Program Manager – Accelerating Incomes (AI)

 Heifer International

Program Manager – Accelerating Incomes (AI)

Job ID 262

Program / Project Management  India   Andhra Pradesh

 

Description

Heifer International is an equal opportunity employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, status as a protected veteran, among other things, or status as a qualified individual with disability.

FUNCTION
Heifer International in India is working with Women Small Holder Farmers to build sustainable livelihoods through agriculture and livestock value chains that would become an important part of their family income to close the Living Income Gap. Heifer International is working with private sector partners in a new project located in Andhra Pradesh, India aimed at strengthening Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), small and medium enterprises (SMEs), supporting their increase in revenue, and enabling women smallholder farmers to close the living income gap. Heifer is focused on the long-term development of inclusive, pro-poor, market systems in Andhra Pradesh.

The Program Manager- AI will work in close coordination with Program Director for the Accelerated Income Project and assist him/her in planning, design, development, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the AI Program and ensuring the quality of projects, implementation, donor reporting, partner management, relationship management with stakeholders and field-level management is of the highest standards.

ESSENTIAL CHARACTER TRAITS 
Empathetic, Emotionally Intelligent, Honest, Positive Attitude, Compassionate, Patient, Self-motivated, results-oriented, high integrity, accountability, respectful, analytical ability, interpersonal skills and proactive, problem-solving, enthusiasm, dependability, creativity, and team player.

RESPONSIBILITIES & DELIVERABLES

A. Program Management (30%)

• Provide Program Management based on PMD-Pro Guidelines balancing time, budget, and scope.
• Implement the project based on Heifer’s approach and model.
• Conduct economic and value chain analysis.
• Promote FPO establishment and strengthening through market hubs.
• Mobilize capital and technical deployment in the project
• Lead collaborative learning and adaptation.

DELIVERABLE

• Project management structure is established by supporting in recruitment of project staff and giving them project orientation.
• Support bi-annual and annual team performance review of the project team.
• Project planning at regular intervals and different levels, quarterly plans and monthly plans will be maintained at the Project Management Committee (PMC) and Project Partner (PP) levels.
• Periodic and timely review of budgets and forecasting of all approved project work plans undertaken and shared with headquarters.
• Inclusive market system is developed from production level to markets.
• Development and testing of different economic models for closing the Living Income Gap of farmers.
• Value chain production models developed and established for different categories of farmers
• FPO management and governance strengthened by regular training, meeting, and grooming.
• Entrepreneurship development among farmers, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and Community Agro-Vet Entrepreneurs (CAVEs).
• Seek opportunities for capital/credit linkages for farmers, service providers (i.e. CAVEs), and FPOs.
• Raising and tracking Catalytic Leverage Fund for the project.
• Communication within the organization at different levels.
• Communication with media, local and state-level stakeholder
• Develop and document lessons learned and experiences for dissemination and sharing to inform future project development.

B. Strengthen the social capital of Self-Help Groups (SHGs), Farmer-Owned Agri-Businesses (FOABs) and other project stakeholders (30%)  

DELIVERABLE

• Heifer’s Values-Based Holistic Community Development (VBHCD) model, personal leadership development, and women empowerment are established in the project.
• Preparation of information, education & communication (IEC) materials, Social Capital content and modules for the project.
• Monitoring of program implementation progress with respect to training & social capital and providing input where necessary.
• Leading and organizing various events and trainings such as Heifer’s Cornerstones Training, Participatory Self Review and Planning (PSRP), Gender and Justice, Group Management, and Personal Leadership Development to build social capital.

C. Project Partner and FPO Management (20%)

• Evaluate all support in the execution of Letters of Agreement (LOAs) between project holders, Heifer India, and Heifer HQ.
• Ensure compliance and finalize regular quarterly, semi-annual and annual programmatic and financial reports from PPs and FPOs.

DELIVERABLE

• Regular assessment, staffing, budget, and accounting at the project partner level.
• Timely Reporting will be given emphasis, with timely collection and reporting from partner and FPO level.
• Triadic partnership model established among the Heifer team, project community and PPs for transparent and efficient working.
• Integration of HQ requirements (reporting, financial, operational etc.) into PP’s management and implementation system
• Partner risk management done, and risk register maintained and shared with CPO on a regular basis.

D. Relationship management with stakeholders (15%)

DELIVERABLE

• Networking with like-minded agencies and govt. line departments by organizing and attending state or district level meetings and workshops.
• Key Stakeholder mapping and regular meeting with them.
• Collaboration with local government and non-government bodies as well as the convergence of project activities.
• Local, district, and state level stakeholders involved in project implementation and monitoring through establishment of Project Implementation and Monitoring Committees (PIMCs).

E. May perform other job-related duties as assigned (5%)

• Deliverables based on duties assigned.

Minimum Requirements

1. Master’s Degree in Rural Development, Social Work, or other relevant qualification.
2. Five years of relevant experience in program management, extension, and community development work.

Preferred Requirements

1. Five (5) years of supervisory/managerial experience.
2. Knowledgeable of and experience related to training and adult learning methodologies.
3. Expertise in making training and Information Education and Communication materials.
4. Thorough understanding of programming processes, systems and principles, and the ability to provide leadership and support to staff working at community level.
5. Solid skill, knowledge, and foundation in proposal development and of the project management cycle.
6. Sound understanding of value chain development on various agricultural commodities and the livestock sector.
7. Sound understanding of integrated development issues and critical analysis of the root causes of poverty in India.
8. Knowledge of development issues, trends, challenges and opportunities and implications to community development.
9. Demonstrated knowledge of strategic planning processes.

Most Critical Proficiencies

1. Good experience in annual work planning and budgeting and budget monitoring.
2. A good understanding of monitoring and evaluation processes.
3. Solid project management and reporting skills.
4. Sound project and proposal development skills.
5. A good understanding and sensitivity to issues associated with poverty, hunger, and environment, and knowledge of the context to which non-profit organizations operate.
6. Solid knowledge and experience in extension methodologies.
7. Experience in Agribusiness development, especially developing livestock value chains, market facilitation approaches and development of farmer business institutions.
8. Knowledge and experience in training and participatory training methodologies.
9. Team leadership skills, with good abilities of addressing conflicts amongst diverse teams and constituents.
10. Excellent organizational skills.
11. Proficient knowledge of word processing, spreadsheets, presentation tools, electronic mail (Microsoft Office preferred) and Internet.
12. Demonstrated proficiency in English and Hindi, both oral and written. Fluency in Telugu preferred.

Essential Job Functions and Physical Demands

1. Preparing and presenting project reports and presentations in a well-designed and attractive format with superior attention to detail.
2. Demonstrated creativity, ability to think systematically, willingness and ability to incorporate innovative solutions.
3. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to work cooperatively, tactfully, and diplomatically with culturally diverse groups of people.
4. Willingness and ability to assign and review the work of line managed staff and to use participatory management skills with junior and senior staff.
5. Proven team leadership and supervisory skills with the ability to train and work cooperatively with a diverse staff.
6. Regularly conduct stakeholder analysis to strengthen partnerships and leveraging of resources
7. Constant face-to-face, telephone and electronic communication with colleagues and the general public to scale up Accelerated Income Project and Country program visibility and publicity.
8. May require constant sitting, working at a computer and focusing for extended periods, and performing office work in the field and/or in remote conditions.
9. Working with sensitive information and maintaining confidentiality.
10. Ability to manage and execute multiple tasks with little supervision while meeting sometimes inflexible deadlines.

For more information and online application click here