Professional Services Manager

The incumbent is expected to have hands-on experience in latest web based IT tools such as WordPress, Zoho, MS Office, BI and SalesForce along with ability to use a variety of tools for business intelligence, client services and project management.

Job description:
The Professional Services Manager (IT & Business Development) will work under direct supervision of the Director ensuring smooth coordination between the Technical Assistance Team and the Project Team. He/she will be responsible for keeping track of activities, Reporting as well as managing the day-to-day ad hoc concerns that may arise. He/she is expected to support in ensuring internal assurance procedures and compliances.

Summary of functions:
1. Project Implementation

2. Business development and resource management

3. Project monitoring and reporting (Delivery and Performance):
4. Stakeholder management, coordination and liaison

5. Knowledge management and innovation

6. Technical Skills

Project Implementation
- Preparation and maintenance of project briefs, including internal and external project reports.
- Coordinate information flows and oversee document control procedures.
- Coordinate assigned delivery of work packages and take responsibility for progress.
- Coordinate and liaise with the Director on the implementation progress.
- Identify and escalate to the Director of any deviations from the plan and update plans.
- Work with the Director to identify and manage risks.
- Maintain and update implementation plans.
- Identify continuous improvement and document lessons learned.
- Provide strategic input into the development and refinement of project plans, informed by experience at client-level and coordination with multiple stakeholders.
- Contribute to the development and operationalization of project delivery models in coordination with multiple stakeholders.

2. Resource management
- Through online and offline research identify potential market bases to grow and enhance business
- Maintain all supporting project financial and resource documents for audit, taxation and review processes.
- Monitor project budget and financial expenditure and all administrative procedures in line with the work-plan.
- Facilitating processing of direct payments and advance requests and prepare project budget revisions.
- Manage the preparation of financial reports including developing financial monitoring and reporting formats.
- Monitor budgets, cash flow and reporting on expense obligations to ensure that deliverables are met.
- Conduct resource analysis to manage and calculate any shortfalls and over-expenditures.
- Coordinate vendor communications, meetings, and reports as necessary

3. Project monitoring and reporting (Delivery and Performance):

- Support implementation of approved project plans (including the establishment of milestones) under the guidance of the Director.
- Provide substantive inputs for the development of project strategies and schedules and manage work packages.
- Provide strategic and substantive inputs based on years of experience leading multi-partner reports, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and client expectations.
- Managing information flow by keeping, circulating and archiving detailed project notes and records.
- Supervise, monitor, evaluate and document performance of service providers delivering to project priorities.
- Ensure timely and quality submission of reports as identified in the project agreement as per the agreed template, through coordinating inputs and drafting reports related to project activities.
- Coordinating responses to the feedback and questions received from the clients after
- Provide content quality assurance, thorough editing, and data verification of all information products produced under the projects.
- Facilitate development of information flow and file maintenance procedures to achieve maximum clarity and efficiently in information access and use among all eligible stakeholders.
- Ensure contributing to building effective relationships with clients on a continuous basis, attending online or onsite meetings, drafting minutes, contributing to new project proposals with compilation of relevant lessons learnt, and analysis of relevant information.
- Identify and anticipate in a timely manner any potential issues which may impact adversely organization’s reputation as a service provider of choice, and alert relevant personnel to ensure mitigation.
- Conduct project site visits as needed

4. Stakeholder management, coordination and liaison
- Establish a solid working relationship with the clients and other relevant key stakeholders.
- Supports the Director in communication between the project and the clients.
- Manage communications with stakeholders and ensure stakeholders are aware of project activities, progress, exceptions and are in a position to accept handover products/services.
- Supports the Director to advise the client(s) on issues that may impact the achievement of t