We’re Hiring a Project Manager!

We are seeking an experienced and delivery-focused Project Manager to oversee and coordinate the Trust’s programme portfolio and ensure effective, ethical, and high-impact implementation.

Application closing deadline: Tuesday 10th March 2026

To be based at Siyazisiza’s Zululand Agri Support Centre, Ogagwini (near Mtunzini), KZN

WHY SIYAZISIZA TRUST?

Siyazisiza Trust is a South African non-profit organisation committed to strengthening rural livelihoods, improving food security, and enabling inclusive economic participation for smallholder farmers. Through integrated farmer support programmes, Siyazisiza Trust provides agricultural extension services, capacity building, infrastructure support, and market access initiatives across multiple provinces.

Our work is rooted in partnerships with farming communities, traditional leadership structures, cooperatives, government stakeholders, and private-sector actors. We operate in diverse rural contexts where trust, accountability, cultural sensitivity, and practical problem-solving are essential. Siyazisiza Trust offers a purpose-driven environment for field‑based professionals who want to contribute meaningfully to sustainable agricultural development, resilient local food systems and meaningful community impact.

ROLE OVERVIEW

The Project Manager is responsible for the operational management and coordination of Siyazisiza Trust’s programmes and projects. Reporting to the Executive Director, the role ensures that initiatives are delivered on time, within budget, and in alignment with organisational strategy and donor expectations.

This role requires a practical, delivery-focused and reporting-adept professional who can manage multiple projects simultaneously, align teams around shared goals, and translate strategy into effective implementation. The Project Manager strengthens cohesion across people, processes, and stakeholders to ensure programmes remain mission-aligned, efficient, and impactful.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Programme & Project Management – The Project Manager is accountable for ensuring that programme delivery is implemented as approved in proposals, budgets, and workplans. They coordinate the planning and execution of multiple programmes, ensuring effective delivery against agreed objectives, timelines, and budgets. The role establishes clear project frameworks and coordination mechanisms that support accountability and continuous improvement. It ensures operational alignment across projects and programmes while maintaining a strong focus on quality, ethics, and measurable outcomes. The Project Manager ensures that implementation documentation and activity records are accurate, timely, and sufficiently detailed to support high-quality internal and donor reporting. Additionally, they are responsible for refining and strengthening programme design over time, using implementation experience, stakeholder feedback, and MEL findings to improve relevance, effectiveness, and operational feasibility.

Operational Coordination – The Project Manager facilitates and coordinates programme implementation across multidisciplinary teams, ensuring that activities are delivered in line with approved plans, timelines, budgets, and quality standards. While not holding direct line-management responsibility over programme or field staff, the role provides implementation guidance, identifies operational bottlenecks, and works with relevant managers to resolve delivery challenges. The Project Manager collaborates closely with the MEL Manager to ensure that required data is collected accurately and on time.

Financial & Compliance Oversight- The Project Manager supports sound financial management within projects and programmes by monitoring budgets, expenditure, and reporting requirements. The role ensures compliance with donor agreements, internal policies, and regulatory standards while maintaining transparency and accountability in all operational activities. The Project Manager compiles and verifies programme activity and financial information required for donor and management reporting.

Leadership & Team Support – The Project Manager supports and coordinates programme staff and field teams, fostering collaboration, accountability, and professional practice across projects and programmes. While not holding direct line-management responsibility over programme staff, the role promotes structured coordination, clarifies expectations, and works with relevant managers to strengthen team effectiveness within their respective portfolios.

Stakeholder Engagement – The Project Manager builds and maintains professional, constructive relationships with donors, ensuring clear communication regarding programme delivery, compliance, and performance in coordination with the Executive Director and Fundraising & Communications Manager. They also engage respectfully and effectively with other stakeholders, including government departments, traditional leadership structures, peer NGOs, implementation partners and farming communities, in alignment with the roles of Field Managers and programme teams.

Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning – The Project Manager ensures that programme implementation aligns with agreed performance indicators and collaborates closely with the MEL Manager to address implementation gaps identified through monitoring processes. The role supports the compilation of programme performance information for reporting purposes as well as adaptive management by responding to MEL findings, while the MEL Manager retains responsibility for MEL system design and analytical oversight.

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE AND OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

The successful candidate will bring a strong combination of project management expertise, operational coordination experience, and sector awareness appropriate to managing complex development programmes.

1) Qualifications

• A relevant tertiary qualification in Project Management, Development Studies, Agriculture, Business Administration, or a related field
• Formal project management certification (e.g., PMP, PRINCE2, or equivalent) is advantageous
• Additional training in financial management, monitoring and evaluation, or programme management is beneficial

2) Experience

• 5–8 years’ experience managing projects and/or programmes within the non-profit, development, or agricultural sectors
• Demonstrated success in coordinating multi-stakeholder projects and multidisciplinary teams
• Experience managing project budgets and ensuring programme implementation meets donor contractual requirements.
• Proven ability to deliver projects in complex or resource-constrained environments
• Strong track record in operational planning and execution
• Strong written communication skills, with demonstrated experience compiling implementation data and drafting clear, structured inputs for donor and management reports.
• Experience working with rural communities and development partners is highly advantageous

3) Operational Requirements

• Strong organisational and time-management skills with the ability to coordinate multiple programmes, deadlines, and stakeholder requirements simultaneously.
• Ability to identify operational bottlenecks and drive practical solutions in collaboration with programme teams and field managers.
• Financial literacy and sound operational judgement in managing project budgets and resource allocation.
• Ability to synthesise programme activity information into structured reporting inputs under deadline.
• High professional integrity, discretion, and commitment to ethical practice in rural community contexts.
• Ability to maintain sound judgement and professional composure under pressure in complex, resource-constrained environments.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team environment, and to navigate performance tensions constructively and professionally in a dynamic NPO context.
• Ability and willingness to travel regularly for field oversight, implementation support, and stakeholder engagement.
• Commitment to continuous improvement and organisational accountability.
• Valid Code 10 driver’s licence, and minimum of three years driving experience.
• Language proficiency:
  • English (required)
  • isiZulu (preferred)
  • isiXhosa, siSwati and/or Tsonga (advantageous)

IDEAL CANDIDATE PROFILE

Siyazisiza Trust seeks a pragmatic and action-oriented project professional who combines strong project management capability with a deep commitment to social impact. The ideal candidate is structured, organised, and solution-focused, able to manage complexity without losing sight of practical execution.

They are able to translate strategy into effective implementation and continuously refine programme design based on field realities and performance insights. The ideal candidate is a collaborative coordinator who builds trust across diverse stakeholders and works constructively with managers and teams to support effective delivery. They communicate clearly, are comfortable compiling and structuring programme information for reporting purposes, adapt easily to changing circumstances, and maintain professionalism in challenging environments.

Personally, the candidate demonstrates resilience, emotional intelligence, and a strong sense of accountability. They are motivated by purpose, committed to continuous improvement, and capable of sustaining performance while maintaining ethical and respectful engagement with communities and partners.

HOW TO APPLY

Interested candidates are invited to submit to careers@siyazisiza.org.za:

• A letter of motivation (no more than 1 page)
• A concise CV (no more than 2 pages)
• Two reference letters
• Copies of your qualifications
• Copy of your South African ID or for non-South Africans, copy of your country ID/passport and copy of your South African work permit

On your email, the email subject line should be “Application for Project Manager position”

Application deadline is Tuesday 10^th March 2026.

If you do not receive feedback within 30 days of the closing date, please consider your application unsuccessful.

All personal information submitted will be processed in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) and used solely for recruitment purposes. Siyazisiza Trust reserves the right to verify qualifications, employment history, and references as part of the selection process.

Siyazisiza Trust is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from suitably qualified candidates from diverse backgrounds.