Project Manager (Social Impact)- TR Foundation at Thomson Reuters Foundation

Project Manager – Thomson Reuters Foundation 

Join a team which leverages media, legal and data-driven expertise to strengthen independent journalism, enable access to the law and promote responsible business. 

We are the corporate foundation of Thomson Reuters, one of the world’s leading content and technology companies. A registered charity in the UK and the USA, our expertise is embedded across the globe. 

For more than 40 years, we have promoted the highest standards in journalism by training reporters around the world to cover issues relevant to their local context, accurately and impartially. Today, we aim to foster free, fair, and informed societies by harnessing the power of the media, the law, and data intelligence. 

We do this by informing, empowering and equipping key actors working in our areas of focus so that their decisions can have a positive impact on people, society and the environment. Our unique combination of media and legal expertise enables us to deliver targeted capacity-building programmes, research, news, legal support and convenings that support our mission. Together, we can shape a prosperous planet where no one is left behind. 

Under our Responsible Business work, we work with businesses, investors, lawyers, civil society organisations and journalists to build understanding of how business decisions affect lives and livelihoods. Our work addresses issues from labour rights to the just transition to a greener economy. We encourage collaboration and harness data insights to promote responsible business practices and corporate transparency, enabling businesses to thrive whilst doing no harm. Corporations can contribute to social progress when they balance the short-term needs of their shareholders with the long-term impact on their stakeholders’ communities. 

The UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights call for corporations to protect and respect human rights. Around the world, new corporate due diligence regulations are requiring businesses to adopt more responsible, transparent practices that consider their impact on society. Investors are also seeking more sustainable and ethical forms of investment, adding pressure on business to increase corporate transparency. We leverage our networks and data intelligence to encourage responsible business practices that support more equitable economies.  

We are seeking a Project Manager to join the RB Programs Portfolio Team to lead on the implementation of our work aimed at strengthening workers’ rights in South Asia and Southeast Asia.   

About the Role 

The Project Manager will report to the Portfolio Manager and serve as a key member of the portfolio team, leading on the Workers' rights work.  

The Project Manager will lead on the strategic delivery of the project activities, under the lead of the Portfolio Manager, ensuring the sound and effective implementation, coordination and monitoring of the project’s activities, (e.g. multi-stakeholder strategic convenings, capacity building and mentoring for journalists and newsrooms in Southeast and South Asia. Business engagement and capacity building on business and human rights)   

Please note, this is a permanent contract 

As a Project Manager at the Thomson Reuters Foundation, you will develop the following Tasks, Duties and Responsibilities  

 Project Management  

• Being the main responsible for the successful implementation and delivery of the project(s) by developing a comprehensive understanding of project(s) technical, delivery, and contractual obligations  

• Supporting the Portfolio Manager and the other Project Managers in the strategic design of the activities of the portfolio 

• Lead the management/coordination of the project team (made up of colleagues across the Foundation), according to the governance framework and under the lead of the Portfolio Manager  

• Leading on the draft of donor’s reports, both narratives and financial, by coordinating with other teams and under the lead of the Project Portfolio Manager 

• Coordinate and drive the input of a range of technical and operational teams within the Foundation to deliver high-quality programming including a range of external technical consultants.   

• Set up and maintain essential project management tools such as project plan, finance tracker, risk register, as well as being able to design ad-hoc tools to support specific challenges and risks during the project implementation.  

• Travel internationally, as required, to monitor project implementation and ensure programme quality.  

• Manage the project data in line with TRF policies and international personal data regulations 

• Contribute towards the strengthening of Project Cycle Management approaches and practice in collaboration with senior programme staff.   

• Ensure impact stories are captured for wider project communications.  

• Facilitate information sharing within the Programmes Team and with others across the Foundation.  

Monitoring and evaluation   

• With technical support from in-house MEAL Advisor, lead the implementation of the project’s MEAL Framework.  

• Supported by the in-house MEAL Advisor, develop means of verification for the projects’ logframes and lead on their implementation for the project and potentially other portfolio’s workstreams 

• Facilitate the quarterly impact and board reporting of your project into the wider organisation.  

Budget Management  

• Develop detailed understanding of grant budget, and donor compliance.  

• Be the budget lead and key responsible of the project’s finance by effectively managing the project finances within TRF and donor finance policies and procedures.   

• Lead in the monthly and quarterly accounting process for your budget, including monthly accruals, invoice tracking and processing and quarterly forecasting, with the support of the project coordination and finance manager  

• Support your project team in understanding and following TRF finance policies and processes.  

 Technical Advice, Strategy and Drive  

• Maintain oversight and up to date knowledge of the political, security, legal and economic context of the project’s thematic and regional areas of focus.   

• Maintain consistent outreach to other actors in the field of labour rights in the region(s) to ensure the project is accurately reflecting the context, building on existing initiatives and reflecting the environmental needs.   

• Identify, assess and manage risks to effectively ensure the safety of project stakeholders and staff, supported by the Portfolio Manager 

About You :

To be our Project Manager it is essential you have:   

• Demonstrable progressive experience of outstanding project and/or programme management (4-5 years) of international development projects, also remotely.  

• Excellent grant (restricted funds) financial acumen and excel skills and experience in managing multi-million and multi-country budgets  

• Demonstrable experience in stakeholder mapping and engagement, with a focus on national NGOs, CSOs and international organisations, preferably ILO, IOM and UNDP.  

• Experience of managing a wide range of in-house and external technical consultants to deliver a wide range of deliverables on time and on budget.  

• Demonstrable experience in M&E through the development of project log frames, theories of change, KPIs and reports.  

• Ability to apply context-sensitive approaches to design and implementation of activities.   

• Demonstrable experience in donor reporting, financial and narrative 

• Demonstrable experience in designing and delivering events and capacity building training  

• Knowledge of business and human rights principles, with a specific focus on workers’ rights in South Asia and Southeast Asia 

• Experience of leading international development projects, preferably in Southeast Asia/South Asia  

• Fluency in English.  

Desired Knowledge & skills.  

• Experience in engaging with the private sector  

• Experience of designing, assessing the quality and planning for research uptake  

How to Apply: 

To apply, please submit your:  

• Your resume 

• Cover letter highlighting how your experience aligns with the required skills.    

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.  

About Thomson Reuters Foundation:

The Thomson Reuters Foundation is the corporate foundation of Thomson Reuters, the global news and information services company. As an independent charity, registered in the UK and the USA, we leverage our media, legal and data-driven expertise to strengthen independent journalism, enable access to the law and promote responsible business. Through news, media development, free legal assistance and data intelligence, we aim to build free, fair and informed societies. 

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