Project Director – Jordan Municipal Support Project (JMSP)

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) is the national voice for Canadian municipal government.  FCM is dedicated to improving the quality of life in all communities by promoting strong, effective and accountable municipal governments.  

 

Position:   Project Director – Jordan Municipal Support Project (JMSP)

Department:  FCM Programs

Location: Based in Amman, Jordan

Duration:Five-year contract starting in January 2017, pending approval          

Compensation:Competitive salary, benefits and deployment package provided

Languages:  English & French with Arabic considered an asset

 

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) is planning to implement a $20.6M five-year project called the Jordan Municipal Support Project (JMSP). The conflict in Syria is having a huge impact on Jordan, which is now hosting over 1.4 million Syrians, 85% of whom are living outside of refugee camps in some of the poorest areas of the country. In certain municipalities, refugees outnumber residents, a situation that presents many challenges, particularly for the delivery of local services. The ultimate goal of this project is to strengthen the resilience of municipalities primarily in the central and southern parts of Jordan that have been impacted by the influx of Syrians displaced by the war. The project has three main objectives:  i) strengthening the leadership and administrative capacity of Jordanian municipalities; ii) working in selected host communities in central and southern Jordan to implement more effective strategies for managing solid waste using new technologies and approaches and by enhancing citizen engagement; iii) promoting sharing of knowledge, good practices and lessons learned that will benefit other municipalities throughout the country. To achieve these objectives, FCM will work closely with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs (MOMA) and other strategic partners in Jordan to strengthen local leadership, enhance administrative skills and improve service delivery capability in a minimum of 12 host municipalities in Jordan.

                                                                          

The proposed JMSP will be implemented by FCM, in cooperation with Jordanian partners, to ensure that all project initiatives are aligned with national programs, and in coordination with other donor-funded initiatives to avoid duplication.  A needs assessment and a set of criteria approved by the Project Steering Committee will help determine the municipalities from central and southern Jordan that will be directly involved in the JMSP demonstration projects and capacity building initiatives. Best practices, tools and manuals will be shared with stakeholders through workshops, study visits and seminars. FCM will mobilize Canadian municipal practitioners and elected officials from FCM’s membership to provide peer-to-peer technical assistance.

 

Main purpose

Under the supervision of FCM’s Director of Programs, the Project Director for the Jordan Municipal Support Project will be responsible for the overall management and implementation of the project, in order to ensure it meets its objectives effectively and achieves its expected outcomes.

 

The Project Director will supervise a team of employees based in Jordan and in Canada, and will work closely with other FCM employees involved in the implementation of the JMSP. 

 

As an active member of FCM Programs’ Management Team, the JMSP Director will support FCM’s role as a world leader in the field of international cooperation, and will protect the integrity and reputation of FCM.

This position is a five-year contract based in Amman, Jordan. This assignment is considered as an accompanied assignment, with a spouse and children.

 

Key Responsibilities

 

Lead the JMSP project start-up phase and timely submission of key deliverables associated to the inception period:

• Lead, in collaboration with other FCM employees, Canadian municipal experts, Jordanian partners and Global Affairs Canada (GAC), the development of the Project Implementation Plan and the completion of the project Baseline Survey according to requirements set in the Contribution Agreement and as per FCM standards.
• Lead the establishment of the FCM/JMSP project office in Amman, including selection of proper office location and implementation of decentralized administrative and financial procedures as per FCM accounting and administrative systems and procedures and in accordance with GAC directives, hiring local staff, purchasing or renting equipment, implementing security measures and any other administrative procedures required for the implementation of the JMSP.
• Lead on the successful completion of the Financial Capacity Building Activity (FCBA) and discussion with GAC of the FCBA final report including possible amendments to the Contribution Agreement.

Lead the planning of activities and the preparation of reports:

• Lead the preparation and submission to GAC of annual work plans and budgets, semi-annual and annual reports, and the final report of the project as per the JMSP Contribution Agreement requirements.

Ensure JSMP overall management, delivery and monitoring of implementation:

• Responsible for the overall management of the JMSP and supervise, in collaboration with FCM employees, the implementation of all activities in Jordan and Canada such as technical missions, purchasing specialized equipment, etc.
• Supervise the monitoring and evaluation of project progress as per the performance measurement framework and recommend necessary adjustments to GAC and the Project Steering Committee.

Ensure sound management of overall JMSP financial resources:

• Supervise, with support from FCM’s Finance department team members, the management of JMSP resources and budgets, including the approval and monitoring of all project expenditures incurred in Canada and in Jordan as per the terms of the Contribution Agreement.
• Ensure proper financial management of project’s operations, including monitoring the delivery of partnership agreements and sub-contracts with Jordanian stakeholders as applicable, implementation of monitoring and control mechanisms for disbursements, as well as completion of financial reports as per the terms of the Contribution Agreement and FCM standards.
• Ensure proper management, administration and monitoring of the two JMSP project funds, which are mechanisms that will be put in place to support project activities and community engagement.

Ensure overall management and supervision of JMSP human resources:

• Oversee the hiring and performance monitoring of the JMSP personnel based in Jordan and in Ottawa.
• Oversee the mobilisation and performance of municipal experts and local and Canadian consultants hired under contract for the implementation of JMSP, in collaboration with the FCM Project Manager.

Ensure on-going coordination with GAC, the Jordanian partners and other project partners/stakeholders

• Ensure effective communication with key project stakeholders.
• Organize annual project steering committee meetings and act as the secretariat for the PSC meetings.
• Maintain on-going coordination with GAC, the Canadian Embassy in Amman, the Jordanian Ministry of Municipal Affairs (MoMA) and the Government of Jordan in general.
• Facilitate GAC external monitoring mission and/or evaluation if any.
• Ensure the coordination of JMSP activities with other international implementing agencies and projects.
• Promote the strategic interests of FCM by facilitating the creation of alliances, partnerships and strategic networks that could lead to new opportunities and potential sources of funding.
• Participate in the semi-annual meetings of all FCM employees whenever possible.

Knowledge and Experience

• A master’s degree in public administration, municipal affairs, international development or a related field.
• A minimum of 15 years’ experience working in the strategic direction of international cooperation projects (preferably GAC funded), including concrete experience supporting national institutions in a developing country, particularly in Jordan, or in the Middle East region.
• Proven experience in supervising mixed teams (employees in Canada and in Jordan, consultants, volunteers and partners) within a partnership context.
• Proven capabilities regarding organization, coaching, supporting capacity building, conducting meetings and workshops, and excellent capabilities to foster knowledge transfer.
• Excellent public-relations and interpersonal skills.
• Proven capabilities for results-based management approaches (budgeting, work planning, management, monitoring and drafting of work plans and reports).
• Prior experience in municipal sector (governance, service delivery, public participation) is a strong asset.

Language Requirements

• Excellent knowledge of English, including superior writing skills, and the ability to work in French. Knowledge of Arabic is an asset.

The benefits to joining the FCM team include summer hours (Fridays off between July 1^st and Labour Day); offices located in the ByWard Market, FCM’s commitment to employee development and a competitive range of employee benefits and services. 

 

For additional information on this posting, or for further information on FCM, access our website at www.fcm.ca.

 

Visit the careers section of our website to apply. Deadline for applications is January 2, 2017.

 

We thank all candidates for their interest; however we will only contact those selected for an interview. All the applications will be kept on file for six months following the hiring.