ability to use initiative.
- Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment.
- Commitment to humanitarian principles and values.
- Commitment to promoting gender equality through understanding of gender, protection, and human rights
Experience in:
- community services, nutrition projects, food security and livelihood interventions, women empowerment, youth activities, protection, and distribution
- working with national partners, local/government authorities, and UN organizations,
- leading/supervising subordinate staff, organizing activities, and report writing.
- training and capacity-building of staff
- Experience in Food security and livelihoods, Nutrition including Perma garden.
Qualified national persons with the required skills are invited to submit their applications accompanied by detailed curriculum vitae and cover letter as a single document i.e. with the cover letter being on the first page and the CV starting on the second page, detailing three work-related referees and contacts to somalia.jobs@acted.org and received on or before 5.00 PM on 12th October 2024 with the subject line
“PROJECT MANAGER _NUTRITION/ FSL”. Please do not attach any other documents while sending your applications, if required they will be requested at a later stage.
Please note we will be reviewing the applications on a rolling basis and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
ACTED will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind. Further, ACTED has not retained any agent in connection with recruitments.
ACTED is committed to protecting beneficiaries within our programs from exploitation abuse and any kind of misconduct. ACTED has specific policies, including PSEA and Child Protection, which outline the expected behavior and the responsibility of all staff, beneficiaries, consultants, and other stakeholders and have zero tolerance towards misconduct. Any candidate offered a job with ACTED will be expected to sign ACTED’s organizational Policies and Code of Conduct as an annex to their contract of employment and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these documents.
ACTED is an Equal Opportunity Employer, however females, PLWD, and individuals from marginalized communities, are strongly encouraged to apply due to the disparity now.