Chief of Party II – USDA Food for Progress Project

Position description

Job Summary:

As Chief of Party II you will provide vision, leadership and overall management of the USDA Food for Progress (FFPr) project to serve the poor and vulnerable. Your strategic leadership, management and technical knowledge will ensure the delivery of high-quality programming, ensure proper closing of the project and advance the position of CRS as a leading agency in agriculture. As a senior leader you will proactively manage security and mitigate security risks. There are several countries listed on the FY25 Food For Progress priority list, including Ghana, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Vietnam. CRS will apply for one or more of these opportunities and is considering COP II applicants for each of these countries.

Job Responsibilities:

• Lead all aspects of the development, implementation and consolidation of the FFPr project, including ensuring that the project contributes to the thought leadership of the industry. Serve as the primary point of contact to USDA/FFPr as well as public, private and non-government stakeholders.
• Ensure the project is designed and implemented to meet donor expectations in terms of timely and quality results and budget, including strategies for phase out and sustainability. Ensure coordination between program and operations leads. Ensure the CRS program quality standards are adhered to per MEAL policy and procedures.
• Effectively manage senior programming and operations talent. Manage team dynamics and staff well-being. Provide coaching and mentoring. Strategically tailor individual development plans and complete performance assessments for direct reports. Oversee the development of staffing plans and the recruitment process of senior staff.
• Manage and mitigate risk through monitoring national and regional issues that may impact staff and programming. Ensure all staff understand and adhere to CRS staff safety and security policies and plans, and ensure the updating of such plans.
• Promote, uphold and model a commitment to the efficient use of agency and donor resources. Ensure compliance with USDA grants, including financial tracking and oversight of partner budgets, finance, administration and reporting to USDA. Approve program expenditures, budget adjustments, and cost modification requests to donors. Support programmatic close out and financial reporting close out.
• Represent CRS programming in international circles, highlighting innovative work. Publish program results and deliver presentations. Oversee the development of communication strategies and materials, complying with donor and CRS’ branding and marketing requirements and procedures.
• Manage relationships with consortium partner organizations, including organization of review/planning workshops. Coordinate the roles and activities of staff from other consortium member organizations in implementation in line with CRS partnership principles.
• Create and maintain proper conditions for learning. Establish a safe environment for sharing of ideas, solutions, and difficulties and the capacity to detect, analyze and respond quickly to deficiencies. Identify performance gaps and training opportunities for CRS and partner staff and ensure the design and delivery of high-quality training and technical assistance.

Typical Background, Experience & Requirements:

Education and Experience

• Master’s degree in International Development, International Relations or a relevant technical area required. PhD preferred.
• Minimum 5 years of experience effectively managing USG and/or USDA grants involving implementation by multiple sub-awardees and demonstrated experience managing large teams in remote context required.
• 10 or more years’ of experience in leading the implementation of value chain and market development programs required.
• Demonstrated technical expertise in SME development and Private Sector Engagement and experience in managing program implementation and financial reporting required.
• Demonstrated experience in recruiting, developing, and managing staff required.
• Demonstrated commitment to the importance of gender and youth dynamics and within staff and management of the activity required.
• Proven success serving in a leadership role for a project – of similar size and scope – addressing issues related to resilience, agriculture, natural resource management, agribusiness, or similar is required, preferably in one of the FY25 FFPr priority countries.
• Demonstrated experience in adaptive management and learning techniques is highly encouraged.
• Prior experience working in one of the priority counties and familiarity with their social, political, economic and cultural landscape, and demonstrated ability to build and maintain relationships with host governments, donors, other donor-funded projects and stakeholders, local organizations, and partners is a plus.
• USG Compliance Certifications will be a plus.

Personal Skills

• Excellent communication skills tailored to diverse audience types, audience sizes and communication platforms.
• Excellent strategic, analytical, systems thinking, and problem-solving skills, with capacity to see the big picture and ability to make sound judgment and decisions.
• Excellent relations management abilities. Ability to relate to people at all levels internally and externally. Strategic in how you approach each relationship.
• Team leadership abilities with diverse/multi-disciplinary teams. Coaching/mentoring skills.
• Strong communications and presentation skills; able to develop tailored and persuasive messaging for varied audiences.
• Proactive, resourceful, solutions-oriented and results-oriented.
• Required/Desired Foreign Language: Professional working proficiency in English and the professional working language in FY25 FFPr country list.

Application instructions

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