Sierra Leone: National Project Manager

Apr 10, 2017 | UNDP
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The Government of Sierra Leone through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) received a grant from Sustainable Development Goal Fund (SDG-F) to implement a project on Enabling Sustainable Livelihoods through Improved Natural Resources Governance and Economic Diversification in the Kono district, Sierra Leone. The project aims to enhance sustainable, inclusive governance of natural resources, as well as diversification of sustainable livelihood opportunities in one of the most mineral-rich but least developed regions in the country. The project will be implemented in close partnership with the Environment Protection Agency, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forest and Food Security, the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, the National Youth Commission and the Local Council.

The project is demand-driven will contribute to addressing several SDGs through its cross-sectoral and holistic approach to reduce poverty and inequality by buildings capacity for sustainable and inclusive governance of natural resources, productive employment, inclusiveness and mainstreaming gender equality. As part of the implementation phase the project, the UNDP Sierra Leone Country Office is recruiting a national Project Manager (PM) who will supervise and oversee project implementation and ensure timely and quality delivery of planned activities. Project implementation will run from August 2015 until December 2016.

Duties and Responsibilities

Functions/Key Results Expected

The Project Manager will report to the UNDP Team Leader (Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Management) and will lead the delivery of the project.  He/she will manage the project on a day-to-day basis on behalf of the Implementing Partners, while ensuring compliance with UNDPs rules and regulations. The Project Manager’s prime responsibility is to ensure that the project produces the results specified in the project document, to the required standard of quality and within the specified constraints of time and cost.  He/she will be responsible to advice the implementing partners on financial management and disbursement in consultation with UNDP and FAO.  Tasks include, but are not limited to the following:

Provide project implementation and management support to Implementing Partners:

  • Implement and manage the project on a day-to-day basis on behalf of and in close cooperation with the Implementing Partner.
  • Ensure timely and quality delivery of planned project activities.
  • Act as secretary to the National Steering Committee and make recommendations for effective implementation and coordination of project activities.
  • Coordinate and supervise consultants in carrying out their duties at an optimum level through ensuring efficient and effective resource utilization.
  • Prepare quarterly and annual results-based work plans and budgets, risks and management responses, and logical frameworks, and obtain endorsement from the Implementing Partner and Steering Committee.
  • Coordinate the establishment of sub-national project Task Teams.
  • Prepare quarterly implementation status and financial reports for comments and approval by the Implementing Partners, UNDP and FAO.
  • Facilitate the preparation of Annual Performance Report (APR)/Project Implementation Review (PIR), Mid-term and terminal Project Reports.

Facilitate the provision of technical and training support as required for implementation of the project:

  • Recruit technical consultants and facilitate other expertise of technical and strategic assistance in order to guide the implementation of project activities and assure the highest possible quality.
  • Analyze capacity constraints, and where required provide hands-on support in management, planning and monitoring of project activities.
  • Organize technical team meetings for experience sharing and lesson learning.

Facilitation of knowledge building and management:

  • Seek, analyze and apply knowledge, information, and best practices.
  • Promote knowledge management, document best practices and lessons learned from project implementation, and facilitate dissemination in appropriate format to relevant stakeholders.

Strategic partnership fostering:

  • Support in liaising with project partners, donor organizations, NGOs and other stakeholders to ensure effective implementation and coordination of project activities.

Impact of Results

The key results are expected to have an impact on the success of the two project’s outcomes on

  • Inclusiveness, accountability and transparency in natural resources management
  • Livelihoods of vulnerable groups improved through economic diversification

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

  • Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards.
  • Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.
  • Treats all people fairly without favoritism.

Functional Competencies:

Knowledge Management and Learning

  • In-depth practical knowledge of inter-disciplinary development issues.
  • Actively work towards continuing personal learning and development in one or more Practice Areas, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills.
  • Seeks and applies knowledge, information, and best practices from within and outside of the project.

 Development and Operational Effectiveness

  • Ability to lead formulation, oversight of implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development projects.
  • Ability to apply development theory to the specific project context to identify creative, practical approaches to overcome challenging situations.
  • Ability to manage for results: translates strategic aims into achievable plans, with established priorities, monitors them, making periodic adjustments as required.

Management and Leadership

  • Builds strong relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback.
  • Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities.
  • Ability to lead effectively, mentoring as well as conflict resolution skills.
  • Demonstrates outstanding communication skills oral and written communication skills.
  • Negotiation skills: capacity to work with diverse partners including Government, donors and civil society.
  • Proven networking, team-building, organizational and communication skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Education

Master’s Degree or equivalent in professional areas directly related to the project such as environmental studies, development, programme management, or meteorology.

Experience

Minimum 7 years of relevant experience in project management, including familiarity with donor reporting, knowledge management, and results based management processes.

  • Experience in implementing community development projects, using participatory engagement and grassroots mobilization techniques.
  • Demonstrated familiarity with issues relevant to local development, natural resources management and sustainable livelihood generation.
  • Experience working in partnership with Government MDAs.
  • Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages, experience with web based management systems.
  • Experience working with UN agencies or other international organisations would be an asset.

Language Requirements

Fluency in spoken and written English.