Overview
Creative Associates International is a fast-growing, social impact company that specializes in the areas of education, economic growth, democratic transitions, and stabilization in post-conflict environments. Based in Chevy Chase, Maryland, this global development organization has a field presence is more than 25 countries and a strong client portfolio of that includes the U.S. Agency for International Development and the State Department.Since its founding in 1977 by four enterprising women, Creative has earned a solid reputation among its clients and is well-regarded by competitors and partners alike.
Creative Associates seeks a Chief of Party (COP) to lead the anticipated USAID-funded WBG Basic Education Activity, which will strengthen education services for Palestinian children of KG 1 through Grade 6 that enable them to thrive and reach their full developmental potential. Under the Basic Education Activity, USAID seeks to work with the private sector, non-formal, non-governmental, community-based, UN, and civil society partners to strengthen early childhood and primary educational opportunities through high quality early childhood education services and supplemental support structures to strengthen foundational pre-primary and primary education for children in the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem. Specific areas of focus anticipated include strengthening foundational skills in literacy, numeracy, social emotional learning (SEL)/soft skills, building teacher and student resilience capabilities and assets, and strengthening pathways between non-formal to formal education. The COP will be responsible for overall vision and technical leadership and management of the project.
Responsibilities
- Oversee technical implementation and operational management of the activity.
- Supervise activity implementation and ensure the activity meets stated goals and reporting requirements.
- Serve as primary liaison to USAID, implementing partners, and key education stakeholders in country, including government officials, civil society organizations, and other donor-funded implementing partners.
- Determine annual priorities, develop work plans, and ensure program responds to changing conditions and operating environments, in conjunction with USAID and Creative Headquarters.
- Oversee and ensure technical soundness in overall approach and project activities; ensure that GESI principles and local capacity strengthening are fully integrated into implementation.
- Oversee project operational, financial, and administrative systems and processes, ensuring streamlined and compliant project management.
- Establish and foster collaborative partnerships with organizations working in education, youth development, and related subjects; oversee the coordination of implementing partners.
- Supervise, mentor, and manage team diverse program team to deliver impact within agreed timelines.
- Other duties as assigned
Qualifications– Advanced degree in education, or related field.
- Minimum 10 years of experience designing and implementing education programs of similar scope and scale.
- Minimum five years of progressively increasing management experience (COP, DCOP, or equivalent) on donor-funded projects in the education sector; USAID experience preferred.
- Experience and expertise in non-formal education programming; experience in crisis and conflict settings preferred.
- Demonstrated knowledge and application of relevant USAID policies and strategies, including USAID’s Education Policy; Gender Equality and Female Empowerment Policy; Youth in Development Policy; and Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting-Framework.
- Experience in and commitment to creating equal education opportunities for girls, children with disabilities, and other children at risk of discrimination or marginalization.
- Ability to cultivate effective working relationships with government officials, civil society organizations, education/training institutions, private sector actors, implementing partners, international donors, and other stakeholders.
- Demonstrated leadership skills and experience working in multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural teams.
- Experience working in West Bank/Gaza and/or the MENA region highly preferred.
- Professional fluency in written and spoken Arabic and English, required.
PI208885353