Overview
Creative seeks a Project Manager (PM) for the Communities in Transition Division for a small grants-focused project in Central America. The Project Manager (PM) works under general supervision and performs a variety of complex work assignments within their project area with a project implementation focus. The Project Manager may assume responsibilities for projects typically of $3M in funding, depending upon variables such as the complexity, projected timeline of the projects, and geographic location of the work. Work involves guiding activities through work plans from concept to closure, working with multiple teams and ensuring coordination and collaboration between HQ and the field. The Project Manager may oversee junior staff providing project backstopping support for financial, contractual, and programs. The Project Manager travels internationally for field projects and reconnaissance activities and contributes to the successful and compliant implementation of assigned projects. This position identifies and helps resolve potential project implementation problems. The Project Manager drafts programmatic documents and reports; coordinates operational, research, and logistical support to project staff and consultants. As part of the HQ team, the Project Manager works closely with field teams and contributes to technical aspects of program design and implementation, as well as business development and proposal activities. This position is contingent upon donor funding.
Responsibilities
- Oversees assigned project management staff;
- Ensures that Projects under PM oversight achieve contractual deliverables with technical distinction, meet fiscal targets, are well planned, resourced and properly tracked;
- Tracks aspects of project performance; oversees project implementation of approved activities, monitoring timelines, tracking budgets, and supporting subcontract performance and financial management;
- Represents Creative before projects; communicates with client representatives, i.e. CORs and AORs as well as other partners;
- Resolves issues in project start-up and close-down; manages project backstopping, key field personnel support, consultant agreements; processing of project finance transactions, invoices, approval and handling of program files, transaction files, etc.;
- Provides/backstops field projects on technical, financial, and administrative tasks, as assigned;
- Supports key field personnel; may coordinate mobilizations and demobilizations of expatriates and TCNs;
- Develops and monitors consultant agreements, assures coordination of travel and logistics, and oversees the facilitation of payment requests; may handle grants management activities, as needed;
- Recommends improvements to project management standard operating procedures;
- Ensures compliance of project-related documentation including work plans, staff records, communications, and transactions ensuring they are properly documented, including reviewing project-related invoices;
- Participates in pertinent new business development endeavors; contributes to proposal preparation in technical/geographic areas closely connected to projects in the portfolio, including participating and/or leading reconnaissance and fact-finding trips in preparation for bids;
- Elevates risks and opportunities to senior project management;
- Reviews, and may prepare, project reports, and other material such as success stories, interventions and innovations;
- Participates in project learning and data driven adaptation; and
- Serves as a liaison with Creative’s support units, including HR, Finance & Contracts, Procurement, Field Operations, Communications, etc. Qualifications
- Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant field and eight years of relevant experience, or a Master’s degree and six years of relevant experience;
- Working proficiency in Spanish (reading, writing, speaking);
- Short term technical assignments totaling at least four months of field time;
- Experience supervising the work of junior staff members;
- Considerable skill and experience in U.S. government donor regulations;
- Experience in an international development donor funded setting and interacting with client representatives and other project stakeholders;
- Experience in writing reports; developing and monitoring proposal and project budgets;
- Experience in procuring goods and services and working with consultants and vendors;
- Experience organizing and managing program/project knowledge/information;
- Strong writing and editing skills; excellent communication, organizational, and analytical skills;
- Ability to assume responsibilities for project of approximately $3M in funding;
- Ability to work well in a team environment as well as independently;
- Ability to multi-task under tight deadlines; ability to travel internationally on short notice; and
- Comprehensive knowledge of Microsoft programs (Excel, PowerPoint, MS project, etc.).
PI147245220