BHA Project Manager at International Rescue Committee

Responding to humanitarian, early recovery and development needs in the DRC since 1996, IRC-DRC is guided by its core principles of capacity-building, participation, partnership, protection and promotion of human rights. The IRC’s main areas of intervention are health (including nutrition, sexual and reproductive health), protection, education, governance and peacebuilding.

Job description

Within the framework of the Emergency response in health and protection for crisis-affected people in the North-East of DRC” project, funded by BHA for a two-year period, the IRC provides emergency healthcare and protection services to the most vulnerable categories of conflict-affected and displaced populations of Grand Nord Kivu and Ituri. To ensure the effective implementation and close monitoring of activities in these two provinces, the IRC is looking to hire a highly experienced, dynamic and upstanding Chief of Project. S/he will be supervised by the Senior Programs Coordinator and will benefit from the technical support and guidance of the Health and Protection Technical Coordinators. If you are motivated and diligent to high quality humanitarian projects, if you have a strong background in project management and very good planning skills, as well as solid communication and coordination skills (in French and in English), the IRC encourages you to apply.

Reporting lines

• The Chief of Project will be supervised by the Senior Programs Coordinator.

• S/he will benefit from the technical support and guidance of the Health and Protection Technical Coordinators.

• S/he will directly supervise both Deputy Chief of Project in charge of the implementation of the project in each province.

• S/he will indirectly supervise the entire project team.

Responsibilities

The Chief of Project ‘s main mission will be to ensure the implementation of a quality project that meets the needs of beneficiaries in the intervention zones of Ituri and North Kivu. Responsible for the good management of the project and the supervision of the team, s/he will ensure good coordination between the Programs, Operations and Finance departments. S/he also is in charge of planning and follow-up of all aspects of the project (activities, M&E indicators, procurement, expenditures and recruitments). Responsible for the quality and harmonization of interventions across the two provinces, s/he will have to create a collaborative working environment, where learning, introspective analysis, innovative thinking and troubleshooting can take place safely, always with the objective of ensuring accountability to our beneficiaries and donors. S/he will make regular field visits to support the team, supervise their work, observe the activities’ implementation, help maintain good relations with all partners, and hereby facilitate access and acceptance of the IRC in the intervention areas.

1.Project planning

• Develop a global strategy for the implementation and monitoring of the project, based on existing tools for planning, project meetings, technical, logistical, and financial monitoring.

• Prioritize and organize activities and resources, in order to achieve the project’s objectives.

• Ensure that EVD and COVID-19 prevention measures are taken into account in the preparation and implementation of all protection and health activities.

2. Monitoring of Project Implementation

• Organize and facilitate weekly meetings with the project team in order to: update one another on upcoming activities and completed ones; identify the needs and challenges faced by the staff every day; stimulate collective thinking and troubleshooting; review the following week’s priorities; and make adjustments to the plan(s) if vital.

• Update the main planning tools (i.e. work plan, procurement plan and spending plan) on a bi weekly basis.

• Prepare updates on the progress made under all aspects of the project, and present them to other departments during the project cycle meetings (PCMs) convened in collaboration with the Grants Department.

• Prepare, consolidate and share monthly activity reports with the local and national coordination bodies. These reports will feature challenges and support needs faced by the team.

• Ensure the progressive, rational and exhaustive consumption of the budget allocated to the project, by comparing frequently the approved budget versus the online BvA System, and by updating regularly the procurement and spending plans accordingly.

• Coordinate with the Logistics and Finance Departments to make corrections as needed, based on the information displayed in the BvA (e.g. expenses to recode, duplications to eliminate).

• Anticipate (as much as possible), analyze and mitigate risks that weigh on project implementation.

• Through effective M&E systems, ensure that the project is timely implemented and that all the objectives are achieved.

• Report to the management any difficulties or unforeseen issues that require swift collective thinking and decision-making.

• With the help of the technical coordinators, ensure that humanitarian principles, the Ministry of Public Health’s policies, international standards and IRC’s own standards are known, respected and adhered to by the entire project team.

• Ensure that all activities carried out on the field are in line with the commitments made to the donor, to the communities and to the IRC’s partners.

3. Quality Control/MEAL

• Carry out regular supervision visits to the field in both provinces to: observe the progress made by the team in achieving the intended objectives; supervise the quality of activities; and coach staff as needed.

• Ensure that all quantitative and qualitative data required for project monitoring and reporting is adequately collected, consolidated and shared with the MEAL Department in a timely manner.

• Organize quarterly meetings (at a minimum) to: analyze data and the impact and quality of interventions; ponder whether we should withdraw from a health area once the exit criteria are met; and make decisions accordingly.

• In collaboration with the MEAL Coordinator and Technical Coordinators, ensure that lessons learned from the project are properly discussed, analyzed and documented with the team, and duly taken into account in the planning and modalities of the next interventions.

• In collaboration with the MEAL Coordinator, ensure that effective and transparent accountability mechanisms are put in place, so that community feedback, complaints and requests are regularly and adequately collected, analyzed and addressed.

4. Administration and operational management of project implementation

Finance

• Every two weeks, review and consolidate the spending plans of both Deputy Heads of Project, in line with their procurement plans, work plans and recruitment plans.

• On a monthly basis, support both Deputy Chief of Project with cash needs forecasts and their submission to the Field Management and Finance Department, to avoid any delay in the implementation of activities.

• On a monthly basis (at least), reconcile the incurred and planned expenditures, in collaboration with the Finance Department.

Logistics

• Coordinate with Logistics to plan the purchase, transportation, delivery, storage and distribution of the supplies required for implementation.

• To facilitate this coordination, update and share procurement plans with Logistics on a biweekly basis, considering the information provided by the BvA System.

• Participate in quality controls and bidding committees to select suppliers (whenever needed).

• Control the quality of the supplies and equipment ordered and delivered.

• Ensure the proper management and utilization of project supplies and equipment.

Reporting/Transparency

• Regularly advise the teams – including the coordination bodies – of progress made and challenges faced.

• Compile/write narrative reports for internal and external use and share them with the Grants Department and Technical Coordinators. Abide by the deadlines set internally.

• Ensure that all activity reports, beneficiary lists, service contracts, workshop & training attendance sheets, etc. are adequately prepared, completed and filed, in accordance with IRC procedures and the Senior Programs Coordinator’s guidelines.

• Ensure that the project team is well aware of and aligns with the IRC’s code of conduct and policies.

Security

• Ensure that all security conditions are met before sending staff to the field, by consulting the Field Management and the Security Department.

• Regularly analyze with them the evolution of the security situation in the targeted areas.

• Prepare and sensitize the team on security challenges on the field and the importance of aligning with the IRC’s safety protocols during each intervention.

• Encourage the team to report to the Security Department all incidents and rumors they are aware of.

Administration/HR

• Participate in the team’s recruitment process by developing/reviewing the project’s org chart, job descriptions, terms of reference, technical tests and/or by sitting on recruitment panels.

• Ensure that each team member knows, understands and fulfils one’s role and responsibilities.

• Lead the project team, in collaboration with the Field Management and in consultation with the Technical Coordinators and the Senior Programs Coordinator.

• Create a positive and constructive working environment and promote team spirit.

• Ensure that performance objectives are set annually by each direct supervisor for each member of the project team.

• Ensure that the performance of each team member is regularly assessed and discussed with the staff, in light of their career plans.

• Manage and mitigate interpersonal conflicts.

• Build the capacity of the project team members, in accordance with their individual needs.

External and internal relations

• Support, facilitate and carry out liaison and communication activities with beneficiaries, the local authorities (both administrative and traditional ones), the technical state services, the IRC’s partners, and other Partners all along the project.

• Involve in alert coordination mechanisms, rapid needs assessments and responses to emergencies through: close communication with the CORAH and other humanitarian actors; active participation in coordination meetings; the dissemination of new alerts; response to alerts received (e.g. triggering a rapid needs’ assessment), etc.

• Ensure the IRC is appropriately represented in exchanges with the local and provincial authorities, the clusters and working groups, on health and protection issues.

• Ensure that all exchanges with beneficiaries take place in a respectful and responsive manner.

• If requested by management, facilitate the preparation of official field visits (e.g. donors, senior IRC staff) and participate in donor meetings.

Job Requirements

Experience, skills & quality

• Master’s degree in public health, medicine, social sciences or equivalent.

• Strong experience in the management of health, protection and multi-sector projects (minimum of 4 years’ experience with an international NGO), particularly in emergency contexts (minimum of 2 years’ experience). (Working experience within health centers located in rural areas or in unstable security contexts will be an asset).

• Prior collaboration with other INGOs, the Provincial Health Authorities, the Health Zone Authorities, and community-based organizations will be valued too.

• Excellent coordination, communication and motivational skills.

• Excellent organizational, planning and prioritization skills.

• Strong experience in significant budget management (8 million dollars) and monitoring of expenditures.

• Strong experience in team management and capacity-building (through coaching, training and formative supervision).

• Very good analytical, deductive and writing skills in French and in English. (Fluency in Swahili and local languages spoken in North Kivu and Ituri will be an asset).

• Good knowledge of M&E processes and basic financial and logistical processes.

• Good knowledge of the Congolese health financing system and the selectively free healthcare policy.

• Good knowledge of the humanitarian sector and US institutional grants (BHA).

• Good knowledge of the Office package (Word, Excel, Power Point).

• Spirit of initiative and ability to work autonomously.

• Great human and interpersonal qualities (e.g. patience, open-mindedness, pedagogy).

• Previous experience of working in a multicultural team.

• Awareness of the great responsiveness, flexibility and ability to work under pressure expected from an emergency response project manager.

• High integrity.

• Respect of the IRC standards of professional conduct

Standards of Professional Conduct: All IRC workers must respect the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – Code of Conduct and ensure their respect in their teams. They should therefore promote and ensure integrity, equality, service and accountability in their daily work. In accordance with these values, all IRC workers must align with the IRC’s policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Harassment-Free Workplaces, Fraud, Human Trafficking, and Transparency. They must ensure that their staff and colleagues abide by these policies too. The Chief of Project will therefore be responsible for promoting and enforcing these standards of professional at work.

Diversity, Inclusion and Gender Equality: IRC recognizes and honors the fundamental value and dignity of all individuals. We are an equal opportunity employer and consider all applicants on the basis of merit regardless of race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, veteran status or disability. IRC is also committed to reducing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide a conducive environment for women to participate in our workforce, including parental leave, gender-sensitive safety protocols, and other supportive benefits.

National applicants living abroad: IRC strives to attract, empower and retain qualified national personnel in our programs. We strongly encourage national or national applicants from the diaspora to apply for this position. If you are a national of the country in which this position is based and currently reside outside your home country and have more than two years of international professional experience, the IRC has put in place a package of support for taking up service in the country and attractive remuneration.

CV to be submitted in English or French

We will ensure that people with disabilities are provided with reasonable accommodations to participate in the recruitment process, to perform critical job functions and to receive other employment benefits and privileges. Please contact us for any information relating to this provision.