SCOPE OF WORK: The candidate will be responsible for managing UPP component of the project "Sustainable Jerash: valorize cultural heritage for inclusive tourism" financed by AICS and implemented in ATS with the NGO ARCI Culture Solidali. The project aims to promote the conservation and promotion of the cultural heritage of the city of Jerash in an optic of inclusive and sustainable development. This objective will be achieved through various activities, such as:

• Restoration and conservation activities of the archaeological site of Jerash, which will include the rehabilitation of the area of ​​the Eastern Roman Baths - currently outside the archaeological site - and the restoration and enhancement of the area of ​​the Viaduct church;
• Activities aimed at improving the accessibility of the site for people with disabilities;
• Activities aimed at promoting sustainable tourism in the city and surrounding areas (creation of visit routes, improvement of the management of tourist flows, promotion, etc.);
• Activities aimed at creating work opportunities in the tourism sector for people with disabilities (creation of a social restaurant, professional training, job placement support for people with intellectual disabilities).

Within the project, UPP will be responsible, in collaboration with specialized partners, with restoration and conservation activities as well as part of the work inclusion activities. The Project Manager will oversee and coordinate the implementation of the project. The role includes managing project staff and partners, ensuring timely and effective project delivery, financial planning and management, high quality reporting, and visibility, and maintaining strong relationships with key stakeholders. The successful candidate will also contribute to the development of UPP strategy in Jordan, leading the development of partnerships and new project proposals.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Project planning and management:

• Lead the planning, implementation, and monitoring of UPP project’s activities;
• Ensure that all activities are in line with project objectives as described in the project’s documents, and with donor requirements;
• Regularly update UPP PCM tool;
• In coordination with project’s partners, regularly develop, update and revise the project’s workplan, in order to ensure that activities are implemented on time and project’s milestones reached;
• Regularly review and update the risk matrix analysis, including the mitigation measures to be adopted to mitigate risks, and eventually develop contingency plans when needed.

2. Financial management, logistic and administration

• Manage UPP project’s budget, ensuring financial compliance and timely expenditure;
• Define quarterly and monthly plans of expenditures according to the project’s budget and the plan of activities;
• Monitor the expenditure pace and ensure its compliance with the project document and the yearly/quarterly plans.
• Ensure the sound implementation and monitoring of UPP and donor’s administrative procedures;
• Ensure that project’s expenditures are regularly reported in the internal system and financial support documents (invoices, contracts, etc.) are regularly archived;
• Develop, update and regularly revise the procurement plan of the project;
• Ensure that procurement activities are implemented according to internal and donor’s procedures, and lead the procurement process in coordination with project’s team;
• Develop and monitor procurement contracts (works, services, goods).

3. Narrative and financial reporting

• Regularly keep track of project’s activities, updates and information needed for project’s reporting;
• Prepare and submit high quality narrative interim and final reports to donor;
• Support, in coordination with local team and UPP Desk, the preparation of interim and final financial reports to donors according to donor’s guidelines;
• Prepare any other report, document, assessment, etc. required by the donor;
• Prepare internal reports;
• Maintain regular coordination with HQ according to defined schedule.

4.  Team Management

• Draft the TOR of the project’s staff and take part in their recruitment;
• Coordinate, supervise and support project’s staff (1-2 people) through regular meetings and supervision of workplan;
• Conduct regular performance reviews and provide constructive feedback to team members;
• Facilitate capacity-building initiatives for staff: Identify possible areas of weakness and plan for on-the-job training in coordination with HQ.
• Development of materials for capacity building according to needs.

5. Monitoring

• In coordination with project’s partners, develop and update the project’s monitoring matrix;
• Develop a monitoring plan for UPP and relative partners’ activities;
• In coordination with UPP team, develop project’s monitoring tools;
• Ensure that data are collected according to the developed monitoring plan, that sources of verification are archived properly, that indicator track system is updated regularly and data shared internally and externally according to needs;
• Ensure that corrective measures are planned and taken if obstacles and challenges are met in reaching the expected targets;
• Carry out regular field visits to monitor the progresses and quality of activities on the field.

6. Coordination with partners, stakeholders and donor

• Draft, negotiate, and sign the MOUs with local partners/local authorities, stating roles, tasks, and responsibilities of both parties;
• Ensure effective coordination and communication with project’s consortium lead, to ensure that the project is implemented in a coordinated and integrated way;
• Coordinate and support UPP local and international partners in the planning, implementation and monitoring of project’s activities;
• Provide guidance and support to UPP partners on financial management, especially to ensure compliance with donor’s guidelines;
• Ensure coordination with relevant local authorities, in particular Jerash municipality and the Dipartment of Antiquities;
• Liaise with local authorities, NGOs, and other stakeholders to foster collaboration and ensure the integration of project activities;
• Establish and maintain an effective relationship with donor representatives in Jordan;
• Represent the organization in relevant coordination meetings, clusters and working groups.

7. Project Visibility

• Ensure that the visibility guidelines of the donor are respected, and proper visibility is given to the donor during all project activities and through different tools (banners, stickers, etc.)
• Ensure that communities and stakeholders are aware of the subjects funding and implementing the project;
• Provide the UPP Communication Officer with regular updates and documentation, including pictures and narrative materials, for them to promote the project via their standard channels.

8. Strategy, new project development and donor engagement

• Contribute to the strategic development of UPP in Jordan in the sectors related to resilience and development, as livelihood, creation of job opportunities for vulnerable individuals, business support, cultural heritage conservation and valorization, sustainable tourism, sustainable development, environment conservation;
• Contribute to the development and writing of new UPP strategy in Jordan, also through the identification of opportunities, niches of action, and priorities;
• Participate in the development and implementation of need assessments;
• Engage, communicate and create relations with new donors to identify funds’ opportunities;
• Map potential partnerships with local and international actors and develop new partnerships according to opportunities;
• Contribute to the development and writing of new, high quality project proposals in the sectors mentioned above.

 ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor’s degree in architecture, economics, international cooperation, tourism, or a related field;
• At least 4 years of experience in project management within the humanitarian or development sector;
• Proven experience in managing people and partners, and in working with local authorities;
• Strong understanding of project life cycle management, including design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation;
• Proficiency in English (C2) and Italian (mother tongue or C1) both written and spoken;
• Strong written skills for project reporting both in Italian and English (For AICS written reporting in Italian is required)
•  Experience in managing large procurement procedures following donor’s guidelines and in particular AICS guidelines;
• Familiarity with the guidelines and requirements of major institutional donors such as AICS and EU;
• Capacity to develop and write high quality project proposals;
• Ability to work autonomously and under pressure, following different tasks and work streams at the same time and respecting deadlines;
• Dynamism, critical thinking, ethical motivation, openness to dialogue, and adaptability.

 Desirable Requirements

• Technical educational background related to cultural heritage conservation and valorization and/or sustainable tourism, and/or previous experience in the sector;
• Additional previous experience in areas such as livelihood, job creation, business support, sustainable development;
• At least 3 years of experience as Project Manager or higher position;
• Previous experience working in the Middle East, particularly in Jordan;
• Experience in donor engagement with humanitarian and development donors;
• Documented track of successful project proposals developed and approved by donors;
• Knowledge of Arabic language.

UPP requires criminal background check certificate (released max 3 months before the date of job offer) to confirm a job offer. We are aware that in some countries the release of criminal background certificate by the competent authorities might require several weeks. However, UPP runs selections to deploy staff in emergency programs and time-lapse between job offer and field deployment is often very short. Thus, we kindly ask all candidates to get prepared on time and be able to submit their certificate promptly in case of success in the selection.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

Un Ponte Per is an International NGO committed to diversity and inclusion within its teams, in line with the principle of non-discrimination. UPP encourages all candidates irrespective of gender, religion and ethnicity including persons with disabilities to apply and become part of the organization.