GRET recruits 01 Project Manager in Myanmar

GRET recruits 01 Project Manager in Myanmar

GRET is currently seeking for a Project Manager for its “Enhancing livelihood, income generation and resilience of the vulnerable population in South Chin and North Rakhine” Project in Myanmar

GRET

Founded in 1976, GRET is an international development NGO, governed by French law, which acts from work on the ground all the way up influencing policy, with the aim of providing durable and innovative answers to the challenges of poverty and inequalities. It supports social and economic sustainable development with an approach based on partnership and action research. Active in 28 countries in 2018, GRET has 12 permanent branch offices in Asia, Africa and Latin America GRET combines the roles of project practitioner or co-practitioner, expert, contributor to public policy and producer/distributor of development references.

Within GRET, the department Food and Rural Economy, to which this position belongs, is working on 3 topics: i) family farming, value chains and food sovereignty, ii) microfinance and support to small businesses, iii) land tenure policy and land rights. The position, due to the project integrated actions, is also in relation with the two other departments: Social Policy and Citizenship (for intervention fields such as cities, citizenship and health & nutrition) and Basics Services and Natural Resources (for water & sanitation, natural resource and energy). On these various topics, GRET is working as operator in the field and in expertise (feasibility, evaluation, and studies), networks moderation, research and publications.

Context

Since 1995, GRET is working in Myanmar in the fields of agriculture development, nutrition, microfinance and water & sanitation in Yangon, Chin and Rakhine States, in the Dry zone and in Ayeyarwaddy Delta. A representation office is established in Yangon to supervise actions and work in relationships with donors, authorities and partners.

The position created here falls within the actions implemented in Southern Chin State and Northern Rakhine State. GRET and its partners started in October 2016 a multi-sectorial project in 3 Townships of Union of Myanmar: Paletwa and Matupi in Southern Chin state and Kyauktaw in Northern Rakhine state. This 4-year project (up to September 2020) targets the improvement of the living conditions for 8000 households and their communities.

The overall objectives (impact) are (i) to contribute to poverty alleviation, food and nutritional security and income generation in the Northern Rakhine State and the Southern Chin State, and (ii) to contribute to resilience of the vulnerable households to cope with peace opportunities and new investments in the region and to secure the natural resources access and use. The specific objective (outcome) is to increase the vulnerable households’ living conditions and resilience in Kyauktaw, Paletwa and Matupi Townships through securing livelihoods and income generation, and strengthening the endogenous mechanisms, the CBOs/CSOs’ and dialogue capacities.

The 5 intermediary outcomes (results) are the followings:

1. Farm production, income and diversified food have sustainably increased in Kyauktaw, Paletwa and Matupi Townships through the establishment of sustainable and improved techniques, crop diversification, access to training and advisory services;
2. The households of Paletwa and Kyauktaw Townships have improved access to sanitation and safe water and have better practices in terms of safe water use, sanitation and hygiene;
3. Financial services to the rural communities of Kyauktaw, Paletwa and/or Matupi Townships are set up and operational;
4. The rural households and their communities located in Paletwa, Matupi, and Kyauktaw Townships (and specifically along the Kaladan River) have secured their access and improved the sustainable use of natural resources through support to information and consultative process and participatory management initiatives;
5. The households, their communities, the local CBO/CSOs and national NGOs are engaged in regular dialogue and are sensitized on peace process.

This project involves several stakeholders. While GRET is in charge of the implementation of all activities in Kyauktaw and Paletwa Townships, its co-applicant Triangle Generation Humanitaire is responsible for the agricultural and natural resources management components in Matupi with a dedicated team (including 1 expatriate, 8 operational staff and 6 support staff) and some TGH HQ backstopping. GRET is also identifying local/national partners (NGO/CSO/CBOs) and international experts to be involved in agricultural development, nutrition sensitization, water and sanitation awareness-raising activities as well as for peace and natural resource challenges in Paletwa and Kyauktaw Townships. It is noteworthy that GRET is responsible of the global follow up of the Project implementation, including the overall quality assurance of the studies.

The first year of the project has been dedicated to a comprehensive assessment of the project context, including all components (agriculture, micro-finance, water and sanitation, etc.). This situation analysis has been conducted through Village Participatory Diagnoses, socio-economic surveys, expert studies, etc. with the aim to acquire an in-depth understanding of the current situation and to refine the project’s objectives, indicators and implementation modalities on this basis.

Based on the findings of the assessment, the team has adjusted the overall strategy and methodology of the project and released an inception report. It is however important to mention that due to the situation prevailing in Rakhine State in August 2017, the validation of the inception phase findings with the communities and local authorities was delayed to April 2018. An addendum has also been signed with EU in July 2018 to include the readjustment in the documents of project.

Since the second semester 2018 the project has been working on the launching of the first activities in GRET’s Townships but still faces delays because of the current situation in Central Rakhine State and Paletwa Townships. For these reasons, a review of the methodology is undergoing and may lead to response mixing development and emergency approaches.

GRET project team is composed of both international and local staff and is supported by its Country Representative office based in Yangon and by its Headquarter located in France. The GRET team is currently composed of 37 staffs: 1 expatriate project manager (present position), 2 expatriates Technical Assistants (1 for the Agriculture and Natural Resources Management (NRM) components and 1 for the Water & Sanitation (WATSAN) component), 12 national Agriculture staffs, 4 national WATSAN staffs, 3 national NRM staffs, 1 national M&E Officer and 14 national staffs for the accounting, administrative and logistic support.

Job description, duties and responsibilities

The project manager is responsible for the global coordination of the project and of its partners. He/She will work under the responsibility and supervision of the Country Representative of GRET in Myanmar and of a Project Officer based at GRET headquarter in Nogent-sur-Marne and. He/She will ensure accountability of the partnership with TGH and all other implementing partners. His/Her primary mission is to ensure the smooth progress of activities, according to the logical framework and the budget approved by the donor, together with the teams based in the 3 Townships.

For this, he/she will be specifically responsible for:

• Lead GRET project team, and provide guidance, including technical, and capacity building to staff on all issues related to project implementation;
• Plan the activities and coordinate their implementation in close collaboration with TGH (co-applicant);
• Close technical support to the team for the implementation of the agriculture (outcome 1) and natural resources management (outcome 4) components. The WATSAN team is technically supported by a GRET expert based in Myanmar;
• Direct implementation of the peace building (outcome 5) and the finance (outcome 3) components as there are no coordinators dedicated to these outcome;
• Address cross-cutting themes such as nutrition and gender;
• Accompany the GRET staff and the local implementing partners in the definition, planning and implementation of their respective activities, and the formulation and monitoring of other collaborations (local authorities, technical services);
• Ensure the budget monitoring and the proper allocation of expenses following EU and GRET procedures;
• Write the different reports of activities respecting the formats and timetables defined by the donor;
• Update the general strategy of the project together with the whole team and partners;
• Manage the security of the overall project team, ensure close monitoring of the security context and  update the security procedures if needed (upon discussion with country representative and HR  Director in HQ);
• Ensure regular communication between partners and collaborators, with the donor (EU), with the public authorities and services, with the GRET Representation in Myanmar and with the « Agriculture », « Nutrition » and “Water and sanitation” teams based at the headquarter in Nogent;
• Participate in inter-agency coordination meetings and NGO sector coordination groups and identify areas for coordination.

 A challenged position:

• Management of an important team dispatched in two offices;
• Implementation of a development project in a volatile contexte with important access restrictions for the INGOS and movement restrictions for the Muslim community.

Security context

The project’s office is located in Sittwe, classified as orange area by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but the activities of the project are implemented in two townships classified as red areas. Northern and Central parts of Rakhine State are facing continued tension (a special peak of violence in August 2017 occurred between Muslim community and Burmese Army and since January 2019 there are important clashes between the Arakan Army and the Burmese Army). There is a continued risk of armed conflict in both Northern & Central Rakhine states and in Southern Chin state. Moreover, this area is quite isolated and is confronted to frequent natural disaster. Nevertheless, Sittwe is a medium city, which offer many conveniences, and is easily reachable from Yangon with daily flights.

Please see the foreign travel advice from French foreign office:

http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/conseils-aux-voyageurs/conseils-par-pays/birmanie/

• Bachelor or master degree in agriculture/agro-economy or rural development, or similar sector. Knowledge and / or proven references in nutrition & food security are an advantage;
• Experience of at least 5 years as a project manager in developing countries. Knowledge of Myanmar or other South East Asian countries is desirable;
• Experience in humanitarian organization and/or context and specially in food, security & livelihoods projects will be a strong asset;
• Team management capacities: high experience and skills are required in this project context;
• Financial management. Experience on EU procedures is an asset;
• Strong analytical, synthesis and writing capacities;
• Creativity and autonomy at work;
• Rigor and organizational skills;
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, tasks efficiently;
• Flexibility and adaptation, openness to other cultures;
• Capacities to live and work in remote context;
• Languages: fluency in spoken and written English required, fluency in spoken and written French would be an asset to communicate with Gret HQ.

Based in Sittwe with regular trips to Kyauktaw, Paletwa, Matupi and Yangon (for meetings, seminars, etc.).

Office and transport conditions in the project area:

• Main project office in Sittwe (no office and no overnight stay allowed in Kyauktaw), a sub-office in Paletwa;
• Transportation from Sittwe to Kyauktaw: 2 hours (car). Transportation from Kyauktaw to Paletwa: 3-4 hours (car) to 8 hours (boat).
• Daily flights from Sittwe to Yangon.

Start: End of June 2019, with a week of integration at GRET HQ in Nogent-sur-Marne before departure.

Annual Gross salary from 33,4 K € for 13 months (according to GRET salary grid and experience) + expatriation allowances from 1332 € per month (according to family situation). An air ticket per year is provided.

Only applicants who have been selected for an interview will be contacted. No phone calls, please.

To know more about Gret: www.gret.org