Jobs - 52181- Assistant Project Manager

Assistant Project Manager

Location :

Tamale - Northern Region, GHANA

Type of Contract :

Service Contract

Starting Date :

12-Jan-2015

Application Deadline :

11-Dec-14 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

SB-5

Duration of Initial Contract :

One Year

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

Three Years

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

Within the context of developing the national policy and strategy to reinforce the water and sanitation (WASH) sector, the Government of Ghana is addressing the urgent and complementary need in supporting disaster prone communities. To that effect, UN-Habitat, UNICEF, UNDP and WHO have developed a Joint Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Disaster Prone Communities programme (WASH in DPC) for Upper East, Upper West and Northern regions with the objective of improving health and livelihoods in selected disaster prone communities and schools by increasing access to good drinking water and proper sanitation facilities on a sustainable basis.

For this WASH in DPC programme, UN-Habitat, the Convening Agency for the Programme wishes to recruit an Assistant Programme Manager.

Duties and Responsibilities

In liaison with the WASH Programme Manager and the Programme Team, the Assistant project manager will perform the following specific tasks:

Support the project manager in effective administration of project:

work closely with the other WASH specialist experts to support main project in the target communities and the implementing partners;
Assist the project manager in the process for a comprehensive baseline information;
Gathering, collation and management to inform subsequent activities;
Participate in the preparation of guidelines, manuals and operating procedures for all the project components.

Provide field leadership:

Operationalizing resilient WASH solutions to increase access to services in disaster prone communities;
Be the focal point of the Ghana wash project in the field;
Promoting education programmes and awareness of hygiene practices;
Support the project in enhancing local capacity in the beneficiary communities.

Minimize future risks in the communities:

Contribute to measures to enhance the preparedness to disasters;
Identify and report emerging needs;
Assist with project reviews to identify/initiate complementary actions to meet such needs.

Monitor project progress:

Approved work plans and objectives;
Work with the project manager to carryout corrective measures as required;
Support periodic assessment of field results achieved and provide inputs to external reviews;
Support the project manager in ensuring proper documentation of positive and negative programme experiences;
Contribute to the preparation of technical working papers and reports originating from the projects;

Other duties:

Undertake any other duties within the incumbent's area of competence which may reasonably be required by the project manager.

Competencies

Time Mangement:

Ability to manage and work under pressure.

Team Skills:

Ability to develop and work within a team;
Respect for diversity.

Accountability:

Experience of and commitment to working through systems of community participation;
Accountable to WASH projects context.

Collaborative Skills:

Good knowledge of monitoring and evaluation.

Communication Skills:

Good writing skills including writing clear;
Well-argued assessment;
Excellent reporting skills.

Politically and culturally sensitive:

Diplomacyskills;
Qualities of patience and tact.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Postgraduate degree in Engineering or Development Studies with particular focus on water and sanitation.

Experience:

Minimum of 5 years project management experience in the field;
Specific experience with managing Wash projects;
Experience in working with administrative and technical local Authorities, preferably in elaborating strategic plan and common actions;

Language:

Fluent in written and spoken English;
Knowledge of a local language is an asset.

Other requirement:

Ability to travel frequently to project fields in Northern Ghana.