party leader At Chemonics

Chemonics is seeking a Party Leader for the USAID-funded Sahel Region Regional Resilience (SRR) activity in Burkina Faso, Chad, Gambia, and Mauritania. The SRR aims to improve the capacity of individuals, households and communities in the Sahel to mitigate, adapt to and recover from ongoing shocks and stresses. USAID is considering multiple allocations under a single mechanism, with an emphasis on local partnership and potential transition allocations to local partners.

Based in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, with frequent travel to other SRR counties, the Party Leader will assume strategic direction and administrative responsibility for contract requirements, ensuring the achievement of key performance indicators, objectives and deliverables. It will be the primary channel of communication with USAID, fostering effective and transparent collaboration with team and consortia partners. Overseeing the implementation of the project, they will define the strategic direction and long-term vision, working with a high-level team of diverse thinkers and doers. We are looking for individuals with a deep understanding of a variety of resilience activities coupled with a deep commitment to making a significant impact on the Sahel’s resilience journey.

Main responsibilities:

• Provide a long-term strategic vision and assume overall leadership, management, administrative and technical direction of the regional resilience activity for the Sahel region
• Serve as the primary point of contact to establish, manage and maintain effective working relationships with stakeholders, including civil society, private sector partners and national and local government entities, regarding all program-related matters
• Oversee operations of the project office in Burkina Faso in accordance with policies and procedures established by Chemonics management, including human resources, security, procurement, grants, finance and administration, and subcontracting
• Develop and implement annual budgets and work plans reflecting the needs and priorities of USAID and local stakeholders, including localization, collaborative learning, monitoring and evaluation, gender and social inclusion, project communication and reporting
• Foster close collaboration and teamwork among project staff, including mentoring and professional development opportunities, as well as close collaboration with partners to include common strategy, work planning, implementation implementation, learning and indicators shared between the different rewards
• Serve as a key liaison with USAID and ensure compliance with all USAID rules and regulations, contractual requirements, and Chemonics policies and systems
• Exhibit ethical behavior and set clear expectations for all staff and third parties with whom the project collaborates, based on Chemonics Business Conduct Standards (English and French)

Qualifications:

• Advanced degree in environmental science, climate science and policy, economics, or another SRR-related field
• At least 15 years of professional experience in the field of development, including at least 10 years in high-level positions and 5 years in Sahel countries
• Prior experience as a Chief of Party (COP) or similar leadership role in USAID-funded programs focused on resilience (or related areas) required
• Practical experience building relationships and coalitions with a range of program partners, including local, regional and national government entities, financial institutions, civil society, local communities, academia and the private sector in the Sahel region: Burkina Faso, Chad, Gambia and Mauritania in particular
• Strong leadership, interpersonal, technical and oral/written communication skills to meet diverse technical and managerial project requirements and coordinate effectively with a wide range of stakeholders
• Demonstrated expertise in at least one of the relevant technical areas of the ARR, including but not limited to food security, agricultural production, market systems development, water, sanitation and hygiene, gender and youth integration, nutrition and social behavior change strategies
• Experience managing complex multi-country contracts and/or agreements, USAID operational procedures, regulations and reporting requirements
• Experience working in conflict environments, with an ability to adapt to a changing security situation
• Demonstrated ethical leadership, versatility and integrity
• Fluency in English and French required