Chief of Party, USAID/Côte d’Ivoire Strengthening Primary and Community Health Care Activity At Save the Children – US

Summary

Save the Children is seeking a Chief of Party (COP) for the anticipated five-year USAID/Côte d’Ivoire Strengthening Primary and Community Health Care Activity. This activity will strengthen primary and community health in collaboration with the Government of Côte d’Ivoire.

The Chief of Party (COP) is a senior leadership position and will provide overall strategic direction in the design, management, implementation, and overall quality assurance of the project. The COP will be the primary point of contact with USAID and all relevant stakeholders and be responsible for the sustainability of project interventions. The COP will collaborate with the Ministry of Health and other critical partners to provide high-level technical and managerial support for effective capacity building at the local level. The COP will also oversee a team of experts and support staff, coordinate timely reports design and annual operating plans, align project initiatives with in-country priorities, and ensure the program is compliant with USAID and Save the Children’s regulations. The position will be based in Abidjan for the five-year period of performance.

This position is contingent upon donor approval and funding.

What You’ll Be Doing (Essential Duties)

• Lead development of operational and strategic plans, annual and quarterly work plans, and overall management of the program in line with USAID guidelines to achieve project objectives.
• Ensure that high-quality technical leadership and oversight for strengthening quality health service delivery for maternal and child health, family planning, nutrition, malaria, and global health security is in place.
• Overall technical and administrative leadership of the project to ensure the quality of project interventions.
• Lead the team to provide proper coordination and guidance among local government, country-wide initiatives, community partners, NGOs, and other key stakeholders.
• Supervise and mentor senior technical and project management staff while cultivating an environment that is conducive to learning and professional growth.
• Support the development of strong M&E mechanisms, program monitoring tools, and efficient systems to ensure high quality implementation and reporting.
• Support a rigorous approach to learning and adaptation driven by data that, in consultation with USAID, leads to refinements and adjustments to the activity’s technical approaches and annual work plans and allows for timely and accurate decision-making.
• Establish compliance with USG regulations, procedures, and Save the Children guidelines.
• Represent Save the Children with partners and key stakeholders and develop and maintain positive relationships with USAID, Ministry of Health (MOH) and other ministry counterparts, and the Country Office team.
• Establish and ensure effective communication and coordination with personnel from the government to implement program interventions.
• Actively participate as a member of the Country Extended Senior Management Team (ESMT), contributing to country strategic plans.
• Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where the program team strives to achieve excellence.
• Incorporate Save the Children’s vision and values ​​and full adherence to Code of Conduct principles.
• Closely monitor security dynamics in the project areas and report to the Country Director on significant changes in the security context.
• Ensure any additional tasks entrusted by supervisor.

Required Qualifications

• in public health, international development or a medical degree is ideal; master’s degree in public health, international development or a medical degree
• Prior experience as a COP, Deputy COP, and/or Project Director.
• Minimum of 10 years of professional experience managing and implementing large and complex integrated health and service delivery programs of similar size and scope in maternal and child health, family planning, malaria, WASH, nutrition, health systems strengthening, and global health security.
• At least five years of senior program experience working and living in a developing country; ideally within Ivory Coast or other West African countries.
• In-depth knowledge of USAID approaches, regulations, compliance, and reporting requirements.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to build teams. This includes experience hiring and supervising personnel and effectively leading in team situations to deliver program results.
• Demonstrated expertise convening diverse stakeholders and representing donor, government, and project priorities.
• Creative problem-solving skills with the ability to work effectively in resource-constrained environments is important.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English and French.
• Willingness to travel nationally and internationally.

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Summary

Save the Children is seeking a Chief of Party (COP) for the anticipated activity “Strengthening Primary and Community Health Care”, funded by USAID in Côte d’Ivoire for a period of five years. The activity will aim to strengthen primary and community health care in collaboration with the Government of Côte d’Ivoire.

The COP is a senior management position that will provide overall strategic direction for the design, management, implementation, and quality assurance of the project. The COP will be the primary point of contact with USAID and all relevant stakeholders and will be responsible for the sustainability of the project interventions. The COP will collaborate with the Ministry of Health and other key partners to provide high-level technical and managerial support for effective capacity building at the local level. The COP will also supervise a team of experts and support staff, coordinate the design of timely reports and annual operational plans, align project initiatives with national priorities, and ensure program compliance with USAID and Save the Children regulations. The position will be based in Abidjan for the five-year performance period.

Please note that funding for the position will be subject to final approval by the funder.

Your missions (essential functions)

• Lead the development of operational and strategic plans, annual and quarterly work plans, and overall program management in accordance with USAID guidelines to achieve project objectives.
• Provide high-quality technical leadership and monitoring to strengthen the delivery of quality health services in the areas of maternal and child health, family planning, nutrition, malaria and global health security.
• Provide overall technical and administrative direction of the project to ensure the quality of project interventions.
• Lead the team to ensure appropriate coordination and guidance between local government, national initiatives, community partners, NGOs and other key stakeholders.
• Supervise and mentor senior technical and project management staff while cultivating an environment conducive to learning and professional growth.
• Support the development of robust monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, programme tracking tools and effective systems to ensure high-quality implementation and reporting.
• Support a rigorous approach to data-driven learning and adaptation, which, in consultation with USAID, leads to adjustments and improvements to the activity’s technical approaches and annual work plans, enabling rapid and accurate decision-making.
• Ensure compliance with Save the Children regulations, procedures and guidelines.
• Represent Save the Children to key partners and stakeholders and develop and maintain positive relationships with USAID, the Ministry of Health and other ministerial counterparts, as well as the country office team.
• Establish and ensure effective communication and coordination with government staff for the implementation of program interventions.
• Actively participate as a member of the senior management team, contributing to the country’s strategic plans.
• Create and maintain a mutually respectful work environment where the program team strives for excellence.
• Incorporate Save the Children’s vision and values ​​and full adherence to the principles of the organization’s code of conduct.
• Closely monitor security dynamics in project areas and inform the Country Director of significant changes in the security context.
• Ensure the completion of any additional tasks assigned by the supervisor.

Required qualifications

• A degree in public health, development aid or a medical degree is ideal; a master’s degree would be desirable.
• Previous experience as COP, Deputy COP/DCOP or Project Manager.
• A minimum of 10 years of professional experience in managing and implementing complex and large-scale integrated health programs of similar size and scope, in the areas of maternal and child health, family planning, malaria, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), nutrition, health systems strengthening and global health security.
• At least five years of senior program experience working and living in a developing country; preferably in Côte d’Ivoire or other West African countries.
• Thorough knowledge of USAID approaches, regulations, compliance and reporting requirements.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to build teams. This includes experience recruiting and supervising staff and effective leadership in team situations to achieve program results.
• Demonstrated expertise in convening diverse stakeholders and representing donor, government and project priorities.
• Creative problem-solving skills with the ability to work effectively in resource-constrained environments.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English and French.
• Willingness to carry out missions and travel at national and international level.

About Save the Children

Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. In the United States and around the world, we give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protect from harm. We do whatever it takes for children – every day and in times of crisis – transforming their lives and the future we share.

Our work for children and their families requires that we commit—at every opportunity—to work together to identify and dismantle persistent systemic and structural racism, inequality, and any other forms of discrimination in this country and beyond. As an anti-racist organization, Save the Children will not tolerate discrimination in any form—in our employment practices, among our staff, in our leadership or toward the people we serve. We stand in solidarity with all people to fight for equal rights, justice, inclusion, and belonging.

Save the Children is committed to conducting its programs and operations in a manner that is safe for the children it serves and helping protect the children with whom we are in contact. All Save the Children representatives are explicitly prohibited from engaging in any activity that may result in any kind of child abuse.

Save the Children is committed to minimizing safety and security risks for our valued employees, ensuring all are given training, support and information to reduce their risk exposure while maximizing the impact of our programs for children and families. Our shared duty, both agency and individual, is to seek and maintain safe working conditions for all.