Senior Project Manager (based in Ghana)

Simprints aims to contribute to transformative change in the international development sector. We recognise this can only be achieved through close collaboration with our partners, clients and supporters. We currently deliver diverse projects with different clients in a variety of country contexts.  The Senior Project Manager is a new role at Simprints to be based in Ghana. This is an exciting opportunity for a candidate with relevant experience in delivering Technology for Development projects, who brings a strong network in the public health sector, and with excellent project management and partnership management skills.  

About Simprints

Simprints is a nonprofit tech company spun out of the University of Cambridge. Our mission is to transform the way the world fights poverty. We build technology to radically increase transparency and effectiveness in global development, making sure that every vaccine, every dollar, every public good reaches the people who need them most. 

We use biometric technology to help verify coverage and increase impact on the frontlines. Our goal is to enable our partners in the international development sector to better track and deliver progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals, contributing to a world where every person counts in the fight against poverty.  We have worked with organisations such as Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, the Gates Foundation, USAID, FCDO, and Gavi, and partner with organisations such as the Ethiopian Federal Ministry of Health, BRAC, Mercy Corps, Dimagi and D-Tree to achieve our mission. Simprints has already reached over 1 million individuals through our flagship projects in Ethiopia and Bangladesh. 

We are in a unique situation: an impact-driven company that is processing millions of sensitive biometric records in some challenging settings. Project Management doesn't get more challenging (and exciting) than this! 

About the role

We are looking for someone who is passionate about delivering technology-based solutions in the health sector in Ghana, through a partnership approach with the Ministry of Health and implementing partners. There is an opportunity to expand and grow within the organisation, whilst having an exciting role scope and the ability to contribute to social impact objectives. 

You will work closely with Simprints’ partners on the implementation of a large COVID vaccination project, ensuring that the biometric supported elements of the project are delivered to the highest possible standard. This role is unique in its breadth, offering the opportunity to collaborate with almost every team at Simprints. You’ll work closely with Simprints partnership managers to develop a deep understanding of our partners' needs, work with our engineers to implement our technical solutions, lead our coordination in Ghana in collaboration with the leadership team, and analyse data with monitoring & evaluation (M&E) specialists. This post is based in Accra, Ghana, with frequent deployments to project sites.

 Responsibilities

This role will report to a Technical Project Manager based in the UK, whilst maintaining close working relationships with the Director of Delivery and with the Director of Partnerships.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Oversee our project in Ghana from start to finish, including preparation of pre-deployment materials, logistics coordination, and on-the-ground training and support. Ensuring we implement all project deliverables in coordination with the Technical Project Manager.

• Closely monitor project statuses; investigate any significant issues reported by clients; communicate updates and issues;  and provide appropriate, effective, and timely action.

• Build and manage strong relationships with our partners through regular coordination with key stakeholders, from government officials to users of our technology. Demonstrating excellent stakeholder management and attention to detail whilst delivering our custom solution and providing detailed project input into donor reports. 

• Proactively identify and mitigate project risks.

• Travel to project sites to conduct or support the training of trainers and monitor field activities. 

What are the “must-have” skills and experience for this role?

• Significant project management experience, ideally in the Technology for Development space. You’ve managed projects in Ghana and have an in-depth knowledge of the public health sector in the country. 

• Familiarity with data collection platforms, such as DHIS2, CommCare, ODK, OpenSRP, and/or other technology platforms commonly used in global development. You are knowledgeable about, have designed, or implemented workflows common among frontline workers in development programs (e.g. health care, aid distribution, research, education).

• Excellent written and verbal communications. You are empathetic and seek to understand different perspectives, bring clarity to ambiguous or ill-defined needs, can negotiate diplomatically when there are competing interests, and secure buy-in and alignment across stakeholder groups. 

• Attention to detail. Global development work is complex and unpredictable. To proactively anticipate risks, assess implicit requirements on top of contractual deliverables, and successfully meet ever-changing needs, you need to be able to translate a high-level idea into concrete, detailed action steps and documentation.  

• Strong training skills. We work across multiple sectors with a variety of stakeholders. Being able to tailor training to audiences of varying technical literacy levels, for a number of different use cases and workflows is crucial. You are comfortable hosting virtual training as well as conducting in-person training in resource-limited settings. 

• Time management. You are organised, process-oriented, and attentive to following through on planned tasks and activities. You know how to allocate and shift resources to provide support to team members as needed, ensuring that project deliverables are met on time and on budget. 

• Permission to work in Ghana

Ideally, you will also have

• Grit and an appreciation of a challenging, fast-paced environment 

• Working proficiency in French, Arabic, Spanish, or other common languages  

• Experience with agile development methods and processes (e.g. scrum)

• An engineering mindset and passion for building technology solutions

• Interest in and/or experience in M&E or data analysis 

 What we value

• Integrity. You have an unwavering commitment to ‘confronting the grey’ in all areas of your work and encourage transparency in all your interactions.

• Intellect. You understand the importance of rigorously detailed data and have a strong ability to synthesise complex and potentially competing requirements, and convert them into recommendations that drive business decisions.

• Problem-solving. You have distinctive problem-solving skills and good business judgment. You work in collaboration with other team members to identify creative solutions to complex problems. 

• Curiosity. You have a desire to think innovatively and explore and understand how different perspectives and complex data blend together to create a bigger picture and context.  

• Learning. You love learning new things, are able to think on your feet, and can pick up new tools and methods quickly.  

• Grit. You have a hands-on, can-do attitude and have the drive to dig deep into problems to discover pain points and features from multiple perspectives, and resilience to stay focused on a project to the end. 

• Passion. If being part of a team that designs and deploys technology for global health sounds exciting, we want to meet you!

 5 Reasons to join Simprints

Life is short. We believe work should be awesome, meaningful, and fun. At Simprints we’re taking on global development’s biggest challenges, powered by an amazing culture and incredible people. Work with us, and you will grow faster, learn more, and take on great responsibilities with potential to make lasting change.

• Genuine Impact. The opportunity to be part of our delivery of frontline projects around the world that impact millions of lives. 

• Global Leadership. Be part of a global team of country directors, project managers, engineers, and delivery partners dedicated to making a difference. In the process, work with exhilarating people from around the world representing over 20 different nationalities with a wide range of cultures, experiences, and viewpoints, with diverse backgrounds spanning tech companies like Google, businesses like BCG, and NGOs like Save the Children.

• Career Advancement. Join the leadership team of a fast-growing social enterprise that is breaking onto the global stage. Four years since we were founded, we are already working directly with the most influential and exciting partners in development—from ministries of health, to top donors like Gavi & USAID, to leading NGOs like JSI & BRAC. 

• Unlimited Paid Time Off & Flexible Hours. We set high goals and give people the freedom to choose when and how to achieve them. Work when, where, and how suits you best. Join a team that trusts you with the job.

• Real Professional Development. Beyond on-the-job learning, Simprints will support you with a professional development budget and access to global experts across our Board of Directors & Advisors

Simprints is an equal opportunity employer. We pride ourselves on our firm commitment to improving diversity, equity, and inclusion in our workplace. We aim to attract, hire, grow, and retain the most qualified candidates regardless of race, gender, ability, religion, nationality, age, sexuality, and other differences. We encourage interested and suitable candidates who are part of underrepresented groups to apply for this position.

What to do next?

Traditional recruitment processes are open to a lot of subconscious bias: your name, where you studied, previous employers and a host of other factors can lead to your candidacy being treated differently by others. We’ve built a recruitment system that seeks to minimise that bias as much as possible. To apply: 

• Submit your CV at www.simprints.com/careers. You’ll receive a response and a link to an initial assessment. Not everyone is great at face-to-face interviews, and we want to make sure that you have the best chance to show yourself off in the best light. 

• Submit the initial assessment. Once we’ve received your completed assessment, they will be blinded and given to a panel of reviewers to be scored independently. 

• Technical assessment. Top-scoring applicants will then be invited to a more detailed technical assessment. 

Video interview and digital experience half-day. The in-depth interview is an opportunity to understand your motivations for joining Simprints, assess cultural and technical fit, and provide you with a chance to ask any questions you have about the role and company.  The final step of our recruitment process also includes a virtual “experience half-day.” While these are normally held in-person at our office in Cambridge, we’re currently holding these virtually because of the pandemic. The experience day is intended to ensure that Simprints is a good fit for you just as much as you are a good fit for us. You’ll have a chance to meet some of the team and demonstrate your skills in a few more technical exercises that simulate what it’s like to work at Simprints.

Please note that we’ll be reviewing applications as they come, on a rolling basis. We’re looking forward to see yours soon.