Assistant Project Manager

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Location: DRC - Maniema

Contract Type: Fixed Term

Salary: Starting Salary: USD 34,809

Hours of Work: Full Time

Closing Date: 20 July 2026

Starting Salary: USD 34,809 

Contract: Fixed Term Contract (Until May 2027) 

Location: Maniema, DRC 

Please note that we will only accept applications completed in English  

Job Profile

The objective of this role is to contribute to project performance by providing tailored-made support and accompaniment to Caritas Kindu, in line with the jointly agreed objectives and expected outcomes contained in the multi-sectoral emergency assistance project funded by DG ECHO and led by Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe. The project implementation areas are Maniema and South Kivu Province, DRC.

The ECHO Assistant Project Manager provides overall leadership, operational management, and strict contractual accountability for CAFOD’s activities and partnerships within the larger consortium. The post-holder ensures rapid, adaptive, and high-quality intervention implementation while maintaining compliance with ECHO financial guidelines, logical frameworks, and protection-mainstreaming standards.

As part of quality assurance responsibilities, the Assistant Project Manager will be expected to accompany Caritas Kindu throughout the implementation of the project, providing context specific financial and technical support during implementation and will be responsible for continuous evaluation on the relevance and appropriateness of the project activities, proposing timely adjustments for cost effectiveness and impact.

They will also ensure good working partnership with the project consortium members and will work closely with focal points from each consortium member, as well at the Chief of Party on reporting and implementation responsibilities for the overall project.

The post holder will be based in Kindu and will be expected to undertake frequent travel to remote areas (South-Kivu and Maniema provinces), and other provinces connected with the management of the programme portfolio, and the achievement of the overall strategic objectives.

The scope of the post falls into the following broad functions: 

• Partnership, project and/or programme accompaniment and support: in line with the direction seconded to the project, maintain good relationships with the implementing partner

• Managing effective relationships: supporting the partner in the project implementation and nurturing effective relationships with consortium members and stakeholders; and make sure CAFOD is well represented as much as possible in all coordination meetings at local level both in Maniema and South Kivu.

• Thematic focus: Support partner Caritas Kindu to deliver effectively and efficiently the ECHO funded emergency project in compliance with CAFOD procedures, donor requirements and high-quality standards defined by relevant thematic clusters. The post holder will focus on technical support to the partner regarding protection, cash transfer, crisis modifiers and ensure necessary crosscutting themes such as Protection Mainstreaming (SADI) and environmental stewardship is fully integrated in all phases of the project management cycle.

• Financial and funding management: Develop and review budget, monitor project income and expenditures, ensure that the transactions comply with CAFOD’s financial management standards, including managing financial risk in collaboration with the finance department

• Security and Risk: Support the partner in the development and review of project security standards operating procedures and contingency plan, etc. as well as maintain up to date risk register and implement mitigation measures where necessary.

• MEL: Ensure effective monitoring and reporting of project activities, including beneficiary tracking, development of data collection tools, and implementation of post distribution monitoring.

• Protection Mainstreaming: Support the partners to comply with protection mainstreaming activities-based on the protection assessment, including transparency around targeting, information sharing, community engagement, referral (if relevant), feedback and complaints, tracking protection mainstreaming indicators, etc.

Key Responsibilities 

Partnership, project accompaniment and support  

• In line with the direction set by the country strategy and the objectives of the mentioned emergency response project, support and accompany the partner to strengthen capacities and full delivery of a high quality set of project activities. This includes working together with the partner and providing relevant day to day technical support required throughout the project cycle;

• Support the monitoring of the project activities, capture lessons learned and make recommendations to partners and CAFOD for updates or improvements;

• Contribute to resource mobilisation for the implementation of partner capacity development plans, including assisting partners to identify and apply to donors, in co-ordination with CAFOD;

• Make linkages and promote networking between partners and other organisations to strengthen their programmes and influence;

• Contribute (where appropriate) to discussions on the implementation of CAFOD’s strategic direction, and the shaping and development of CAFOD’s priorities

Project Management:  

• Lead on the CAFOD and partner’s project implementation, monitoring, and close-out of the project in strict accordance with the approved ECHO proposal and the consortium agreement, including supporting the development of the Detailed Implementation Plan (DIP), and Indicator Tracking Tools. Report to the consortium on a regular basis on the progress of activities and project spend.

• Report regularly and as requested to the consortium lead, and flag any project risks, delays or challenges that can be addressed at the consortium leadership level

• Actively participate and contribute to thematic working groups or project implementation groups within the consortium

• Ensure relevant technical resources are brought in to support the project from across CAFOD when needed, including Cash, WASH, MEL, Gender, Protection, Environment, and AA/CLDRM advisors

 Financial and funding management 

• Develop and regularly review budget, monitor project income and expenditures,

• Drive financial forecasting, track burn rates, and ensure all expenditures align exactly with allocated budget lines to avoid disallowances during audits.

• Support the partner to conduct accurate monthly financial reporting including provision of all backup documentation

• Ensure that the transactions comply with CAFOD’s financial management standards, including managing financial risk in collaboration with the finance department

• Ensure all project staff and partners fully understand and adhere to the ECHO General and Technical Conditions of the Grant Agreement

• Project and oversee timely procurement planning, tendering and selections, ensuring "audit-ready" transparency in documentation and processes, and alignment with CAFOD and ECHO policy

Thematic focus - Protection :  

• Support partners in planning and implementation of protection awareness activities (human rights, violence prevention, child protection, GBV/EAHS, SEAH), in line with the project's Results/Activities (in particular the "prevention + risk reduction + empowerment" logic).

• Support partner to develop awareness messages and materials based on security audits, continuous monitoring of protection risks, environmental analyses,

• Support the preparation and design of adapted gender, age, disability, linguistic and cultural diversity.

• Support partners to Organize/facilitate quality awareness-raising campaigns and sessions (in the target villages), including community sessions, group discussions, educational conferences, support for radio programs and mobilization through local media and consideration of positive masculinity and the deconstruction of harmful norms.

• Support partner in preparation, establishment and facilitation of community meetings for access to services (GBV/WASH), to facilitate safe, informed and confidential access to available mechanisms and services (prevention, early detection, referral of survivors).

• Ensure partner capacity is strengthened such that local protection committees and mechanisms (community protection committees / RECOPE if applicable): support the identification/revitalization/implementation, ensure representation (gender, age, vulnerabilities) and support the development and monitoring of contextualized community protection plans.

• Support partner to deliver quality and onset Training and support to community facilitators and local actors (committees, relays, facilitators, community leaders) on the principles of protection, human rights, prevention of abuse, identification of risks, secure information management and referencing methods.

• Support partner to implement safe and survivor-centred approaches (GBV/EAHS/SEAH) in all community-based activities to reduce stigma, consent/volunteerism, confidentiality, do no harm, and risk management of sensitive information.

• Support partner to establish functioning and accessible complaint mechanisms (including for SEAH), ensuring community knowledge, security and confidentiality.

• Support partner to implement functional community surveillance/early warning system through the collection/consolidation of alerts (flash monitoring), documentation of incidents/risk trends and ensure referral to specialized services according to project procedures.

• Support partner to better coordinate and refer cases/referrals (related to GBV/WASH case management, safe spaces, medical/legal/psychosocial services): contribute to the identification of needs, support the transmission of information according to confidentiality rules and monitor the status of referral with the relevant focal points.

• Support partner to integrate a cross-cutting approach to child protection into all awareness-raising activities: appropriate messages, prevention of risks of exploitation/trauma and appropriate reporting and referral mechanisms.

• Support partner to monitor, collect data and report on protection activities: monitoring of implementation (e.g. number of campaigns/meetings, village/area coverage), quality/relevance of messages and community feedback and lessons learned.

• Monitor compliance with internal policies: consortium protection policies, minimum child protection standards, "do no harm" principles, "do no harm" approach and risk management (including PSEA risks).

• Ensure feedback and complaints mechanisms are functionable in place and appropriate to the community. Systematically report and manage feedback and complaints and share transparently with consortium in accordance with consortium agreement.

Cash transfer 

• Support the partner to develop a robust and neutral targeting strategy and criteria that ensure the most vulnerable communities are reached

• Support the partner to evaluate and analyse the humanitarian consequences of a crisis as well as the feasibility of humanitarian response (including needs assessment, market analysis, MEB surveys)

• Support Post-distribution monitoring after each disbursement, and follow-up on any discrepancies in transfer or missed beneficiaries

Early recovery  

• Support the partner to conduct post response analysis to identify needs for early recovery assistance

Safe, Dignified Inclusion and Accessible Programming (SADI)  

• Conduct SADI checklist and Protection Risk Assessment with partner and ensure SADI principles are embedded in all areas of the programme design and implementation

• In collaboration with CAFOD SADI focal point, support the partner to track project level protection mainstreaming indicators

• Keep up to date with security issues and trends, both within the relevant country or sector, contributing to CAFOD’s programmatic decision making and risk/security assessments and plans.

• Identify areas of learning and support and review of the capacity development plan

• Support the partner in the development and review of project security standards operating procedures and an Emergency Preparedness Plan

Managing effective relationships: 

• Develop, nurture and manage relationships with DKH, CAFOD, consortium partners and other stakeholders in line with the principles and standards set in CAFOD’s Partnership Policy, guidance and tools;

• Work to regularly assess the quality of CAFOD’s relationship with the partner(s) supporting effective communication channels and developing measures to address shortcomings;

• Make appropriate recommendations so that the partner(s) has the tools and support required to successfully implement the capacity development plan.

Job Specific Competencies 

• Minimum of five years of progressively responsible roles implementing humanitarian projects on the ground, with specific experience directly managing or coordinating projects funded by DG ECHO

• Proven experience working within multi-sectoral consortiums a strong background in accompanying and working through local partners

• Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) or Similar Contexts: Experience working in conflict-affected or fragile states, ideally with a deep understanding of the context, logistical challenges, and security dynamics in North-Kivu, Maniema, and South Kivu.

• Experience establishing community protection committees, managing PSEA/GBV/SEAH risks, implementing survivor-centered approaches, and managing confidential referral pathways.

• An understanding of market analyses, Minimum Expenditure Basket (MEB) surveys, neutral targeting, and Post-Distribution Monitoring (PDM).

• Experience transitioning emergency interventions into early recovery and managing rapid-response triggers.

• Financial Management & Contractual Compliance including the ability to drive financial forecasting, track burn rates, and review complex project expenditures

• Monitoring and Evaluation experience, including proficiency in designing and updating Detailed Implementation Plans (DIP), developing Indicator Tracking Tools, tracking beneficiaries, and conducting post-distribution monitoring

• Commitment to the principles of Safe, Dignified Inclusive and Accessible Programming standards.

• Strong networking skills to represent the organization at local thematic clusters and coordination meetings.

• An accompaniment mindset—the ability to work closely in support of local partner staff and ensure their expertise is fully utilised throughout the consortium

• Ability to travel frequently in and around DRC

• Fluency in English and French; Swahili and other local languages are desirable

CAFOD is a welcoming, supportive workplace committed to a safe, inclusive culture where everyone is respected. CAFOD will make reasonable adjustments at every stage of the recruitment process to ensure candidates with disabilities or individual needs are fully supported.

Safeguarding for Children and Vulnerable Adults 

CAFOD recognises the personal dignity and rights of children and vulnerable adults, towards whom it has a special responsibility and a duty of care and respect. CAFOD, and all its staff and volunteers, undertake to do all in our power to create a safe environment for children, young people and vulnerable adults and to prevent their physical, sexual or emotional abuse. CAFOD is committed to acting at all times in the best interests of children and vulnerable adults, seeing these interests as paramount. Any candidate offered a job with CAFOD will be expected to adhere to CAFOD’s Safeguarding policy and sign CAFOD’s Code of Behaviour as an appendix to their contract of employment and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these documents.

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references, and appropriate screening checks can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks. CAFOD also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of, and consent to, these recruitment procedures.