Job Title: Project Coordinator
Reports to Director of Business Development

Purpose of the position
To provide overall leadership of the project, striking a balance between strategic development initiatives and day to day operating issues in order to ensure that the program registers maximum impact.

Main duties and responsibilities

• Leading in designing, planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the program as specified in the overall program framework.
• Overseeing the identification and recruitment of the project beneficiaries according to the project’s selection criteria or target group.
• Assist in developing indicators to monitor the impact of supported projects in the 14 cooperatives.
• Evaluating the outcomes of the project established during the planning phase.
• Developing and evaluating existing programs, and determining the expansion or introduction of new services and programs.
• Supporting the establishment and registration of sustainable agribusiness enterprises owned by the clusters while ensuring improvements in individual household incomes and nutrition status.
• Overseeing and supporting capacity building programs for the project beneficiaries.
• Ensuring that all sub grants to community groups are implemented with excellence, adhering to their work plans, delivering results in line with the overall project design.
• Communicating and collaborating with all partners including Government and civil society to ensure and support project implementation.
• Ensuring that the project deliverables are on time, within budget and at the required level of quality.
• Playing a key technical role during annual work plan activities.
• Coordinating revision of plans and budgets in response to monitoring, reflection and learning with the community and Project team and UMODZI Consulting.
• Managing changes to the project scope, project schedule and project costs using appropriate verification techniques and reporting on the budget according to donor guidelines, while ensuring the highest levels of financial stewardship and integrity.
• Ensuring sufficient time is spent in the field to be fully conversant with all aspects of the project ongoing activities.
• Monitoring funding commitments, spending against budget, preparation project and submission of required financial reports on a regular basis.
• Supporting the review or audit of both financial and physical resources of the project.
• Assessing, managing and reporting on risks the project will be exposed to.
• Ensuring smooth technical operation of the Neno Office(s) in all their ramifications including the delivery of technical results, stakeholder management and staff management and relations.
• Ensuring the project objectives and activities are clearly understood by all staff.
• Ensuring project staff access training opportunities, according appropriate to staff needs and project priorities.
• Managing and supporting project staff to ensure good individual and team performance in support of the overall programs performance.
• Establishing and maintaining good working relationships with project beneficiaries, local leaders and key project stakeholders.
• Writing and presenting reports on the projects for management and donors and ensuring that the reports specifically identify gaps and reflect learning experiences.
• Ensuring that the project is fully compliant with its contractual and legal obligations, and is maintaining accurate internal records.
• Advance the values and image of UMODZI Consulting, Helmsley Charitable Trust and USADF.
• Overseeing and managing work outsourced by the project to ensure that the work delivered is of high quality and reflect value for money services.
• Overseeing the development of training curriculum to ensure it is of high quality and the execution occurs on schedule.
• Ensuring that technical staff meetings are held regularly on a weekly basis.
• Reporting on progress and results of the project to the Business Development Manager on weekly or bi-weekly basis.

Desirable skills

• Good organizational and planning skills
• Strong writing, analytical and interpretation skills
• Communicate Effectively: Speak, listen and write in a clear, thorough and timely manner using appropriate and effective communication tools and techniques.
• Proficiency in the use of computers for: word processing, financial management, Email, Internet
• Foster Teamwork: Work cooperatively and effectively with others to set goals, resolve problems, and make decisions that enhance organizational effectiveness
• Dynamic and forward looking
• Strong negotiation, facilitating and influencing skills

Knowledge

• Strategy development and implementation
• Current community challenges and opportunities relating to the program
• Human resources management
• Financial management
• Business Management and Business Incubation
• Project management.
• Good knowledge of the horticulture industry and livestock production will be an added advantage.

Abilities

• Ability to meet strict deadlines under pressure
• Develop and cultivate strong and winning teams
• Understand ethical behavior and business practices
• Ability to develop proposal and concept documents
• Ability to analyze situations and take corrective actions.

Attributes

• Professional
• Trustworthy and Confidentiality
• High degree of autonomy and responsibility
• Creativity/Innovation:
• Develop new and unique ways to improve operations of the organization and to create new opportunities

Minimum qualifications

• Masters in Social Science/ work, Business Administration, Business Management, Agribusiness, Agriculture Economics from an accredited academic institution.
• Experience in enterprise support, coaching, and business incubation.
• Understanding of business management, particularly in the agriculture sector.
• Familiarity with agronomic practices (farming techniques, crop management).
• Knowledge of agriculture sector in Malawi is desirable
• Management consulting experience is preferred
• Experience leading agricultural programs/projects.
• Practical experience in managing teams
• Minimum 9 years’ experience in administrative positions with demonstrated experience in enterprise support, management of budget and working with donors.

Applications should be addressed to: info@umodziconsulting.com

Not later than Friday, 27th September 2024