Position: Senior Program Associate
Location: Penang (Malaysia-HQ)
Application Deadline: 26 August 2022
Type of contract: 3 years fixed term contract (renewable based on performance & budget)
Language(s) required: English (proficient/fluent writing and oral skills)
About the Organization
WorldFish is an international, non-profit research and innovation organization reducing hunger, malnutrition and poverty across Africa, Asia and the Pacific. For over 45 years, our work on sustainable aquaculture and fisheries has improved the lives of millions of women, men and youth.
Fish and other aquatic foods grown in and harvested from oceans, lakes, rivers and ponds provide income for more than 800 million people and provide 3.3 billion with 20% of their animal protein intake. Our focus on sustainability makes sure that the way we produce and use these foods today means a plentiful future of generations to come.
Our evidence-based solutions range in scale from households to global policies and spans across six interlinked themes: nutrition, gender, climate, sustainability, economy and COVID-19. We champion aquatic foods for healthy people and planet and believe that a sustainable blue planet of well-nourished children, women and men is within our reach.
About the Position
This position is required to help foster excellence in bilateral project delivery at WorldFish and to ensure the organization has the project management oversight, capacities and competencies, role clarity, technologies and tools to ensure contractual obligations are met. It will focus on delivering support to Project Leaders Steps 3 – 7 of the 7 Steps Project Lifecycle Management process (PLM).
The Successful Candidate will
- Supports Portfolio Manager in oversight and support to a portfolio of projects in Africa and HQ and in charge of assigned programs and projects within the portfolio. (Note: the specific programs and projects can be changed by the Project Management Unit Lead (PMU) in consultation and upon agreement by the incumbent).
- Liaises directly with relevant support departments, such as human resources and compliance, finance, communication and Monitoring Evaluation Learning (MEL) to ensure project compliance with rules, regulations, and corporate policy, in consultation with PMU Lead.
- Schedules and leads regular project progress review meetings, prepares agenda, and capture notes as appropriate.
- Provide a quarterly coordination and review report on data integrity, as well as deliverables and research outputs under different projects (as needed).
- Oversees and is responsible for grants and contracts oversight consisting of several large and small grants, ensures that grants and contracts (projects) are completed on time, within budget, and in full compliance with donor and WorldFish policies and requirements.
- Support Portfolio Manager in oversight implementation of relevant project management policies and ensure Project Leaders and others who are subject to the policies comply with guidelines and processes. This will include but not be limited to Project Start Up and Close out Toolkit, Agreement Review checklist and Project Risk Management Checklist.
- Anticipates potential problems; assesses program risks; offers mitigations and solutions; and coordinates the resolution with PMU and project leadership. Provides monthly early warning desk reviews for the projects supported.
- Supports Portfolio Manager in assessing current project management capacities and developing response plans to identified gaps. Contributes to process of ensuring relevant project management support tools are regularly reviewed, improved and new tools developed and adapted.
- Provides capacity building on Project Lifecycle Management (PLM) amongst all project implementation and support teams, and that the processes are aligned to the CGIAR Performance Management Standards.
- Contribute to on-going process improvement and enhancement of the Project Management related systems, and ensuring high quality and effectiveness of these systems.
- Maintain the accuracy and completeness of projects’ data in WorldFish systems that are aligned with WorldFish and donor reporting.
- Support the Portfolio Manager to ensure that donor agreement and consultancy contracts are being processed and uploaded in OCS for review and approval including all related documents are uploaded to the system for record file.
- Support the Portfolio Manager to follow up with finance by submitting proper documents for payments to partners and consultants.
- Maintains an understanding of donor and WorldFish policies and procedures related to grant/contract compliance and oversight.
- To provide Project management MEL support, undertaking qualitative and quantitative data collecting, data analysis and reports.
- Prepares status reports or provides oral briefs on project progress, including problem analysis and recommendations for corrective actions.
- Reviews periodic reports to ensure that benchmarks and goals are being met and monitor progress and contribution towards project Results.
- Initiates project kick-off, amendment/modification and close-out process.
- Travels as needed for program oversight and/or implementation support.
- Participates in cross functional teams and initiatives.
- All other duties that may be required from time to time.
Requirements
This job might be for you if you have the below skills and qualifications:
- Bachelor’s Degree or Diploma in Administration, Management or relevant field.
- Demonstrated experience in project management and administration with a minimum of five years working experience in similar capacity and with an international or non-profit international research organization.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English.
- Good organizational and time management skills to process tasks efficiently.
- Good analytical thinking skill and ability to work under pressure
- Team player with excellent inter-personal skills and ability to interact positively with people in a multi-cultural environment.
- Strong customers’ service orientation.
Desired Skills and Qualifications
- Good knowledge of financial budget process.
- Good problem solving skill.
- Resourceful with excellent discretion and sound judgment ability.
- Knowledge of budget and financial management will be an added advantage.
Salary & Benefits
This is a Nationally Recruited Staff (NRS) position and WorldFish offers a competitive remuneration package including comprehensive benefits (but not limited to) insurance coverage for staff and eligible dependents, 15% employer provident fund contribution, paid leave and others.
Our Offer
The position will be based in Penang, Malaysia. Interviews are expected to be held in September 2022 andonly shortlisted candidate will be notified and expected to attend the interview session. The successful candidate should be available to commence as soon as possible for an initial of three (3) years fixed term contract, with the possibility of contract renewal depending on performance and funding situation.