PROJECT MANAGER- DAR AL KUTUB – THE HOUSE OF BOOKS

Closing date: 20 January

Location: Amman –with occasional travel to Erbil and Baghdad (depending on security)

Un Ponte Per… (UPP) is a volunteer based association established in 1991. We have been working in humanitarian aid mainly in Iraq, and recently in Jordan, Lebanon, Turkish Kurdistan and the Balkans
UPP promotes its activities through local civil society organisations and grassroots associations, providing them with training, supporting their activities and empowering them to develop as independent and self-sustainable actors

Main objectives of the DAR AL KUTUB – THE HOUSE of BOOKS project:
The overall objectives of the action are to improve the access to Iraqi cultural heritage and to contribute to its protection.

The specific objective is to improve the capacities of Iraqi libraries in managing and preserving their cultural heritage and favouring access to their resources by academics and the general public.

By building the capacity of Iraq’s librarians it is, in fact, assumed that the access to Iraqi libraries and to their resources will be facilitated. The support to the ongoing process of digitization/restoration of the Iraqi National Library and Archives (INLA) books and archives will also contribute to the protection of the cultural heritage of Iraq. INLA staff will, through the training activities and its digitization/restoration laboratories, mainstream their capacities and provide services to Iraqi libraries. International workshops will complement the action to be carried out in Iraq giving the opportunity to the international community and the INLA to share views and experiences on issues relevant for library management (digitization/restoration and conservation) and to establish reciprocal cooperation and support mechanisms.

Position Summary

The Project Manager will support the Programme Manager – Iraq in the daily management of the DAR AL KUTUB – THE HOUSE of BOOKS project and the development of future activities. Large part of the duty is following the daily implementation of work, writing, drafting, writing periodic reports to the EC and other donors and liaising with partners and associates.

Her/his direct line manager for the projects is the UPP Programme Manager – Iraq, her/his direct line administrator is the Head of Mission – Jordan and Iraq in the UPP office in Amman.

1.    Main Duties and Responsibilities include the following:

-    Co-ordinate and assess the project activities establishing sound communication patterns with partners, donors and beneficiaries;

-    Manage the logistic of the projects in Amman;

-    Organize financial, budgetary and logistical follow-up of the project;

-    Finalize formal narrative and financial reports for the donors;

-    Write regular narrative internal reports;

-    Carry out needs assessments;

-    Identify new projects and draft concept papers;

-    Attend coordination meetings with other agencies;

-    Other spot activities when required

2.    Required competencies:

-    Excellent spoken and written English (Arabic an asset);

-    University degree, preferably in topics related to humanitarian assistance;

-    Academic and/or field experience in cultural heritage projects and initiatives;

-    Previous experience in management of EC/EU funded projects essential;

-    Minimum 3 years previous relevant experience in programme management with NGOs;

-    Previous experience in the Middle-East desirable;

-    Ability to effectively represent the organisation, present information and respond to questions from counterparts;

-    Ability to undertake additional assignments as per supervisor guidance and flexibility to multi-task work;

-    Planning skills in terms of drafting of work plans, priority setting, capacity to match deadlines;

-    Computer literacy (word, excel, outlook, internet);

-    Administrative competencies an asset   

3.    Personal skills:

Flexibility, good communication skills, organisational skills, sense of responsibility, ability to work independently and as part of a team, readiness to listen to people, capacity to prioritise, open-mindedness and common sense, strong humanitarian motivation

Contractual conditions will be discussed with reference to experience and education

Application Procedures: To be considered for this recruitment, please submit a cover letter, CV and 2 professional supervisory references (whom we may contact after a second interview) with the date of availability to: giordana.veracini@unponteper.it and Cc: amman@unponteper.it  

The email subject line should be: Project Manager – The House of Books

Incomplete applications will not be considered – Only selected candidates will be contacted