Chief of Party

Chief of Party, Nepal USDA/ Food for Progress Activity (FFPr)

Job Category: Program Management
Requisition Number: CHIEF005870
Location: Kathmandu

Job Details

Description

Summary

Save the Children is seeking a Chief of Party (COP) for an anticipated five-year USDA-funded Food for Progress (FFPr) program in Nepal. The Food for Progress program helps developing countries and emerging democracies modernize and strengthen their agricultural sectors. This project is expected to build the capacity of work with the federal, provincial, and local levels of the Government of Nepal (GoN) to support efficient aquaculture standards and practices throughout the value chain.

Through the Food for Progress (FFPr) program, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will continue its work in food security by assisting farmers to increase their income through diversification, stronger market linkages, and adoption of exceptional agricultural practices. The overall goal is to address food security through improvements in the aquaculture value chain by 1) incorporating climate smart technologies, 2) improving end market linkages and income for farmers, 3) increase access to finance for farmers to expand trade of agricultural products, and 4) strengthen the public and private sector.

This senior leadership position will provide overall strategic direction in the design, management, implementation, and overall quality assurance of the project. The Chief of Party (COP) will collaborate closely with relevant Government of Nepal (GoN) line ministries and other critical partners to provide high-level support for effective cooperation at the national and local level. You will oversee a team of experts and support staff, prepare reports and annual operating plans, align project initiatives with in-country priorities, and ensure the program is compliant with USDA and Save the Children’s regulations. The Chief of Party (COP) is ultimately accountable for an effective and adaptive management approach, relationships with a range of stakeholders, and management of the program team and consortium.

This position is contingent upon donor approval.

What You’ll Be Doing (Essential Duties)

• Lead the management of the program in line with USDA guidelines to achieve project objectives.
• Lead overall program planning, putting in place team structures, technical and operational approaches, infrastructure, monitoring and evaluation (M&E), and feedback loops required for program delivery and success.
• Lead partnerships within the program consortium, as well as with external stakeholders as needed, to foster the teamwork required for program success.
• Represent the program to donor officials, host government officials, partner representatives, local stakeholders, and team members.
• Lead annual planning processes and associated donor resource requests, monitoring implementation progress as compared to these plans.
• Ensure the quality of all program deliverables, inclusive of activities, outputs, documentation, and reporting.
• Ensure sound program financial management, logistical and operational structures and management, and reporting.
• Ensure compliance with donors, host government, and Save the Children policies and procedures.
• Recruit, develop, and manage the program team, ensuring that adequate and appropriate capacity building plans are in place and that human resources policies are appropriate for team retention and high performance.
• Establish effective communication and coordination with USDA, the Government of Nepal, and the country office team.
• Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where the project team strives to achieve excellence.
• Participate as part of the Country Senior Management team contributing to country strategic plans and reporting.
• Incorporate Save the Children’s vision and values and full adherence to Code of Conduct principles.
• Closely monitor security dynamics in the project areas and report to the Country Director on significant changes in the security context.

Required Qualifications

• Post-graduate education (Master’s or higher) in development studies, international relations, agriculture, nutrition, public health, business administration, or a related field (preferably in aquaculture).
• Minimum of seven years’ experience increasing management responsibility in international development projects.
• Proven leadership skills managing projects of a similar size and scope in developing countries facing complex, volatile, and uncertain contexts.
• Demonstrated experience in managing program implementation, financial reporting, reporting procedures and systems, and staff.
• Experience in recruiting and strengthening the capacity of program staff.
• Familiarity with the social, political, economic, and cultural landscape of Nepal.
• Ability to build and maintain relationships with host governments, donors, private sectors and other stakeholders.
• Proven success serving in a leadership role for a project addressing issues related to food security, nutrition, resilience, agriculture, natural resource management, livelihoods, or similar, preferably in Nepal.
• Previous work experience working in Nepal and technical expertise in food, nutrition, and agriculture, preferably within the aquaculture sector.
• In-depth knowledge of USDA’s Food for Progress (FFPr) approaches and regulations.
• Prior experience as Chief of Party, Deputy Chief of Party, or Senior Project Manager for multi-sectoral US Government or USDA funded projects in the field of aquaculture, agribusiness or similar field.
• Creative problem-solving skills with the ability to work effectively in resource-constrained environments is important.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate and collaborate effectively with individuals and teams at all levels, both internally and externally.
• Experience with United States of Agriculture (USDA) policies and regulations are preferred.
• Ability to implement “Theory of Change” in project design, development and implementation.
• Professional proficiency in spoken and written English.

Why you should join the Save the Children Team…

Save the Children US offers outstanding benefits that include health, dental, vision and life insurances, pet insurance, short-term and long-term disability coverage, an Employee Assistance Program, 403(b), generous vacation, personal sick leave, family leave, parental/adoption leave, commuter benefits, dress for your day, and much more.

Click here to learn more about how Save the Children US will invest in YOU!

About Save the Children:

No matter your role when you join Save the Children, each and every day you will challenge yourself to devote your skills, talent and expertise to changing the world for kids. It’s an ambitious goal, and a meaningful one no matter how you see yourself professionally: an accountant, a writer, a data analyst, a teacher, a driver, a designer, or any one of the hundreds of dozens of roles we’re looking to fill every day.

You see, Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. In the United States and around the world, we give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We do whatever it takes for children – every day and in times of crisis – transforming their lives and the future we share. 

Our work for children and their families requires that we commit—at every opportunity—to work together to identify and dismantle persistent systemic and structural racism, inequality, and any other forms of discrimination in this country and beyond.  As an anti-racist organization, Save the Children will not tolerate discrimination in any form—in our employment practices, amongst our staff, in our leadership or toward the people we serve. We stand in solidarity with all people to fight for equal rights, justice, inclusion, and belonging. 

We provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, ancestry, sexual orientation, national origin, age, handicap, disability, marital status, or status as a veteran. Save the Children complies with all applicable laws. 

Save the Children is committed to conducting its programs and operations in a manner that is safe for the children it serves and helping protect the children with whom we are in contact. All Save the Children representatives are explicitly prohibited from engaging in any activity that may result in any kind of child abuse. In addition, it is Save the Children’s policy to create and proactively maintain an environment that aims to prevent and deter any actions and omissions, whether deliberate or inadvertent, that place children at the risk of any kind of child abuse. All our representatives are expected to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with this commitment and obligation.  

Save the Children is committed to minimizing safety and security risks for our valued employees, ensuring all are given training, support and information to reduce their risk exposure while maximizing the impact of our programs for children and families. Our shared duty, both agency and individual, is to seek and maintain safe working conditions for all. 

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)

Tagged as: Chief of Party, Kathmandu, NGO INGO, Save the Children