Summary
Date Posted: Wednesday, March 19 2025, Base Salary: Not Disclosed

JOB DETAILS:
Organisational Strategy:
• Self Help Africa’s Zambia programme works with local communities to help them improve their livelihoods. Our mission is to alleviate hunger, poverty, social inequality and the impact of climate change through community-led, market-based and enterprise-focused approaches, so that people have access to safe, nutritious and affordable food throughout the year.
• Self Help Africa has been working in Zambia for over 35 years and has reached over 250,000 smallholder farmers. Our work has been focused on ending poverty and hunger through community-led and market-based approaches. Our experience working with rural communities and smallholder farmers during this time has honed our expertise in addressing climate change and its impact on food production and the environment.
• While our core work is with small-scale farming families, who make up the majority (70 per cent) of the extremely poor in Zambia, we also implement projects that support communities facing grave humanitarian crises, and we assist farmers and farming cooperatives in sourcing profitable markets locally, nationally and regionally for their produce.
• We collaborate with companies – both large and small – seeking to create jobs, add value, and develop markets that enable small-holder farmers to trade their goods. We also seek relationships with international businesses and corporations seeking opportunities to invest, collaborate, and develop markets that contribute to economic growth in Zambia.

Project Background:
• Self Help Africa is anticipating starting implementing a project funded under The Global Environment Facility (GEF) in the Central and Southern Provinces of Zambia. The project focus is on environmental restoration, climate change and biodiversity conservation. The Climate-resilient ecosystem restoration and sustainable land management in the Central and Southern Provinces of Zambia project will address the barriers to sustainable land management and biodiversity conservation at six project sites in two provinces (Central and Southern Province).
• The project has four components. Component one will support the development of an enabling environment for climate change adaptation that will also support reduced ecosystem degradation and strengthened biodiversity. Component two will focus on restoring the ecological integrity of the degraded natural environment in the proposed project sites, mainly riding on the provisions of natural resources and environmental management, land management, water resources management, agriculture, and climate change frameworks. Component three is focused on promoting Gender-responsive, climate-resilient natural resource-based livelihoods. It will aim to support sustainable agricultural production practices that will reduce the negative impacts associated with bad livelihood practices, such as charcoal production and unsustainable agricultural practices. Component four will focus on Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning ensuring that lessons and learning from the project are captured, developed, reported and disseminated to relevant stakeholders.
• The Project will generate global environmental benefits and contribute substantially to revenue generation, employment and sustainable rural livelihoods.

Job Purpose:
The Project Manager will oversee daily implementation, management, administration, and technical supervision of the project. S/he will be responsible, among others, for:
• Overall technical lead for the implementation of all project outputs and activities and ensure technical soundness of project implementation.
• Coordination and close monitoring of the implementation of project activities.
• Close and effective coordination and collaboration with the Forestry Department and other Government departments;
• Provide technical guidance for the implementation of Outputs about landscape level planning and participatory assessments.
• Supervise preparation of various technical outputs, e.g. knowledge products, reports and case studies.
• Ensure effective engagement of stakeholders as per Stakeholder Engagement Plan.
• Supporting a high level of collaboration among participating institutions and organizations;
• Ensuring compliance with all Operational Partnership Agreement (OPA) provisions during the implementation, including on timely reporting and financial management;
• Coordination and close supervision of the implementation of project activities;
• Tracking the project’s progress and ensuring timely delivery of inputs and outputs;
• Providing technical support and assessing the outputs of the project national consultants hired with GEF funds, as well as the products generated in the implementation of the project;
• Approving and managing requests for provision of financial resources using provided format in OPA annexes;
• Ensuring accuracy and reliability of financial reports;
• Ensuring timely preparation and submission of requests for funds, financial and progress reports to The GEF Agency as per OPA reporting requirements;
• Maintaining documentation and evidence that describes the proper and prudent use of project resources as per OPA provisions, including making available this supporting documentation to The GEF Agency and designated auditors when requested;

Key Responsibilities:
OPERATIONAL AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
Ensure that the programme in implemented using value for money principles for effective and efficient delivery. Specific tasks include:
• Supervise the project staff and consultants and facilitate effective teamwork and coordination
• Manage the programme budget effectively.
• Compile periodic programme reports as required by the GEF Agency and SHA
• Ensure compliance by SHA and partners with contract requirements in planning, financial management procurement, branding, monitoring and reporting, and facilitate further training where necessary.
• Ensuring timely preparation and submission of requests for funds, financial and progress reports to GEF Agency as per OPA reporting requirements.
• Act as a focal point within the SHA country office to ensure all programming, financial and administrative matters related to the project comply with donor and SHA policies and procedures and are transparently, expediently and effectively managed in line with established processes, rules and regulations.
• Monitor external context and carry out adjustments to project plans where necessary.
• Conduct periodic reviews of staff performance in keeping with SHA’s performance management system and mentor staff to ensure high levels of motivation, commitment, capacity and teamwork.
• Ensure all SHA safety and security guidelines are followed and that all safety or security incidents (fires, accidents, theft, etc.) are recorded and reported.
• Ensure efficient use and management of project resources including transport.
• Assist relevant government agencies and project partners with developing essential skills through training workshops and on-the-job training, thereby upgrading their institutional capabilities.
• Provide technical advice, training-of-trainer capacity and technical support to the project implementing team and project partners in the field, including but not limited to Training of trainer activities in Sustainable and or climate-smart agriculture, CFM opportunities, benefits, obligations and risks with special focus on:
• Business and investment planning
• Land and resource use planning
• Strengthening community governance capacity
• Business and financial management.
• Lead the development of strategies and approaches for the support of CFM and SA in the communities.

PLANNING, MONITORING, REPORTING AND RESULTS
Monitoring and reporting on the progress of the project technically and financially on a quarterly and half-yearly basis to reduce and manage risks. Specific tasks include:
• In conjunction with the M&E Advisor, facilitate monitoring and documentation of learning by ensuring that effective mechanisms are in place to monitor activities and outputs and assessments for programme quality and impact and ensure programme implementation is on time, target and budget;
• Ensure a project monitoring and evaluation plan is in place and undertake project monitoring visits from time to time;
• Facilitate the independent and timely work of the Quality Assurance function within the project;
• Ensure effective communication and dissemination of project results;
• Submitting the six-monthly Project Progress Reports (PPRs) with the annual workplan and budget to the Project Technical Committee (PTC), the Project Steering Committee (PSC) and The GEF Agency;Preparing the first draft of the Project Implementation Review (PIR);
• Serve as Executive Secretary and support the PSC in coordinating policy-related project implementation at the national level. Technical advice will be generated to advance the project;
• Supporting the organization of the mid-term and final evaluations in close coordination with the GEF Agency Budget Holder and the GEF Agency Independent Office of Evaluation (OED);
• Submitting the project’s six-monthly technical and financial reports to The GEF Agency and facilitate the information exchange between the SHA and The GEF Agency, if needed;
• ·Informing the PSC, PTC, and The GEF Agency of any delays and difficulties as they arise during the implementation to ensure timely corrective measure and support.

OTHER
• Any other tasks as assigned by the Line Manager

Qualifications/Other Requirements:
Essential:
• A postgraduate degree (Master’s or PhD) in natural resources management, forestry, agroforestry, environmental sciences, biodiversity conservation, or a closely related field.
• A minimum of 10 years relevant work experience including at least 6 years’ experience as a lead Project Manager in relevant sectors.
• Hands-on experience managing national and/or international natural resources projects, particularly concerning natural resources management, environmental information management, sustainable land resource management, etc., preferably in the project target area.
• Prior UN project management experience, particularly UN/GEF project experience and knowledge of UN and GEF procedures and guidelines.
• Extensive experience managing a diverse and multicultural team and personnel management (contracting, recruitment, performance monitoring).
• Demonstrated understanding of community-based natural resource management, ecosystem restoration, and gender equality issues, preferably in a Zambian context.
• Strong computer skills especially with MS Word and Excel and other related packages.
• Fluent in English including writing and communication skills.

Role Competencies:
• Results-oriented with excellent organisational and communication skills, as well as enthusiasm and initiative;
• Proactive and motivated with a strong commitment to Self Help Africa’s vision, mission and values;
• Attention to detail and the ability to produce timely and accurate reports;
• Ability to work as part of team across different cultures;
• Ability to work under pressure and on own initiative.

Education Requirement: No Requirements

Job Experience: No Requirements

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months:

Level of Education:

Job application procedure
• Please understand, that we can only accept and process applications via this link.
• The closing date for receiving applications is Tuesday 25th March 2025. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
• Self Help Africa strives to be an Equal Opportunities Employer
• All candidates offered a job with Self Help Africa will be expected to sign Self Help Africa’s Safeguarding Policies and Code of Conduct as an appendix to their contract of employment and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these documents. Specific roles may require Police/DBS/ vetting.
• To apply for this job please visit selfhelpafrica.org.

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