ACTED Project Development Manager Kyrgyzstan

Department: Reporting
Position: Project Development Manager
Contract duration: 6 months Location: Osh
Starting Date November 2012

I. Background on ACTED

ACTED is an independent international, private, non-partisan and non-profit organization that operates according to principles of strict neutrality, political and religious impartiality, and non discrimination.

ACTED was created in 1993 to support populations affected by the conflict in Afghanistan. Based in Paris, France, ACTED now operates in 30 countries worldwide, with over 200 international and 4000 national staff. ACTED has a 100 million € budget for over 340 projects spanning 8 sectors of intervention; including emergency relief, food security, health promotion, economic development, education & training, microfinance, local governance & institutional support, and cultural promotion. For more information, please visit our website at www.acted.org

II. Program Information

Capital Office : Bishkek National Staff : 155 Areas : 3 On-going programmes : 20 Budget : 4.3 M

ACTED has been in Kyrgyzstan since 2000, and operates in the Jalalabat, Osh, Batken, and Naryn regions with a staff of over 150 people. ACTED in Kyrgyzstan contributes to poverty reduction by decreasing the impact of the world recession through adding value to labour migration, improving the food security of vulnerable people, supporting local initiatives for development, reducing the risks to natural disasters to decrease socio-economic damage and resolving cross border conflicts for stable socio-economic development. ACTED was one of the first NGOs to respond to the humanitarian crisis in 2010 in south Kyrgyzstan, and took on a leading role in addressing the consequences of the June emergency through the provision of mapping and coordination services, as well as the implementation of projects in the fields of shelter, education, water and sanitation, early recovery and livelihoods, non-food items, protection and food security. Meeting immediate humanitarian needs of crisis-affected populations remains one of ACTED’s focuses, as well as medium-term recovery of livelihoods in Osh and Jalalabad, particularly through support to youth and small and medium businesses. In parallel, ACTED and its partners are working on a long term strategy to support the peaceful development of vulnerable communities throughout rural areas in the south of Kyrgyzstan, with the aim of building confidence, promoting reconciliation and mitigating the risk of further conflicts. In addition, ACTED also aims at helping revitalize the economy of the Ferghana Valley and at enhancing inter-cultural dialogue and culture promotion in south Kyrgyzstan.

III. Position Profile The project development manager is responsible for developing tools for appraisal, monitoring and evaluation in-country, as well as ensuring the production of timely reports for Donors and for developing a country communication strategy, both internal and external. In term of AME, the Project Development Manager is in charge of the following: 1. Project Cycle Management - Facilitate the development and implementation of project cycle management; - Develop a PCM guide, incl. tools and procedures to be used; - Train the staff to use the PCM guide and related tools and procedures, and notably follow up the implementation of the Project Management framework (PMF, ACTED PCM Tool) for all projects - Keep track of all projects and programmes monitoring and evaluation schedules and work with field staff to design and implement monitoring and evaluation procedures; 2. Information System - Work with all departments to follow up project and programmes databases incl. work on the nomenclature used (official names etc.); - Follow up the day-to-day workings of the AME Department, including reading weekly monitoring reports and follow-up; - Ensure that appraisal, monitoring and evaluation reports are made useful for fundraising and add to the general base of field knowledge in the country for all organisations working in the area; - Set up a Resource Centre at the capital office regularly updated with appropriate and relevant external and internal resources. - Diffuse information to other internal stakeholders through the intranet and the regional office 3. Participatory Appraisal, Monitoring and Evaluation - Ensure that local partners, when appropriate, engaged in appraisal for and/or with ACTED are trained and given advice in participatory approaches, minimalizing bias, and other key methodologies for information gathering; - Work with base and field staff to help design and improve adapted participatory appraisal mechanisms for the projects implemented in the country; 4. Departmental Follow-up - Manage the AME staff in cooperation with Area Coordinators and Programme Managers; - Follow up work plans, activities and their quality; - Work with the administrative departments to ensure that procedures are respected; - Solve problems and give professional guidance, specially for interns / volunteers; - Communicate regularly to the regional Coordination, Programme Managers and Coordinations on all activities;

In term of Reporting, the responsibilities of the Project Development Manager are as followed: 1. Ensuring the Production of Timely, Accurate and Analytical Reports for Donors - Understand and disseminate Donors guidelines ; - Liaise regularly with Area Coordinators, Programme Managers and technical staff to ensure the production of quality reports across areas and across Donors; - Recruit and train Reporting Officers (both expatriate interns and/or national staff, if appropriate) to build up a productive and high performance team in line with ACTED’s principles of cost effectiveness and capacity-building; - Supervise the work, learning and progress achieved by all Reporting staff on the field to ensure quality and timeliness of reports; - Work in close relation with AME Department to develop and incorporate more solid monitoring and evaluation components in reports; - Work in close relation with Finance Department to ensure greater coherence between financial and narrative reports, and ensure steady cash inflow based on the timeliness and quality of report submissions. - Work in close relation and communicate on a regular basis with HQ reporting department, notably on the basis of the monthly Reporting follow up 2. Developing Internal Coordination and Communication mechanisms - In relation with the Country Director, ensure that all meetings are held and documented (capital coordination meetings, area coordination meetings, monthly coordination meetings, quarterly country coordination meetings); - Ensure in particular that reporting guidelines, formats, philosophy, deadlines for each project and donor is communicated clearly and standardized across the country for new and on-going projects; - Follow-up meetings at the field level and in the capital, between the bases and between the country programme and HQ/other ACTED operations through the ACTED Newsletter; - Draft agenda and minutes of country-wide meetings, with the assistance of the Reporting staff. 3. Developing an External Donor Relations Strategy - Update on a weekly and monthly basis the external relations database, which documents latest negotiations and proposal possibilities with a number of key donors; - Manage a team of Area Coordinators, Programme Managers and technical staff to ensure that proposals are developed in a cohesive and professional manner and in line with ACTED country strategy and donor requirements; - Act as point of contact for all Donor communication, including the organisation of and hosting of Donor visits in the field. 4. Developing an External Communication Strategy - Define the main target groups, activities, resources and partnerships needed; - Ensure continuum of PR activities, including formal presentations, engaging media for coverage on success stories, updating project-specific and regional fact sheets, and documenting publications featuring ACTED in the media ; - Identifying sources of funding for a more cohesive public information strategy in-country. 5. Assisting the Country Director in developing the country strategy, project proposals, addressing ad hoc donor requests or catalysing action on specific projects or components of projects

IV. Qualifications:

Postgraduate diploma in International Development and (or) relevant Master’s level degree (anthropology, development studies, humanitarian aid, sociology); Fluency in written and spoken English Proficiency in written and spoken English Strong writing abilities and analytical skills Skills in political sciences or international relations Ability to work efficiently under pressure Previous experience in the humanitarian field, proposals development, and donor relations are required Previous experience abroad is required

V. Conditions:

• Salary defined by the ACTED salary grid; educational level, expertise, hardship, security, and performance are considered for pay bonus • Additional monthly living allowance • Free food and lodging provided at the organisation’s guesthouse • Transportation in and out + luggage allowance • Provision of medical, life, and repatriation insurance + retirement package

How to apply:

Please send, in English, your cover letter, CV, and three references to jobs@acted.org Ref : PDM/KG/SA