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The profile is particularly sought by NGOs, major Associations, both at a national and international level.
The field of operation and the objectives of the role:
The professional area is Development Cooperation in the Non Profit Sector (it does not include Emergencies and Humanitarian Aid); especially in NGOs based in Italy with missions abroad. The Project Manager in Development Cooperation had an inclination to writing and managing projects rather than operating on the field and to dealing with developing countries rather than Western Countries.
Often he has a career that follows these steps:
Aid-Worker in projects: aid- worker with a strong inclination to writing projects with the perspective of moving back to the headquarters of the organization in the role of Project Manager.
Desk Officer: he works on the project but has no responsibility on the entire cycle.
With some experience on the field and project management in the Non Profit Sector or in engineering, his career might develop as follows:
Project Manager (the profile we are describing): managing partnerships, international relations, Cycle Management, local staff with mission abroad/on field.
Increasing his professional Seniority:
- Programme Development Officer, manages more development projects at once.
- Country Manager, he is responsible of a specific country, managing a series of projects at once and going on the field.
- He has deep knowledge of programs, lines of credit, national and international donor agencies. He gives the project guidelines to the staff at the beginning of the project.
- He is in charge of creating and tailoring the presentation of the project plan paying great attention to the formal aspects (documents and conformity), and to the content (innovativeness, expected impact, budget and coherent work package).
- He decides the budget of the project.
- He does the economic and financial reporting of the project.
- He manages the entire cycle of the project according to EU standards.
- He monitors and evaluates the projects going on missions on the field.
- He supports the capacity building of local partners and the staff.
- He organizes Advocacy activities in order to increase the project’s impact.
- He sets connections between development projects and processes through ex-post evaluations.
- He manages the “Project Financing” and break-even point; he knows how to find private and public funds both a national and international level.
- He manages the Business Model (Business Model Canvas) and the economic and financial Business Plan.
- He knows how to apply crowdfunding techniques to develop projects and events.
- He manages the competitive strategies (financed planning, fundraising, marketing and sales).
