JOB TITLE: Project Manager/Research Lead

DEPARTMENT: Programmes

LOCATION: The post is mainly based in Monrovia. Flexibility with travel will be required including regular travel to sites as required

CONTRACT TYPE: Fixed Term (subject to a 3-month probationary period)

WORKING HOURS: 40 hours per week, Monday to Friday. Flexibility with working hours required

RESPONSIBLE TO: Executive Director

RESPONSIBLE FOR: Management of a designated team of project assignment

Organization profile

Founded in 2019, Talking Drum Studio: Liberia Peace Center (TDS Liberia) is a national civil society organization that works toward igniting shared values in finding solutions to the most critical issues affecting Liberian society. TDS Liberia’s work is focused on four thematic areas: Strategic Communication and Community Mobilization, Governance and Democracy, Human Rights and Transitional Justice, and Natural Resource Governance and Land Management. Other cross-cutting themes integrated into all of TDS’ work include women and youth empowerment, peacebuilding, institutional capacity building, youth empowerment, and learning and research. TDS Liberia also has the capacity to work outside of Liberia and across the region. We have a strong network and partnership with TDS Sierra Leone and Guinea Conakry.

Project overview:

TDS Liberia is implementing a Youth Excel Project, which is a USAID-funded activity that is designing and applying an approach to using implementation research to strengthen cross-sectoral positive youth development programming. The goal of this activity is to engage youth-led and youth-serving organizations to use implementation research, and synthesize and promote findings broadly and shape development priorities.

With the USAID Liberia Mission and Youth Excel, TDs Liberia will facilitate an implementation research activity to support USAID/Education Development Center (EDC) Youth Advance Activity aimed at providing youth with knowledge, opportunities, and skills to improve their livelihoods and realize their potential as productive members of Liberian society. Youth Excel and TDS Liberia will use implementation research to strengthen cross-sectoral youth livelihoods programming at the national-level.

Position summary

TDS Liberia is currently looking for a Project Manager/Research Lead for our implementation research activities based in Liberia. We are looking for researchers with experience in implementation research, youth-led research, community-based participatory action research, or related approaches. We are also looking for researchers with technical knowledge and expertise in youth livelihoods, youth employment, youth life skills, and/or gender and social inclusion.

The Project Manager is responsible for leading a team of professionals in completing projects by a set deadline to uphold business initiatives. His or her duties include budgeting for different project aspects and advocating for additional funding when necessary, hiring professionals or selecting project team members from existing departments, and setting or adjusting project schedules to adhere to deadlines.

Key roles and responsibilities

• Coordinate internal resources for the efficient execution of the assigned project
• Ensure that all projects are delivered on time, within the scope, and within budget
• Define project scope and objectives, involving all relevant internal stakeholders and ensuring technical feasibility
• Ensure resource availability and allocation
• Develop a detailed project plan aligned with the project budget, to monitor and track progress
• Manage changes to the project scope, project schedule, and project costs using appropriate verification techniques
• Report and escalate project implementation bottlenecks to supervisor as needed
• Manage the relationship with all relevant stakeholders
• Perform routine assessments to manage potential project risks
• Create and maintain comprehensive project documentation
• Delegate project tasks based on junior staff members individual strengths, skill sets, and experience levels
• Track project performance, specifically to analyze the successful completion of short and long-term goals
• Conduct routine budget and expenditure monitoring, and make adjustments to meet project constraints based on financial analysis
• Use and continually develop leadership skills
• Attend meetings, conferences and training as required to maintain proficiency
• Develop spreadsheets, diagrams and process maps to document needs
• Perform other related duties as assigned

Project Manager requirements:

• Proven working experience in project management
• Excellent internal communication skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Solid organizational skills including attention to detail and multitasking skills
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office
• Project Management Professional (PMP) / PRINCE II certification is a plus
• Bachelor’s Degree or three years of experience in implementation research, youth-led research, community-based participatory action research, or related approaches.
• Experience with project management software tools

All qualified and interested applicants can submit a cover letter with their CVs with three referees, one of which should be your current or most recent employer/line manager, along with a copy of your educational qualification. Applications should be submitted by email to: email talkingdrumstudio@tds-liberia.org and gbarchue.tds@gmail.com with the position title on the subject line.

DEADLINE: August 19 2024. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Well-qualifiedcandidatesparticularlyfemalesareencouragedtoapply.