Project Manager, Food Security and Livelihoods

At a Glance

Role: Project Manager, Food Security and Livelihoods

Location: Washington, D.C preferred, with remote work option possible.

Reports to: Senior Program Manager

Required experience: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience (eight years). In addition to education or education equivalent, requires 3-5 years of work experience in project management or related field. Work experience must include at least one year of previous project leadership experience. Project management certification preferred. Experience working in FSL and knowledge of FSL trends desired. Previous experience in knowledge management processes desired.

Work Authorization: Must be authorized to work in the U.S.A. for any employer.

Travel: Up to 25% of time both in development and fragile contexts.

The Job:

The Project Manager will support Food Security and Livelihoods Program Quality and Impact unit program management functions. S/he will support the creation, implementation and adoption of processes that enable knowledge capture, real-time collaboration, problem solving and organizational learning across programs. The Project Manager will also support FSL program’s adherence to overall technical and programmatic quality in implementation, compliance with donor rules and regulations and timely submission of deliverables as needed.

Your Responsibilities Will Include:

The World Vision US Food Security and Livelihoods team within the Program Quality and Impact Division maintains a robust portfolio of publicly and privately funded short- and long-term grants that work together to lift more than 8 million people out of poverty by 2024 and accomplish the strategy, goal, and outcomes. The Project Manager will work in collaboration with Senior/Program Managers and the team Director to execute on that multi-year strategy. Key outcomes expected through this role are quality, compliant and on-time delivery of project and organizational deliverables, high quality external-facing materials that meet donor and stakeholder needs and interests, ongoing and positive collaboration with internal stakeholders regarding sharing of knowledge and evidence generated in the team’s portfolio, and highly effective and efficient coordination of external engagement opportunities.

Key Responsibilities Include:

Personal

• Keep Christ central in individual and corporate life. Actively participate in and contribute to the spiritual disciplines of the organization (Christian conduct, devotions, chapel, prayer, worship); incorporate WV Core Values into decisions within scope of role.
• Maintain awareness of corporate goals, objectives, organizational announcements, and activities. Reference and follow organizational policies and procedures, seeking clarity as needed.

Program Coordination Support, Planning and Quality Assurance

• Support Senior/Program Managers with the semi-annual, annual, and/or final reporting process, ensuring quality, consistency, and timelines
• Contribute to development of overall FSL project implementation strategy, systems, approaches, tools and materials as needed.
• In collaboration with the Program Managers, determine the strategic direction of programs in the short and medium term and map out activities, and contribute to work plans, risk mitigation plans and budget revisions.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of key donor policies, regulations, and requirements through completion of World Vision’s Gateway to Grants training as well as regular review and report out of key donor websites, working groups, and other communications.
• Ensure MEALS tools and cross cutting themes such as GESI, child protections etc are effectively implemented in the program.
• Document program learning and incorporate analysis and lessons learned into new strategies/activities, advocacy work and proposal development.

Team Coordination and Support

• Promote team effectiveness and organization through coordination of team meetings and events,
• Work jointly with project team on Action Plans that would lead to improvement of grant implementation
• Ensure accurate documentation of project results, evidence assets, and other program deliverables.
• Contribute to training and orientation materials for new hires, partners, and other stakeholders.
• Serve as team project manager for special project/research as assigned by team leadership on, for example, emerging themes in the international development community as relevant to our sector team
• Backstop team members as needed to ensure continuity of service in supporting fundraising representatives
• May participate in the completion of corporate wide projects, with responsibility of assigned components of overall project as required.

Information/Knowledge Management & Customer Service

• Coordinate the compilation of semi-annual participant counting and track implications on progress to reaching strategy targets
• Coordinate semi-annual key indicator tracking and updates for the team and communicate out progress towards strategy targets
• Ensure capitalization on best practices and lessons learnt and provide relevant feedback for new project development
• Provide customer service point of entry for other WVUS departments, ensuring that internal clients are connected to team resources or individuals as needed to meet requests.
• Proactively maintain the most current data and information needed to support reporting, inventory management, proposal & business plan development and maintenance, etc.
• Ensure appropriate storage of project documentation and entry of project information into required databases and maintain team project trackers.
• Ensure regular collection and structured storage of project success stories
• External relations
• Coordinate with NGOs working on related FSL related issues
• Attend FSL working groups and other external engagement or knowledge sharing activities and share major takeaways with overall FSL team.

You Bring These Skills:

• Analytical Thinking: Ability to build a logical approach to address issues, problems or opportunities or manage the situation at hand by drawing on own knowledge and experience base and calling on other references and resources as necessary.
• Quality Orientation: Innovative approach to making improvements in processes to meet or exceed expectations. Dedicated to developing processes that eliminate unnecessary work and improve quality, productivity and efficiency. Advocates the importance of quality assurance.
• Balancing Multiple Priorities: Ability to meet the needs and interests of various stakeholders and makes decisions involving competing goals, objectives and alternatives. Prioritizes tasks and redirects work effort in response to changes in priorities.
• Project Management: Demonstrated experience in breaking projects down into time-phases and measurable milestones. Ensures activities produce results within constraints. Identifies people and resources needed. Considers costs and benefits of resources prior to allocating.
• Oral and Written Communication: Effectively expresses ideas, thoughts and concepts verbally and in writing, using correct grammar, organization and structure, and effective presentation media and techniques. Use appropriate media and approach.
• English Language Proficiency: The ability to speak, understand and write fluently in English.
• Christian Faith: Possess a mature faith demonstrated by a personal commitment to Jesus Christ and service to others

Education and Experience: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience (eight years). In addition to education or education equivalent, requires 3-5 years of work experience in project management or related field. Work experience must include at least one year of previous project leadership experience. Project management certification preferred. Experience working in FSL and knowledge of FSL trends desired. Previous experience in knowledge management processes desired.

Additional Skills We Are Interested In:

• Language proficiency in Spanish and/or French.
• PMP, PMD Pro or a similar project management certification is an advantage.
• Familiarity working within Salesforce.