In USAID/OTI programs, the Chief of Party commonly serves the traditional responsibilities of a Chief Operating Officer and is not a traditional Chief of Party role due to the USAID/OTI Contractor relationship and key decision-making processes.
Reporting & Supervision:
The Chief of Party will report to the Project Director at Creative headquarters.
Primary Responsibilities:
Based on USAID/OTI’s experiences, a strong COP for an USAID/OTI SWIFT Program should:
Be willing to have close, daily collaboration with USAID/OTI’s in-country staff;
Take programmatic and strategic direction from USAID/OTI staff;
Have strong management, mentorship, and leadership skills;
Given the anticipated small footprint, be both a strategic program manager and a “hands on” manager who is actively engaged in all aspects of program strategy, design, evaluation, and management;
Understand USAID/OTI’s need for direct program communication with all program staff;
Have demonstrated past representational experience with host governments, other donors, and civil society and demonstrated success with inter-agency coordination and joint programming ideally; and
Be flexible.
The Chief of Party is responsible for:
Making key operational decisions and solving problems in short time frames while ensuring operational and program integrity. Overall program direction is provided by USAID/OTI through the TOCOR and USAID/OTI Country Representative;
All directly programmatic aspects of the program (activity design, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting) in consultation with the OTI CR, and/or the CR’s designee. May include direct activity development and oversight;
Financial and program management, oversight, and reporting of Contractor progress and quality of performance in meeting the activity undertakings in this program;
The Contractor’s designated person for overall management of the in-country relationship with USAID/OTI;
Responsible for supervising program design, implementation, and management; and
Under the guidance of the USAID/OTI Country Representative, responsible for contributing to the design and implementation of the M&E system at both the activity level (ensuring that all activities are monitored and evaluated) and beyond the activity level (outcomes and impact).
Required Skills & Qualifications:
Relevant work experience, including experience with a Contractor, international NGO, or donor managing an office or program;
A minimum of six (6) years of experience supervising complex, high-speed and challenging field operations in developing countries;
Experience with programs that provide quick delivery of assistance in response to emerging windows of opportunity;
Experience with grants management, preferably in-kind and small grants;
Experience working in developing countries is required, preferably in a fragile or transitional state environment. Knowledge of programming in Cameroon and/or Lake Chad Basin is preferred;
Demonstrated experience and knowledge in establishing systems and overseeing program start-up under limited time constraints as well as program close-out;
Experience in the hiring, training and supervising of host country local personnel and ensuring, when need arises, that they secure necessary training required to meet program needs;
Financial management experience, including budgeting and financial management (tracking, reporting and accounting);
Experience with activity design, development, and implementation;
Demonstrated working proficiency in French and English is required; and
Experience with remote management in transition environments highly desired.
