Winrock is recruiting a Chief of Party (COP) for a five-year U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Youth Work Readiness and Entrepreneurship Activity to increase the ability of Uzbek youth in grades 8 – 11 to participate in the labor market by improving the quality of: school-based economics and entrepreneurship programs; afterschool entrepreneurship, soft skills, and work readiness programs; and the enabling environment to support and engage youth.
This position is contingent upon award.
Qualifications and Skill Sets:
The COP will be responsible for all aspects of the Uzbekistan Youth activity, including overall project management, supervision, administration, and implementation of the program. S/he will establish and maintain systems for project operations; ensure that all agreement deadlines are met and targets are achieved; coordinate and maintain working relationships with project stakeholders, including the USAID mission, public and private sector stakeholders, (Government of Uzbekistan (GOU), education administrators and teachers, mentors, and private sector partners), and other development partners; and oversee the preparation and submission of technical and financial reports. Essential responsibilities include:
- Represent the project and Winrock to external stakeholders, such as donors, local and national government entities, media, local NGOs, and the local business community.
- Develop and oversee annual planning, timely implementation of activities, and monitoring and evaluation of project implementation.
- Oversee project budget and ensure that all financial activity is carried out in accordance with annual budget allocations, Winrock policies, and donor guidance.
- With support from field and home office staff, prepare and submit timely and accurate activity, financial, and other reports.
- Maintain close communication with donor, reporting regularly for formal review sessions, and providing informal updates of program progress.
- Provide technical assistance, support, and oversight to government and nongovernment partners.
- Hire and supervise local project staff, provide regular mentoring and professional development, and regularly evaluate their performance.
- Develop relationships with the private sector to establish mentorship and job shadowing opportunities.
- Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
- Ten or more years of progressively responsible experience working on international youth education and work readiness programs, including a minimum of five years of demonstrated managerial and/or team leadership experience.
- Significant USAID experience highly desirable.
- Demonstrated leadership and administrative skills in the management of complex, multi-activity programming, on time and on budget.
- Demonstrated skills in progressive supervision (both staff and consultants).
- Good track record working with and/or partnering with a variety of individuals and organizations, including senior government officials, international agencies, private sector companies, and donor organizations.
- Demonstrated skills in communications, gender, and social, behavioral and norm change issues.
- Significant financial management and oversight experience.
- Experience designing and implementing or overseeing monitoring and evaluation systems.
- Experience/specialization in at least one of the following: education, curriculum and teaching materials development, teacher training; youth work readiness, entrepreneurship, mentorship programs, private sector partnerships, social and behavior change.
- Excellent reporting, writing, and presentation skills.
- Minimum of a master’s degree in a relevant field.
- Prior experience in Uzbekistan or Central Asia is strongly preferred.
Uzbek nationals strongly encouraged to apply.