Overview
Background:
Creative Associates International is a dynamic, fast-growing global development firm that specializes in education, economic growth, governance and post-crisis stabilization. Based in Washington, D.C., Creative has a field presence in more than 25 countries with a strong client portfolio that includes the U.S. Agency for International Development and the State Department, among others. Since its founding in 1977, Creative has earned a solid reputation among its clients and is well-regarded by competitors and partners alike.
Position Summary:
Creative seeks a Project Manager (PM) for the Communities in Transition Division to support a regional USAID-West Africa funded project focusing on activities with the national Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) centers and with Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Togo, Benin, Guinea, Niger and Mali. The Project Manager’s (PM) two primary areas of focus are program implementation and business development. This position oversees day-to-day headquarters management of field projects, including technical design and implementation, grants management, financial forecasting and budget tracking, reporting and monitoring and evaluation, as well as identifying and helping resolve potential issues. As part of the HQ team, the Project Manager works closely to coordinate with field teams and HQ support divisions to ensure a seamless implementation of the projects they manage. Additionally, PMs support business development efforts for potential new programming, including research, information-gathering, program and budget design, and proposal writing. 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 business development activities and contributes to the successful and compliant implementation of assigned projects.
Reporting & Supervision:
PMs report to the Project Director. PMs may supervise junior level project management staff.
NOTE: Different projects require different levels of project management leadership skills based on their strategic importance, project profile and complexity, specificity, scope, and geographic location. Creative formally sanctions, and reserves the right to modify, the skill and position level(s) needed for each project.
Expected Outcomes:
Leadership
Projects are managed purposely, cohesively and efficiently. Project objectives are clear strategically, tactically and operationally. Challenges and potential implementation issues are preemptively identified and proactively addressed. PMs keep senior project leadership abreast of significant threats, implementation deficiencies and opportunities.
Project Management
Projects under PM oversight meet contractual obligations and fiscal targets in line with client and Creative’s administrative, financial, procurement and operational procedures. Projects are well-planned and human resource deployments, STTA, procurements are timely and effectively supported by HQ. Project staffing, project obligations, and reporting meet anticipated levels and high-quality standards and develop others’ knowledge and learning.
Financial Management
Projects under PM oversight meet performance targets and revenue projections. PMs proactively manage vacancies, non-billables, and foregone revenue. Projects requiring important course corrections or corporate support are elevated to senior management.
New Business Development
PMs play a key role by making contributions to proposal development and business development efforts. Projects under PM oversight demonstrate an entrepreneurial spirit; they are able to seize opportunities in the local marketplace, and to position the company and pave the way for the realization of new business opportunities. Opportunities for new business generation are created and nurtured. The company is visibly represented before stakeholders. Specific new business pursuits are well planned and timely executed. Activity design is conducted with insight and intellectual curiosity.
Responsibilities
Primary Responsibilities:
- Ensures that Projects under PM oversight achieve contractual deliverables with technical distinction, meet fiscal targets, are well planned, resourced and properly tracked;
- Tracks all aspects of project performance; oversees project implementation of approved activities, monitoring timelines, tracking budgets, and monitoring subcontract performance and financial management;
- Represents Creative, communicating with client representatives, i.e. CORs and AORs as well as other partners, as necessary;
- Manages grant programming, including reviewing grant materials, managing milestone deliverables and payments and liaising with Grants consultants in the field;
- Manages project backstopping, key field personnel support, consultant agreements; processing of project finance transactions, invoices, approval and handling of program files, transaction files, etc.;
- 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;
- Foresees and 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;
- Directly manages and ensures the project’s the timely development and implementation of quality products and knowledge-share events according to project KM plans in close collaboration with the KM team;
- Directly manages and ensures the timely and accurate tagging, uploading and tracking of KM project products in coordination with the KM team;
- Serves as a liaison with Creative’s support units, including HR, Finance & Contracts, Procurement, Field Operations, Communications, etc. Qualifications
Minimum Skills & 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;
- Fluency, or at least professional working ability, in French;
- Short term technical assignments totaling at least four months of field time, preferably in Francophone countries;
- Experience supporting small grants programs desired;
- Experience supervising the work of junior staff members as well as the management of field staff members on donor-funded projects;
- 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 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.).
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