Yemen: Chief of Party-Education Project

Job Description

Since its inception in 1933, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) has been a global leader in emergency response and providing durable solutions for conflict- and crisis-affected populations. IRC launched its Yemen program in 2012, and currently is present in 7 governorates across both the North and South of the country. In 2018, IRC Yemen reached over 800,000 beneficiaries in the areas of education, WASH, health, livelihoods, and protection.

Position Summary:

IRC is seeking a Chief of Party (COP) for a five year USAID-funded education project in Yemen to expand equitable access and build the capacity of the Ministry of Education to manage the re-development of the education system. The COP will be responsible for ensuring that the proposed project is implemented in accordance with the cooperative agreement, USAID regulations, and internationally recognized quality of assistance standards. The COP will be the primary representational link with USAID staff. The COP will work closely with the Mission to provide project updates, discuss strategies, obstacles, performance plans, and indicator success. The COP will liaise with USAID agreement officers, technical support staff, partner organizations, outside contractors, and implementers of other USAID-funded initiatives as required. The COP will represent the project to all key stakeholders, government officials, and donors at coordination fora and other related seminars and meetings. The COP will ensure that project initiatives achieve the expected results of enabling millions of youth to access quality education.

This position will report to the IRC Yemen Country Director and is contingent on the IRC being awarded funding. It is anticipated to begin in August or September 2019.

Job Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic and operational leadership and direction, define and implement activities to achieve the greatest impact toward project goals and objectives;

• Develop, review, and monitor in coordination with key project staff, yearly work and performance plans to ensure long-term and short-term priorities are on track;

• Recruit, hire, and manage national staff and consultants as needed to carry out activities;

• Manage international and local partners to ensure that their performance meets or exceeds technical and financial contractual requirements;

• Report to USAID through both formal and informal debriefings, annual and semi-annual reports;

• Maintain active and cooperative relationships with all key stakeholders, including government officials, project partners, other implementing agencies, and related institutions;

• Represent the project and the organization in the public and ensuring the distribution of information about project achievements and lesson learned;

• Maintain a working knowledge of project financials, working with and supporting the financial officer to ensure that appropriate systems and procedures are in place and being followed;

• Support project staff by creating and maintaining a work environment that promotes teamwork, trust, mutual respect, and empowers staff to take responsibility and;

• Support implementation of IRC’s security protocols and provide leadership in handling security-related issues. Address local staffing and personnel issues related to security.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree (PhD or MA) from an accredited university in education, international development, or related field;

• Minimum of 10 years of experience in similar education intervention activities, and experience managing complex international donor-funded development activities in challenging environments. Experience with projects designed to increase equitable access, build MOE capacity, and rebuilding of education systems preferred;

• Significant previous experience working in conflict or crisis situations;

• Experience working in the Middle East and/or Yemen on education programming, including capacity building of MOEs strongly preferred;

• Previous experience as COP of USAID-funded programs preferred;

• Strong negotiation skills and the ability to develop relations with local counterparts, donors, and other stakeholders;

• Demonstrated innovation and success in staff capacity-building and in participatory, flexible, and gender-sensitive programming and implementation;

• Strong leadership, program, organizational management and communication skills;

• Fluency in English required; proficiency in Arabic strongly preferred.

Applications to be submitted on: https://rescue.csod.com/ats/careersite/jobdetails.aspx?site=1&c=rescue&id=4562