Job Summary:

The PM will be responsible for providing oversight to project activities to ensure program and management quality. The PM will support design, selection, coordination, and implementation of program activities. He/she will lead in relationship-building and coordination with local government and non-government agencies as well as beneficiary communities. The PM will directly supervise program staff including the Senior Project Officers and M&E Project Officer, and indirectly manage the entire team of STAR across the three districts in Herat and Ghor. The PM will also support the Community of Practice (CoP) and Head of Programming to oversee Herat’s program budgets, prepare regular program reports, and respond to donor inquiries and field visits.

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• Staff Supervision and Team Leadership
• Directly supervise senior project staff including the Livelihoods Senior Project Officer, M&E Project Officer. Provide support in managing daily and weekly tasks. Improve professional development and leadership capacity through performance management, coaching, and structured capacity-building activities.
• Effectively manage talent and supervise. Manage team dynamics and staff well-being. Provide coaching, strategically tailor individual development plans, contribute to the recruitment process of project staff, and complete performance management for direct reports.
• Work with CoP and relevant program staff as needed to develop job descriptions and support recruitment and onboarding processes.
• Ensure that safeguarding, protection, and gender equity are consistently and intentionally streamlined into all program activities, including staff recruitment and training to ensure robust systems of prevention and response.

Program Management and Program Quality

• Project Start-up: Support CoP to oversee the startup of WASH activities in Herat and Ghor. Support staff to build capacity in relevant WASH competencies, oversee community selection and mobilization, follow up with engineering team in completing technical surveys and preparing technical designs, lead the summarization of technical documents for the donor review, and closely follow up with the WASH team in the implementation of construction projects, and support planning and development of water quality and hygiene promotion activities.
• Planning and Implementation: Support livelihoods and WASH teams to develop and carry out weekly, monthly, and annual implementation plans in line with project goals and objectives as well as CRS guidelines for quality programming, donor regulations, and relevant strategies from national government ministries. Spend around 10% of time in the field to be constantly informed on program implementation practices and evaluate the results of project activities.
• Monitoring and Evaluation: Support M&E Project Officer in the development and implementation of monitoring and evaluation systems to ensure high quality programming, facilitate fulfillment of donor reporting requirements, track achievements against project indicators, and support evidenced-based decision making.
• Reflection and Learning: Support M&E staff and senior livelihoods program staff in leading regular reflections with their teams on DIP activities and M&E data with the aim of revising and improving approaches. Participate in and inform longer-term discussions with relevant senior staff regarding Herat Livelihoods Program strategy and management.
• Coordination: Coordinate closely with the Ghor and Herat Head of Offices to ensure that cross-province projects are being implemented according to project strategies, work plans and budgets. Work with the Livelihoods teams in Ghor and Bamyan Provinces on cross-learning and capacity building initiatives.
• Reporting: prepare weekly, quarterly, and annual programming reports of STAR project to CoP that reflect the up-to-date project achievements, challenges and lessons learned.
• Program Growth: Support Head of Programming and CoP in the development of new proposals for the Herat and Ghor Livelihoods department, through needs assessments, project design workshops, and proposal writing.

Project Financial Management

• Budget Management: Maintain a firm understanding of CRS Afghanistan’s financial policies. Approve and closely monitor project expenses to ensure adherence to project proposal budgets and CRS and donor regulations.
• Provide monthly review and analysis of STAR project transaction, discuss with STAR PMU finance management and CoP, progress, and differences in-line and categories, and plan remedial actions accordingly.
• Provide quarterly cash forecast of STAR project in Insight Planning and Budgeting (P&B) module, and coordinate with CRS Finance Manager on further revisions and changes

Project Support and Management Quality

• Compliance: Work closely with operations sections and oversee the Livelihoods team to ensure compliance with agency policy and procedure for Finance, Procurement, Transport, Facilities, and Human Resources. Communicate challenges to and coordinate solutions with the Head of Office.
• Coordinate closely with Herat and Ghor Security Focal Points and Heads of Offices to ensure project activities are carried out in accordance with standard operating procedures and security information is shared in a timely manner with SFPs, HoOs, and donors as required.

Representation

• Support Head of Office and key livelihoods staff in maintaining effective working relationships for Livelihoods Program activities with the government and non-government agencies including the Directorate of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock (DAIL), Directorate of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (DRRD), WASH, and FSAC Clusters, and implementing partners and donors.

Other Responsibilities

• Perform any other related duties assigned by the Chief of Party
• Attend weekly STAR Program Management Unit meetings