Angola and Mozambique: WASH Project Manager

Aug 6, 2018 | Joint Aid Management
View Original

The role of WASH Project Manager is to ensure the effective management of the JAM International integrated Water, Sanitation, Hygiene and School Feeding Project, ensuring timely achievement of annual plan of activities in Angola and other JAM International country programs in a manner that conforms to professional business process for implementation of WASH programs, organizational and donor standards.

The WASH Project Manager will provide leadership to the project team and define project operational targets, ensuring targets are met timely within approved budgets, facilitate integration with all other sectors within JAM international operational context as appropriate. Provide technical backstopping to other countries as needed to support project design and implementation WASH project and lead capacity building and share best practices and lessons learned. Promote and lead changes; conduct research on new WASH initiatives and tap into academic institutions to learn improved WASH service delivery methodologies. Ensure timely flow of management and operational information and reports to the various stakeholders the organization, according to established and approved reporting standards and protocols with government and stakeholders. Ensure sustainability of the WASH assets and promote equity and lessen vulnerability, other priority activities will include advocacy for and capacity building of water management structures; advocacy for and promotion of safe catchment exploitation and conservation practices as well as DRR (Disaster Risk Reduction) and Peace Building. Directly supervise a team of WASH technical experts in water supply, hygiene, community development and environment conservation. Ensure regular performance feedback from team members and foster synergies, information sharing and scale up of WASH interventions. Focal person in the development of concept papers and proposals for resource mobilization of additional resources.

Keys responsibilities of the position:

Programme implementation:

  • Responsible for day to day implementation of WASH project activities: borehole drilling and pump installations, spring and pipeline design and construction, hygiene and sanitation promotion (latrine prototypes), establishment and capacity building of water management structures, promotion of environmental awareness and safe catchment exploitation/conservation.
  • Directly plan, organize and supervise drilling activities, whilst progressively building the capacity of National Staff to be able to manage drilling activities and ensuring targets are met timely within approved budgets
  • Ensure the preparation and required approval of detailed implementation work plans in line with the WASH Project design and Monitoring & Evaluation plan. Provide the necessary guidance and support to the team to achieve timely and quality implementation of activities
  • Facilitate integration of WASH project with all sectors within JAM International operations in Angola and other JAM Country Offices
  • Network with Government and other agencies to foster synergies, information sharing and scale up of JAM WASH interventions and participate in the development of concept papers and proposals for mobilization of additional resources
  • Carry out regular field visits to inspect works, review progress and determine/receive feedback from the team and the beneficiaries regarding emerging challenges and gaps in original plans.
  • Organize regular project review sessions through participatory methodologies involving beneficiaries and other stakeholders in the areas of intervention, with the aim of establishing and/or verifying emerging needs, gaps and priorities.
  • Compile WASH progress reports from the various activity reports as per established monitoring plans, formats and schedules and submit to Country Programs in a timely manner.
  • To provide technical backstopping to the implementation of WASH projects and linkages with other country programs and conduct research, actively tapping into improved WASH services delivery methodologies

Preparation of Project designs, Funding Concepts and Donor Reports

  • Responsible for the proper siting, design, development, construction and data profiling of boreholes in close consultation with the Country Office Programs team.
  • Conduct field assessments within the programme area as may be requested to gather baseline data for new project designs or for improvement of on-going projects.
  • Contribute towards preparation of WASH budgets, funding concepts and proposals through analysis of field data and actual costs incurred on activity implementation.
  • Assist the technical team with preparation of bills of quantities and costing of activities.
  • Contribute to the drafting of WASH donor reports through the preparation of an up to date project database as per donor log frames and monitoring plans.
  • To ensure timely flow of operational information to management and prepare and submit timely reports to the various JAM International stakeholders, according to established and approved reporting standards and protocol

Procurement and Budget Expenditure

  • Prepare procurement plans against approved work plans and ensure timely initiation of procurement requests in line with established guidelines and procedures.
  • Approve budgeted expenditure in line with internal and Donor financial guidelines, ensuring that requested expenses match approved procurement plans, and respecting approval ceilings.
  • Monitor and track budget expenditure and burn rates, flagging over/under expenditures and recommending corrective measures to the country offices in a timely manner.
  • Prepare monthly budget forecasts with reference to the overall programme annual budget forecast and submit to the country office on time.
  • Ensure proper contracting, field level oversight, works certification and payment preparation processes for contractors and other service providers engaged to execute WASH works.
  • Monitor warehouse material stocks and dispatches to avoid idle stocking, and to ensure that deliveries are done and utilized in compliance with procedures.

Management of WASH Team

  • Directly supervise the WASH team comprising of technical expertise.
  • Conduct mid-year and annual staff Performance Planning and Development Review (PDR) for the employees directly supervised.
  • Ensure efficient team deployment through a system of up-to-date job descriptions and organizational structure developed in line with JAM’s organizational structure. Regularly review and recommend staffing structure reviews to the country offices.
  • Identify staff training needs and recommend on-the-job or other capacity building measures in close consultation with the country offices and HR department.
  • Ensure team motivation and team work and promote open communication and feedback channels and fora. Promote adherence to JAM’s etho’s through leading by example.

Other Duties

  • Contribute to organisational accountability initiatives, including overseeing the roll out of commitments of JAM under the HAP (Humanitarian Accountability Partnership) within the systems function
  • Adhere fully to the commitments and rules of JAM’s Code of Conduct, including the respect of confidentiality.
  • To ensure compliance and implementation of recommendations made by internal and external operational reviews, evaluations and financial audits
  • Oversee the WASH Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning initiatives of the project and drive changes and shared lessons learning to influence JAM international WASH strategy
  • Support the WASH resources development strategy in alignment with the JAM international initiatives and strategy to country resource acquisition strategy for WASH projects.
  • Provide supervision to the maintenance and Community Mobilization team and ensure effective performance management and Community Behavior Change
  • Responsible to write concept notes, human interest stories to generate donor support and demonstrate impact of WASH interventions.