Health and Stabilisation Project Manager (M/W)

1. Context and project description

The Syrian conflict keeps on imposing a devastating and lasting impact on Syria and across the region. With the conflict in its tenth year, the needs of the affected populations for assistance, including 13.4 million people inside the country, continue to be overwhelming. The population of North-East Syria is in particular need of essential services, such as health services.

In that context, and since 2013, Expertise France has developed and manages direct stabilization projects to conflict affected communities in Syria, including through support to health services and health sector coordination.

Health Recovery in North East Syria Project

The project aims at strengthening stability and resilience of populations in North East Syria by improving their living conditions, and in particular regarding health services. The first phase of the project has been implemented by Expertise France in partnership with local partners since August 2019 and the second phase will start in September 2021. The project is funded by the European Union and the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The second phase of the project will be articulated around 2 main components:

1. Health services delivery : support to the activities of seven health care facilities, to reproductive maternal newborn and child health (RMNCH), to capacity building of health workers and to data collection;
2. Health sector coordination: support to harmonized procedures, approaches and capacity building in various fields such as RMNCH.

More information can be found here: https://www.expertisefrance.fr/web/guest/fiche-projet?id=834874

2. Mission description

The Project Manager will be in charge of the overall steering and implementation of the Health Recovery in North East Syria Project.

Under the supervision of the Programme Director in Erbil and in close coordination with the Desk officer in EF Headquarters (HQ) in Paris, he/she will carry out the following activities;

Project planning and implementation of activities

• Develop the overall and detailed project planning according to the logical framework
• Follow-up activities implementation on daily basis
• Ensure that the programme remains within the remit of its initial design, budget and proposal. Propose adjustments when necessary and communicate needs for external support to HQ
• Ensure compliance of activities implementation with donor rules and contractual obligations as well as with EF regulations and procedures
• Perform any other related duties upon instructions

Monitoring and Evaluation and Reporting

• Update detailed project planning on a monthly basis
• Help updating M&E system to monitor the project and indicators to enable regular assessment in association with the M&E advisor and in link with third-party monitors when relevant (TPM)
• Prepare and report to HQ on a monthly basis on project expenditure, forecast, progress and challenges, coordinate with the HQ Desk officer the preparation and holding of quarterly project operational and financial reviews – ensure timely preparation of deliverables as per EF requirements (PME tools, detailed financial forecast, etc.)
• Prepare donor narrative and financial reports for HQ validation prior to formal submission
• Lead on, in coordination with the Programme Director and HQ Desk officer, the preparation and holding of Steering Committees as per contract obligations

Budget management

• Develop the budget planning and update it regularly in association with the Admin and Finance Manager and the Grant Officer
• Steer the project budget, ensure efficient distribution of resources, maintain detailed budget forecast to maximize the use of available resources
• Monitor project expenditures, including implementing partners’ forecasts and expenditures, and ensure that the budget consumption level is updated on a monthly basis in association with the Admin and Finance Manager and the Grant Officer
• Prepare and update relevant procurement and HR plans as per project needs

Human Resources and Team Management

• Manage the project team comprised of 2 POs, field officers and project experts. Ensure clear delineation of responsibilities, determine yearly objectives for supervised staff, and evaluate performance
• Maintain good and efficient work conditions in order to meet programme objectives
• Ensure and maintain good and efficient work relationship of project team with the other office units (finance, admin, com, M&E)
• Ensure good and efficient working relationship with HQ Stabilization and Resilience Unit
• Supervise the recruitment of local staff and assess the level of skills required
• Ensure knowledge transfer and team capacity

Strategy and Coordination (with the support of the Health Project Officer)

• Ensure good and efficient project’ communication and visibility, lead on communication and visibility opportunities (seminars, publications, etc.) and liaise closely with the Com officer on communication deliverables
• Consolidate and analyse context information, research and learning into a feasible strategy adapted to the EF activities in the health/stabilisation sector in Syria
• Liaise with other project implementing agencies, donors and partners on site on the analysis, proposals and field activities
• Participate in various forums, sectorial coordination meeting, thematic groups and clusters on Heath sector or Stabilization in Syria
• Ensure that linkages to other programs implemented in the area are established and program is implemented in coordinated way

3. Required profile

Qualification

• A master’s degree in political or social science, international development, community development, ideally related to public health or humanitarian sectors;

Experience

• At least 7 years of professional experience working on donor funded project. An experience on EU funding would be considered as an asset;
• At least 3 years of project management experience as project manager. An experience of early recovery/development project management in an international context would be considered as an asset ;
• Experience in management and capacity building of teams in complex contexts;
• Experience working with local NGOs as partners;

Knowledge and skills

• Good assessment, analytical, monitoring & evaluating, reporting and planning skills;
• Good budget management skills;
• Good coordination, interpersonal and team work skills;
• Ability to work with diplomacy and tact within different cultural contexts requiring cultural sensitivity;
• Understanding and knowledge of health sector ideally in a war context;
• Fluent in written and spoken English. Arabic is an asset.