Myanmar: Project Manager Multisector

Fixed term | 6 months | ASAP

ACTED

Since 1993, as an international non-governmental organization, ACTED has been committed to immediate humanitarian relief to support those in urgent need and protect people’s dignity, while co-creating longer term opportunities for sustainable growth and fulfilling people’s potential.

ACTED endeavors to respond to humanitarian crises and build resilience; promote inclusive and sustainable growth; co-construct effective governance and support the building of civil society worldwide by investing in people and their potential.

We go the last mile: ACTED’s mission is to save lives and support people in meeting their needs in hard to reach areas. With a team of 4,600 national staff 400 international staff, ACTED is active in 38 countries and implements more than 500 projects a year reaching over 20 million beneficiaries.

ACTED Myanmar

ACTED has been present in Myanmar since 2008, with bases in Loikaw (Kayah State), Sittwe (Rakhine State), and Yangon. Through both emergency and longer-term resilience building programming in Myanmar, ACTED seeks to work towards its global strategy of achieving a Zero Exclusion, Zero Carbon, Zero Poverty world.

Since 2012, ACTED’s work in Myanmar has focussed on supporting sustainable livelihoods and economic development, in both urban and rural areas of Kayah and Rakhine States, through skills training; climate-smart agriculture; business development support; and linkages with private sector actors. In Rakhine State, this support for economic self-reliance has often been implemented alongside the provision of humanitarian assistance to conflict-affected communities, and social cohesion initiatives. Today, in light of the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian and security conditions in Myanmar since the events of February 2021, ACTED is significantly scaling up its emergency response programming. This entails providing life-saving food security, nutrition, and protection assistance to crisis-affected communities, particularly in Kayah State. In 2022 for the first time, ACTED is also delivering emergency humanitarian assistance in Yangon. However, in line with ACTED’s belief that – even in a crisis setting – every individual should be supported to achieve their creative and economic potential, all the emergency assistance we deliver in Myanmar is implemented with a view towards restoring self-reliance to affected communities, and supporting them towards long-term recovery, right from the start of a crisis.

You will be in charge of

1. Project Planning & Accountability

Continuously analyse the evolving humanitarian and development context in Myanmar – including barriers to operations – using an adaptive management approach, to ensure that the project activities and objectives remain relevant, meaningful, and realistic. Communicate regularly with the Country Director and the project donor to share insight on the evolving context, and propose any changes necessary to ensure maximum positive impact of the project on affected communities

Develop an overall implementation strategy and multi-year workplan for the project

Participate in the recruitment of the project team, including the design of ToRs and participation in interviews

Organize the project kick-off meeting, in coordination with all key internal and external stakeholders

Support the Deputy PMs to plan the various stages of project implementation, and set direction by prioritizing and organizing activities and resources to achieve the project’s objectives

Ensure that Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP) is prioritised through every activity and phase of the project implementation, and that all project staff are capacitated in AAP and Do No Harm principles

Work closely with ACTED’s independent Appraisal, Monitoring & Evaluation Unit (AMEU) to ensure the Complaints & Response Mechanism (CRM) is properly implemented throughout all locations and phases of the project, and that feedback from affected communities directly feeds into continued improvement, through ACTED’s adaptive management approach

Coordinate closely with ACTED Myanmar’s Country Director and Protection Technical Coordinator to ensure that mechanisms are in place for all 4 pillars of PSEA risk management (prevention; identification; response; deterrence) throughout all locations and phases of the project, including PSEA reporting systems

2. Project Implementation Follow-up

Oversee the implementation of the project’s inception phase activities, including a rapid market assessment to deliver concrete recommendations on the most appropriate modalities (cash vs in-kind) for delivering humanitarian assistance to vulnerable groups in various locations of Myanmar

Coordinate with ACTED Myanmar’s Security team, Country Director, and HQ Security to ensure that emergency cash, nutrition, and protection assistance reaches the most vulnerable communities, whilst prioritising at all times the safety of ACTED staff and communities we serve

Support Deputy Project Managers to ensure that the technical emergency response teams deliver accountable emergency nutrition and protection assistance to vulnerable groups

Support Deputy Project Managers to ensure that the technical agriculture teams design and deliver high quality climate-smart agriculture support, using the Farmer Field Schools approach

Support Deputy Project Managers to ensure that the technical vocational training teams conduct market assessments to identify relevant sectors for vocational training; and coordinate with suitable local structures to deliver vocational training courses, job fairs, and internship programmes

Coordinate closely with the 3Zero House Coordinator and relevant external stakeholders to ensure the careful planning and launch of the Yangon 3ZHouse

Ensure macro-level oversight of the multiple phases, locations, and sectors of the project implementation, zooming-in as required, to address blocking points or operational challenges

Organize regular project coordination meetings with the project team

Review progress against the project targets and outputs on at least a monthly basis, and address any delays or challenges, communicating openly on these to the Country Director

Review project budget expenditure and forecasting in coordination with the Country Finance Manager to ensure accurate monthly financial analysis and problem identification

Ensure that the project is implemented in accordance with relevant ACTED technical guidelines and standards

Anticipate and mitigate risks and trouble-shoot any unforeseen challenges during the project implementation

Use ACTED internal project management tools (Project Management Framework) to keep a continual overview of the project status, to identify, flag, and address project risks, and to report to the Country Director

3. Administration and Operational Management of Project Implementation

3.1. Finance

a) Review the project Budget Follow-Up on a monthly basis in coordination with the Finance team, and provide accurate cash and expenditure forecasts, including detailed BOQs

b) Forecast monthly cash requirements of the project and submit to AC

3.2. Logistics

a) Contribute to the development of Procurement plans

b) Send accurate and precise order forms in a timely manner

c) Contribute to quality checks and procurement committees to finalise suppliers’ selection according to applicable scenario

d) Confirm quality of material selection if and when applicable

e) Ensure a proper management and use of the project assets and stocks

f) Plan team movements based on available fleet and applicable policies

3.3. Administration/HR

a) Participate in the recruitment of technical staff (development of organigrams, ToRs, elaborating the tests and reviewing them; interviews etc)

b) Ensure that project staff understand and are able to perform their roles and responsibilities

c) Follow-up the work plans and day-to-day activities of the project staff

d) Manage the project staff in cooperation with Area Coordinators

e) Ensure a positive working environment and good team dynamics

f) Undertake regular appraisals of staff and follow career management

g) Manage interpersonal conflicts

c) Ensure capacity building among staff in relevant sectors

3.4. Transparency

a) Ensure project records and documents (e.g. beneficiary lists, donation certificates, attendance sheets etc) are adequately prepared, compiled and filed according to ACTED procedures

b) Ensure staff awareness of, and respect of, ACTED’s Code of Conduct and FLATS procedures

3.5. Security

a) Ensure that each member of the project team is aware of security issues, policies, SOPs and they follow them accordingly

c) In cooperation with the relevant Security Officer, monitor the local security situation and inform the Country Director or Area Coordinator and Country or Area Security Officer of developments through regular written reports;

d) Contribute to the updating of the security guidelines in the project area of intervention;

4. External Relations

Support, facilitate or undertake communication and liaison activities to actively consult and involve beneficiaries, key informants, actors, partners and stakeholders in all stages of project design and implementation

Cultivate good relations with key humanitarian and economic development actors – both local and international – through regular attendance at technical meetings and bilateral meetings

Ensure that at all times contact with affected communities is conducted in a sensitive and respectful manner

Where relevant, liaise with donors and work closely with partners on project updates, site visits and other communication

Identify opportunities to collaborate and coordinate efforts with other organizations to ensure ACTED activities build upon – rather than replicate – the work of others

5. Quality Control

Assess the activities undertaken and ensure efficient use of resources;

Undertake regular field visits to provide technical guidance and supervision as well as regularly monitor the progress of project activities

Ensure lessons learned are documented, shared and reflected in project planning and decision making

Advise on, and assist with, project reviews conducted by AMEU

Ensure quality control, analysis of added-value and impact, identification and capitalization on best practices and lessons learnt and provide relevant feedback for new project development

Identify and analyse gaps, ACTED’s added value, synergies and opportunities in the areas the project(s) is / are implemented and pass relevant information to the N+1

6. Reporting

Provide regular and timely updates on progress and challenges to supervisors and other team members

Draft (internal) narrative reports and contribute to the development of financial reports through regular budgetary follow up.

Contribute to drafting of (external) project progress reports, ensuring the quality and accuracy of technical information provided

Expected skills and qualifications

• Project management experience in the required sector, in emergency and/or development
• Proven capabilities in leadership and management required (large team)
• Perfect verbal and written communication skills in English
• Knowledge of local language and/or regional experience is an asset
• Ability to work well under pressure

Conditions

• Salary defined by the ACTED salary grid depending on education level, expertise, security level and experience
• Living allowance of 300 USD
• Lodging and food provided in the ACTED Guesthouse / or housing allowance (depending on the contract lenght and country of assignement)
• Flight tickets in and out + Visa taken in charge by ACTED
• Provision of medical and repatriation insurances