Egypt: Chief of Party, Women's Empowerment

Jul 18, 2019 | Pathfinder International
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Pathfinder is seeking a Chief of Party to provide overall strategic leadership and oversight for the upcoming USAID-funded Women’s Empowerment project in Egypt. The project will support a comprehensive effort toward gender equality and women’s empowerment, with a focus on advancement of the enabling environment for women’s empowerment; economic opportunity; and, prevention and protection from gender-based violence Position is contingent upon receipt of donor funding and will be based in Egypt.

Position Overview

The Chief of Party (COP) will have an appropriate balance of leadership, managerial, technical, and interpersonal skills and experience. S/he shall have a deep understanding of the overall goals and objectives of the Women’s Empowerment program and will be able to articulate the strategic vision for the project. S/he will have demonstrated experience inspiring and motivating teams in complex environments.  S/he will also have experience interacting with host country agencies, including central and local government, USAID, development partners, civil society, and community-based organizations.

The COP has the overall responsibility for coordination of all project activities and staff, ensuring project objectives and targets are met, representing the project to USAID local mission and key stakeholders, including Government of Egypt officials, partners, and others.

** Preference for Egyptian citizens or regional third country nationals

Responsibilities

  • Provides strategic direction of all project activities. Develops and updates the project work plan, ensuring programmatic approaches are technically sound, evidence-based, and consistent with USAID priorities.
  • Ensures the project achieves the greatest possible impact, including providing the necessary leadership to inspire and motivate the project team to implement performance objectives and mandates in a timely and cost-efficient fashion and meet the highest quality standards and value for money.
  • Ensures project compliance with USAID rules/regulations and Pathfinder SOPs, including technical guidelines. Serves as the senior representative for the Project to USAID, host country government agencies, development partners, and civil society organizations. Cultivates and strengthens positive, productive relationships and ensures that Pathfinder is consistently viewed as an effective implementing partner and achieves project targets.
  • Together with other members of the country leadership team, leverage non-USAID funds to support expanded program activities.
  • Develop a framework for learning and create an organizational culture of learning and knowledge sharing.
  • Oversee development of project knowledge products and communications that showcase the project’s impact and promote them broadly.
  • In collaboration with the MEL Advisor provide leadership and direction to ensure robust monitoring and evaluation strategies, frameworks, plans, systems and indicators to capture and monitor/evaluate project resources, performance and results.
  • Collaborates closely with senior Project staff, and with implementing agencies and their respective long-term advisors, to design and operationalize an annual project planning cycle, which formulates comprehensive, integrated annual project workplans and budgets.
  • In collaboration with the Director of Financial Management and Operations, establish and maintain the ongoing financial and grants operations, including monthly pipeline reviews to ensure accountability of all project activities as well as the accurate and timely reporting of finance deliverables.
  • In coordination with the Pathfinder Contracts Officer, contract with and manage local individuals/ organizations for identified tasks Including managing and directing activities of subcontractors and partners to create synergy and ensure project activities are carried out in accordance with donor and Pathfinder rules/regulations.
  • Partner successfully with Pathfinder’s Program Director and US-based financial, technical, and operations officers by providing accurate and timely reporting, updates on the project progress, monitor quality of project implementation, and coordinate provision of relevant technical assistance based on project needs.
  • Ensure that appropriate security guidelines and procedures are established, maintained, updated regularly, and adhered to by staff. Monitor the security situation and provide leadership for staff in emergencies.
  • Travel throughout Egypt will be required.

Qualifications

  • Advanced Degree in business administration, social science, or political sciences with over 12 years of experience in a related field of study.
  • Over 12 years of progressive program management experience overseeing multi-faceted and complex women’s empowerment programs, with experience in women’s economic empowerment and/or gender-based violence programming.
  • Good understanding and experience on women’s economic empowerment, enterprise development, livelihood or employment creation for women and promoting gender equality.
  • Experience in program management and administration, financial management, award compliance and sub award management, and tracking activity performance and costs.
  • Professional experience working in a senior management position for USAID-funded projects.
  • Experience interacting with host country agencies, including central and local government, development partners, civil society, and community-based organizations is essential.
  • Demonstrated leadership skills in working collaboratively with other donors, host country institutions, and international organizations.
  • Demonstrated depth and breadth of relevant technical expertise and experience, interpersonal skills and professional relationships.
  • Experience in developing program work-plans, budgets, managing implementation, staff and short-term technical assistance.
  • Excellent representational and communication skills, written and oral proficiency in English; Proficiency in Arabic highly preferred.
  • Demonstrated ability to lead a project team and achieve results.
  • High level of organization and decision-making skills appropriate for working in a fast paced and complex environment.
  • Previous experience working in Egypt or Middle East/North Africa region, preference for Egyptian nationals.
  • Strong speaking and writing skills in English; proficiency in Arabic required.
  • Demonstrated sensitivity, discretion, tact and courtesy to gender equality and women’s rights, development principles.