Project Manager

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world's largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you're a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.

Duty Station: - Sekota, Amhara

IRC is planning to implement Lifesaving intervention to meet the needs of crisis-affected populations through Multi-Purpose Cash Assistance (MPCA) and strengthen local mechanisms in Benshagul Gumuz, Tigray, Oromia and Amhara regions. This Lifesaving Multi-Purpose cash assistance project will be implemented to meet basic needs of affected IDPs and host community in the intervention areas.

The primary goal of the project is to ensure that vulnerable HHs in selected woredas across Amhara, Benishangul-Gumuz, Oromia, and Tigray regions can meet their emergency and recovery needs without resorting to harmful coping strategies. The project focuses on one key outcome: that vulnerable women, men, girls, and boys have access to life-saving assistance. The IRC will implement unconditional and unrestricted multi-purpose cash assistance (MPCA), prioritizing beneficiary choice, flexibility, and dignity while being the most cost-efficient and appropriate method of aid delivery to meet basic and emergency needs.

The Project Manager directly report to Field Coordinator in respective regions and technical report to ERD coordinator at Addis Ababa country Office. The Project Manager will be provided with overall technical support on multipurpose cash assistance program planning, coordination, managing, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of performance collaboration with project staff and government stakeholders in the respective regions. The project manager is responsible for planning, controlling and oversight of project staff’s management, grant and vehicle management in line with the IRC and donor regulations. He/she will ensure quality MPCA program delivery as per IRC cash program SOPs, while providing guidance and support to FCDO project staff in the woreda levels ensuring synergies and coordinate with other actors in the operation area. He/she will play a representative role at different meetings and forums conducted at regional, zonal and woreda levels. Project Manager lead and coordinate intervention Kebeles/ IDP sites selection, establishing and strengthening of community-based targeting approaches, clients targeting, verification and registration processes, and mapping potential financial service providers to ensure fair and transparent cash transfer to multiple crisis affected population.

Major Responsibilities:

Project Management:

• Lead and manage overall multipurpose cash assistance project implementation in all intervention zones and woredas collaboration with Government stakeholders at different levels.
• Provide technical support on MPCA project activity planning, implementation strategy design and application according to the IRC cash program implementation guidelines and procedures.
• Lead and Manage stakeholders and community participation through community-based targeting and complaint response mechanism approaches to ensure fair and accountable targeting of eligible clients for MPCA in each intervention area.
• Plan, lead, and coordinate appropriate Cash transfer modalities and mechanisms based on local context analysis collaboration with project staff and other field office teams.
• Lead and ensure efficient and effective Cash program implementation as per the original plan to maintain quality and standard of operations of IRC and Donors.
• Lead and coordinate cash feasibility assessment in the intervention areas priory to cash program implementation.
• Establish teamwork and coordination among project staff, partners and other humanitarian organizations to share lessons and experience.
• Lead and advise appropriate implementation of Cash program guideline throughout project implementation steps to ensure quality of cash transfer.
• Provide technical support clients targeting, registration and verification processes collaboration with MEAL team, other project staff and government stakeholders. 
• Conduct mapping and networking of potential financial service providers in each intervention area to facilitate safe and secure cash transfer processes.
• Provide technical support and make sure all the complaint response mechanisms are implemented properly in all intervention sites as per IRC and Donors guidelines.
• Work closely with ERD technical staff, Addi’s finance, supply chain and field office staff to ensure quality implementation of Cash program implementation.
• Prepare and manage cash distribution plan collaboration with financial service providers to ensure safe and timely distribution of cash to targeted clients.

Project Implementation

• Plan and implement selection of appropriate kebeles and IDP sites for MPCA intervention in respective regions collaboration with project staff and government stakeholders.
• Lead and Conduct community mobilization and awareness to the local community members, kebele administrators and signatory government sectors on project objectives, Cash program implementation procedures, processes and approaches and selection criteria to create common understanding.
• Conduct validation of client’s selection criteria collaboration with concerned stakeholders at different levels in all intervention areas.
• Establishing and strengthening of community-based targeting and complaint response mechanisms in all cash program intervention areas to ensure fair, equitable, and transparent selection of affected households for cash support.
• Proactively work with the Cash programing manager, ERD coordinator and the concerned team in Addis and respective field office on any programmatic challenges and seek a timely solution.
• Promote active participation of community members and government stakeholders at different levels throughout all stages of cash program implementation.
• Ensure proper implementation of community-based clients targeting and verification in each project intervention kebeles and IDP sites.
• Provide technical support to project officers and Data collectors on client’s registration and verification by using IRC cash toolkits.
• Conduct data cleaning and preparation of master clients list and payment sheet for MPCA transfer to intended clients in each intervention area.
• Mapping and identify potential financial service providers or Banks and timely proposed appropriate cash transfer modalities and mechanisms based on local context.
• Maintain records of master list, payment sheet, support letters and follow-up and document all beneficiary lists for reference.
• Facilitate and support cash distribution process to targeted clients.  
• Follow up and visit on-spot cash distribution process collaboration with project team, finance team, MEAL team and government stakeholders to avoid any complaint.
• Set up and strengthen beneficiaries compliant feedback mechanisms with relevant internal partners.

Financial management

• Prepare relevant cash distribution financial plan and share to project team, field office and Addis financial unit.
• Prepare timely based item forecast for cash-based assistance and submit to respective supply chain and fiancé team for review, uploaded process and follow up proceed purchase request order.
• Prepare and Submit cash projection plan field coordinator and ERD coordinator Quartey based on analyzed expenditure. 
• Prepare and submit clients master list and payment sheet to facilitate cash transfer to selected clients in respective region, zones and woredas.
• Track and follow up budget expenditures for Cash transfer and other cash related activities in respective region.
• Facilitate and coordinate BVA financial review meeting with program and operation teams and share the feedback on the 10th of every month.
• Involve in different budget analysis exercises for the project whenever requested by the ERD Coordinator.

Human Resource Management

• Making sure that IRC staff personnel policy, the IRC WAY (professional code of conduct) and all other organizational policies are respected and practiced properly by project team and make sure that sound decision is made on breaches and appropriate measures are taken in timely manner.
• In coordination with Addis Ababa sector lead, manage the project staff and ensure that staff performance management process/PMP (objectives setting, midterm evaluation and final evaluation) are done timely following the right PMP guideline procedures.
• Make sure that staff and clients are responsive and reporting mechanisms for any concerns and complaints are established and are addressed in proper manner.
• Conduct a regular one-to-one meeting with project officers and discuss priorities, challenges and share the discussion minutes with the ERD and technical supervisors based in Addis and make sure the one-to-one discussion is conducted between the supervisor and direct report in the department.

Representation and Coordination:

• Represent IRC at regional, zonal level and serve as focal person for any information shared with or received from field level humanitarian organizations and surrounding community representatives; prepare and report required updates and regular reports; assist the country office in facilitating donor monitoring visits where needed.
• Work closely with government and other key partners in the operation area for this FCDO fund partners.
• Make ensure that the interventions are coordinated with other actors in the operation area with no duplication of effort.
• Actively participate in the bi-weekly project management meeting and work on the agreed action points.
• Participate at regional and zonal level cash working groups coordination meeting and provide any meeting feedback to ERD technical team.

Project monitoring and Reporting

• Compile and prepare monthly, quarterly, mid-year and annual reports from project sector leads, compile, analysis and share to ERR Coordinator using the appropriate reporting template.
• Monitoring and follow up cash feasibility assessment and compile assessment findings report and organize validation meeting with different stakeholders.
• Make sure each sector report is consolidated in one report, highlighting integration among the sector, protection mainstreaming, and result based with quality data.
• Ensure that narratives and financial reporting are delivered in accordance with IRC and donor contractual requirements, within the agreed timescale and budget
• Compile and share operation area weekly situation report to country and field office.

• Provide technical support on cash feasibility assessment, clients registration, verification and baseline survey in the project intervention areas.
• Supervise progress against the grant work plan; promptly identifying any current or potential delays.
• Ensure all monitoring activities are fully documented, including detailed and timely data collection as required.

Capacity Building and Coaching

• Provide capacity building training and coaching services to cash programming officers and MEAL officers on establishing targeting and compliant committees, clients targeting and verification processes.
• Provide capacity building training to community- based targeting committee, compliance response mechanisms committee members and government stakeholders on Cash program implementation guidelines and procedures.
• . Capacitate project staff, government stakeholders and financial service providers on humanitarian cash transfer principles and modalities to ensure effective and efficient implementation of cash intervention.
• . Capacity build project team on IRC cash toolkits application and use for client’s registration and verification.  

Safeguarding Responsibilities: -

• Promote and actively participate in initiatives and efforts to build team engagement, inclusion and cohesion in IRC [team/office]
• Foster ongoing learning, honest dialogue and reflection to strengthen safeguarding and to promote IRC values and adherence to IRC policies.

Job Reequipments:

Educational Requirements:

• MA/MSC/BA/BSC Degree in Sociology, Development studies, Economics, Marketing, Accounting, Management, Banking, Rural Development, Project Management) or similar with relevant experience of the position demand.

Preferred Work experience & skills

• 3 years of work experience for MA/MSc holders and 4 years of experience for BA/BSc holders in Sociology, Development studies, Economics, Marketing, Accounting, Management, Banking, Rural Development, Project Management) or similar with relevant experience of the position demand.

• Proven experience in cash programming (conditional and unconditional cash transfer) management is a big plus.
• Demonstrated ability and experience CVA and cash transfer modality, working with financial service providers an emergency and post emergency/recovery program.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills as well as an overall ability to be clear and concise in all communications
• Strong organizational and time-management skills; proven ability to prioritize and deliver on time
• Strong analytic problem-solving skills
• Ability to work both independently and in a dynamic, cross-functional global team structure
• Highly proficient in Microsoft Office suite
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with stakeholders at all levels
• Ability to manage and work through change in proactive and positive manner.

Language Skills:

• Strong oral and written communications skills in English and ability to speak local language is advantageous.

Disclaimer: - Please note that IRC will never request applicants or candidates to make any form of payment at any stage of the recruitment process.

IRC is an equal employment opportunity employer.  IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability.

IRC strives to build a diverse and inclusive team at all levels who as individuals, and as a group, embody our culture statement creating a working environment characterized by critical reflection, power sharing, debate, and objectivity for us to achieve our aspirations as a team and deliver the best possible services to our clients.

Gender Equality: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols, and other supportive benefits and allowances.

Standard of Professional Conduct: The IRC and the IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – our Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability, and Equality.

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