Company Profile

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding. CRS Ghana was established in 1958, a year after Ghana gained independence. In Ghana, CRS works with local partners to tackle poverty on several fronts including improving health and nutrition; increasing access to safe water and improved sanitation; promoting agriculture to enhance food security; and increasing financial assets through Savings and Internal Lending Communities. 

Job Description

• Position Title:  Project Manager
• Project: Youth for Peacebuilding and Governance in Ghana
• Location:  Tamale
• Reports to: Head of Programming
• Compensation Band: D

Background

To contribute to a vibrant democracy and peaceful 2016 Parliamentary and Presidential elections, CRS is launching a 20-month interfaith action project that will focus on opportunities to build peaceful, democratic communities in violence-prone areas of Ghana through engagement with youth.

Job Summary

The Project Manager (PM) will assume responsibility for the overall project management including financial management, partner coordination, adherence to program quality standards, and coordination of monitoring and evaluation. S/he will provide technical support to project staff and partners, ensure timely and accurate reporting, and represent the project in a variety of contexts at the governmental and nongovernmental levels. The PM will be based in Tamale with up to 40% travel to implementation areas.

Specific Responsibilities

Leadership and Team Management

• Manage agreements and relationships with partner organizations
• Ensure staff and partner issues of concern are routinely analyzed and acted upon
• Develop and co-facilitate technical workshops and learning sessions for partners to fill gaps in knowledge and cultivate a culture of learning
• Support implementing teams with field monitoring visits at required
• Identify need for resource people to provide technical support to project
• Provide direct technical assistance to implementing partners to ensure technical soundness and high quality activities

Project Management

• Contribute to finalization of project strategies and program management tools
• Ensure appropriate management of program budgets, including tracking of financial and material resources using established budget management tools and systems.
• Prepare budgets for the coming periods based on developed activity plans, in close coordination with the rest of the team and based on information available. Closely track spending levels on continuous (monthly) basis to ensure funds are spent in line with budgets; alert senior management in cases of any major discrepancies or departures from planned expenditures, and recommend amendments to existing budget/s to achieve optimal use of financial and other resources in order to implement the project on budget, on time and in line with projected targets.
• Ensure appropriate project management for the project (including staffing, procurement plans, detailed implementation plans, etc.) and ensure good communication of plans and activities with relevant stakeholders. 
• Provide strategic and technical leadership to the project team as it relates to the planning, implementation, and monitoring & evaluation of the project
• Advise management about issues affecting project implementation, or key local issues affecting future project developments, particularly as it relates to risks for the country program (financial, reputational, etc.) or the quality of services received by targeted beneficiaries.

Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL)

• Conduct regular site visits to monitor progress in project implementation, check on quality assurance and address emerging technical operational/management issues. 
• Work with CRS MEAL Team to ensure project has technically sound MEAL systems in-line with CRS MEAL Policies and Procedures, and appropriate data collection tools and reporting formats are being used.
• Lead innovation in use of ICT4D technologies for project MEAL, and ensure systems are used appropriately
• Document the implementation process, lessons learnt and success stories for dissemination.

Representation, Partnership and Capacity Building

• Manage relationships and intensive communication efforts with relevant stakeholders in the implementation of the project, particularly with the partner organizations, other interfaith stakeholders, government institutions, and the target communities.
• Promote the involvement of partners at all stages of the project cycle.
• Participate in information sharing and transferring skills and knowledge with other CRS/Ghana staff as well as partners, other stakeholders or other CRS offices.
• Serve as a key representative of the project within CRS and externally with partners, government institutions, and others.  Represent the project as necessary in high-level meetings and workshops.
• Maintain a focus on the sensitive nature of project activities and work to address immediately with other project staff any issues of concern that arise.
• Identify both PQ and MQ capacity building needs and organize relevant support via follow up with CR, HOP and/or other CRS support as needed.
• Ensure relevant reports to relevant parties (donor/s, internally within CRS, government and others as appropriate), is completed on time, in the relevant and appropriate format and in a quality manner, so as to communicate the project successes, challenges and the ways they were addressed, and plans for the future interventions

Other

• Support business development in the  governance/peacebuilding/youth sectors through development of project ideas/concepts/proposals to grow the Peacebuilding sector within CRS/Ghana
• Undertake other assignments as requested by the Head of Programs.

Key Working Relationships

• Internal:  Country Representative, Head of Programming, CRS/Ghana Admin, Finance, and other Programming staff, Regional Technical Advisors.
• External:  Partner project staff, relevant government institutions, local and international organizations, community leaders and other local actors.

This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skills, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.

Required Skills or Experience

1. B.Sc. in a related field required, Master’s Degree in a related field preferred.  Significant work experience in a directly related field will be considered in lieu of Master’s Degree.
2. Minimum of five years’ work experience in development programs; with at least three years’ experience in program management
3. Minimum of two years’ work experience in interfaith action/civic engagement/governance/peacebuilding
4. Minimum of two years’ work experience with youth
5. Demonstrated ability to manage a budget and achieve project results
6. Excellent writing and communication skills in English
7. Strong cross-cultural skills and experience working with people from different cultural contexts/religions
8. Demonstrated capacities to establish and maintain strong, collaborative working relationships with partners, donors, government officials, local organizations, communities and other stakeholders and to mediate conflict when necessary
9. Experience and interest in working with ICT4D platforms and communication strategies as integrated part of program management
10. Proficiency in computer applications (MS Word, Excel)
11. Able to travel within Ghana (approximately 40%)

Personal Competencies

• Ability to transfer knowledge and skills formally and informally to diverse audiences; desire and ability to mentor partner staff
• Demonstrated strengths in relationship management; able to work with diverse groups of people in a multi-faith, team-oriented environment
• Able to manage relationships to achieve results
• Diplomacy, tact and negotiation skills
• Self-motivated and able to work without close supervision
• Able to prioritize work, multi-task, and meet deadlines

Agency-Wide Competencies

These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.

• Serves with Integrity
• Models Stewardship
• Cultivates Constructive Relationships
• Promotes Learning

CRS Competencies for Program Managers

• Sets clear goals and manages towards them
• Collaborates effectively with staff and stakeholders
• Manages financial resources with integrity
• Applies program quality standards to project design and organizational learning