Project Manager for PBF project in Guinea Bissau

 

Job Description:

 

Job Title                           Project Manager 

Job ID                               

Duty Station                    Guinea-Bissau

Location                           Bissau

Full/Part Time                 Full

Regular/Temporary       Regular

Contract Type                 Individual Consultancy

Duration                          One year renewable (*)

Rotation                           Non-rotational

Grade                               SB4

 

This post is opened only to Guinea-Bissau Nationals.

 

The Position:

 

The Project Manager for the PBF project is located in the Guinea-Bissau UNFPA Country Office (CO) and will operate under the direction of the UNFPA Assistant Representative, with direct supervision from the Adolescent and Youth Reproductive Health and Demographic Dividend Programme Analyst. In this role, the Project Manager will play a crucial part in facilitating the execution of the PBF project alongside UNFPA at the country office level. Consequently, the individual in this position will play a key role in advancing the objectives outlined in the project document for successful outcomes.

 

How you can make a difference:

 

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled. UNFPA’s strategic plan (2022-2025), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: (i) ending preventable maternal deaths, (ii) ending unmet need for family planning, and (iii) ending gender-based violence, including harmful practices such as female genital mutilation and child marriage towards realizing the ICPD and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030.

 

The UNFPA’s strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organizations and individuals to “build forward better”, while addressing the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on women’s and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, recover lost gains and realize our goals.

 

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction. UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.

 

Job Purpose:

 

Under the overall guidance of the UNFPA Representative, coordination of the Assistant Representative and Head of Programme, and direct supervision of the Adolescent and Youth Reproductive Health and Demographic Dividend Programme Analyst, the Project Manager will contribute to the overall management and implementation of the PBF projects - initiatives by supporting timely and high-quality delivery of outputs according to the work plans and program procedures of UNFPA. The Project Manager applies established systems and procedures and assists in the creation of substantive knowledge by compiling, synthesizing, and analyzing information relevant to the successful implementation of the PBF project. The project Manager oversees delivery of all operational and logistical aspects of the PBF project, ensuring day-to-day operations run efficiently and comply with the policies and procedures of the UNFPA country office.

 

Expect Results and/or functions: 

 

Types of activities supported by the Project Manager are:

• Participate and oversee partners and suppliers’ agreements and review invoices prior to processing by the Project assistant;
• Propose and facilitate the processing of contracts for consultants/service providers and external partners that provide services to UNFPA. This includes preparing and filing documents, completing necessary forms and templates, uploading TOR, and making necessary logistical arrangements;
• Assist with the drafting of TORs for experts/companies being contracted to provide services to the UNFPA Projects;
• Draft proposals and narrative descriptions of outcomes on Program activities for M&E;
• Assist with the drafting of projects concept notes (When necessary);
• Maintain regular communications with team members –– including the Assistant Representative and Programme Analyst(s);
• Regularly liaise with other program stakeholders – including current and potential stakeholders;
• Support the development of results-based communications products with the communication officer of UNFPA and Monitoring events and news developments relating to UNFPA projects;
• Assist with other related tasks, as requested by the Assistant Representative and Programme Analyst(s);
• Participate in the mobilization of resources and partnerships aimed at strengthening the capacity of UNFPA for better project implementation;

 

Undertaking these activities will lead to the achievement of the following key results:

• UNFPA projects are successfully implemented within the defined timeline; 
• Activities defined in project are each implemented and achieved the intended outcomes;

 

Scope of Work

 

Key Functions

• Ensure effective project management by maintaining the delivery of appropriate technical, operational, financial and administrative outputs, while tracking the project’s progress through monitoring, evaluation;
• Manage the Project to achieve agreed results, timelines, and budgets;
• Manage and coordinate Project activities based on the Project Document, including the supervision and guidance of project staff, consultants and experts, to achieve the intended Project results successfully;
• Prepare Annual Work Plans according to the Project Document in close consultation with the Assistant Representative and the Programme Analysts;
• Develop/review all project operational plans (procurement, HR, M&E etc), budget revisions and cash allocation and disbursements of donor funds in line with donor requirements and UNFPA rules and regulations;
• Draft ToRs and associated contracting requirements for the procurement of goods, services and personnel needed to implement project activities;
• Prepare and facilitate Project Steering Committee Meetings and implement actions from the Steering Committee  Meetings and circulation of meeting minutes to all stakeholders;
• Regularly meet with government stakeholders and other project partners at technical level to ensure identified projects risks are managed with mitigation measures implemented and update;
• Manage and where necessary report issues with significant impact on UNFPA reputation and effectiveness to the Assistant Representative and programme Analyst for assessment and escalation to Senior Management for discussion and decisions;
• Ensure that all programme and operational activities are conducted in compliance with UNFPA’s corporate policies and procedures and take appropriate actions to address challenges;
• Identify opportunities to deepen cooperation with partners and stakeholders and at the same time provide recommendations on approaches to deal with stakeholders based on the information gathered during project design;
• Manage project assets, records and filing system in an appropriate manner;
• Perform other related duties as assigned by the supervisor;

 

Delivers effective programmatic implementation and conducts quality assurance activities:

• Assess project impacts and oversee the appropriateness and accuracy of methods used to verify progress against results and prepare reports according to UNFPA, Donors and Government requirements;
• Closely monitor the progress of the project and ensure it is in line with the project implementation timeframe as agreed and approved in the project document;
• Provide regular project updates/reports on the progress of the project including issues, risks and challenges with recommended remedial actions to the project board and UNFPA for informed decisions and corrective actions;
• Have in place information management system for data collection, analysis and tracking against targets, outputs and outcome results;
• Ensure gender is mainstreamed access all project activities;
• Monitor and provide project quality assurance across projects financial, procurement and administrative processes in compliance with UNFPA rules and regulations;
• Coordinate timely and effective submission of quality reports monthly, quarterly and annual implementation progress reports and briefs as required by UNFPA, Government and Donors;
• Implement audit recommendations for the project and provide inputs to audits and evaluation management responses, tracking and implementation of actions;

 

Facilitates and coordinates provision of high-quality technical advice and builds partnerships:

• Coordinate advisory activities of the Project’s technical staff and consultants;
• Establish, maintain and facilitate strategic dialogue between Project staff, and Government officials at national and   local levels, NGOs, partners, donors and other stakeholders in Project sites and sectors of work;
• Advocate positively for UNFPA with partners and other stakeholders;
• Identify resource mobilization opportunities in close collaboration with UNFPA’s Environment Portfolio;
• Develop Project Concept Notes and proposals as and when requested or required;

 

Knowledge management and experience sharing

• Ensure that the Project systematically builds the capacities of implementing and project partners through the introduction of innovation and best practices;
• Facilitates access to knowledge and expertise and promotes the application of these through the Project implementation;
• Promote teamwork, information sharing and collaboration within the Project and among the Project Team and the larger Environment Portfolio within the UNFPA Country Office;
• Promote skills’ development of Project staff through provision of opportunities for training, coaching and mentoring;
• Ensure lessons learnt during the Project’s implementation is fully captured and disseminated for knowledge building, learning and scaling up;
• In collaboration with the Knowledge Management Officer Create an electronic platform for the exchange of information, best practices and experiences;

 

The Project Manager may be called on to provide other duties and services when required to support the Project.

 

Qualifications and Experience

 

Education

Candidates should possess an equivalent of master degree in Business Administration, Economic or Social Sciences related degree.

 

Knowledge and Experience

• Advanced University degree Master's degree or equivalent in Business Administration, Project Management and development, Economics, Public Administration related degree or 
• A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s Degree in engineering program development and management, Business Administration, Project Management and development, Economics, Accounting, Public Administration or related degree with an additional 2 years of relevant experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree
• A minimum of 3 years with a Master’s degree or 5 years with a Bachelor’s degree or of relevant progressive experience in Business Administration, Economics, Accounting Management, Engineering Project Development and Management with a focus on planning, monitoring, reporting, and stakeholder and team coordination.
• Additional professional certificates related to project management would be considered an advantage.
• Strong knowledge of Guinea-Bissau’s political and socio- economic context; 
• Previous working experiences with Government, national institutions and communities is an advantage
• Strong knowledge of UNFPA rules and regulations is an advantage;
• Ability to administer budgets, train and work effectively with counterpart staff at all levels and with all groups involved in the Project;
• Strong written and oral communication skills including, presentation and reporting skills

 

Languages

Fluency in Portuguese is required. Excellent command of written and spoken English or French languages.

 

Required Competencies

 

Values:

Exemplifying integrity

Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system

Embracing diversity in all its forms

Embracing change

 

Core Competencies:

Achieving Results  

Being Accountable

Developing and Applying Professional Expertise/Business Acumen

Thinking analytically and Strategically

Working in Teams/Managing Ourselves and our Relationships

Communicating for Impact

 

Functional Competencies:

Advocacy / Advancing a policy-oriented agenda,

Leveraging the resources of national governments and partners / building strategic alliances and partnerships,

Delivering results-based programmes,

Strengthening the program capacity of Country office,

Strategically positioning UNFPA Programmes.