Job Abstract

Overall Responsibilities:

The Senior Project Manager (PM) is primarily responsible for providing strategic management of organizational initiatives within the Program Delivery Group (PDG). The SPM will plan and execute initiatives to advance systems and business practices to ensure optimal performance of MSH projects around the world.

The Senior Project Manager is a seasoned professional with experience working in large NGOs and managing health or development projects in diverse geographies. The SPM works in partnership with the PDG Director, Strategic Management, the PDG Director, Center of Project Management Excellence, the PDG Operations Officer, and Center of Project Management Excellence staff. The PM collaborates with colleagues across the organization and globally.

The Project Manager’s primary accountabilities include:

Manage Department Initiatives

• The SPM will manage the implementation of department initiatives, such as: MSH’s Project Performance Management Framework, Client Relationship Management Framework, country shared services models, department workplan and performance metrics, department budgeting, and employee engagement initiatives. The SPM will have a PDG liaison role with one or more business services units to lead collaboration and coordination between units.

Manage Initiatives to Strengthen Project Management Practices

• The PM will plan and execute implementation of initiatives to continuously improve project management, such as: Project Standards of Implementation Excellence Tool, Project Management Toolkits, Project Support Satisfaction Survey, Project Management Software, and Quality Management System.

Supervision

• The SPM may be responsible for supervising one or more staff. The PM will mentor and coach supervisees to help them grow professionally. In our matrix structure, the SPM is also expected to provide professional growth opportunities and mentorship to relevant staff.    

Specific Responsibilities Include:

Manage PDG Strategic Initiatives (30%)

• The Senior PM provides strategic guidance to PDG Leaders to establish efficient and effective project management and implementation strategies, navigate challenges, and solve problems to enable successful project performance and client relationships.
• The Senior PM will manage special PDG initiatives related to the MSH Strategic Plan, in collaboration with other PDG Leaders, including:
• Institutionalization of the Project Performance Management Framework and Client Relationship Management Framework.
• Lead trainings to reach global and country level staff. This may include developing asynchronous training approaches in addition to live virtual or in person training delivery.
• Build out country presence and shared services models for enhanced local leadership in MSH’s operations. Assist in the development of strategy and management for MSH’s country presence and shared services models.

Manage and coordinate projects related to MSH’s country operating models, including

• Manage communications, policy and framework development, and capacity strengthening initiatives.
• Provide assistance to senior MSH staff preparing for or undertaking activities related to country business models, as may be requested by the VP, Program Delivery Group or other senior staff.
• Develop and maintain a library of technical resources and knowledge exchange network related to MSH’s country business models.
• Organize and track communication threads, and bring salient issues to the attention of the Program Delivery Group Leadership Team.

Manage PDG Department Operations (25%)

• In collaboration with other PDG Leaders, manage the design and maintenance tools to plan, manage, and report on PDG department performance (e.g., annual department workplan, budget, LOE planning, action plans and Gantt charts for PDG initiatives, PDG performance metrics).
• In collaboration with the Strategic Information Team, develop data dashboards, including data analysis and visualization to monitor PDG performance and identify trends related to PDG Key Performance Metrics.
• Plan and facilitate employee engagement initiative actions.
• Prepare draft presentations and reports for PDG leadership, create PDG content for the MSH intranet on special projects, as assigned.
• Manage and coordinate mechanisms for collaboration between PDG Global and PDG Country teams, including the Country Leadership Team.
• Through collaboration with the Director of Strategic Management and other senior staff as appropriate, ensure that information is up-to-date regarding MSH Global activities affecting country offices.

Manage Initiatives to Strengthen Project Management Practices (35%)

• The Senior PM will contribute to conceptualizing, leading, and implementing departmental, cross-departmental, and organization-wide initiatives. The Senior PM, in collaboration with other PDG leaders, ensures that PDG maintains standards and consistency across the entire MSH project portfolio, including designing tools, systems, and processes, and creating and delivering trainings.
• In collaboration with other PDG leaders, support the adaptation and implementation of MSH’s Standards of Implementation Excellence (SIE), including the roll out of the tools and process and management and reporting on SIE data to monitor project quality.
• Plan and manage processes to strengthen project management systems and tools with the Center of Project Management Excellence, including the project management toolkit, start-up and close-out toolkits.
• Collaborate with PDG Portfolio Directors and the PDG Center for Project Management Excellence in the creation and maintenance of up-to-date information on MSH countries, projects, and staff.
• Provide guidance to project teams on compliance with, and enhancement of, project management components of MSH’s Quality Management System (ISO 9001 certification).
• Coordinate the selection, adaptation, and roll out of a Project Management Software package for MSH, which aligns with MSH’s Project Performance Management Framework, that can be used across global and country teams.
• Design and roll out a Project Support Satisfaction Survey to inform ongoing quality improvement and capacity strengthening related to global support for country projects.
• Manage the redesign and deployment of MSH’s Project Management Toolkit for MSH Global and Country Teams, inclusive of the development of related capacity strengthening initiatives.
• Serve as a liaison for PDG with another department or business unit. Meet regularly to stay abreast of new initiatives or changes relevant to projects and PDG. Collaborate on joint initiatives to improve and streamline MSH operations or project support, representing feedback of CPME staff and project teams and reporting back to CPME on discussions.

 Business Development (5%)

• As needed, provide PDG inputs in business development by gathering intelligence, positioning, and contributing to proposals. Contributions include assessing the feasibility of implementing proposed technical and implementation strategies, creating the management strategy and start-up plan, designing partner and staffing plans, interviewing and selecting key staff, developing budget assumptions, and reviewing proposals.
• Provide support to small proposals; prepare the budget, enter information into Salesforce, serve as proposal manager, and assist with implementation management.
• Lead pre-award project preparations for priority bids to MSH global initiatives and priorities including pre-positioning, deep dives, and business development, including partnering with other units on the coordination of capacity strengthening related to business development for global and country staff.

Supervision of staff (5%)

• The SM may be responsible for directly supervising one or more CPME project support staff.
• Mentor, coach, and supervise team members and ensure that staff receives thorough onboarding and appropriate training; create and encourage learning and growth opportunities.
• Conduct annual review process and goal setting for direct reports and actively monitor performance. Guide direct reports in this process for their own direct reports.

QUALIFICATIONS

REQUIRED MINIMUM EDUCATION

• Advanced degree in public health, international relations, or a field of study relevant to job responsibility

REQUIRED MINIMUM EXPERIENCE

• 12-15+ years minimum experience supporting or leading global public health or international development projects.
• Experience supervising professional staff
• Work experience in LMIC preferred.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

• Experience in the planning, implementation, and management of USAID-funded activities. Understanding of USAID and country Missions; USG audiences, trends, and expectations.
• Comprehensive knowledge of US Government funded programs, regulations, and requirements preferred, including USAID contracts.
• Experience and knowledge include all stages of the project lifecycle of complex and inherently high-risk projects.
• Experience working successfully in a matrix environment, building professional relationships and communications to collaborate seamlessly with staff on adjacent teams.
• Knowledge of project financial management procedures. Proven track record in developing and managing complex budgets.
• Strong interpersonal skills and a demonstrated capacity to lead global teams and to collaborate with colleagues and partner organizations to achieve results.
• Proven ability to work independently with minimal direction. Strong ability to problem-solve. Proven ability to anticipate needs and plan in advance.
• Demonstrated ability to provide relevant advice to senior project management teams, bringing different perspectives (external, client, MSH corporate, etc.). Ability to guide project teams and support teams in navigating processes and systems.
• Successful experience working in a fast-paced, multicultural, results-driven environment. Relevant experience working in a lower income country environment on a long-term assignment or multiple short-term assignments.
• Understanding of global NGO business structures and global and country level operating models, and successful experience achieving results within a large NGO.
• Strong writing and oral presentation skills in English. Proficiency in French also preferred.
• Strong analytical and organizational skills as demonstrated by ability to work both independently and within a team.
• Demonstrated ability to assess priorities and manage a variety of activities with attention to detail.
• Strong conceptualization, facilitation, and planning skills.
• Excellent cross-cultural communication and active listening skills.

COMPETENCIES

• CORE JOB COMPETENCIES: Action Oriented, Business Acumen, Drive for Results, Information Sharing, Managing and Measuring work, Negotiating, Priority Setting, Problem Solving, Decision Quality, Listening, Managerial Courage, Time Management, Motivating Others, Conflict Management, Delegation, strategic communication, process planning, consensus building, meeting and training facilitation.
• Strategic and cross-cultural agility, cross-cultural sensitivity, comfort communicating with higher management, dealing with paradox, perspective, dealing with ambiguity, attention to detail while understanding the big picture, managing diversity and relationships, motivating others, managing for results, prioritization and time management, organizational resilience.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• Travel requirements: Availability to travel domestically and internationally as needed, up to 25% of time. Physical requirements: Keyboard use, pulling drawers, lifting papers <10lbs.

MSH considers multiple job-related factors when determining an offer, including but not limited to, business and organizational needs, candidate qualifications, internal equity, location, and internal budget.
 

Salary is just one of many aspects of our total rewards package; at MSH, our goal is to provide you with a comprehensive set of competitive benefits that includes a substantial vacation, sick and holiday policies, training and development programs, competitive insurance coverage for health, vision, dental, life, short-term and long-term disability, 401k plan, Flexible Spending Account, among others.
 

MSH is an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity, religion, creed, citizenship, national origin, age, veteran status, or disability unrelated to job requirements. MSH will take affirmative action to ensure that qualified applicants are employed and that employees are treated without regard to their race, age, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran and disability status. In compliance with U.S. Department of Labor Executive Order 11246, Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act, and Section 4212 of the Vietnam Era Readjustment Assistance Act, MSH has developed and maintains an affirmative action program and plan.

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