Salary band 4– T
Project Manager – InS MENA
Job Profile
A. Required Qualifications, Competencies and Knowledge Formal Education
- University degree at bachelor’s level or higher in Business Administration, Economics, International Relations, Development Studies, Political Science, Public Administration, Management, or another relevant field. (or alternatively 7 years of relevant experience in a similar position.
- A master’s degree in a relevant field is considered an advantage.
Experience
- Minimum 5 years of relevant professional experience in business development, project acquisition, international cooperation, consulting and/or project management.
- Demonstrated experience in business development and acquisition, including identifying opportunities, developing leads and contributing to the acquisition of new projects or contracts.
- Strong experience in proposal development and tender preparation, including technical and financial offers.
- Experience in developing project concepts, concept notes, methodologies and project designs based on client and donor priorities.
- Experience in client and donor engagement, including building relationships, identifying client needs and presenting project ideas or proposals.
- Experience in conducting market, donor and opportunity analysis and translating findings into concrete business development actions.
- Experience in identifying and engaging consortium partners, technical partners and experts for project opportunities.
- Experience in managing or coordinating international cooperation or technical assistance projects.
- Good understanding of the international cooperation and donor landscape in Lebanon and the MENA region.
- Experience with EU-funded projects and EU procurement/tender procedures is a strong advantage.
- Experience working with international financial institutions, bilateral donors, multilateral organizations, governments or other international clients is considered an advantage.
- Experience working in multicultural and multidisciplinary environments is required.
Other Qualifications
- Fluency in written and spoken English and Arabic.
- Excellent Arabic drafting and writing skills.
- Excellent command of Microsoft Office applications and proficiency in modern communication technologies.
- Strong administrative, organizational, and self-management skills, with the ability to work independently.
- High standards of confidentiality, integrity, and professionalism.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
- Strong presentation skills.
- Excellent research, analytical, and strategic thinking skills.
- Reliable, detail-oriented, consistent, and adaptable, with the ability to work effectively under pressure.
- Valid driving license.
- Knowledge of German and/or French is considered an asset.
The Project Manager’s role is to support the growth and strategic positioning of GIZ International Services (GIZ InS) in Lebanon and the MENA region, with a strong focus on business development and acquisition.
B. Responsibilities
In her/his responsibility as a project manager:
Business Development and Acquisition
- Proactively identify, assess and pursue new business opportunities for GIZ InS in Lebanon and the MENA region.
- Contribute to the development and implementation of regional and country-level business development strategies.
- Monitor donor and client priorities, funding instruments, country strategies, procurement plans and upcoming programmes to identify potential opportunities.
- Analyse political, economic, social and sector developments in the MENA region and assess their implications for GIZ InS business development.
- Conduct market, donor and competitor research to identify emerging sectors, potential clients and areas for portfolio growth.
- Establish, develop and maintain relationships with existing and potential clients, donors, government counterparts, international financial institutions and other relevant stakeholders.
- Expand GIZ InS networks in Lebanon and across the MENA region through proactive outreach, meetings, missions, conferences and other business development activities.
- Identify client needs and entry points and translate them into concrete project ideas and potential assignments.
- Identify and develop relationships with suitable national, regional and international consortium partners.
- Participate in discussions and negotiations with potential consortium partners regarding cooperation arrangements, roles and responsibilities.
- Identify and maintain networks of national and international experts relevant to current and future business opportunities.
- Coordinate and contribute to Expressions/Letters of Interest, Requests for Proposals and other competitive acquisition processes.
- Draft technical proposals, methodologies, project approaches, staffing concepts, CVs, references and other tender documentation.
- Work closely with Finance and operational teams to develop competitive and realistic financial proposals.
- Coordinate inputs from GIZ HQ, country offices, consortium partners, experts and other stakeholders to ensure timely and high-quality proposal submissions.
- Maintain and continuously improve key acquisition resources, including project references, client certificates, expert databases, templates and business development materials.
- Review acquisition outcomes and contribute to lessons learned and continuous improvement of business development and proposal processes.
Project Management and Implementation
- Manage assigned projects in line with contractual requirements, client expectations and GIZ procedures.
- Establish and maintain strong relationships with clients, beneficiaries, partners and other key project stakeholders.
- Coordinate the mobilization and onboarding of national and international experts.
- Monitor project activities, work plans, milestones, deliverables, budgets and expert inputs.
- Coordinate between technical teams, clients, GIZ InS, country offices and relevant corporate departments.
- Ensure compliance with client requirements and applicable GIZ procedures.
- Coordinate project reporting and ensure timely and high-quality submission of contractual deliverables.
- Identify implementation risks, delays and challenges and coordinate appropriate mitigation measures.
- Identify opportunities for project extensions, follow-up assignments and new projects arising from existing client relationships and project implementation.
- Use ongoing projects strategically to strengthen client relationships and GIZ InS positioning for future opportunities.
Financial, Contractual and Administrative Management
- Work closely with the Project Finance Controller (PKL) on financial planning, monitoring, forecasting and client requirements.
- Monitor project budgets, expert working days, expenditure and financial performance.
- Support financial costing and budget development during acquisition processes.
- Coordinate expert contracts, invoices, timesheets, deliverables and supporting documentation.
- Prepare and coordinate documentation required for procurement of goods and services.
- Monitor contracts throughout their lifecycle, from preparation and signature to implementation and closure.
- Ensure proper documentation and filing in accordance with GIZ and client requirements.
Human Resources and Expert Management
- Identify human-resource and expert needs for both acquisition and project implementation.
- Work closely with GIZ InS Recruitment, HR and country offices to identify and recruit suitable experts.
- Proactively identify and maintain relationships with experts who could support future proposals and projects.
- Coordinate expert recruitment, contracting, mobilization and onboarding.
- Ensure experts and project staff receive the necessary guidance on contractual, administrative and project requirements.
Representation and Internal Coordination
- Represent GIZ InS in relevant client meetings, donor consultations, conferences, workshops and networking events.
- Ensure effective communication and information flow between business development, technical, financial, procurement and management teams.
- Contribute to internal strategic discussions on GIZ InS positioning and portfolio development in the MENA region.
- Support knowledge management and sharing of market and business development intelligence across relevant GIZ InS teams.
- Perform other business development, acquisition and project-management tasks as required.
GIZ International Services (InS) is the business area of Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH that provides technical advisory services and project implementation for international clients, including the European Union, bilateral and multilateral development institutions, national governments, foundations and private companies.
Building on GIZ's more than 50 years of experience in international cooperation and its presence in around 120 countries, International Services combines global technical expertise with strong local networks and implementation capacities.
InS develops and implements tailored solutions across a wide range of sectors, including economic development, employment, education, health, energy, climate action, governance and institutional development. Its services range from project design and technical assistance to capacity development and the management and implementation of complex programmes.
Working through competitive tenders and direct commissions, GIZ International Services supports clients in translating their priorities into practical, sustainable results.
