Chief of Party II, Resilience Food Security Activity

Position description

As Chief of Party II, you will provide vision, leadership and overall management of a USAID Resilience Food Security Activity (RFSA) project to serve the poor and vulnerable. Your strategic leadership, management and technical knowledge will ensure the delivery of high-quality programming, ensure proper stewardship of project resources and advance the position of CRS as a leading humanitarian and development agency in Uganda. As a senior leader you will proactively manage security and mitigate security risks.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Lead all aspects of the implementation and consolidation of the RFSA project, including ensuring that the project contributes to the thought leadership in the sector. Serve as the primary point of contact to USAID BHA 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 USAID grants, including financial tracking and oversight of partner budgets, finance, administration and reporting to USAID. 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. PhD preferred.
• 10 or more years of experience leading the implementation of food security and/or resilience programs targeting extremely poor households in low-resource environments.
• Proven leadership skills managing projects of a similar size and scope in developing countries facing complex and uncertain contexts.
• Prior experience effectively managing large, complex USAID activities involving implementation by multiple sub-awardees and demonstrated experience managing teams in remote or physically challenging contexts.
• Excellent communication skills tailored to diverse audience types, audience sizes and communication platforms.
• Demonstrated technical expertise in food security and livelihoods and experience in managing program implementation and financial reporting. Experience with poverty graduation activities preferred.
• Demonstrated experience in recruiting, developing, and managing staff.
• Prior experience working in Uganda and familiarity with Madagascar’s social, political, economic and cultural landscape is preferred. Demonstrated ability to build and maintain relationships with host governments, donors, other donor-funded projects and stakeholders, local organizations, and partners.
• Demonstrated commitment to the importance of gender and youth dynamics in food security programming and within staff and management of the activity.
• Proven success addressing issues related to resilience, agriculture, natural resource management, agribusiness, or similar is required, preferably in Uganda.
• Demonstrated experience in adaptive management and learning techniques is highly valued.
• Familiarity with USAID Collaboration, Learning and Adaptation (CLA) approaches.
• Experience in MS Office package (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio), Power Bi, Web Conferencing Applications, and information and budget management systems.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities  

• 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 relationship 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 Languages

• Professional proficiency in English, Luganda an asset.

Travel Required

• Position based in Uganda (Field or Capital Location). Up to 50% travel to project sites anticipated.

Key Working Relationships

• Supervisory: Directly supervises senior program leadership (Strategic Learning Advisor, MEAL Manager, others).
• Internal: Country Program leadership and Departments, regional office technical advisors and staff, HQ contacts.
• External: USAID, multilateral partners and donors, Government of Uganda representatives, local administrative leaders, research institutions, Church partners, among others.

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff)

These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.

• Integrity
• Accountability and Stewardship
• Build Relationships
• Develops Talent
• Continuous Improvement and Innovation
• Strategic Mindset

Application instructions

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