Pact seeks a Chief of Party (COP) for the anticipated USAID-funded Gir’Ijambo (Have a Say) Activity, an Associate Award under the Civil Society and Media-Strengthened Together and Advancing in New Directions (CSM-STAND) Africa & Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Leader with Associates (LWA) Cooperative Agreement. This $4.2M, five-year activity will focus on strengthening civil society organizations’ (CSOs) institutional capacity and sustainability, issue small grants to select CSOs to carry out advocacy work, and support the formation and bolster existing CSO networks. The activity will focus on four separate priorities and will target youth and women CSOs engaged in human rights, individual freedoms, governance, justice, and reconciliation: (1) support capacity strengthening and issue sub-grants to local organizations engaged in civic education and advocacy for positive political engagement; (2) strengthen CSOs dedicated to promoting accountable, transparent, and responsive governance; (3) respond to trafficking in persons (TIP) and other human rights issues; and (4) support livelihood opportunities for women and youth members of select CSOs.
The position will be based in Bujumbura, Burundi and report to the CSM-STAND Associate Awards Technical Director. This position is contingent upon award.
The COP will be responsible for technical leadership and the overall management and operations of the project. The COP will supervise high-quality project implementation, with a focus on achieving the project goals and the donor’s development strategy and objectives. The COP will lead activity coordination across all relevant parties, including the donor, host country counterparts, local and regional civil society organizations (CSOs), other institutional donors, and other civil society support and governance program implementing partners. The COP will oversee project staff and sub-grantees for results-oriented planning, and coordination of project activities.
The specific duties to be carried out by the successful candidate are listed below:
- Ensure high-quality, results-oriented technical programming through hands-on guidance and support grounded in the project’s strategic objectives and approved annual workplans.
- Ensure compliance with donor rules/regulations and Pact processes, policies, procedures, and best practices.
- Ensure that the project meets stated goals, outcomes, benchmarks, and reporting requirements and oversee a complexity-aware monitoring, evaluation, and learning plan.
- Take a leadership role in coordination among key stakeholders, including partners, government stakeholders, civil society, and other civil society support and inclusion/governance programs.
- Manage and coordinate the implementation of activities across project partners, ensuring successful integration of activities.
- Oversee project planning (i.e., development of work plans and project budget), monitoring and reporting (i.e., prepare and submit technical, financial and any additional donor-requested reports) in accordance with the highest standards.
- Oversee project budget and work in close coordination with the Finance and Administration Manager to meet expected results, ensuring cost-effective use of donor and Pact’s resources.
- Support the implementation of a highly adaptive, partner-led, context-driven programmatic approach.
- Ensure a responsive and innovative approach to developing the capacity of CSOs and their leaders, personnel, and members with a particular emphasis on promoting women and youth leadership and inclusion.
- Provide strategic management and oversight of the project’s sub-award portfolio.
- Lead and manage a team of flexible and adaptive employees and oversee evidence-based adjustments in programming to achieve greater impact.
- Oversee project staff in helping partners establish reporting and tracking systems to provide key information in an efficient and timely manner.
- Ensure the program meets programmatic and financial targets and makes accurate projections.
- Represent the project at conferences, working groups, and meetings to support Pact’s thought leadership with regards to civil society strengthening, inclusion, capacity development, and accountable governance.
- Serve as security focal person and ensure the safety and security of Pact’s staff and its properties at all times.
Requirements:
- Master’s degree and 11+ years relevant experience or equivalent combination of education and experience in social sciences, law, development studies, including 6 years of management experience. A Bachelor’s and 13 years of experience may be substituted for a Master’s degree.
- At least six years of experience in the civil society strengthening, inclusion, and capacity development space, expertise gained through successful implementation of donor-funded projects.
- Experience as a Chief of Party or other national or regional project role leading and managing donor-funded projects with an applied conflict-sensitive approach.
- Demonstrated understanding of the political, social, and economic context of Burundi.
- Experience building capacity for civil society organizations and/or media actors in the Great Lakes Region.
- Demonstrated flexibility, adaptability, and the ability to perform and collaborate in complex and politically sensitive project environments.
- Record of successfully building and effectively managing a diverse team of employees and managing international and national partners in a program consortium.
- Experiencing managing projects with sub-award pools.
- Demonstrated leadership skills in problem solving, consensus building, donor coordination and developing functional networks of diverse stakeholders across geographics.
- Fluency in English and French (oral, writing, and reading)
- Ability to occasionally travel in the country and internationally as may be required.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Demonstrated experience managing highly adaptive programs, as well as applying systems-driven approaches and/or thinking and working politically (TWP) principles.
- Expertise in media programming, analytics, and information integrity.
- Fluency in Kirundi a plus.