Position Overview:

The Project Manager supports the timely and accurate execution of the localization of Literacy Cloud into Kiswahili, and digitization of new content, as well as providing continuing technical project management support for the platform in Tanzania. The Project Manager is responsible for the overall implementation of the IMC project in Tanzania, which also includes the creation of 60 Literacy Program schools, publishing of 5 Kiswahili titles, and a government engagement strategy, in addition to the Literacy Cloud component. The Project Manager works in collaboration with our Tanzania Country Team, the Global Office Project Manager, the Global Digital Content Manager and Literacy Cloud Team at Room to Read in San Francisco, and liaises with the India-based technical implementation partner to address bugs and fixes in the Kiswahili interface in an organized and coordinated way.

Duties & Responsibilities:

Management, Planning, and Coordination (Overall Project)

• Maintain accurate and up-to-date tracking of project activities and spending and serve as primary point of contact for overall project execution. Support departments to revise work plans as needed to meet deadlines, and communicate with necessary stakeholders when major work plan changes occur
• Identify implementation challenges and provide solutions or flag for Program Operations Director or other stakeholders for additional support
• Act as primary liaison between Tanzania Country Office and Global Office Project Manager, and other global office counterparts as needed, to communicate project updates, delays, changes, and concerns
• Monitor project budget to ensure project activities stay within approved budget and coordinate with Global Office Project Manager to address budget issues and provide accurate budget forecasts.
• Facilitate and support annual planning and budgeting in partnership with Global Office Project Manager
• Review and approve staff expense reports to ensure expenses, documentation, and coding are compliant and within approved budget
• Review and approve staff weekly time sheets and trip reports to ensure accuracy and compliance

Program Implementation, Monitoring and Reporting

• Plans, coordinates, and documents all  the project related activities including success stories
• Participate in and supervise the successful execution of each stage of the Literacy Cloud project. Including frequent, open communication with the project team members and stakeholders.
• Visiting various project stakeholders and beneficiaries to support and supervise project implementation.
• Oversee Tanzania Country Office contributions to quarterly and annual Room to Read and overall IMC narrative reports and financial reports, including reviewing department inputs for quality, contributing when appropriate, and ensuring timely submissions to the Global Office Project Manager and Global Office Technical Lead

Platform Development Management

• Project manages the implementation of the new platform and collaborates with project team members to ensure the timely completion and/or reconciliation of outstanding tasks
• Collaborates with Tanzania Country Team and Global Digital Content Manager to communicate project status, timelines, deadlines, etc., and ensure the timely completion of platform development activities, including localization of the platform into Kiswahili, digitization of storybook titles, and video and resource development.
• Reviews and/or delegates completed tasks for quality assurance/confirmation of task completion
• Liaises with the Tanzania Country Team to identify local expertise to support platform development in Kiswahili, including:
  • A technology firm to support platform testing with local stakeholders and troubleshooting in schools; and
  • Digital designers to develop and/or format platform banners and print content
• Facilitates platform localization in Kiswahili, including:
  • Collaborating with a local translator to complete translation of platform User Interface elements from English into Kiswahili;
  • Coordinating with the Global Platform Manager to validate and implement the localized User Interface; and
  • Coordinate workshops with a local technology firm, teachers and storybook creators to test and validate the User Interface localization.
• Facilitates weekly platform team meetings, providing status updates, flagging roadblocks, and highlighting areas of strategic focus for the platform team
• Acts as a cross-project strategic thinker, facilitator and problem-solver to help remove barriers and develop solutions to issues that arise during the project lifecycle, identifies areas for potential platform improvement and makes recommendations to facilitate project and platform success
• Communicates with technical implementation partner (Robosoft Technologies) on critical platform issues in Kiswahili.

Other

• Participate in any other activities which may be required to be undertaken to fulfill the objectives of the IMC Project, including any other duties as assigned by Program Operations Director.
• Occasional travel to both Kibaha and Tanga Field Offices if needed

Qualifications and experience:

Required:

• 5+ years of experience in project management, including managing multiple project groups and timelines and managing a project budget
• Experience working as part of a geographically distributed team, working through online collaboration, across time zones and cultural diversity
• Demonstrated experience managing a team or group through areas of ambiguity to achieve a goal
• Excellent managerial and interpersonal skills, including skills of managing and mentoring people
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English and Swahili

Preferred:

• 2+ years of experience working with Content Management Systems
• Experience working with online collaboration & project management software tools
• Experience working in a start-up, software development or similar environment
• Familiarity with Adobe In Design, Adobe Photoshop, managing/editing digital color space
• Experience working with an international team, across cultures and languages

To be successful as a member of the Room to Read team, you will also:

• Have a passion for our mission and a strong desire to impact a dynamic non-profit organization
• Be an innovative and creative thinker – not afraid to try something new and inspire others to do so
• Have a very high level of personal and professional integrity and trustworthiness
• Have a strong work ethic and require minimal direction
• Work well independently as well as part of a team
• Thrive in a fast-paced and fun environment
• Room to Read is a child-safe organization; all personnel are expected to adhere to Room to Read’s Child protection policy and Code of conduct.

Location: Dar es Salaam.

Location(s)

Tanzania - Main - Dar Es Salaam

To be successful at Room to Read, you will also: 

• Have passion for our mission and a strong desire to impact a dynamic nonprofit organization 
• Be a proactive and innovative thinker who achieves results and creates positive change
• Have a very high level of personal and professional integrity and trustworthiness  
• Embrace diversity and a commitment to collaboration 
• Thrive in a fast-paced and fun environment 

Room to Read is proud to be an equal opportunity employer committed to identifying and developing the skills and leadership of people from diverse backgrounds. EOE/M/F/Vet/Disabled