Sr. Project Manager

Position: Sr. Project Manager

Status: Full Time Employee (18 months contract)

Location: Gorakhpur

Date: September 2021

About GFI:Grameen Foundation India (GFI), a wholly owned subsidiary of Grameen Foundation USA works with the mission to enable the poor, especially the women to create a world without poverty and hunger. GFI’s program portfolio spans the sectors of financial inclusion and livelihoods and is particularly recognized for its work on deploying cutting edge digital platforms and solutions to solve the most pressing problems faced by the poor and vulnerable

About the Opportunity: GFI is implementing a project supported by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to transform Agri ecosystem in Uttar Pradesh which aims to strengthen governance compliance and leadership with clear business plans and risk management systems, by identifying Financing gaps for FPO’S to access funds as per their business requirement to introduce Innovative Technology and new business lines.

Reporting and relationships: The position reports to the Technical Project Director of Grameen Foundation India. The Sr. PM will directly supervise staff, local implementing partners and contractors related to the project.

Availability:The position will be based at project sites in select towns in India. This position will need to be flexible to work in local conditions, and be available to work across different time zones. This position will require intensive travel to field locations and partner branches for project related work.travel (20%-30%) within India.

Job Summary: The project Manager will be responsible for FPO strengthening, Digital Agriculture & Market linkage. He/she will work directly with the GFI’s global and country-level teams to uncover opportunities and innovative solutions and services in partnership with technology Service Providers (TSPs) and local implementation partners, develop project plans and execute projects.

Essential Job Functions

Key Responsibilities: –

• Plan, develop and maintain procedures, equipment and policies that impacts all facets of research.
• Lead program strategy, program management, technology approach, implementation methodology, quality control, and support for the program; perform complex experiments, data collection, and data analysis.
• Research, evaluate and implement new technologies, customer experience and engagement, business modelling, training and stakeholder management.
• Manage project operations, work with individuals internal and external to project/program to exchange information, solve problems, resolve conflicts, develop workflow processes, allocate department resources across projects, and ensure efficient and effective implementations of initiatives.

FPO expertise

• Use Human Centred Design process to research client needs and context regarding adoption of systems & procedures in FPO strengthening, integrate those learnings in project plan and develop systems and processes to onboard low- income clients.
• Developing business plan, mobilizing working capital to achieve business plan targets.
• Manage Agriculture Input Marketing & Agri Commodities Trading
• Apply the GF innovation process to the workstreams, including identifying key research questions, deploying innovative research techniques, and leveraging resulting insights to drive agriculture market ecosystem institutions; individuals and FPO’S.
• Assist FPOs forging market linkages for fair price realization.

Project & Partner Relationship Management

• Develop detailed project plans with associated milestones and work with internal and external personnel to ensure goals, timelines and quality parameters are achieved using Project Management tools
• Design pilot, scale-up and replication strategy
• Keep internal and external stakeholders informed on the progress of the projects
• Evaluate, hire and manage resources needed to support the project
• Create and manage budgets, and track progress against budgets
• Act as primary contact for the implementing partners
• Proactively recognize and address concerns/ issues and use set communication protocols and methods to maintain an open, transparent and trusting relationship
• Prepare reporting documentation and lead regular stakeholder discussions to ensure partners are involved throughout the process to create shared ownership of deliverables.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Deep commitment to eradication of poverty and alignment with Grameen Foundation’s mission
• Outstanding project management skills with proven track record of achievement under a range of challenging situations and multi-stakeholder arrangements
• Ability to act as a representative of the project in public forums
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English and Hindi

Education and Experience

• At least10- 12 years of relevant professional experience in the FPO domain.
• Master’s degree in Agriculture and allied fields or MBA with specialization preferably in Agri Business Management from reputed Institute/University.

GFI is an equal opportunities employer. Interested candidates may apply by sending their updated resumes and letter of motivation tomjacob@grameenfoundation.inmentioning “SPM-Gorakhpur’ inthe subject line and confirming the current and expected compensation and earliest joining date.