DEPUTY CHIEF OF PARTY, CLIMATE SMART AGRICULTURE ACTIVITY, BANGLADESH At CARE USA

CARE seeks a Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP) for the anticipated Climate Smart Agriculture Activity in Bangladesh. This project is expected to be in the $25-50 million range. The objective of the activity is to assist farmers, firms, and public sector actors to build a more resilient and socially inclusive agri-food system in Bangladesh by increasing the sustainable productivity and diversity of smallholder farms through improved seed systems, better performing market functions, and the adoption of climate smart agriculture.

The DCOP is a Key Personnel position and is subject to USAID approval as well as project award and funding. This position will be based in Dhaka. Bangladeshi and international candidates are encouraged to apply.

The DCOP will work closely with the Chief of Party to guarantee quality, efficiency, integrity, and learning throughout project duration. The DCOP will be responsible for technical design, implementation, and partnership strategy. They will lead a team to develop strategies to promote climate smart technologies for the agriculture sector in Bangladesh, under the leadership of the Chief of Party.

The DCOP is also expected to promote learning and innovation. This includes adapting tools and systems; promoting data-driven, evidence-based actions; expanding successful activities’ breadth and depth; building capacity to work in new ways; and communicating best practices to relevant parties.

Primary Responsibilities:

• In collaboration with the COP, provide leadership, management oversight, and technical direction for the program, ensuring an integrated vision across components and actors, with a focus on achieving results.
• Oversee all aspects of project implementation, including program quality, evidence generation, and management of direct reports.
• Ensure coordinated planning of activities and resources, and implementation of program operations in line with national and international technical standards, and applicable USAID rules and regulations.
• In collaboration with the COP, ensure the adequacy of planning, monitoring, and reporting and competence for the effective scale up of program interventions to meet established programmatic and financial targets and timeframes.
• Supervise technical and/or operational teams and monitor activity implementation and ensure activities meet stated goals on time with high quality and reporting requirements.
• Ensure that all deliverables and targets are met with high quality within the scope of the fund and defined time.
• Identify learnings, challenges, and risks inherent in program implementation, make needed adjustments and plan for alternatives.
• Maintain excellent working relations with donors, Government of Bangladesh counterparts, civil society organizations, academic institutions, and partners.
• Design and implement capacity building plans for partners.

Qualifications :

• Advanced degree in agriculture, economics, international development, business administration or related field required.
• Minimum of 8 years of progressively responsible senior experience in development project management (USAID program management required); previous Deputy Chief of Party or senior management experience.
• Experience managing technical teams in agriculture, climate and/or economic resilience including training, capacity building, mentorship, and day-to-day management.
• Proven exceptional leadership in the design, management, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of similar-sized international donor-supported programs, with skills in strategic planning and thinking, management, supervision and budgeting, and experience managing complex activities involving coordination with multiple program partner institutions.
• Strong oral and written communication skills; excellent demonstrated interpersonal and negotiation skills.
• Demonstrated commitment to gender equity and inclusion.
• Experience in recruiting, developing, and managing staff and teams.
• Strong commitment to sharing knowledge, documenting experiences, supporting creative initiatives, and sharing credit.
• Experience collaborating effectively with diverse sets of stakeholders, such as local NGOs, government officials, donor representatives, local and international staff.
• Demonstrated ability to implement projects with rigorous timelines and deliverables and to track program quality through donor approved monitoring and evaluation systems.
• Ability to respond on short notice and plan and execute several activities at once.
• Ability to work under pressure, as part of a team or independently, and meet deadlines consistently.
• Proven leadership, inter-personal and cross-cultural skills, and ability to build and motivate diverse teams.
• Excellent English oral and written communication skills; knowledge of Bangla strongly preferred. Previous experience with the culture and context of South Asia/Bangladesh strongly preferred.
• Computer proficiency in MS words, MS-Excel, MS Access, MS PowerPoint.

Core Competencies:

• A highly adaptable personality who can identify areas of needed change and lead in the application of those adjustments.
• Able to lead complex technical teams, each with individual, and often, competing mandates.
• Ability to translate development challenges into opportunities.
• Strong communication skills and capacity to relay complex technical messages to non-technical audiences.
• Good relationship, networking and influencing skills.
• Appreciate for and ability to promote gender, equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace.

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