Senior Project Manager (LEAN) at Rainforest Alliance

The Senior Project Manager will act as the Consortium Lead and will provide close supervision to the management team of the LEAN (Landscapes and Environmental Agility across the Nation) project. The Senior Project Manager will be the main point of contact for the European Commission (EC) and will have the responsibility of managing the consortium partnership. The postholder will manage all high level internal and external engagements including the media as well as lead in developing and implementing communication plan. The postholder will proactively identify opportunities for collaborative partnership between the project and external stakeholders

The Senior Project Manager will facilitate documentation and dissemination of lessons learned and best practices on successful interventions to promote rapid scale-up and continuous improvement of Integrated Landscape Management practices in the region.

The postholder will be reporting to the Director for Strategic Projects in West Africa and be responsible for successful planning, implementation, reporting, monitoring & evaluation (M&E) of the overall project to meet its objectives and goal.

Responsibilities:

A. Leadership and Project Management

• Responsible for the sound execution of the LEAN Project, taking full responsibility for project implementation, deliverable monitoring and budgetary execution; internal and external communication, preparation of reports and managing relationships with implementing partners, beneficiaries and stakeholders; complying with consortium agreements and donor rules and internal Rainforest Alliance procedures;
• Engages and coordinates a consortium of 4 partners and over 20 staff together with relevant Rainforest Alliance departments for consultation and collaboration of interventions. Uses the project´s Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) system´s metrics to make adaptive project management decisions;
• Engages and cooperates with main private and public sectors at sub-regional and national levels relating to the LEAN project and in close collaboration with the project partners and Rainforest Alliance local teams.
• Align programmatic work of consortium partners with strategic plans of the project through developing landscape level strategies and annual plans.
• Work in close collaboration with consortium partners, builds a high performing, results-oriented and mission driven team that reflects the vision and culture, creating a positive work environment for project staff.
• Fosters structures and processes for effective collaboration and sharing of knowledge and capacity within the consortium and with all other relevant external stakeholders, at the national, regional and global level.
• Engages and cooperate on major sustainability and landscape issues with main private and public sectors at national and sub-regional level.
• Identify and assess potential risks on the project and adopt appropriate risk mitigation measures to address them
• Oversees the design and implementation of annual workplans plans and budgets.

B. Advocacy and External Engagement:

• Develop and maintain functional partnerships with government, project stakeholders, private sector, farmers, partners, platforms, NGOs, and other stakeholders.
• Enhance reputation, credibility and positioning of the LEAN project, partners of the consortium (World Vision Ghana, Tropenbos Ghana and EcoCare Ghana); and the Rainforest Alliance work in Ghana.
• Contributes to sector transformation and advocacy for sustainable landscape management by supporting Rainforest Alliance and consortium partners and other selected programs, advancing a positive enabling environment, and engaging key stakeholders.
• Represents the project at key events, presentations, policy forums and roundtables.
• In collaboration with the Communications colleagues and department, develops and disseminates communications materials on landscape work in the project and beyond.

C. Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning

• Develop the project´s MEL Plan, including tools, processes and responsibilities to track project progress, assess its achievements, address the project´s challenges and risks, and documents its lessons learned, with support of the project´s Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Officers
• Technically supports the design and implementation by the project´s Landscape Governance Bodies of context-specific, LandScale-based M&E systems in each of the project´s target landscapes;
• Collaborates with the project´s Senior MEL Officer in designing and conducting projects baseline, mid-term, and end of project studies to understand needs, gaps, and opportunities for achieving rural development outcomes in the context of business and local community needs, and to assess the project´s contribution to such outcomes; and
• With support from project staff and implementing partners prepares quality and timely project performance technical reports as required by the project´s Steering Committee, donor, stakeholders and other Rainforest Alliance colleagues and departments as may be required;

D. Grant Compliance and other Responsibilities

• Identifies and ensures best practice procedures are adhered to.
• Comply with the Specific and General rules of the donor (EC)
• Ensure compliance of all consortium partners to the Specific and General rules of the donor (EC)
• Comply with the Rainforest Alliances Subgrant Management and Monitoring policy protocols, including the due diligence process
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• MSc or BSc degree in Agriculture, forestry, social sciences or relevant field with at least 10 years of work experience;
• Minimum 10 years experience of project management, grant-making and relationship management;
• Ability to develop and maintain strong relationships of trust and confidence with project partners, colleagues, producer groups and local stakeholders;
• Ability to work within a team structure as well as independently, under pressure and stay focused, be creative and take initiative;
• Strong verbal and written communication skills and a high level of diplomacy and professionalism;
• Strong organizational skills to manage multiple priorities in a time sensitive manner;
• Ability to understand and analyse data in various formats, aggregate information and report on trends and findings, with ability to think strategically and creatively.
• Strong background in monitoring, evaluation and learning;
• Experience in computer Microsoft Office (Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Publisher) – familiar with modern enterprise video communications and the use of IT technologies and/or various landscape management applications; and added advantage of experience with software programs including ArcGIS, Global Mapper, SPSS, KOBO Toolbox
• Has hands-on experience in co-designing and implementation of cost-effective performance-based and community-based monitoring systems, and the collection, management, analysis and reporting of high-quality output and outcome indicator data;
• Proven experience in developing financial and program management tools and processes, including financial reporting budget guidance, work plans and monitoring templates.
• Experience advising and supervising field teams or consultants in the collection of field data on social, environmental and/or agronomic and/or socioeconomic indicators for performance assessment, and in the use of associated field methods and tools;
• Both written and verbal fluency in English and local languages; French is added advantage;
• Ability to travel and conduct field work in the local context (a minimum of 40% field-based work per year);
• Strong personal ethics and integrity and commitment to uphold the rules and values of the Rainforest Alliance.