PROJECT DIRECTOR – BANGLADESH At CARE

Job Summary:

CARE is one of the world’s leading international humanitarian and development organisations, committed to helping people in poor communities improve their lives and alleviate poverty. Founded in 1945, CARE is working across 104 countries to fight global poverty and marginalization. CARE has been active in Bangladesh since 1949 being one of the largest country offices of CARE. CARE works to help people achieve social and economic well-being, while being among the best in their fields. CARE put women and girls at the center of our work because we know that we cannot overcome poverty until all people have equal rights and opportunities. CARE Bangladesh is currently shifting towards a program approach, where it has developed longer-term impact visions to have more sustainable changes in the lives of the extreme poor and marginalized.

CARE seeks a Project Director for the USAID Partnership for an anticipated 5-year USAID project entitled W-GDP Women Thrive in Bangladesh Activity. The project will aim to economically empower women by creating decent work and ensuring a life of dignity. It aims to enhance skills and leadership of women in RMG and informal sector in peri-urban areas, build resilience of women workers and their communities to recover from Covid-19 related impact and increase responsiveness of institutions. The project will be implemented in Dhaka, Gazipur, Ashulia, Savar and Chittagong. The performance period for the award is slated to begin in or around July 2021. This position is subject to project award and funding.

The Project Director will have the responsibility to provide overall management of the project. S/he is responsible for developing a results oriented team and ensure that the project meets highest program quality. S/he is responsible for that is expected to advance the project activities independently and develop a results oriented team. The incumbent will be accountable for ensuring compliance of USAID and CARE Policies and ensure that the project has pre-emptive plans of risk management.

Qualifications:

1. Provide management oversight to the project
   • Provide strategic guidance to partners and project staff responsible for implementing various project components.
   • Provide leadership to technical experts and bring dynamic leadership for effective implementation to achieve desired outcomes.
   • Ensure the project achieves its outcome and output as identified in the approved project proposal.
   • Ensure all resources of the project are effectively planned and managed through-out the life of the project.
   • Develop, track and adapt project work-plans in consultation with relevant stakeholders
   • Oversee financial management as per USAID and CARE policies.
   • Ensure program activities are implemented on schedule and within the approved budget
   • Ensure strong collaboration with Women and Girls Empowerment Program and other USAID projects of CARE Bangladesh for alignment Develop timely budget forecasts, expenditure utilization projections and plans as required.
   • Manage project budget and other resources in line with approved plans and guidelines
   • Liaise, Maintain and Coordinate relationship with USAID.
   • Ensure that CARE’s PSHEA and Safety & security policies and procedures are applied to all program and staff operations.
   • With staff and partners, translate project goals and objectives into implementable strategies and plans. Monitor the progress and pace of project implementation, ensuring that the potential of the program is fully realized through the promotion of high-quality work and internal control.
   • Identify problems and risks associated with the timely implementation of activities and suggest appropriate adjustments to activities.
2. Ensure team building and performance management support to the project team
   • Provide guidance and leadership to develop staff capacities for ensuring excellence in quality of implementation.
   • Ensure that all project personnel (CARE and partner) receive necessary orientation and training required by the project (to CARE, to project design and plans etc) and other policy related compliance issues.
   • Provide regular supervision, coaching and mentoring support.
   • Enable staff development in line with team and individual development plans.
   • Nurture a positive learning culture and foster adaptive capacity of the project staff.
   • Ensure performance management plans are implemented.
   • Supervise and mentor senior staff, delegating responsibilities as appropriate. Clearly communicate expectations for staff performance.
   • Manage and supervise project staff and partners for the identification of all technical assistance needs of the project, development of appropriate frameworks, and recruitment of consultants and execution of technical assistance contracts.
   • Identify problems and risks associated with the timely implementation of activities and suggest appropriate adjustments to activities.
3. Ensure program quality, knowledge management and evidence based advocacy.
   • Ensure highest quality of implementation of approaches/methodologies are implemented in all aspects throughout the project cycle management.
   • Establish strong relationships with external stakeholders, including relevant government agencies, employers, duty bearers, relevant networks and civil society organizations.
   • Ensure strong mutually accountable relationships with stakeholders, CSOs and trade unions to enabling meaningful involvement of these actors in advocacy and implementation.
   • Provide overall guidance to plan, coordinate and manage the MEL framework including baseline, gender analysis, mid-term and final evaluation in close collaboration with relevant teams in CARE Bangladesh.
   • Ensure and oversee that adequate resources and systems are put in place to capture, document and share learning with relevant stakeholders for sharing learning/evidence, marketing, branding and visibility of the project.
   • Identify and address technical support needs of the project, working collaboratively with CARE Bangladesh teams and Care International counterparts.
   • Monitor the progress and pace of project implementation, ensuring that the potential of the program is fully realized through the promotion of high-quality work and internal control.
   • Oversee the preparation of quarterly and annual project activity reports, M&E reports, and other deliverables, as specified in the agreement. Report against the project’s targets.
4. Adhere to and support CARE Bangladesh’s Safety and Security policy and systems
   • CARE is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behavior at work including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity and financial misconduct and expects staff to promote the welfare of children, young people and adults at all times. CARE expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our Code of Conduct. We place a high priority on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate this commitment are recruited to work with us.

Qualifications:

• At least eight (08) years of relevant experience in leading programs focused on economic empowerment workforce development, women empowerment (USAID program management preferred); previous Chief of Party, Deputy Chief of Party, or with five years of senior management experience; Experience of Work in RMG Sector preferred.
• Candidates willing to be based in Gazipur will get priority.
• Master’s degree in a relevant field such as social science, economics etc.
• Proven exceptional leadership in the design, management, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of similar-sized international donor-supported programs, with skills in strategic planning and thinking. management, supervision and budgeting, and experience managing complex activities involving coordination with multiple program partner institutions (with strong preference for past USAID-funded project management experience);
• Demonstrated skills building and maintaining relationships with host governments, donors, other donor-funded projects and stakeholders, local organizations, and partners;
• Strong oral and written communication skills; excellent demonstrated interpersonal and negotiation skills;
• Experience in developing a project vision, aligning key stakeholders with that vision and ensuring that vision is translated into achievable strategies.
• Experience recruiting, developing, and leading multidisciplinary and multicultural teams, managing complex programs and ensuring project staff meet the highest standards for quality, relevance and on-time delivery;
• Experience managing required programmatic and financial reporting requirements.
• Experience with M&E is preferred.
• Demonstrated commitment to gender equity;
• Demonstrated skills to adapt the management of the program to the rapid evolution of the context
• Ability and willingness to travel as required.
• Fluency in English and Bangla is required.
• Computer proficiency in MS words, MS-Excel, MS Access, MS PowerPoint.