About Bridges to prosperity

Bridges to Prosperity (B2P) is a non-profit organization that envisions a world where poverty caused by rural isolation no longer exists. Rural isolation is a root cause of poverty, and we believe that connection is the foundation for opportunity. We build bridges to better lives in rural communities. With a sophisticated data collection and evaluation program, we can prove that the value and impact of our work is sustained long after the opening celebration.

B2P’s operational headquarters is in Kigali, Rwanda, with additional program offices in Uganda, Ethiopia, and Zambia, as well as a US office in Denver, Colorado. Founded over twenty years ago, B2P has built over 500 trail bridges in 21 countries, bringing safe access to more than 1.8 million people. We are thrilled to continue our growth with the launch of a national program in Zambia!

Job purpose

The Zambia Program Manager will lead and manage program delivery for the Zambia Program, supporting operational staff to achieve all outputs of the pilot program related to design, construction, technical assistance & capacity building. The Program Manager will be responsible for budgeting, scheduling, and safety targets. The Program Manager will support B2P’s HR department in building a diverse, skilled and productive workforce. The position is located within Zambia and reports to the Zambia Country Director.

Duties and responsibilities

Operations management

• Develop plans and schedules for completing all pilot bridges within the grant period.
• Oversee the planning, implementation, and evaluation of the pilot rural infrastructure projects.
• Work with Ministry of Local Government & Rural Development and Ministry of Infrastructure Housing & Urban Development to select sites for the pilot bridges – cable bridges, stone arch bridges and short span pedestrian bridges proposals
• Ensure project activities are executed efficiently, on schedule and within budget
• Monitor project progress, identify risks, and mitigation strategies as needed.
• Draft reports updating progress against project deliverables and overall program spending
• Schedules – develop construction schedule; approve site schedules and oversee schedule compliance; manage schedule templates and  review actuals vs plans

Financial Controls & Reporting

• Serve as authorized signatory overseeing all expense approval
• Manage the grants operations budget; approve funds requests from field teams; approve BOQs; manage BOQ templates and review actuals vs plans
• Oversee the management, and accounting of all financial resources in the B2P-Zambia office, ensuring compliance with B2P financial management policies
• Procurement – manage cable/clamp inventory; approve POs; perform Kampala procurement; manage contracts with suppliers and transporters; negotiate rates; ensure procurement documentation is completed satisfactorily
• Administration – keep Salesforce and Box updated; ensure all project documentation is properly tracked and recorded; review post build reviews
• Strategy – update and manage the risk register for Zambian Operations; advise and track on Zambia Ops OKRs
• Safety – oversee operational compliance with B2P safety standards and protocols

 Staff management & teamwork

• Support the Country Director and partnerships team in government meetings and negotiations as required
• Ensure high-quality Operations staff are hired, trained, and retained
• Manage and lead a culture focused on a high performing workforce by providing mentorship, guidance, and professional development opportunities to team members.
• Oversee Project Engineers, to ensure the safe construction of high-quality bridges that are delivered on-time and on-budget
• Guide the Technical Assistance coordinator to ensure capacity building and technical assistance deliverables are being achieved on time.
• Indirectly oversee the M&E coordinator to ensure all assessment and impact deliverables are being achieved on time.
• Guide Project Engineers in coaching private sector consultants and contractors involved in trail bridge and stone arch bridge construction

Qualifications include:

• Bachelor’s degree or diploma in Project/Construction Management or Civil Engineering
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in a project management position ideally with financial responsibility
• Experience leading and managing people
• Experience providing technical assistance and building capacity in local government, TVET & higher learning institutions, and private sector engineering
• Proven experience independently solving complex problems
• Proficiency in project planning software (e.g. MS Project preferred), Microsoft Office
• Driver’s license and experience driving on rural roads
• Capable of working with different cultures and languages
• Ability to work independently after given clear direction
• Strong verbal and written communication skills

Preferred/Desired Profile:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Civil Engineering or Construction Management
• Professional or chartered engineer preferred
• Exceptional, professional and details-oriented organizational skills
• Good communication skills
• Highly collaborative leader and team member
• Creative, energetic and self-motivated
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment
• Passion for Bridges to Prosperity’s mission

Working conditions

The position is based in Lusaka, Zambia, and is mostly office-based but will require travel upcountry including modest accommodation.

Direct reports

• Finance & Administrative Officer
• Zambia Project Engineer
• M&E coordinator
•  Technical Assistance Coordinator
• Driver
• Indirect: Data Collection Consultant; Engineering Consultant