Senior energy & market manager - Kampala

Energy & Market (E&M) Project Manager

Profile

The Ayuda en Acción (A&A) Foundation is an international organization working in development and humanitarian work. Ayuda en Acción Uganda is registered as foreign Charity organization in Uganda and working in partnership with multiple development actors, government sectors, communities and their organizations to eradicate poverty.

Our primary task is to promote improvements in the individual and collective capacities of the children, families and communities with whom we work. For that, this project will aim at implementing a Market System Development (MSD) for the first time, implying working with private sector companies and facilitating the development of an inclusive market system that allows commercial solutions reaching poor and vulnerable families and farmers in rural Uganda. 

Brief Context of Project in Uganda

Ayuda en Acción Uganda (AeAU) is seeking thoughtful, experienced, dedicated and professional (E&M) Project Manager to explicitly coordinate and lead the implementation, M&E, documentation and reporting of an internal AeA Funded Project in Partnership with the Consortium partner Palm Corps. AeAU is both the leading implementing agency for the project.

The project is integrated, coordinated, and synergized with the ongoing long-term territorial development program approaches, which are working in several sectors, including: Sustainable agriculture value chains (i.e., Kasava and tomato); employment; and women social empowerment programs. The project aims to promote off-grid renewable energy solutions to communities of Adjumani and Moyo districts favoring the reduction of food insecurity, and increase employment and livelihood opportunities for the local population.

Position Description:

It is a local position based in Kampala (Uganda) with often travelling to Adjumani, Moyo or adjacent districts (estimated in at least 1 week/month of local travelling). The E&M project manager will play dual accountability report to the Country Director, particularly for institutional and administrative elements and to the international energy access and climate change sectoral expert based in Madrid (Spain), particularly for operational and programmatic elements. The role will also include functional relations and reporting to AeAU Head of Finance and consortium project partner (Palm Corps) as well as other local and national stakeholders with whom the project may establish formal relationships (i.e., private sector companies, academia, NGOs, government or international institutions).

He/she provides the overall strategic and operational, technical and administration supports and being ultimately responsible for the implementation, delivery of results, monitoring and evaluation, documentation and reporting of the project, ensuring the Integration, oversight and synergy of the project with the overall program strategy and development.

Specific responsibilities include:

Coordination and Management

• Ensure the project coordination with the consortium partner Palm Corps, as per the project documents (Project document, project budget distribution, and AeA systems) both technical and financial matters.
• Ensure the quality of outputs and results foreseen. Strengthen optimal consortium coordination and internal communication mechanisms. Advocate and promote partners’ coordination/collaboration in order to ensure outcomes achievements with particular attention on those components and objectives which foresee interlinkage among partners and synergies.
• Provide direction, leadership, ensure overall supervision of the Project personnel (including partners), and ensure effective communication and coordination between the Project office in Adjumani and staff dependent to the project and the AeAU Country office in Kampala. Identify any support and advice required for the management, planning and control of the Project.
• Manage the Project resources (human, financial and material) in coordination with AeAU senior management team and international energy access and climate change sectoral expert, applying strategic planning and systematic coordination of project activities. Provide Capacity building (in particular about MSD application) and close coaching support to project staffs, consortium partners, private sector companies, institutional and government agencies (if needed), and communities to ensure the proper management and sustainability of the project.
• The role will engage in regional digital/face-to-face AeA sectoral discussions with other AeA country offices (i.e., Mali, Niger, Ethiopia, and Mozambique) and provision of technical assistance and capacity building when appropriated under the direct guidelines and support by AeA sectoral unit.

Monitoring and Reporting

• Carry out project implementation, M&E (overall coordination of project outcomes), documentation and reporting of the 2 years (September 2022 to July 2024) project activities and annual operation plans including the required modifications and amendments as per AeA systems, and directions,
• Ensure timely preparation and compilation of the Project Annual/Quarterly Work Plans and Progress/Final substantial technical reports and impact evaluations.
• Inform timely and regularly the energy access and climate change sectoral expert in HQ on project development, relevant strategic and operational internal or external variables that affect the project implementation as well as contingent opportunities, which could increase its impact (i.e., business opportunities, room for advocacy events, etc.). Propose corrective measures in case of technical or budget deviations.
• Documenting and producing quality and standard reporting as per the AeA policies/procedures provide data/feedback to the Ayuda en Accion knowledge base.
• Establish biweekly reporting meetings with the energy access and climate change sectoral expert on key project activities, issues and required action points. Country director or other country office representatives will be invited to join.
• Properly document and share project processes, achievements, learning and impacts in coordination with AeA MEAL specialist and the knowledge responsible person at HQ and ensure proper implementation of the visibility according to AeA rules.
• Along with the support of the local office manager, lead two junior roles based in Adjumani local office (1. Analyst; and 2. Field worker) in order to deliver on the interests of the project implementation.

Representation and Positioning

• Represent the project in front of counter parties and enhance the project partnerships/relationships with consortium members, Public and Private Stakeholders, development partners, NGOs, networks, alliances, research and academic institutions in the project area and at national levels,
• Guide and orient efforts and contributions of consultants, staff and government counterparts towards achievement of project objectives.
• Ensure proper support to CD in order to inform AeA on matters related to the project or AeA cooperation activities regionally or internationally.
• Assist in development of the gender mainstreaming strategy and ensure the mainstreaming of gender into all project activities.

Other responsibilities

• Support the Head of Programs, project staffs, and the energy access and climate change sectoral expert in the Development of new project proposals and other national and international donors’ calls.
• Understand and assure the implementation of any system security and safety procedures and requirements to human resources management, protect the completeness, accuracy and integrity of accounting data and information based on AeA policies, procedures, and the law in Uganda.
• Verify and channel all requests for Project, administrative, logistical and other support and report all incidents related to security and issues of general concern to AeA senior management team.