Position Title: Project Head

Project Title: Economic Acceleration and Resilience for NEET (EARN) Project - Operations by PROTTYASHI-led Joint Venture

Job Duration: 30 Months. (Note: Recruitment for this position and the final contract are contingent upon the PROTTYASHI-led Joint Venture being awarded the project contract by the Client.)

Duty Station: Chattagram with frequent travel to all assigned districts, upazilas, and unions.

Reporting:

  • Directly reports to the Deputy Executive Director of PROTTYASHI (as the Lead Firm of the Joint Venture).
  • Maintains primary liaison and reporting relationship with the Project Director (PD), EARN Project Management Unit (PMU), Department of Youth Development (DYD) on behalf of the Joint Venture.
  • Facilitates effective communication, coordination, and reporting among all Joint Venture partner organizations.

Background: The Government of Bangladesh, with support from the World Bank, is implementing the EARN project to increase access to education, skills training, and employability for NEET youth, especially women. The Department of Youth Development (DYD) is the implementing agency. This TOR is for the Project Head of the Joint Venture (JV) led by PROTTYASHI. The JV is responsible for establishing and managing Village Level Training Centers (VLTCs) and implementing associated activities (community engagement, beneficiary/trade selection, training delivery, employment support, enabling environment) across the Chattagram Division, leveraging the collective strengths and expertise of all JV partners.

Overall Objective of the Position: To provide overall strategic leadership, technical direction, and management oversight for successfully implementing all activities assigned to the Joint Venture under the EARN Project. This involves ensuring project objectives and targets are achieved through effective coordination and synergy among all JV partners and compliance with contractual obligations, GoB regulations, and World Bank guidelines (including ESF).

Specific Duties and Responsibilities:
The Team Leader will be responsible for, but not limited to, the following:

A. Strategic Leadership and Joint Venture Management:

  • Lead the overall planning, implementation, management, and coordination of all Joint Venture activities across the assigned districts as per the RFP's Scope of Services.
  • Ensure that all JV partners implement project activities cohesively in alignment with the EARN Project's objectives, components, and timelines.
  • Develop and oversee the execution of integrated annual and quarterly work plans and budgets for the JV's operations, incorporating input from all partners.
  • Serve as the primary point of contact for the Joint Venture with the EARN PMU, DYD officials, and other key stakeholders.
  • Ensure efficient resource allocation and utilization (human, financial, material) across the JV partners for optimal project delivery.
  • Oversee risk management for the JV, identifying potential challenges and proposing mitigation strategies to the PMU.
  • Ensure JV-wide adherence to the approved project Operations Manual (OM).
  • Foster effective collaboration and synergy among JV partners, ensuring clear roles, responsibilities, and communication channels.

B. Technical Oversight and Quality Assurance:

  • Provide technical leadership and guidance to the Joint Venture team (staff from all partners) across all thematic areas, ensuring consistent quality and approach.
  • Coordinate JV efforts to oversee the establishment and effective functioning of Upazila Coordination Committees (UCC) and Community Groups (CGs).
  • Ensure the beneficiary selection process implemented by the JV is transparent, inclusive, and adheres to project criteria.
  • Oversee the market-driven selection of trades, ensuring relevance to local economies and opportunities.
  • Ensure VLTCs are established and operated according to project standards by the responsible JV partners.
  • Ensure the quality and relevance of training delivery (Skills, SEB, EDT, etc.) across all VLTCs managed by the JV.
  • Oversee the implementation of integrated employment support strategies by the JV partners.
  • Ensure effective implementation of communication and community engagement activities across the JV to foster an enabling environment and prevent SEA/SH.
  • Ensure JV-wide compliance with all Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) requirements.

C. Stakeholder Engagement and Coordination:

  • Establish and maintain strong working relationships with the EARN PMU, DYD, local government, employers, and other stakeholders on behalf of the Joint Venture.
  • Represent the Joint Venture in relevant meetings, workshops, and forums.
  • Facilitate effective coordination within the Joint Venture (among partners) and between the JV's central, upazila, and union-level staff and activities.
  • Ensure smooth collaboration between the JV and specialized agencies contracted by the PMU.

D. Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting, and Learning:

  • Oversee the Joint Venture's consolidated monitoring and evaluation activities, ensuring timely data collection, analysis, and reporting from all partners through the project's MIS portal.
  • Ensure the quality and timeliness of all required consolidated reports (inception, progress, completion) reflecting the JV's collective efforts to the PMU.
  • Facilitate project reviews, evaluations, and audits for the JV as required.
  • Promote a culture of learning and adaptation across the JV partners, utilizing M&E findings to improve overall project implementation.

E. Team Management:

  • Lead and manage the Joint Venture's integrated project team, comprising staff from PROTTYASHI and all partner organizations.
  • Provide guidance, support, and performance management oversight for key JV team members.
  • Foster a unified team spirit, shared vision, and collaborative work environment across the JV partners.
  • Ensure all JV staff understand and adhere to the project's Code of Conduct, including policies on SEA/SH.

F. Key Deliverables:

  • Timely submission of high-quality, consolidated Inception, Bi-Annual, and Final Reports from the JV.
  • Achievement of overall project targets by the JV within the assigned districts.
  • Effective functioning of coordination mechanisms (UCCs, CGs) facilitated by the JV.
  • Accurate and timely consolidated data input and reporting through the project MIS by the JV.
  • Full JV compliance with ESF requirements.
  • A well-managed, motivated, and collaborative JV project team.

G. Organizational values and norms towards Safeguarding and PSEA
PROTTYASHI is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behaviour at work including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity and financial misconduct and expects staff to promote the welfare of children, young people and adults at all times.  PROTTYASHI expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our Code of Conduct.  We place a high priority on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate this commitment are recruited to work with us.

Qualifications and Experience:

  • Education: Master’s Degree in Sociology, Social Work, Business Administration, Anthropology, Development Studies, Economics, or a related field.
  • General Experience: Minimum of 15 years of overall professional experience, with significant experience managing large-scale youth skills development, livelihoods, or community development projects.

Specific Experience (Adequacy for Assignment):

  • Minimum of 10 years of experience in a leadership role (Team Leader, Project Director, Chief of Party, or equivalent) managing complex development projects, preferably funded by international donors like the World Bank.
  • Proven experience in project management, including strategic planning, work planning, budgeting, financial oversight, M&E, and reporting.
  • Experience coordinating multi-stakeholder projects involving government, NGOs, the private sector, and communities.
  • Experience managing or working within consortia or joint venture projects is highly desirable.
  • Strong understanding of TVET, skills development, youth employment (esp. NEET/women), entrepreneurship, and community mobilization in Bangladesh.
  • Familiarity with World Bank policies/procedures (Procurement, FM, ESF, SEA/SH) is highly desirable. * Experience managing large, geographically dispersed field teams.
  • Regional Experience: Experience working in Bangladesh is essential. Familiarity with the Chattogram Division is an advantage.
  • Skills: Excellent leadership, team management (including managing inter-organizational dynamics), strategic thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills. Strong communication, interpersonal, negotiation, coordination, and representation skills. Proficiency in project management software and standard office applications.

Language Requirements:

  • Fluency in written and spoken English is essential.
  • Fluency in spoken Bengali is essential.

Travel Requirements:
The position requires frequent travel to project sites within the assigned districts.

Candidates need to be highly motivated and committed to PROTTYASHI’s vision, mission, and long-term development work to significantly improve the lives of the most vulnerable and marginalized. Candidates must be capable of displaying great learning agility, support and encourage knowledge sharing across projects, for the ultimate benefit of all of Prottyashi mission wide initiatives.

Salary & Benefits:

  • Monthly salary: Negotiable

Last date of application is 12/05/2025

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Interested applicants with relevant background have to apply with a Cover Letter, Curriculum Vitae (CV) along with a recent photograph to career.prottyashi@gmail.com

Note:

  • PROTTYASHI aims to attract and select a diverse workforce ensuring equal opportunity to everyone, irrespective of race, age, gender, HIV status, class, ethnicity, disability, location and religion.
  • Any personal persuasion/phone-call will result in disqualification of candidature. We guarantee an interview to disabled candidates who meet the essential criteria.
  • PROTTYASHI has a non-negotiable policy of ZERO TOLERANCE towards discrimination, harassment and abuse. All employees are expected to abide by the Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse & Child Protection Policy of PROTTYASHI.
  • Internal and external applicants shall be treated equally in the entire selection process.
  • To ensure transparent processes during recruitment, internal candidates should discuss potential applications with their Line Managers to ensure endorsement of their applications by respective Line Managers.
  • There is no cost involved with applying for positions with PROTTYASHI. Any solicitation of job application costs should be regarded as fraudulent.