Job Description

Job Title: National Project Manager 
Duty station: Al-Mukallah and Aden (Yemen)
Duration of assignment: Till March ,2025 (renewable upon availability of extra funds) 
Contract type: Expertise contract 
Starting date: ASAP
Location: Based in Aden with regular travel to Al-Mukallah , Yemen

1. INTRODUCTION

Expertise France (EF) is a public agency created on 1st January 2015 and merging 6 French public agencies under the supervision of the French Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Economy and Finance with a strong inter-ministerial vocation. EF offers programme engineering and technical assistance by developing and implementing international cooperation actions worldwide. EF operates in various fields of development and institutional cooperation including safety and security reform, post-crisis/ stability, public health, human rights, strengthening of institutions and NGOs and governance. Carrying out large-scale, multi-stakeholder programmes, EF can ensure the cooperation between individuals, teams and institutions with very different statuses, cultures and specialties. Besides, EF has acquired a sound experience in administrative and financial management of large-scale international programmes.

2. CONTEXT & PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The fishing industry in Yemen is considered one of the most promising sectors for Yemen’s development and an essential source of employment and livelihoods for coastal communities. The sector provides jobs to over half a million Yemenis who in turn support over 1.7 million people. Furthermore, the fisheries sector is considered the third most important sub-sector in the country (FAO 2017). Yemen exported fish to 50 Asian, African and European countries including 12 Arab countries. The sector is therefore considered as a major pillar to achieve economic diversity in the oil-export dependent country, as well as socio-economic development.
After the outbreak of war in 2015, the fishing industry faced huge challenges in addition to the existing structural and regulatory obstacles. The main streams of challenges are the dramatic decline in production, loss of a mass of jobs, decline of purchasing power, disruption of export activities and destruction of infrastructure, security risks for fishers and civilian vessels –mainly in red sea coastal areas- as well as an environmental disaster. In addition, the conflict also provoked the displacement of fishing communities in the areas impacted by war and insecurity issues. 
The arrival of COVID-19 pandemic to Yemen naturally made the situation for the fishing sector even more critical. The impact is especially high in terms of production, sales and employment, with measures of prevention and social distancing in place. Many ports had to suspend operations and the incoming and outgoing traffic was restricted. The closure of some governorates’ borders also affected the movement of supply between governorates. 
The fishing sector in Yemen is confronted today with multiple obstacles, which limits its functionality as well as its potential to contribute to local development.
‘’Fish2Dev’’ Phase II objective is to strengthen the resilience of the fishing sector in Yemen, leading to improved livelihoods of local communities, greater food security, and better post-crisis recovery prospects. Particularly, the project will address some of the challenges facing the sector’s business actors and their potential in reviving the sector’s value chain, therefore the resilience and development of the sector as a whole. This will be achieved through the following:

i.    Enhance the access to alternative source of energy through the solarization of a landing site. 
ii.    Support the Fish Coordination Mechanism (FCM) dialogue among the sector’s stakeholders
iii.    Increase women participation in value-chain through training that would improve women access to new jobs/skills and entrepreneurship opportunities in the fisheries sector.

3. JOB DESCRIPTION / ASSIGNMENT

Position’s Overall Objective 

The National Project Manager (PM) will be in charge of the implementation and the supervision of the activities of ‘’Fish2Dev’’ Phase II project. The PM will be responsible and accountable for the timely and qualitative planning, reporting, monitoring/evaluation of the project’s activities in line with EF’s global mandate and objectives. 
The PM will be responsible for an efficient financial management for the project in compliance with EF’s model and donor regulations, in addition to full oversight of the HR and logistics arrangement in compliance with EF’s internal procedures and guidelines.

Reporting Lines 

The PM will be reporting to HQ Project Manager as well as the Head of Stabilisation & Resilience unit at HQ level. He/she will work in close collaboration with EF support staff and other EF operational departments at headquarters levels. 

Main Responsibilities & Tasks 

Key responsibilities include: 

Strategic Project development and management 

• Plan, implement and monitor activities related to the project’s different components and ensure a smooth and effective closure of the project
• Guarantee an efficient financial management of the project, carry out budget monitoring on a regular basis in association with support staff and in compliance with EF model and donor regulations 
• Oversee the roll-out of EF’ partners activities in accordance with grant agreements; 
• Team management, monitor and advice field staff and partners in project delivery.
• Co-ordinate and work with relevant state-level government authorities, local government institutions, non-governmental organisations, community-based organisations and local communities in order to ensure the smooth execution of programme activities. 
• Deliver quality project activities reporting, including the findings in terms of impact/changes at the level of beneficiaries achieved through the project.
• Deliver timely quality monthly, interim and final reporting of all programmatic updates and potential fundraising / project ideas and initiatives. 
• Ensure the M&E system is in place. 

     
Specific responsibilities include: 

Project Management

• Ensure timely planning and implementation of the Project’s activities, ensuring that the project’s goals and objectives are accomplished within the prescribed project timeframe and the agreed funding parameters/budget
• Provide continuous ongoing oversight of the project cycle and identify need for adjustment and improvement of systems and processes to improve efficiency, optimise utilisation of resources and improve quality of deliverables.
• Work with finance, to ensure commitment of adequate resources from approved budgets to support project implementation, and ensure that budgets are spent in accordance with donor funding and donor regulations within the appropriate timeframe.
• Working with by the M&E team, oversee project monitoring and evaluation against overall goals, specific objectives and contracted deliverables.
• Maintain clear reporting and communication lines
• Verification on the targeting of beneficiaries as per the project document
• Permanent on-job coaching of teams to work on quality in delivery
• Ensure security assessment for teams’ daily movement and report incidents/concerns in a pro-active manner to the Head of Mission and Security Focal point

Team Management 

• Provide strong leadership to the project, with oversight and management of field staff and any other expert or consultant working within the project’s framework. 
• Manage a team of M&E officer and Admin & Finance officer and maintain good and efficient work conditions in order to meet the project’s objectives. 
• Conduct weekly and monthly meetings with the team to review the planning and discuss the main concerns to focus on for the upcoming period

Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning 

• Implement planning, operational and budgetary monitoring tools to analyse (1) the real-time progress of activities, including cross-functional activities such as recruitment, reporting, management, etc.; (2) achievement of logical-framework indicators; and (3) budget expenditures and running balance. 
• Develop and maintain a database of beneficiaries in order to collect and compile detailed information about organisations and individuals supported by the project. 
• Provide general supervision and ensure the monitoring of project implementation with the partners. 
• Continuously monitor and develop relevant accountability initiatives in the field as well as strengthen the effort to document the impact of EF activities. 
• Support internal and external evaluations focusing on overall achievements of objectives, key recommendations for ensuring sustainability, lessons learned and ideas for future interventions. 

Reporting 

• Prepare ad hoc progress reporting for the donor and official required interim and final project reports: Prepare interim and final narrative reports for the donor in a timely and qualitative manner, looking into achievements against outcomes and output and reflect lessons learnt clearly into recommendations for future programming.
• Regular reporting to HQ focal point on project progress as required (monthly situation reports). 
• Hold final responsibility for all support documents (means of verification) and general project documents
• Deliver regular communication products (including pictures) on the project to be used by EF communication department in different outlets

4. TECHNICAL SKILLS, EXPERIENCE & KNOWLEDGE

Education

• Relevant university degree (eg. Political or social science, international development, community development);

Professional experience

• A minimum of 5 years proven experience in operational management of emergency/humanitarian programmes and or stabilisation in crisis contexts; an experience in the Fishery sector is preferable.
• At least 3 years’ experience in engaging with national authorities and donors. Capacity to advocate, liaise and coordinate with various actors.
• Experience in administrative, financial and logistics management.
• Good working experience with different donors’ procedures required (European commission, DFID, JICA, etc)

Professional & Personal requirements

• Good command of programme and project management life cycle including strategic planning, development, management, monitoring and evaluation. Experience in the management of integrated multisector projects would be an asset.
• Experience with donor compliance and reporting
• Proven capacity in team management and ability to ensure their safety (security management);
• Proven ability to cooperate and negotiate with local and institutional partners as well as government representatives. 
• Excellent communication skills and adaptability to different work environments
• Strong experience with monitoring tools and systems
• Excellent computer skills (proven computer literacy, in particular Excel knowledge is a must).

Languages

• Excellent command of English and Arabic (oral and written)