Under the global USAID/Breakthrough ACTION project, USAID/Sahel intends to invest over four years to achieve improved health, family planning, and nutrition outcomes among populations in select regions of Burkina Faso and Niger. The resulting program will comprise an important element of RISE II, a suite of USAID development and humanitarian assistance projects and activities to be managed collectively by USAID/Sahel, USAID/Food for Peace, USAID/West Africa, and the USAID field offices in Burkina Faso and Niger. Activities in Niger comprise approximately 2/3 of the total project budget, and activities in Burkina Faso comprise the remaining 1/3. USAID/Sahel expects that investing in a single, specialized mechanism will shape and streamline SBC activities across RISE II, reducing redundancy and enhancing impact.
The Chief of Party (COP) is based in Niamey, Niger, and leads the strategic direction of the project including planning, implementation and timely delivery of deliverables to USAID. In addition to managing the Sahel RISE II program, the COP will be responsible for overseeing other Breakthrough ACTION programs operating in Niger. These currently include PMI; WABA, WABA+/Niger; and GHSA.
What You’ll Be Doing (Essential Duties)
Strategic Project Management (20%)
- Provide strategic leadership and guidance on implementing Sahel RISE II;
- Facilitate coordination between relevant SBC public and private sectors actors in Niger and Burkina Faso including NGOs; multilateral agencies; media partners; research firms; local organizations; and the Governments of Niger and Burkina Faso.
- Work closely with existing public and private networks and groups related to SBC in both countries to ensure strong integrated programing;
- Ensure quality delivery of key programmatic interventions related to all Breakthrough ACTION activities (Sahel RISE II, PMI, WABA, WABA+, GHSA);
- Oversee Project reports as required by USAID, CCP, and Save the Children;
- Liaise with USAID health staff and Sahel RISE II partners to ensure program strategy and overall implementation is coordinated and coherent.
Operations (20%)
- Work with the project team(s) to ensure smooth day-to-day running of field operations and ensure that project plans are clearly prioritized;
- Identify capacity gaps and arrange for appropriate training of project team and partners to equip them with skills and knowledge required to accomplish their responsibilities;
- Work closely with the Save the Children offices in project locations to ensure adequate logistics, procurement, and administrative support to deliver a high quality program effectively.
Oversight of Project Management (30%)
- Ensure project activities are planned and supervised, risks identified and managed to ensure smooth implementation;
- Ensure that the project contributes to the overall objectives of the program;
- Liaise with the Finance and Award Managers to ensure that accurate project expenditure reports are produced monthly;
- At least quarterly, review project budgets to ensure that project spend is on-track, budgets are re-phased and spent within donor guidelines, and no-cost extensions/cost extensions are requested in a timely way (if need be);
- Review and finalize project reports ensuring that prior to submission, donor guidelines are followed and high standards met;
- Ensure all donor requirements are met and there is a complete audit trail of the implementation and reporting;
- Ensure that key contributing staff have clearly understand donor requirements and expectations at the planning, implementation, amendment, reporting, close out and audit stage;
- Ensure potential issues and amendment requests are flagged promptly to donors and project leadership;
- Ensure compliance with SC and project procedures and policies
Human Resources (10%)
- Supervise project staff;
- Ensure project is appropriately staffed; plan and implement specific actions to recruit, manage and motivate project staff;
- Ensure appropriate gender and ethnic diversity within the project team;
- Ensure that project staff have clearly defined objectives and understand their responsibilities. Ensure compliance with staff development strategies and performance management systems and evaluations.
Representation (10%)
- In coordination with relevant team members, establish, maintain, and improve active and regular working relationships with JHU-CCP as the consortium prime, USAID as the donor, and representatives of other organizations and partners (INGOs, counterparts, donors, government authorities etc.) who are involved in the project.
Reporting and learning (10%)
- Produce monthly, quarterly & annual reports of the project based on donor requirements and other reports as required;
- Document key project activities as they relate to learning and knowledge management.
Required Qualifications
- You have a minimum 7-10 years’ experience in public health, health promotion, behavioral sciences, social sciences, or a related area including health or behavioral economics;
- Bachelor’s degree;
- Demonstrated ability to manage multiple complex projects
- Excellent managerial knowledge, skills, and experience to direct the operational activities of a unit or team, or provide technical advice, guidance and management related to various size programs, grants or projects.
- Demonstrated ability to manage relationships with donors, USAID knowledge preferred
Preferred Qualifications
- The Chief of Party will be a seasoned project manager with at least 10 years of relevant experience, including at least 5 managing development programs in the field. S/he will have demonstrated expertise in large-scale, multi-channel SBC programming, with experience in mass- or community programming preferred. Experience designing and implementing integrated (multi-health element or cross sectoral) SBC programs is desired;
- Demonstrated experience with team building, negotiation, collaboration and coordination across multiple projects, local organizations, government, and private sector;
- General knowledge of community mobilization and capacity strengthening;
- General knowledge in health subject areas relevant to the award (MCH, family planning, nutrition)
- Extensive experience in West Africa
- Strong working familiarity with USAID regulations and policies;
- Fluent oral and strong analytical, written English and French communications skills is required
What’s In It for You
- Meaningful work, with a knowledge that you are changing the lives of children all around the world
- A family friendly work environment
- Highly collaborative and innovative teams
- Generous paid vacation days, holidays, family leave days, and sick time
- Healthcare plans including medical, dental, and life insurance
- Retirement savings account with matching company contributions
- Structured and formalized management development and coaching programs for mid and senior level managers
- Extensive e-learning opportunities on a variety of topics offered through our affiliation with several prestigious universities as well as language learning opportunities
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