Project Manager Livelihoods

Oxfam is a global movement of people working together to end the injustice of poverty.

The Role

The Project Manager position will lead on and is accountable for all the project implementation and coordination aspects of livelihood and economic recovery project. As a key role within the Oxfam Iraq Country program, the position will be based in Ramadi, Anbar. He/she will lead on effective management and relationships with relevant internal and external stakeholders at the local level, especially with the government line departments, manage the project activities throughout the project cycle, including budget management (expenditure planning and expenditure monitoring), directly lead in preparing and developing high-quality project plans, including Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) and procurement plans, progress and donor reports, ensure appropriate monitoring and project quality, and enhance internal and external learning and representation.

key Responsibilities

Project Delivery and Coordination

1. Work closely with relevant government departments, especially at the Anbar Directorate level, in the overall implementation of project activities. This will include regular meetings with line departments to agree on work plans, technical assessments, and establishing cooperation relations.
2. Maintain good working relationships with relevant government departments, private sector actors, and other key project stakeholders and ensure Oxfam interest is presented at all level.
3. Take overall project management leadership and be responsible to carry out the implementation of project activities within approved project plans, budget, and duration.
4. Provide project management and operational support to project team to run the project activities effectively and efficiently.
5. Ensure project deliverables are achieved as stipulated in project design maintaining the Oxfam’s program quality standards and expectations of relevant stakeholders.
6. Worked closely with the technical team to clearly define the project scope of work (SoW) and further translation of SoW into a detailed implementation plan with regular review to ensure project scope remains relevant to contextual changes.
7. Develop overall project documents including detailed implementation plans, budget and spending plans, Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) plans, procurement plans and ensure the implementation of these plans.
8. Keep tracking of project progress against approved implementation plan and update management about progress, bottlenecks causing delays in delivery, challenges encountered and suggested solutions.
9. Work closely with the technical advisors, especially the Emergency Food Security and Livelihoods and Cash Adviser (EFSVLC), Gender Coordinator, and Policy Lead, as well as support staff for guidance and managerial support to implement the project in line with the approved project objectives.
10. Conduct detail review of BvA on regularly basis and advise on budget and implementation plans’ adjustment accordingly.
11. Participate and represent Oxfam in monthly and quarterly area coordination meetings, including emergency livelihood sub-cluster (ELC) at Ninewa, Food Security Cluster, DSN, and CWG.
12. Hold full responsibility of Oxfam’s Program Management system (OPAL) is updated relevant for the project for the assigned project.
13. Work with MEAL team for monitoring and evaluating the project regularly, ensuring community participation as appropriate, as well as accountability towards communities;
14. Follow up on MEAL activities and findings ensuring that learning from monitoring and evaluation is included and strategies and program implementation are adapted accordingly;
15. Ensure that risk management and contingency planning is included at all stages of the program;

Reporting

1. Develop project progress reports for the donor in collaboration with project staff, technical coordinators, funding coordinator and support teams. Ensure narrative reporting and financial accounting meet Oxfam and donor’s requirements;
2. Ensure that budgets are drawn up for all activities, and that activities costs are kept within budgets.
3. Prepare monthly situation reports (financial and narrative) to update management on program progress achieved, program plans, changes in direction and challenges encountered.
4. Ensure that program staff provide an appropriate level of accurate progress reports and conduct detailed revision to ensure accuracy before sending it for sign-off of management.
5. Support and assist project staff and technical coordinators in development and implementation of appropriate monitoring systems and procedures for measuring both progress and impact.

What we are looking for

Our next Project Manager Livelihoods will require:

• University degree in the relevant field (e.g. Gender studies, social sciences or related discipline) or equivalent experience;
• Minimum 5 years experience of working in the humanitarian and development sector; especially in the gender and livelihood sector.
• Experience of working in livelihoods interventions like enterprise development, business management training, youth, and women economic empowerment program.
• Experience of engagement with the private sector, market actors, and business support services providers.
• Experience and skills in playing a supportive role, demonstrating the ability to support field teams’ members to deliver results for operational work.
• Demonstrated understanding and experience in Cash and Voucher Programming in a humanitarian & development context.
• Experience of working with an NGO – especially in project implementation, monitoring, and evaluation.
• A good understanding of the Iraqi context and cultures.
• An understanding of gender, protection and diversity issues in livelihoods and economic development programs.
• Strong communication & interpersonal skills, community mobilization experience and ability to work in teams.
• Ability to travel and to work in difficult circumstances.
• MS Office Skills (Word, Excel) and good spoken and written English and Arabic is an advantage

Essential

• Good written and spoken English, as well as strong spoken and written Arabic is an advantage

Desirable

• A good understanding of the Iraqi/Kurdish context and cultures.