Organization
COOPI – Cooperazione Internazionale is a secular and independent Italian nongovernmental organization (NGO) that was founded in 1965. It is currently present in 23 countries across Africa, Latin America and Middle East, where it carries out 200 emergency and development projects and 28 child sponsorship projects. COOPI devotes 94% of the funds it raises to the fight against poverty and the promotion of human rights. Its major donors are and have been the European Commission (of which it is one of the main European partners), the World Food Program, UNICEF, the World Bank, USAID, UKAID, Irish AID, the Norwegian Embassy, DFID, ECHO, The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, UNHCR, UNHABITAT, WHO and FAO. COOPI also receives support from public bodies, foundations, enterprises, private citizens (over 20,000) and volunteers. Thanks to the professionalism and the commitment of 129 humanitarian collaborators and more than 4,500 local collaborators, in 2014 COOPI reaches 5 million beneficiaries.
COOPI is currently implementing several projects in Malawi mainly in the areas of Disaster Risk Reduction, Disaster Preparedness, Emergency&Relief, Resilience, Energy Facility, Climate Change, Food Security, Agriculture, Irrigation and Value Chain.
Position: Project Manager
Reporting to: Head of Mission
Tasks:
The objective of this position is to ensure overall oversight for a ECHO project implemented in Salima and Mangochi Districts.
The main tasks linked to this position are:
PROJECT MANAGEMENT, IMPLEMENTATION AND SUPERVISION
- Responsible for ensuring effectiveness and implementation of projects activities to ensure the timely achievement of targeted results in Salima and Mangochi Districts;
- Provide strong leadership for the Salima and Mangochi Districts projects, working to ensure both short and long-term positive impacts and outcomes for the beneficiaries, local authorities (where applicable) and local staff.
- Responsible for the monitoring and supervision of Salima and Mangochi Districts projects field activities to ensure good progress of planned activities and timely achievement of expected results;
- Responsible for the elaboration and updating of the Salima and Mangochi Districts projects monitoring plan, including forecasting costs/expenditures, according to the projects budget and strict monitoring of the same; co –funding sources identification in collaboration with the administrative staff present;
- In collaboration with the field teams, responsible for the generation of action plans and compilation of field reports (this includes monthly progress reports, quarterly progress reports and other external reports as per the donor requirements);
- To ensure good visibility of the projects’ overall goals, policies and envisaged and/or results achieved as per COOPI and donor communication policies;
- Ensure sector integration, learning, sharing and adoption of best practices;
- Responsible for field security issues.
PROJECT HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
- A key responsibility of the PM will be the human resource management and guidance to ensure that the projects staff promotes community participation and community decisions in all the projects strategies and implementation.
- Guide the supervised staff in Salima Districts on COOPI objectives, policies, strategies and Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs), and respect to the humanitarian principles;
- Guide the Field Teams in planning for implementation of activities and monitoring in line with program plans in their districts.
PROJECT COORDINATION AND LIAISON FUNCTIONS
- Liaise with the Country Coordinator on issues pertinent to the projects;
- PM will ensure that cross-cutting issues are accounted for while alleviating risks and while preparing communities to face disasters.
- Attend projects’ related meetings at field level (including those with donors as requested);
- Participate in cluster meetings and other coordination meetings in the field;
- Under directions of the Country Coordinator, act as link / liaison between COOPI and stakeholders, representing COOPI at relevant forums (including coordination), joint assessments and providing feedback on the same;
- Update the logistic department on any pertinent security or access issues.
- Be responsible for the update and implementation of the security contingency plan.
REQUIREMENTS
We are looking for a dynamic and innovative individual with:
- advanced degree in political science, development cooperation, economics, agriculture, food security;
- excellent knowledge of project cycle-management;
- sound knowledge of international donors procedures, in particular EU/ECHO;
- previous experience in southern African country is an advantage;
- strong analytical and practical problem-solving skills;
- strong supervisory abilities and demonstrated capacity of teamwork;
- adequate resilience to stress;
- strong commitment to follow the rules and procedures of the organization;
- excellent inter-personal and writing communication skills;
- previous experience in writing project proposals is an asset;
- organize work efficiently and deliver assignments in a timely manner often under time constraints;
- proficiency in written and spoken English is a must;
- computer literacy, with high proficiency in the use of standard office software applications (e.g. Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint);
- GIS software previous experience is a plus;
- Valid driving license
