Ethiopia: Chief of Party - Ethiopia

Food for the Hungry Ethiopia (FHE), a non-governmental organization engaged in relief and development activities, would like to invite potential candidates to apply for the following position:

Position: Chief of Party

Duty Station: Addis Ababa

Duration of Contract: Up to September 2016, with possibility of Extension

Salary: As per the salary scale of the organization

Closing date: December 09, 2015

Purpose of the Job

The core purpose of the Chief of Party is to provide leadership in the management and implementation of a USAID Title II Food for Peace funded development food assistance program (DFAP). S/he will be responsible for the management and oversight of the project, including leading the preparation of sector work plans, monitoring project progress and timely delivery of all reporting and deliverables, ensuring performance quality, and complying with USAID (donor) and Food for the Hungry internal requirements. Furthermore, s/he will lead planning, coordination and implementation effort with representatives from Government of Ethiopia representatives at federal, regional, zonal, and woreda levels, USAID, NGO sectoral working groups, DFAP implementing partners and all other relevant stakeholders. The CoP will directly supervise six senior program staff and provide oversight to all other program-focused staff.

Key Result #1– Program Leadership

• Provide vision and direction, strategic planning, staff motivation and overall leadership to the program;


• Assist in the coordination and planning for monitoring, evaluation, and reporting including drafting and reviewing quarterly, semi-annual and annual reports and managing donor- and organization-mandated evaluation processes;


• Lead development of the program’s annual activity plan and budget and ensure their timely performance (ensure timely and proper achievement of activities and budget, provide monthly variance analysis and initiate corrective action as needed)


• Provide timely feedback on program performance to FH Country Director, FH headquarters, USAID and other relevant partners


• Oversee all communications and reporting to the donor and FH headquarters


• Coordinate and guide programmatic, financial and administrative performance of all program sub-grantees and contracting agencies


• Ensure that cross-cutting themes such as gender and sustainability are fully integrated into programming


• Inform the development and contribute to the design of proposals that enhance or overlap with the DFAP

Key Result #2– Management and Administration

• Ensure appropriate coordination of all sub-awards or sub-contracts, including supporting management of these partners and ensuring reporting and compliance with USAID and FH policies and requirements


• Ensure strong coordination/collaboration among consortium members through regular coordination meetings/program reviews, joint field visits and action planning


• Routinely travel to the field programs to provide capacity support for extended periods of times as needed


• Monitor and manage all financial and programmatic issues (including commodities) and ensure timely, accountable, and appropriate reporting and transactions to ensure successful performance, taking corrective action as necessary


• Coordinate regular programmatic and financial progress reviews and lead budget harmonization processes


• Ensure quality donor reporting submissions and donor and sub-grant compliance


• Oversee operations and the team managing shipment of food commodities from the US and timely pre-positioning to all destinations as per the approved plan


• Ensure proper warehouse management and food commodity handling in all the woredas are done based on USAID commodity management standards.

Key Result #3 – Representation and Coordination

• Serve as the primary liaison with USAID Mission, program partners, key local stakeholders, INGOs, and FH Country Office and headquarters, and maintain responsibility for appropriate communication and consultation


• Actively engage in DFAP coordination working groups and meetings


• Facilitate networking, negotiation and other external actions for advancement of the program.


• Organize learning and sharing opportunities between project and external stakeholders on a regular basis


• Promote program results and organizational interests in national program and policy forums

Key Result #4 – Human Resource Management

• Oversee the hiring, orientation, and training of key staff to build a technically strong, well supported, motivated team


• Identify and facilitate opportunities for staff professional development by providing adequate mentoring, clear orientation, feedback and learning opportunities


• Prepare employee job descriptions, performance plans and performance appraisals for project staff

Minimum Education and Experience

• Master’s degree in agriculture, agricultural economics, forestry, natural resources management, business administration, international development, public health or other related rural development fields


• 10 years of relevant work experience out of which four five years on managerial and senior leadership position


• At least two years’ experience working as a Chief of Party or in another senior position on USAID funded programs


• Strong networking and representation skills


• Strong written English skills as reporting will be compiled in English


• Ability and willingness to travel frequently to project sites


• Related experience in managing grants from major donors such as USAID, CIDA, UN, EU


• Commitment to work with the poor as demonstrated by past positions

Competency & Language Skills

• Demonstrated knowledge and familiarity with latest USAID rules and regulations


• Advanced level excel user and knowledge of sun systems, SPSS and EPI INFO


• Excellent interpersonal skills and a collaborative management style


• Proficiency in spoken and written English language required


• Proficiency in Amharic preferable