Casals & Associates, Inc. (Casals), a DynCorp International LLC company, is an international development firm delivering groundbreaking solutions to social, institutional and political challenges. We work globally addressing democracy and governance, rule of law and justice, local governance, conflict management and recovery, health and other urgent issues facing societies today.
SUMMARY
Casals is seeking qualified Chief of Party (COP) candidates for an anticipated USAID/OTI funded project. The COP is the lead Casals employee in the assigned project and is responsible for making key decisions and solving problems in short time frames while ensuring operational and project integrity. S/he manages overall in-country relations with relevant U.S. government (USG) entities and host government institutions as well as provides oversight of project implementation and supervision of staff.
DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
The COP is the primary person responsible for the implementation of the project, as well as ensuring contractual compliance and adherence to all relevant USAID/USG rules and regulations. A strong candidate for COP for a USAID/OTI SWIFT project should be willing to have close, daily collaboration with USAID/OTI’s in-country staff, have strong management and leadership skills, including the ability to mentor staff, be a “hands on” manager who is actively engaged in all aspects of project management, understand USAID/OTI’s need for direct project communication with all project staff, and be flexible. • The COP will be responsible for making key decisions and solving problems in short time frames while ensuring operational and project integrity.
• S/he is responsible for management, oversight, and reporting of progress and quality of performance in meeting the activity undertakings in the project. • S/he will serve as Casals’ designated person for overall management of the in-country relationship with USAID/OTI.
• In close consultation with the OTI Country Representative, the COP will be responsible for providing oversight of grant activities, including supervision of the project staff, ensuring appropriate grant design, ensuring that procedures are established and complied with for grant development, grant worthiness, grant implementation, management, monitoring, evaluation, and grant closing. • Under the guidance of the OTI Country Representative, s/he will be responsible for contributing to the design and implementation of the M&E system at the activity level and for ensuring that all activities are monitored and evaluated.
OTHER OR ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
• The COP is ultimately responsible for ensuring that the relevant staff use, maintain, and upload weekly the Activity Database, and that data is consistent and complete.
• Supervise the Operations Manager.
REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS
Title of Direct Report(s): Operations Manager/Deputy Chief of Party Title of Supervisor: Casals’ HQ-based Senior Operations Coordinator
INTERNAL/EXTERNAL CONTACTS
Interact with, among others, USAID/OTI, host-country government institutions, private sector entities, civil society partners and members of the press, as well as senior US Mission/Embassy functionaries, and other international donors and implementing partners.
REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS
• Complete fluency in oral and written English and preferably the local language. • Excellent writing, communication, and interpersonal skills. • Broad understanding of the developmental challenges facing the region and country in question.
REQUIRED EXPERIENCE & EDUCATION • Relevant work experience, including experience with a contractor or international NGO managing an office or project. • A minimum of 5 years of experience supervising complex, high-speed and challenging field operations in developing countries. • Experience with grant management, preferably in-kind and small grants. • Experience working in developing countries is required, preferably in a fragile or transitional state environment. • Demonstrated experience and knowledge in establishing systems and overseeing project start-up under limited time constraints as well as project close-out. • Experience in the hiring and supervising of host country local personnel and ensuring, when need arises, that they secure necessary training required to meet project needs. • Financial management experience, including budgeting; financial management (tracking, reporting and accounting); and procurement. • Experience with activity design, development, and implementation. • Experience on OTI projects highly preferred.
PHYSICAL & WORKING REQUIREMENTS
Must be willing and able to work and live in a potentially difficult environment.
TRAVEL
Must be willing to live in the country where the project is to take place and travel if necessary throughout the country.
DISCLAIMER
The above information on this description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.
Send CV, references, and USAID Biographical Data Sheet (available at transition.usaid.gov/forms/AID1420-17.doc) towebjobs@casals.com
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