Project Manager (Education sector); Gujarat, India

DRS is looking for a Project Manager for an education reform project, to work for an international NGO that contributes to society through the pursuit of education, learning, and research at the highest international levels of excellence.

Job Title: Project Manager

Contract: 5-year contract

Location: Gujarat, India

Starting date: January – February 2023

The ideal candidate will manage the successful delivery of an education reform project, managing resources and ensuring that deliverables are completed to quality, cost, and time standards as specified in the contract, aiming to ensure customer satisfaction throughout the project lifecycle.

The role holder will shape how the project is run and delivered and through this will have a major impact on the satisfaction of the customer, impacting the NGO’s reputation in the market and influencing future commercial opportunities.

• Managing performance and delivery of multiple suppliers across multiple projects, maintaining good relationships with clients, suppliers, and internal/external resources during development and delivery;
• Assessing risk and mitigating factors on a project-to-project basis, re-planning projects when external factors disrupt the approved plan.

Reports to the Programme Manager;

No line management responsibilities, though the role holder will manage resources to deliver the project;

Domestic or international travel may be required.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Educated to degree level or related experience;
• PRINCE2 practitioner (or equivalent relevant qualification or experience)

Experience:

• At least 5 years’ experience in project management in education; expertise in assessment sectors highly desirable;
• Proven track record of managing complex, large, and/or international projects for demanding clients;
• Experience in communicating effectively and persuasively with a range of stakeholders from all levels within an organization;

Skills:

• Good knowledge and experience in working with formal Project Management methodologies such as PRINCE2 and Agile;
• Strong presentation, communication, and negotiation skills;
• Well-developed project management and organization skills; budget management experience;
• Proactive strategic thinker, able to challenge constructively;
• Able to identify and manage risk proactively;
• Ability to find innovative ways of solving or pre-empting problems;
• Ability to articulate a good understanding of the international education reform marketplace;
• Knowledge or experience in working with digital workflows, web technologies, and digital platforms;
• Knowledge and understanding of digital learning and online education;
• Fluent Gujarati speaker;
• Advanced level of written and spoken English.

Behaviors:

• Excellent communicator;
• Highly collaborative;
• Intercultural sensitivity;
• Tenacity;
• Ability to recognize the often-divergent needs of individuals and teams involved in the project;
• Able to work to tight deadlines and in a high-pressure environment;
• Positive ‘can-do’ attitude;
• Strong focus on continuous improvement.

Key Accountabilities:

1. Manage project documentation, scope, and deliverables (20% of working time)

• Monitor and actively manage project scope, containing scope creep and negotiating variations as required;
• Manage the completion and effective handover of deliverables as defined in the contract;
• Manage the project documentation (e.g. the contract implementation and variations, completion certificates or acts of rendered services);
• Ensure project documentation is organized and controlled, in line with standards.

2. Plan the project and monitor and report delivery performance (15% of working time)

• Contribute as needed to contract or bid development to advise on deliverability and high-level planning;
• Produce robust, achievable plans for the projects and ensure the commitment of all engaged parties to achieve them;
• Monitor progress against plan and take corrective action and/or escalate to ensure plans are delivered;
• Ensure timely, transparent reporting is provided to inform on all aspects of project performance and risks, to meet the need of the Project Steering Group, Client, and CPE SMT;
• Lead and chair project working groups and meetings.

3. Establish effective project governance and project organization (20% of working time)

• Set up and facilitate both internal and external governance to support effective decision-making and proper use of escalation routes;
• Ensure clarity of project organization and roles.

4. Operate robust project controls (15% of working time)

• Ensure controls are operated in accordance with good project practice and CPE project management methodology to ensure that delivery meets stakeholder requirements;
• Set and manage budgets, forecasts, control expenditure, contingencies, and timely processing of purchase orders and invoices;
• Establish and operate controls for managing quality, working with technical SMEs to manage the submission of all deliverables to ensure they achieve the specified standards;
• Actively manage and report project risks throughout the project lifecycle. Promote focus of the project team to address these risks, ensuring mitigation and contingency arrangements are defined and provisioned for and escalating to the Programme Manager, Portfolio Manager, or Project Sponsor as required;
• Actively manage project issues and corresponding resolution actions, escalating to the Programme Manager, Portfolio Manager, or Project Sponsor as required;
• Identify, record, and act on lessons learned throughout the project lifecycle;
• Ensure any secondary benefits and/or implications for the NGO are understood and monitored as required.

5. Manage resources and staffing (10% of working time)

• Work with the CPE Resource Manager to arrange the supply of external resources for the project in line with project plans and the scope of work;
• Manage procurement of external resources including timely processing of procurement deliverables and approvals;
• Work with technical SMEs to ensure alignment with project scope and that all project resources both internal and external have clear terms of reference;
• Actively monitor and the manage delivery performance of resources;
• Coordinate and communicate with the project team to ensure they are engaged and kept up to date on changing needs and priorities of the project;
• Positively and actively lead and motivate the project team.

6. Manage communication and stakeholder engagement (15% of working time)

• Plan and manage project communications both internally and externally, in line with an actively maintained communication plan;
• Manage client interactions for the project, ensuring a positive experience for the client and collaborating closely with them on matters relating to delivery;
• Work with the Project Sponsor, Portfolio Manager, and Programme Manager to actively manage engagement, and communication with internal and external stakeholders in order to enable the successful delivery of the project

1. Manage project closure (5% of working time)

• Manage the project closure and final handover of the o client;
• Complete a Post Implementation Review at the end of the project, liaise with the Operational Performance Analyst on lessons learned, and formally close the project.

Decisions

Day-to-day management of projects which includes:

• Planning and chairing project-specific meetings and working groups;
• Input to Project or Programme Steering Group;
• Recording and implementing agreed decisions and actions;
• Creation and management of key business and project documents including project plans, business cases, project reports, issues and risks registers, sign-off and business handover documents;
• Forward planning and managing budgeted expenditure and staff resourcing;
• Appropriate communication with all key stakeholders.

Recommendations

Recommends for approval:

• Overall project plan;
• Project milestone completion;
• Changes to project scope/cost/timing/quality;
• Overall budget and large items of expenditure, in line with corporate financial regulations;
• Resource requirements.