Sr. Manager, Humanitarian Project Management

Job Description

Sr. Manager, Humanitarian Project Management

Sesame Workshop's (SW) International Social Impact (ISI) department is seeking a Senior Manager, Project Management for our recently launched Welcome Sesame initiative, which delivers on early childhood development outcomes specifically for children and families who are affected by both protracted and rapid onset crises across the Middle East, South Asia, East Africa, Latin America and in the US

The Senior Manager will ensure high-quality and timely development of the following: standard operating procedures, and multi-year planning, as well as day-to-day management support to existing and emerging crisis response task teams.

The initiative includes the development of a technical framework, operational procedures, technical standards and guidance documents, project start-up and management protocols, the development of a learning agenda, and coordination of matrix functions to effectively deliver crisis response programming in line with global best practice.

The Sr. Manager reports to the VP, Humanitarian Programs and works closely with the ISI project management team and technical teams.

This position is based at our headquarters office in New York City with a hybrid work environment to include designated in-office days 2 determined by the functional nature of the role.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

The ideal candidate will have experience in project management for humanitarian or crisis response programs, a proven record of managing humanitarian interventions from headquarters or field-based locations and will have experience coordinating organizational responses across internal functional teams and with external partners.

Rapid Response:
• Oversee the day-to-day management of implementation of active areas of work under Sesame's Rapid Response Task Force, which include the Ukraine Response Task Force, including regular internal progress updates
• Manage workflow to ensure timely achievement of project goals and spend managed by Task Force
• Work closely with education, production, and finance teams to deliver on response plans
• Coordinate with communications and marketing teams on content and messages for public awareness related to rapid response activities
• Manage compliance with donor and internal policies, procedures, and systems
• Provide ongoing quality control and issue resolution

Welcome Sesame Initiative:
• Lead on the development and timely execution of Welcome Sesame seed phase workplan and oversee its implementation, coordinating relevant units to deliver results
• Ensure timely and efficient roll-out of standard operating procedures and guidelines for Welcome Sesame projects with Social Impact Operations
• Actively contribute to the work of the Welcome Sesame core team, including visioning
• Contribute to the preparation of new concept notes, proposals, reporting, presentations, and other donor-facing materials with Philanthropic Development
• Other duties as required

QUALIFICATIONS

Required:
• 5+ years' experience in complex project management, humanitarian response and/or international development or education, and the media environment
• Bachelor's degree in relevant field
• Superior process management skills, including exceptional time management and follow-through, experience with deadline-driven projects in a fast-paced environment, attention to detail
• Strong PowerPoint preparation skills for internal and public presentations
• Excellent computer skills, including MS Office, file transfer and sharing technology, and web-based communication and call tools
• Prior fiscal management experience
• Ability to work effectively in multi-cultural settings

Preferred:
• Master's degree in Management, Compliance, Humanitarian Affairs, International Development, or related field
• Deep understanding of the non-profit sector, humanitarian response and/or international development operations
• Experience working in humanitarian settings or on rapid response teams
• PMP certification or expertise utilizing PM tools and concepts (Gantt, Workplans, KPIs, Theories of Change, etc.)

ABOUT SESAME WORKSHOP

Sesame Workshop is the nonprofit organization behind Sesame Street, the pioneering television show that has been helping kids grow smarter, stronger and kinder since 1969. Today Sesame Workshop is a global educational force for change, with a mission to impact the world's most vulnerable children.  In more than 150 countries, we are serving kids through a wide range of media and philanthropically funded social impact programs, all grounded in rigorous research and tailored to the needs and cultures of the communities we serve. Sesame is a beloved household name in dozens of languages, and it means learning – and fun – in all of them. For more information, please visit sesameworkshop.org. 

DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW

Sesame Workshop's International Social Impact department, a division of Social Impact and Philanthropy, develops and implements Sesame's powerful initiatives to serve children and families around the world, builds strong partnerships and coalitions to maximize reach and impact. Building upon the familiarity and appeal of the trusted, beloved Sesame Street characters – and their global counterparts – we create and disseminate unique educational resources and tools for families most in need. Sesame's research-driven initiatives reach many children who would otherwise have little or no access to early childhood education and support all aspects of children's development – including healthy habits, cognitive development in areas such as early literacy and math, and social-emotional well-being and resilience. We reach and engage children and the important adults in their families and communities using multiple media platforms and innovative strategies – from television and radio to digital media, mobile technologies, books, E-books, magazines, classroom materials, teacher/provider training, social media, and more.

WELCOME SESAME INITIATIVE

Welcome Sesame is a strategic initiative introduced by Sesame Workshop in 2022 to ensure program quality, timely deployment, management support, and continuous learning to bolster our programs designed to reach young children and caregivers affected by conflict and crisis around the world, including refugee and displaced communities in the US. Over the last five years, Sesame Workshop's programming and content library in this area has grown significantly, and we are now working with partners in the Middle East, Bangladesh, Latin America, East Africa, and beyond. Most recently, that programming has included rapid responses bundling educational media in relevant topics and languages for children displaced by crises in Afghanistan and Ukraine. We now refer to this overall set of programs as ''Welcome Sesame.''

Equal Opportunity Employer/Minorities/Females/Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity

Jobcode: Reference SBJ-g32v8q-3-149-214-32-42 in your application.