The Project Manager oversees all aspects of a major multi-sectoral project encompassing a large, remote geography and a wide range of diverse stakeholders. T/hey lead and manage the PIU team and serves as the principal contact to external project stakeholders including UNEP, Forestry Department, Department of National Parks and Wildlife, Ministry of Agriculture, private sector project co-financing partners and other project partners. The Project Manager manages the relationship with UNEP and is responsible for all performance, financial management and budgeting, reporting, administration, and compliance related to the project. They will provide technical support to all components of the project and ensure that the project coordinates activities with other complementary GEF funded projects and with TNC’s wider Zambia conservation programme.

 

• Provides technical leadership for and supervisory management of the large, multi-sectoral GEF/UNEP-funded project and manages all the project’s sub-contracts
• Responsible for project compliance, financial oversight, operations and quality assurance for all activities including budgeting and financial reporting
• Serves as the primary project liaison with UNEP, communicates regularly with UNEP and attends all UNEP partner meetings as required
• Supervises the monitoring of key deliverables, outputs and outcomes as per Work Plans and grantee/contractor agreements.
• Works closely with the Director of Forestry as the primary Government counterpart and cultivates and develops partnerships with key stakeholders including the Forestry Department, Department of National Parks and Wildlife, Ministry of Agriculture, other government agencies, the project’s private sector co-financing partners, implementing partners, collaborating partners and communities
• Recruits, retains and manages a high quality and effective multi-disciplinary TNC staff for the PIU with responsibility for performance management, training and career development and provides assistance to all levels of personnel on expertise related issues and requests.
• Ensures the TNC staff in the PIU work closely and productively with the Forestry Department and other Government staff in the PIU and in the field.
• Prepares and submits annual work plans and quarterly and annual performance reports, and ensure progress towards program objectives, including through field visits
• Supervises and provides technical input into the project’s monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) functions and supervises compliance with UNEP MEL requirements including data quality assessments
• Provides robust technical input and support to all components of the project and the staff and partners responsible for them, ensuring the project achieves lasting and meaningful outcomes and results
• Serve as Executive Secretary and provide support to the Project Steering Committee in coordinating policy-related project implementation at the national level: 
• Organize, conduct and participate as Executive Secretary in the Project Technical Committee meetings where technical advice will be generated to advance the project
• Disseminates best practices; provides training and analysis to best implement organizational measures of success; and develops key partnerships with public and private organizations in order to identify and resolve technical issues and to widely communicate solutions, innovative scientific methods and tools to address the natural system and human wellbeing needs of the project area
• Works as part of TNC conservation team, ensuring close communication, collaboration and learning with peers in the country, regional and international team
• May require frequent travel domestically and evening and weekend hours.
• May work in variable weather conditions, at remote locations and under physically demanding circumstances.