JOB VACANCY
POSITION : Country Y.O.D.A Project Manager
Location : Kigali, Rwanda
ITM Africa Ltd, an international company specializing in all HR solutions is assisting a client to recruit an Country Y.O.D.A Project Manager
Purpose of role :
Our global strategy focuses on girls, as they are often the most marginalised and most often left behind. We have committed ourselves to the ambitious target of reaching 100 million girls over five (5) years to ensure they can learn, lead, decide and thrive. This is our contribution to achieving the sustainable development goals and, in particular, the goals of gender equality.
Our organisation is transforming itself to meet this enormous challenge everywhere we work. We need a bold, forward-thinking and innovative project manager to lead Plan International Rwanda as it goes through a major technology and business transformation programme named Programme Y.O.D.A (Your Organisation’s Data and Analytics). This project is changing our Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution; revising our processes and working practices in relation to Finance, Grants, Programmes and Projects, and Supply Chain. Our new ERP solution will strengthen our business processes, leading to a more data driven and transparent organisation, which in turn, will increase our efficiency, sustainability, effectiveness and impact for girls.
Y.O.D.A integrated systems (D365, PMERL and the Data Warehouse), will allow us to carry out our end-to-end business processes in an integrated way and will provide data that will enable us to become more data driven and transparent. Plan International Rwanda requires an experienced Business / Project Manager to project manage the Y.O.D.A change process mainly comprised of readiness, training and to lead the strengthening our business practice during the pre-deployment, deployment and post-deployment phases of the implemetation of the above Y.O.D.A integrated systems in the Country (CO).
The purpose of the Y.O.D.A Project Manager is to collaboratively develop and manage the execution of the detail plans for all aspects of the deployment of the Y.O.D.A integrated systems (D365, PMERL and the Data Warehouse) into the CO, including:
- Training
- Data preparation
- Communication
- Local configuration
- Control and go/no go decision.
- Reporting of progress to the country management team, and to the RH and GH stakeholders in collaboration CO business owners [MERL, Finance, Grants, Programmes and Projects, and Supply Chain]
This role is based in the CO and reports to the Country Director
What you will do :
Overall Project Leadership
- Act as the key contact and liaison between the CO and MEESA and the rest of the organisation and external vendors regarding the Y.O.D.A. systems rollout.
- Advocate for and promote change within the Country Office
- Communicate the change and how it relates specifically to the Country Office and functions within the Country Office
- Engage CMT and relevant staff in activities designed to help them prepare for, implement and sustain the change using the established Y.O.D.A toolkit,
- Ensure relevant staff in business areas are aware of engagement opportunities, such as the opportunity to attend virtual focussed sessions.
- Provide regular up-dates and ensure all CO staff receive monthly email up-dates.
- Identify and provide feedback, challenges and ways to improve.
Project Coordination
- Working closely with CO change champion, ensure that the CO Y.O.D.A taskforce is set up to strengthen CO engagement. The taskforce will also work to ensure the CO meets deployment readiness criteria and staff are prepared for the new Y.O.D.A systems and adopt revised processes and ways of working.
- Disseminate information to functional staff based upon global updates.
- Provide strategic leadership and support in the roll out of the new ERP and MERL systems.
- Convene meetings with the taskforce members as needed.
- Develop detailed plans for how CO will prepare for the new systems and for changes in business functions and include these in the Annual Plans and Budgets.
- Develop a workplan and detailed implementation feedback of the new ERP.
- Develop a risk register to track and effectively monitor any CO specific risk impacted by the new ERP.
- Develop a workplan for data cleansing and provide oversight over current data cleansing processes needed to successfully retire SAP.
- Prepare and submit readiness reports periodically. Provide feedback on readiness.
- Adapt and design effective communication tools and mechanisms such as infographics and visual aides to facilitate awareness raising among staff and meaningful engagement.
- Develop mechanisms for robust upward feedback to the ERP change partner and champions.
Y.O.D.A Activity Management
Lead readiness, training and business strengthening during the pre-deployment, deployment and post-deployment phases of the implemetation of the Y.O.D.A integrated systems in the country (CO).
Manage Pre-deployment tasks and activities:
- Communication with stakeholders – Working closely with the communications team to ensure the CO has a systematic approach to communications and engagement throughout the entire Programme Y.O.D.A process,
- Ensure CO leadership is taking ownership of readiness, deployment, adoption & sustained change,
- Ensure CO adoption of SCM & Finance processes and Project Management best practice,
- CO plans in place for deployment and sustained change,
- Confirm CO capacity and capability for Y.O.D.A systems deployment and sustained change,
- All relevant staff are informed about Programme Y.O.D.A,
- Staff have completed all relevant Stage 1 & 2 pre-requisite modules prior to training,
- Data cleansing – Data quality maintained. Ensure that as part of the CO readiness activities that data is cleaned and quality maintained, development and mainitainence of a practical SAP data-cleansing framework and process for the CO in all critical areas, i.e. Finance, Grants, Projects and Procurement in close liaison with the business leads in these areas.
- Identify and implement interim processes as part of the Y.O.D.A pre-deployment assessment process to help understand what needs to be done before deployment in the CO, the type of support the CO might need and inform the CO roadmap for readiness.
- Localisation – In collaboration with the GH teams, promote the capabilities of the integrated Y.O.D.A systems in relation to the business processes [Project Management, Supply Chain Management, Finance and MERL] and coordinate the collection of feedback from CO colleagues.
- Planning – Coordinate CO readiness and strengthening in the Project Management, Supply Chain Management, Finance and MERL functions and ensure that a gap analysis based on the minimum requirements is conducted to inform the CO’s roadmap to get ready to start the deployment process.
- Provide inputs to the finalisation and implementation of a new global ERP system in the CO, in collaboration with CO business managers and leadership.
- Training and capacity building- Collaboratively prepare plans for users’ capacity building to manage Y.O.D.A systems in an effective and consistent way. Ensure that an effective and efficient training process is in place to provide comprehensive learning to all users in the CO. Ensure such training is kept up to date throughout the rollout cycle.
- Planning Project Resources: Prepare a feasible CO Y.O.D.A. rollout plan that achieves the goals and objectives of the project and aligns with Plan International’s overall strategy and operational excellence objectives. The plan will define the project’s scope and determines the resources available, estimating time and financial commitment, as well as how to monitor and report on the project’s progress.
- Work with the IT department to ensure that all IT infrastructure is in place (internet capability, user hardware, connectivity and power) and ready for new systems and training)
- Establish local support mechanisms – support relevant CO teams to develop and manage the various relationships that are necessary for the smooth transition to Y.O.D.A. systems prior to, during and after deployment.
- User provisioning – Coordinate the COs formation of project teams by providing advice and guidance to CO functional management. Provide best practice advice to CO on the critical tasks, deadlines, tools, approaches and processes required for rollout success.
- Based on impact assessment, readiness checklist and deployment model, advocate for best practice approaches to the reallocation of staff, financial and other resources, as required, to avoid imbalances between ongoing work and the project.
- Communication and readiness checklist review meetings – Develop sign-off processes, tools and documentation for each key project milestone / stage. Ensure the socialisation of the key indicators required for each milestone to the CO Project Team.
During Deployment – Go live/cut over
Manage:
- Interim processes – closing off
- User provisioning – refinement and correction of roles
- Data audit/ set up/ correction- An important part of readiness for the Y.O.D.A systems deployment is ensuring we have clean data ahead of data migration.
- Local management of cutover
- Local support (functional & IT) of deployment process
- Communication and readiness checklist review meetings
- Communication with stakeholders and suppliers- Generate timely communications / project updates to all stakeholders in the CO on ongoing project progress and critical milestone status.
- Deploy an effective system that allows stakeholders and CO to provide continuous feedback on project progress and any current or potential issues.
During Post deployment – post go live
Coordinate;
- Adoption of MERL functionality of PMERL
- Support Business to teams to work in the Y.O.D.A system in a fully informed, transparent and effective manner
- Local support (functional & IT)
- Data quality monitoring
- Needed Supplementary training
- Ensure that a current and updated Issue Log is maintained and all reported items are resolved or escalated in time. Offer viable solutions and opportunities as they arise.
- Implement and maintain a knowledge management log that captures key learnings from the entire rollout cycle. Facilitate the creation of reflection platforms within CO to inform future projects of a similar nature. This documentation, along with all paperwork, must be collected, signed off on and archived by the end of the project.
Others
- Liaison With Stakeholders: liaise and communicate with government bodies, donors, other Plan offices, local and international agencies and other key stakeholders as required and directed by the Country Director.
- A vital member of the CO emergency preparedness mechanism.
Child Protection and Gender Equality & Inclusion
- Ensures that Plan International’s global policies for Safeguarding Children and Young People and Gender Equality and Inclusion are fully embedded under the policy’s principles and requirements, including relevant Implementation Standards and Guidelines as applicable to their area of responsibility.
- Includes, but is not limited to, ensuring staff and associates are aware of and understand their responsibilities under these policies and Plan International’s Code of Conduct (CoC), their relevance to their area of work, and that concerns are reported and managed following the appropriate procedures.
Risk Management
- Ensure systems and processes are in place to identify and manage risks, including developing, updating and reviewing the country risk register in line with the Global Risk Management Policy and the Global Risk Management Toolkit, and ensuring that risks are adequately identified, assessed, mitigated and reported on.
You will be a good fit if you have :
Knowledge
- Educated to a degree standard relevant to managing any IT, Project Management, Supply
- Chain Management, Finance and MERL functions.
- Proven project management experience
- At least 5 years of experience working preferably using ERP systems
- plan-international.org Role Profile 11
- ERP/ SAP knowledge of business use.
- Demonstrable knowledge as a result of education, training or practical experience on the
- critical debates in development, particularly around child rights;
- Practical knowledge of operations support for development;
- Demonstrable knowledge of financial, administrative and business management;
- Strong knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), e-mail and the
- internet;
- Fluency in Kinyarwanda and strong working knowledge of English, spoken and written;
- Knowledge of Rwanda, the geopolitical factors affecting child poverty in the country, as well
- as the political, social and economic opportunities for development are an advantage
Business Management Skills
- Critical thinking, attention to detail, analysis of evidence, problem-solving
- Strategic thinking and decision-making.
- Planning, organising and project management (time management, forecasting, prioritising, delegating and instructing).
- Procurement/logistics.
- Negotiation and influence.
- Relationship and partnership management.
- Financial and resource management (budgeting, forecasting, reporting).
- People management, including assessment, feedback and coaching.
- Evidence-based management (gathering, analysing and using data in decision-making).
- Digital skills.
- Change management.
Leadership Skills and Behaviours Demonstrated from Experience
- Striving for high performance:
- Achieves clarity and accountability among the whole team of their individual and collective objectives.
- Organises work clearly and effectively within the team;
- Deals with poor performers by either improving their contribution or managing their exit, if appropriate.
- A positive disposition that inspires teams and outsiders.
Strategic Thinking and Innovation
- Creates a solid strategic direction for PIR to place PIR as a critical value creator and source of best practice within the global organisation.
- Understand and apply sound principles of project cycle management, including monitoring, evaluation and learning.
- A significant contributor to the direction in the management team of which they are a member.
- Flexible in responding to new demands presented in emergencies.
Decision Making and Risk Management
- Can address complex problems in a balanced way;
- Good judgment in decision-making, making the best use of available information;
- Willing to make difficult or unpopular decisions and stand by them.
Influence and Communication
- Uses the potential of varied cultures to reach solutions;
- Excellent listener who understands and shows sensitivity to the views of others;
- Forms good relationships quickly with a wide range of people, including those in positions of power and who have different views/ interests;
- Represents PIR effectively with senior people in external stakeholder organisations;
- Understands external and internal politics and can navigate these;
- Communicates with clarity and passion in both one-on-one situations and with large groups;
- Effective negotiator in complex situations;
- Assertive without being aggressive.
How to apply :
Click Here to apply directly not later than 19th February 2023.
