Project Manager (Climate Change Adaptation)

Project Manager (Climate Change Adaptation)

The Project Manager will be responsible for leading the implementation of an Australian funded Climate Change Adaptation project in Sudurpaschim and Karnali provinces, which aims to strengthen the climate resilience and economic empowerment of the poorest and most vulnerable HHs, communities, and local enterprises. The project will test, adapt and innovate locally led climate adaptation approaches that can be scaled and sustained by the Government of Nepal and Nepali stakeholders. The project focuses on four areas:

Area 1: Adaptation and resilience models for effective local climate actions

Area 2: Economic and social empowerment to increase adaptation and resilience of the most vulnerable

Area 3: Improved collective action and institution building

Area 4: Improved capacity of subnational governments to effectively plan, resource, and implement inclusive, evidence-based climate actions to increase climate and disaster resilience among vulnerable communities

A central focus of the role is to lead the consortium of three national NGOs, World Vision and a knowledge partner to successfully implement this four-years project. This includes participating in the project steering committees representing all partners and liaising with World Vision Australia and DFAT.

The Project Manager is also expected to technically lead in one of the four above-mentioned focus areas, possibly the capacity strengthening and engagement of the subnational government.

In leading project operations, the Project manager will ensure strong planning, coordination, and compliance with donor requirements, including those of partners. This includes standard, timely high-quality reporting, financial and supply chain management, policy adherence, managing teams and partners, strengthening monitoring and data systems. The role also emphasizes adaptive management—using data insights to guide informed decisions, improve performance, and inform strategic direction. Ability to make critical decisions in a timely manner and to ensure alignment of the project with WVI Nepal country strategy and ongoing long term programing are essential, in addition to maintain strong donor relations.

Additionally, the Project Manager will foster a supportive team environment, prioritizing staff wellbeing, capacity development, and partner strengthening to ensure effective, accountable, and impactful project delivery. Emotional intelligence is duly taken into consideration while managing and engaging with people and stakeholders.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES

Project Management

• Project commences on time, delivers results per plans and budgets, and is implemented per quality benchmarks, donor guidelines and requirements, government regulations, and organizational policies and procedures.
• Provide overall managerial leadership to, and ensure technical leadership and competency in the Climate Change Adaptation project offering the necessary support to project team and partner organizations.
• Lead the projects strategic, financial, and operational planning and implementation, including the annual work planning process, budgeting, partnership management and development of an appropriate project exit strategy.
• Orientate and equip project staff and partners on project requirements and compliances, ensuring project team has access to appropriate information, tools and resources to enable compliance with organizational standards and legal requirements in all areas, including financial management, supply chain management, people and project management
• Oversee timely submission of all deliverables to management and donor, including written and financial reports (monthly, quarterly and annually), and other key documents
• Conduct quarterly review of project, identify and manage project risks, issues and challenges, prepare mitigation measures, recommend vital changes if any, and communicate timely to supervisor and concerned authorities
• Integrate social and environmental safeguarding, GEDSI, and ‘Do No Harm’ as cross-cutting themes for broader impact. Ensure all Safeguarding requirements are maintained as per WVI and donor standards
• Monitor risk and implement mitigation measures

Partnership Management, Capacity Building and Coordination

• Facilitate and ensure adequate capacity of project team and partners to deliver their roles and responsibilities.
• Together with partners development of strategic external relationships, partnerships and engagement with key stakeholders at National, Provincial and Local Level.
• Close cooperation with the Deputy Team Leader / Deputy Project Manager who sits in a partner NGO. The Deputy Team Leader / Deputy Project Manager is Technical Lead and responsible for leading technical quality and MEAL.
• Provide technical support to partners in a technical area relevant to the four focal areas of this project.
• Manage partner NGOs’ performance to ensure project results are delivered as per the agreed MOAs, plans, budgets, quality benchmarks, donor guidelines and requirements, government regulations, and organizational policies and procedures.
• Conduct regular meetings with partner NGO to ensure expected requirements, corrective actions from project monitoring and tracking are taken up, and action plans followed
• Ensure adequate strengthening of partner NGOs’ management, technical and functional capacity to achieve Rise in Nepal’s deliverables, including reaching the target population and the most vulnerable children as per project design
• Review monthly progress and plans of implementing partners and provide necessary support for planning, monitoring and implementations of project activities

MEAL and Information Management

• Ensure quality monitoring and report submission. Develop and apply appropriate tools and strategies to monitor progress, quality and impact of project targets and ensure accountability.
• Ensure partner NGO roll out effective MEAL mechanisms with learnings incorporated into program implementation.
• Ensure partner NGO’s effective project database set up and management, including timely data entry, verification and effective data utilization for project learning, adaptation and preparation of project reports/infographic on progress and entry in IMPAQ.
• Manage knowledge and learning to capture lessons, best practices, and case studies to support program improvement and institutional learning.
• Develop Communications Plan that captures evidence (such as project brief, media coverage, visibility materials, and success/change stories) of good practices on a regular basis.
• Ensure the Information Management (IM) system is established for data collection, storage, analysis and reporting

Financial Management

• Ensure effective and efficient utilization of program resources through monitoring and tracking expenditures against project plan. Lead budget revision if needed.
• Provide project financial oversight and ensure accurate financial reporting. Monitor monthly expenditures and compare with implementation plan, budget requirements and provide variance explanation.
• Ensure that milestone payments are completed on time as per the WVI Nepal's standard on the pre-financing and advance settlement process.
• Ensure 100% compliance of donor finance and procurement policies.
• Ensure internal control mechanisms are in place, and Limited Risk is obtained in internal, project and Global Center audits.
• Oversee timely procurement and risk based monitoring of all partners
• Review and document donor requirements and checklists and orientate WVI Nepal departments as required.

Donor Relationship & Compliance

• Represent the project in donor forums and technical coordination platforms
• Maintain regular communication with donor focal points, organize review meetings, field visits, and donor briefings, managing donor expectations and incorporate feedback.
• Ensure adherence to donor rules, regulations, and reporting formats, including compliance in