Project Manager

Position Title: Project Manager (Shamil Project, Amman, Jordan)

Appointment: Long-term Consultant or Fixed-Term Employee

Contract Type: Consultant Contract or Full-time Employment Contract

Contract Term: Commencement date immediate to May 31, 2027

Location: Amman, Jordan

Total remuneration: Attractive base salary commensurate with experience plus deployment package

Reporting to: Team Leader for Shamil Project

About Shamil

Shamil: Technical Assistance for Comprehensive Social Protection is a core component of the United Kingdom’s £95 million, 5-year programme: Strengthening Societal and Economic Resilience in Jordan (SSERJ). The goal of the SSERJ programme is to support the Government of Jordan to build an inclusive and sustainable social protection system.

Shamil is a four-year project, beginning in June 2023 and expected to finish in May 2027. Shamil aims to help Jordan develop a social protection system that helps all individuals address risks across the lifecycle and from shocks; empowers women and persons with disabilities; and generates economic growth and a stronger social contract.

Shamil is implemented by Development Pathways, in partnership with Arab Renaissance for Democracy and Development (ARDD) and MMIS Management Consultants.

Purpose

The Project Manager will be responsible for managing and coordinating the effective delivery of Shamil, Development Pathways’ flagship social protection programme in Jordan.

The post holder will report to the Shamil Team Leader and support the management of Shamil’s overall workplan and operations. They will play a critical role in managing Shamil’s budget, financial and procurement procedures and financial reporting alongside day-to-day operations.

The Project Manager will be responsible for overseeing the Shamil project workplan and ensuring that team members deliver their tasks on time and on budget and will play a pivotal role in overseeing the processes for contracting and coordinating the work of a pool of international and national consultants providing technical assistance to Shamil. This post requires the person to employ the principles of adaptive management as and when required to respond to challenges as they emerge but at the same time be aware of cultural sensitivities.

The Project Manager will be a member of Shamil’s Senior Management Team and represent Shamil with the FCDO and other external stakeholders as required.

The role will line manage direct reports.

The post will be located in Amman, Jordan.

Main Responsibilities

Project Management (65%)

• Overall management of Shamil’s workplan and budget, in coordination with the Team Leader and Shamil Senior Management Team.
• Ensure Shamil’s activities are managed on time, on budget and compliant with the overall contract governing the project.
• Oversee Shamil’s workplan and coordinate processes for approving new activities via drafting and budgeting of Tasking Orders.
• Manage the process for approving any contractual changes with FCDO and ensure clear documentation is in place to support overall contract management.
• Ensure clear processes are in place to support the project team to deliver their tasks and responsibilities effectively and efficiently.
• Collect, analyse and report against project delivery and financial data on a regular basis, supporting additional deep-dives into project progress and challenges.
• Manage day-to-day relationships with internal team members, consortium delivery partners and consultants, and build solid understanding of delivery needs and timelines across Shamil’s broad range of activities.
• Ensure capacity is in place to deliver the project, undertake quality assurance processes and contracts against clear TORs.
• Ensure project Duty of Care (DoC) arrangements are in place and all travel follows the agreed travel and security processes.
• Conduct effective due diligence, onboarding and contract management of consultants.
• Lead the production of timely, high quality reports to the client each quarter including coordination of project team inputs, and on an ad hoc basis if required.
• Supervise finance and operations staff.
• Represent the project as required at official events and activities.

Financial and Contract Management (30%)

• Oversee and monitor financial forecasts, expenditure reports and project invoicing, with oversight from the Project Director.
• Provide timely client invoicing and support payment request approvals.
• Ensure Shamil’s financial targets are met and communicate any risks to meeting targets around over/under spending appropriately.
• Oversee management of consultants’ timesheets, invoices and expenses against contracts, and ensure these comply with Shamil project policies related to contracts.
• Ensure any procurement conducted by Shamil is managed in line with client contract compliance requirements and Shamil project procedures.
• Prepare internal project update reporting including finances and resourcing using required management tools.

Continuous operational improvement (5%)

• Provide support to strengthening policies, procedures and management tools for the Shamil project and Development Pathways more widely.
• Ensure appropriate application and compliance with Shamil operational policies and procedures as laid out in the Shamil Project Operations Manual, and update as needed.
• Coordinate with the wider project team to ensure technical capacity is well planned across Shamil’s different activities.
• Support effective knowledge management across Shamil and Development Pathways, based on project reporting and management activities.
• Signpost colleagues to relevant project management tools and processes, when required.
• Provide training to staff on key policies and processes around project and financial management.
• Support coordination of the close out of the programme during the exit phase.
• Provide ad hoc input to evolving organisational requirements as directed by the Team Leader and Project Director.

Required Skills

The Project Manager will require the following combination of applied skills, knowledge and behaviours to successfully contribute to team goals:

Essential

• An undergraduate degree in a relevant subject.
• At least five years’ experience working within international development, research and/or the consultancy sector.
• Demonstrable experience in project management and/or operations, ideally within an international development setting.
• Strong financial management skills and experience managing budgets above £5 million.
• Ability to analyse and effectively use financial information.
• Experience of working with delivery partners including procurement and contract management.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills are essential with a demonstratable ability to work within a diverse, multicultural team with strong cross-cultural skills and sensitivity.
• An ability to build, develop and maintain relationships with a variety of stakeholders, showing diplomacy, sensitivity and decisiveness.
• Ability to prioritise, plan and organise workflow to tight timeframes, handle multiple tasks and be flexible with changing priorities.
• Proven ability to resolve problems, anticipate barriers and create practical solutions including proactive response to managing delivery risks.
• Fully capable with Microsoft Office and an aptitude for digital tools.
• Excellent attention to detail and the ability to ensure high quality standards for a variety of written and financial outputs.
• Line management experience.

Desirable

• Experience working with the UK Government as a client or funder including familiarity with FCDO budget and financial reporting tools.
• Familiarity of working within consortium projects.
• Arabic language.