Programme Manager - COSPE

COSPE (Cooperation for the Development of Emerging Countries), Italian NGO, is looking for a:

Programme Manager
Project: “Empowering the Somali Women Agenda; Empowering Somalia – ESES/Phase II (EC Grant Contract No.: FED/2012/286-333)

Duty station: Nairobi (Kenya) with, when possible and according to project needs, trips to Somalia.

Availability: From the 1st June 2012. Departure after a training period at COSPE Head Office (Florence, Italy.

Essential requirements:

• Between 2 and 5 years of experience in managing NGO development projects in Africa and in particular in Somalia;
• University Degree;
• Proven track of working experiences in gender empowerment and advocacy activities with women associations;
• Excellent knowledge of English (written and spoken);
• Problem solving capacity;
• Adaptability and flexibility;
• Strong writing skills and ability to write quality reports;
• Good team player, capable of working with a multinational country team;
• Knowledge of Office software, including Excel.

Desirable requirements:

• Skills and proven experience in writing project proposals;
• Financial management skills;
• Knowledge of Italian (written and spoken).

Responsibilities:

As Programme Manager she/he will be responsible for the proper implementation of the project according to the project document, the periodic work plans of activities and budgets as well as the procedures set by COSPE Headquarters in compliance with EC requirements.

In particular, she/he will:

• Carry out, in collaboration with project staff and partner organisations, the overall technical oversight of the project (planning, implementation and monitoring of activities) and provide regular feedbacks on progresses and possible bottlenecks to the Regional Representative (Nairobi) and COSPE Head Office in Italy;
• Maintain constant relations with the partner organisation and with the associations of the Somali Women Agenda in order to jointly plan, implement and monitor the activities (contents and expenses);
• Supervise and monitor the activities of the local personnel working in the project and ensure adequate on the job training when necessary especially on project management and participatory methodologies for assessing needs, planning and monitoring activities;
• Coordinate the elaboration of periodical technical and financial reports to be presented to the Head Office in Italy, with particular attention to the periodic reports and final report required by the Donor and ensure the preparation of any project change request coordinating inputs from project staff and partner organisations;
• Support and monitor the proper organization of the consultants and monitors’ missions, participating in the planning phase and ensuring the achievement of the stated objectives with a specific attention to ensure the exchange of necessary information and documents with the partner organisations, supervise the logistic and facilitate their work by accompanying them as necessary;
• Coordinate with the Regional Representative and the focus persons in the COSPE Head Office in order to disseminate information about the results of the project and topics addressed and facilitate synergies with similar initiatives and other international women associations and networks;
• Assist in the identification and preparation of new proposals according to instructions received by COSPE Head Office;
• Promote the respect and constant application of COSPE principles and strategies.

Length and type of Contract: 7 months (contract according to the Italian legislation) renewable in case of project extension and upon positive evaluation.

How to apply:

Please, send your CV, specifying in the subject of the e-mail “programme manager Somalia”, to risorseumane@cospe-fi.it by 11 of May 2012.

Due to the number of applications we receive, we are only able to follow up with candidates who are selected for interviews.