ABOUT THE OECS
The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) is an inter-governmental organisation dedicated to economic harmonisation and integration, protection of human and legal rights, and the encouragement of good governance among independent and non-independent countries in the Eastern Caribbean. Under the Treaty of Basseterre (RTB, 1981) and now The Revised RTB (2010), Member States agree to cooperate with each other and promote unity and solidarity, including participation by Protocol Members in an Economic Union. Read More...
PROJECT BACKGROUND
The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States is implementing a regional statistical capacity building project, financed by the World Bank Group, with Grenada, Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The OECS Data for Decision Making Project (called “Project” going forth) comprises five components that will be implemented over a five-year period. At the national level, Component 1 and Component 2 of the Project will strengthen national statistical systems through (i) statistical modernization and capacity building, and (ii) data production, analysis, and dissemination, with a focus on the population and housing census, living conditions surveys, labour market surveys, and agricultural census. At the regional level, Component 3 of the Project will support the OECS Commission’s mandate for regional integration and the strengthening of the regional statistical system. Component 4 will support project implementation, and Component 5 will provide a contingency option for immediate surge funding in the event of a national emergency. The OECS Commission will be responsible for the implementation of Component 3. The Project aims to improve the capacity of participating countries to produce and publicly disseminate statistical data for country and regional-level analytics, which will enable greater data-driven decision-making at both the national and regional levels.
For additional information, see the Project Appraisal Document (Report No: PAD4314) (http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/520151651261033077/Grenada-Saint-Lucia-Saint-Vincent-and-the-Grenadines-Organization-of-Eastern-Caribbean-States-Commission-OECS-Data-for-Decision-Making-Project)
and Financing Agreement (http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/099540006172231884/P174986080af360d20a39f013f5cdf84a18)
JOB SUMMARY
The Project Manager (PM) will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the OECS Commission’s portion of the Project, i.e. Component 3. The PM will act as a coordinating point between the OECS, the Project’s Participating Eastern Caribbean Countries and the World Bank (WB) for all actions related to the project implementation. The PM is responsible for overall project implementation, in compliance with the Project’s Financing Agreement, Project Operational Manual (POM), Disbursement and Financial Information Letter, the Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP), all applicable WB procurement and disbursement regulations, and in line with the strategic and technical direction of the project, as outlined in the Project Appraisal Document (PAD). The PM will have overall responsibility for the adherence to environmental and social safeguards policies.
KEY DUTIES
Project Management (Planning and Execution)
- Managing the Regional Project Implementation Unit (RPIU) and overseeing the overall project implementation progress;
- Managing the day-to-day implementation of project activities;
- Leading regional coordination with the Project’s PIUs in Grenada, Saint Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, including the organization of regular quarterly meetings;
- Coordinating and facilitating all communication between the OECS, the WB, and other stakeholders as needed;
- Preparing project implementation, procurement plans, and annual work plans and budgets, in conjunction with other RPIU staff, and presenting them for no objection by the WB;
- Establishing a reporting system for the Project, including development of reporting formats, flows of information, data sourcing for specific M&E needs from other public agencies and stakeholders;
- Regularly updating the Director General on the project implementation progress and relevant issues and assisting the Director General in making effective and timely decisions related to strengthening the regional statistical system;
- Monitoring and supervising the performance of the RPIU staff and ensuring the effective delivery of programming and administrative support to the project implementation;
- Ensuring that all files under the project are maintained in a complete manner and organized in an easily retrievable filing system for project records, and retaining those records as required by the WB and OECS;
- Leading the preparations for implementation support missions, a midterm review, a final review and other missions and ensuring the timely dissemination of results and implementation of follow-up actions;
- Communicating the project objectives and achievements to the public, media, policymakers and other stakeholders and effectively promoting the project visibility;
- Overseeing the adherence to environmental and social safeguards policies, and guiding the RPIU staff in the effective implementation of the project’s ESCP and applicable instruments;
- Performing any other tasks as reasonably required by the Project.
Fiduciary Oversight (Financial Management and Procurement)
- Ensuring that the annual budget and disbursement plans for the project are prepared and approved in a timely matter, and planned vs. actual variance analyses are regularly conducted;
- Working closely with the Accounting Assistant of the project, the PM will ensure the production of timely and accurate Interim Financial Reports (IFRs) in accordance with the Disbursement Letter and POM, and guidance from the World Bank FM specialist supporting the project;
- Preparing Terms of Reference (TOR) for consultants, in collaboration with technical staff, and reviewing for quality control prior to submitting for WB review and no objection; where relevant, the TORs shall include responsibilities related to applicable environmental and social standards;
- Ensuring procurement plans include all necessary inputs for timely implementation of project activities, through close collaboration with the procurement specialist and technical staff. The PM is responsible for delivery and oversight of the procurement plan to support the achievement of project objectives.
Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting
- Overseeing monitoring and evaluation of the project implementation progress;
- Coordinating inputs for and ensuring the quality of semi-annual progress reports; and ensuring compliance with all other Project reporting requirements for the OECS and the WB;
- Preparing semi-annual project progress reports as required, in collaboration with other RPIU staff, to provide an update on implementation progress, project indicators, issues, and action plans. This includes identifying potential implementation risks in achieving the PDO, and proactively proposing potential solutions;
- Leading the planning, coordination, and systemic monitoring of the project’s overall progress in achieving the Project Development Objectives (PDO) and its intermediate results indicators;
- Ensuring that the timeline for the execution of each component is on track for achieving the Project Development Objectives (PDO);
- Coordinating and supporting the RPIU staff and other stakeholders involved in the project implementation in the proper monitoring and evaluation of project activities;
- Cooperating with beneficiaries and stakeholders to ensure high-quality deliverables and project monitoring;
- Properly filing and maintaining all Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) documents.
EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE
- A master’s degree in statistics, economics, business management, or a related field.
- PMP or PRINCE2 certification, or equivalent qualification.
- At least 5 years of direct relevant professional experience in project management.
- Experience with the implementation of statistical operations or statistical capacity-building projects.
- Experience implementing donor-funded projects, such as the World Bank, Caribbean Development Bank, United Nations, etc.
- Experience with implementing or monitoring environmental and social safeguards (desirable).
- Experience with or working knowledge of the implementation of financial management and procurement strategies in donor-funded projects (desirable).
- High proficiency in spoken and written English.
- High proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, MS Project, etc.) and excellent web navigation skills.
- High professional and personal integrity; Track record of accountability including in complex project management situations involving multiple stakeholders.
- Strong leadership skills.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders.
- Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a team.
- Organizational skills and the ability to concurrently handle multiple assignments.
CORE COMPETENCIES
- Drive with Purpose and Vision
- Create an Environment of Trust
- Build Effective Teams
- Ensure Accountability
- Demonstrate Decision Quality
- Communicate Effectively
TERMS OF APPOINTMENT
Job Location
The OECS Commission is headquartered in Castries, Saint Lucia. The position of Project Manager - Data for Decision Making (DDM) project is stationed at the OECS Commission headquarters.
All nationals of the OECS Member States: Antigua and Barbuda, Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Anguilla, The British Virgin Islands, Martinique, and Guadeloupe are encouraged to apply.
Benefits
The position is on a fixed-term establishment. Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience, and exempt from income taxes. In addition to the basic salary, this post attracts allowances.
The deadline for all submissions is 4 June 2023.
Only applications under consideration will be acknowledged.
