Head of Projects and Sponsorship at Afconrecruit Limited

About the job

• We are currently recruiting a Head of Projects and Sponsorship that would be in charge of moving the project towards directions that will bring it to the successful realization of expected benefits.
• Project sponsor would administer project finances, approves ideas and changes, participates in making key decisions, takes care of engagement and communication processes, facilitates the development of initial scope and the project charter, and participates in stakeholder management

RequirementsQualifications

• 3 to 5years of successful and verifiable experience in as a senior management position with a reputable company/ or project sponsor Must have a balanced personality with excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Preferably a post graduate qualification in finance with a supplementary Business Administration qualification
• Must be a top class manager who is driven and proactive
• Must be able to lead large teams with complex task requirements
• Must be able to analyze and solve complex problems

Roles

• Provides business context, expertise, and guidance to the project manager and the team;
• Champions the project, including “selling” and marketing it throughout the organization to ensure capacity, funding, and priority for the project;
• Acts as an escalation point for decisions and issues that are beyond the authority of the project manager;
• Acts as an additional line of communication and observation with team members, customers, and other stakeholders; and
• Acts as the link between the project, the business community, and strategic level decision-making groups.
• Negotiate funding for the project and be a spokesperson to the senior management
• Provide direction and guidance for project empowerment, key business strategies and project initiatives
• Identify and qualify project benefits and manage project benefits realization
• Participate in initial project planning, including developing the project chart and the project scope
• Identify members of Steering Committee and facilitate the work of project management office (optionally)
• Review changes to the project environment, including schedules, priorities, tasks, etc.
• Identify project critical success factors and approve deliverables
• Negotiate with stakeholders to gain consensus when differences of opinion take place
• Involve stakeholders in the project and maintain their ongoing commitment to the project through using communication strategies and project management planning methods
• Evaluate the project’s success on completion.

Responsibilities

A project sponsor is typically responsible for initiating, ensuring, approving, and establishing a series of key aspects in relation to the project, which can be summed up under categories of vision, governance, and value/benefits realization. Note that the categories are not mutually exclusive and most of the items can appear under more than one category (e.g., approving deliverables can be placed under each of the three categories)

Vision

• Ensure the validity of the business case and the viability of the business proposition,
• Ensure ongoing alignment to business objectives,
• Informally interact with the project team and other key stakeholders to stay informed of trends and events within the project (and ensure the project remains viable), and
• Define project success criteria that align with the business objectives.

Governance

• Prioritize the initiative and ensure it is launched and initiated properly,
• Serve as a voice for the project and ensure appropriate organizational priority is given to it throughout,
• Assemble and provide on-going support for the project organization,
• Identify roles and reporting structure,
• Serve as an escalation point for issues and other matters and obstacles that are beyond the control of the project manager, and
• Provide financial resources for the project and approval on go/no go decisions regarding progress and phases.

Value and Benefits

• Ensure risks and changes are managed properly and sufficiently and make associated decisions;
• Ensure control mechanisms and reviews are in place;
• Ensure the project delivers the intended value;
• Evaluate progress and status;
• Approve deliverables;
• Make go/no go decisions; and
• Be responsible for the overall quality, value, and benefits for the project, from process to the end product.