Project Manager: Strategic Projects & Pilot Programme

Scraped from: Afriworket

Job description

The Role  We are looking for a driven and experienced Project Manager to lead strategic projects and pilot programmes across the business. This is a high-impact, cross-functional role responsible for planning, coordinating, and delivering initiatives that support JEMLA’s operational growth, product expansion, and financial services development — including BNPL and other future projects.  You will work closely with internal teams, external partners, retailers, and technology providers to ensure projects are executed effectively, milestones are achieved, and scalable processes are built for long-term success.  Key Responsibilities  Project Management & Execution  ● Lead project planning, implementation, monitoring, and closure across strategic initiatives and pilot programmes.  ● Develop detailed project work plans, budgets, timelines, and resource allocation plans.  ● Manage and coordinate project teams, vendors, consultants, and internal stakeholders.  ● Ensure projects are delivered on time, within scope, and aligned with organisational objectives.  ● Use project management tools (e.g. Jira, Asana, Trello, MS Project) to track milestones, deliverables, and dependencies.  Stakeholder Engagement & Partnerships  ● Build and maintain strong relationships with donors, government agencies, partners, retailers, and beneficiaries.  ● Facilitate stakeholder meetings, workshops, steering committees, and engagement activities.  ● Represent JEMLA in stakeholder forums, coordination meetings, and partner discussions.  ● Collaborate cross-functionally with operations, finance, sales, product, compliance, and technology teams.  Monitoring, Evaluation & Reporting  ● Conduct project monitoring, evaluation, and impact assessments.  ● Track project KPIs, outputs, outcomes, and deliverables to ensure performance targets are achieved.  ● Prepare project progress reports, management updates, and stakeholder presentations.  ● Ensure accurate project documentation and knowledge-sharing across teams.  ● Drive accountability, organisational learning, and sustainability initiatives within projects.  Risk Management & Continuous Improvement  ● Identify, assess, and mitigate project risks and operational bottlenecks.  ● Ensure compliance with organisational policies, partner requirements, and operational standards.  ● Conduct field visits and provide implementation support where necessary.  ● Lead capacity-building and training activities for staff, partners, and stakeholders.  ● Ensure quality assurance and continuous improvement across project activities and operational processes.  Strategic Support  ● Support proposal writing, fundraising, partnership development, and resource mobilisation efforts.  ● Contribute to the development of scalable operational playbooks and rollout frameworks for future initiatives, including financial services and embedded finance products such as BNPL.  Educational Qualifications  ● Bachelor’s degree in Project Management, Development Studies, Economics, Business Administration, Social Sciences, or a related field.  ● PMP, or equivalent project management certification, is an advantage.  Experience & Skills  ● 5–7 years of progressive experience in project management within fintech, technology, NGOs, development organisations, donor-funded programmes, logistics, operations, or financial services.  ● Proven track record managing complex, multi-stakeholder projects from initiation through completion.  ● Experience leading pilot programmes, operational rollouts, onboarding initiatives, or strategic business projects.  ● Strong proficiency with project management tools such as Jira, Asana, MS Project, Trello, or similar platforms.  ● Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and presentation skills.  ● Strong analytical, organisational, and problem-solving capabilities.  ● Comfortable working in a fast-paced, evolving environment with multiple priorities.  ● Familiarity with embedded finance, BNPL, financial inclusion, or digital financial services is an advantage.