Senior Manager, Project Implementation

Location: Tamale, Ghana
Employment Type: Full-Time, Fixed-Term Contract (2 Years)
Organization: WUSC (World University Service of Canada)

Company Profile

WUSC is a Canadian global development organization dedicated to improving education and economic opportunities for young people around the world. We work collaboratively with students, volunteers, educational institutions, governments, civil society organizations, businesses, and development partners to create inclusive, youth-centered solutions that enable young people to thrive and reach their full potential.

With a particular focus on women and displaced populations, WUSC promotes sustainable systems change that strengthens livelihoods, education, and economic empowerment. The organization currently operates in 28 countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as Canada, managing an annual budget of approximately CAD $65 million.

Supported by a global team of more than 350 staff members, WUSC implements a diverse portfolio of development initiatives in partnership with bilateral and multilateral donors, foundations, governments, and private sector actors to create lasting impact in communities worldwide.

Position Purpose

The Senior Manager, Project Implementation will provide strategic and operational leadership to ensure the effective delivery of project activities across multiple implementation locations. The role will oversee project execution, performance monitoring, operational planning, partnership coordination, and field team management to ensure interventions are delivered on time, within scope, and in accordance with donor requirements and organizational standards.

The successful candidate will play a critical role in strengthening implementation quality, improving operational efficiency, managing project performance, and supporting adaptive management approaches that drive measurable development outcomes. Working closely with project teams, government stakeholders, development partners, and donors, the Senior Manager will ensure project objectives are achieved while maintaining high standards of accountability, learning, and impact.

Key Responsibilities

Project Implementation Leadership

• Provide strategic oversight for the implementation of project activities across assigned operational areas.
• Ensure project interventions are delivered in accordance with approved work plans, budgets, timelines, and performance targets.
• Monitor implementation progress and proactively address challenges that may impact project delivery.
• Lead the execution of operational strategies that support effective and efficient project implementation.
• Ensure alignment between project activities, donor expectations, and organizational objectives.

Performance Management and Operational Oversight

• Develop and implement performance management systems to track project progress and results.
• Design and maintain operational tracking tools, dashboards, and reporting mechanisms that support evidence-based decision-making.
• Monitor key performance indicators and identify implementation risks, delays, or bottlenecks.
• Lead the development and enforcement of corrective action plans to address performance gaps and strengthen delivery outcomes.
• Promote a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and results-oriented management.

Team Leadership and Capacity Development

• Provide leadership, supervision, and support to decentralized field teams and project staff.
• Build high-performing teams through coaching, mentoring, performance management, and professional development.
• Establish clear performance expectations and monitor staff performance against agreed objectives.
• Foster collaboration, innovation, and knowledge sharing across project teams.
• Support succession planning and capacity-building initiatives that strengthen organizational effectiveness.

Partnership and Stakeholder Engagement

• Build and maintain productive relationships with government agencies, development partners, implementing partners, and community stakeholders.
• Represent WUSC in project coordination meetings, technical working groups, and stakeholder forums.
• Strengthen collaboration among partners to ensure effective implementation and achievement of project objectives.
• Facilitate stakeholder engagement processes that promote ownership, sustainability, and impact.
• Support strategic partnerships that enhance program effectiveness and resource mobilization opportunities.

Reporting, Learning, and Knowledge Management

• Lead the preparation of high-quality donor reports, narrative reports, progress updates, and performance analyses.
• Synthesize complex field-level information into clear, concise, and actionable reports for internal and external audiences.
• Ensure timely and accurate reporting in compliance with donor and organizational requirements.
• Promote the use of data and evidence to support adaptive management and program improvement.
• Capture lessons learned, best practices, and implementation insights to strengthen future programming.

Risk Management and Compliance

• Monitor project risks and ensure appropriate mitigation measures are implemented.
• Ensure compliance with donor regulations, contractual obligations, organizational policies, and operational procedures.
• Support internal reviews, audits, and assessments related to project implementation.
• Strengthen accountability mechanisms and ensure adherence to quality assurance standards.
• Promote ethical conduct and responsible stewardship of project resources.

Innovation and Continuous Improvement

• Encourage innovative approaches that improve implementation effectiveness and development impact.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen systems, processes, and operational efficiency.
• Promote adaptive management practices that respond effectively to changing implementation contexts.
• Foster a learning culture that encourages experimentation, reflection, and continuous improvement.

Qualifications and Experience

Education

• Master’s degree in Project Management, Development Studies, Agriculture, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), Business Administration, Public Policy, or a related field.

Professional Experience

• Minimum of 7–10 years of relevant professional experience in project implementation, development programming, partnership management, or project coordination.
• Minimum of five (5) years of progressive management experience supervising decentralized or geographically dispersed field teams.
• Demonstrated success in coaching and managing teams to achieve performance targets and deliver project results.
• Proven experience designing and implementing performance management frameworks, operational dashboards, and monitoring tools.
• Experience identifying implementation challenges and successfully leading corrective action processes to improve project performance.
• Expert-level experience preparing high-quality donor reports, narrative reports, and performance documentation.
• Experience working with government institutions, donor-funded programs, development partners, and multi-stakeholder initiatives.
• Strong understanding of project implementation processes within international development environments.

Knowledge, Skills, and Competencies

Technical Competencies

• Strong project management and implementation oversight expertise.
• Excellent understanding of performance management systems and results-based management approaches.
• Experience utilizing operational tracking systems, dashboards, and performance monitoring tools.
• Strong knowledge of donor compliance requirements and development programming practices.
• Ability to analyze complex project data and translate findings into practical recommendations.

Leadership and Management Skills

• Proven leadership experience managing diverse and geographically dispersed teams.
• Strong coaching, mentoring, and people development skills.
• Ability to drive accountability and performance in dynamic operational environments.
• Excellent organizational and resource management capabilities.

Communication and Interpersonal Skills

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Strong report-writing, presentation, and stakeholder engagement abilities.
• Ability to communicate complex information clearly to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Strong relationship-building and partnership management skills.

Analytical and Problem-Solving Skills

• Exceptional analytical thinking and decision-making capabilities.
• Ability to identify implementation bottlenecks and develop effective solutions.
• Strong attention to detail while maintaining a strategic perspective.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines effectively.

Contract Duration

Two (2) Years Fixed-Term Contract

How to Apply

Apply online by clicking on the application button.