Job Title:Chief of Party, USDA Food for Progress Project, Burkina FasoRequisition Number:I2553Area of Interest:Other Position Type:Full Time Location:International - please see job description Job Description:
Note that this position is contingent upon CRS receiving funding. The position will being on October 1, 2016.
About CRS: Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. We welcome as a part of our staff and as partners people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need.
Background:
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is an international non-governmental organization supporting relief and development work in over 99 countries around the world. CRS programs assist persons on the basis of need, regardless of creed, ethnicity or nationality. CRS works through local church and non-church partners to implement its programs.
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is an international non-governmental organization supporting relief and development work in over 99 countries around the world. CRS programs assist persons on the basis of need, regardless of creed, ethnicity or nationality. CRS works through local church and non-church partners to implement its programs.
CRS began working in Burkina Faso in 1960 in humanitarian relief. In FY15, the program portfolio is $92 million including cash and food resources. Key program areas include Agriculture; Education; Nutrition; and Emergency interventions. Major programs include a $55 million seven-year MYAP (2010-2017) with PM2A (Prevention of Malnutrition in Children under Two Years), Agriculture, SILC and Education, a $22 million three-year (2015-2018) Food for Education (FFE) with school feeding, school health and nutrition and an innovative pilot school approach, and a $10 million five-year (2013-2018) Food for Progress (FFPr) focusing on improving the organic cotton value chain.
CRS seeks a Chief of Party for a five-year $30 million USDA FFPr-funded sesame value chain project in Burkina Faso. This program will focus on improving the sesame value chain, with a particular focus on market-orientation and improved local processing. The Chief of Party will be responsible for the achievement of strategic objectives, intermediate results, and performance expectations through adherence to high standards of programmatic and management quality.
Major Responsibilities: The Chief of Party will provide the vision and overall leadership to the program team. S/he will be responsible for overseeing the overall quality of programmatic implementation (including monitoring, evaluation and learning) and administrative elements of the project, including the coordination of all consortium partners and monitoring the budget. S/he will also serve as the primary point of contact to USDA as well as public, private and non-government stakeholders. Responsible for ensuring compliance in USDA grants including oversight of partner budgets, finance and administration, and reporting to USDA. S/he will directly supervise certain key program staff.
Specific Job Responsibilities include:
Leadership and Program Quality:
1) Lead CRS and consortium member program staff and other stakeholders to ensure program’s strategic objectives and results are fully accomplished and meet expected technical quality standards.
2) Ensure program activities and approaches adopt best practices in gender-responsiveness, protection, governance, and participant accountability.
3) Provide a clear vision and plans for an innovative, integrated and comprehensive program
4) Oversee regular technical reviews, ensuring best practices are followed and leading changes in program direction and focus as lessons are learned.
5) In collaboration with program staff, provide guidance and technical oversight to consortium members to ensure that lessons are documented and disseminated.
6) Oversee program’s monitoring and evaluation system, using data analysis as the basis for measuring performance. Ensure that M&E data/results are integrally linked with learning and programmatic adjustment as program plans evolve.
7) Ensure integration of program interventions with other USAID-funded programs in the geographic target areas, and ensure appropriate linkages with other stakeholders.
8) Ensure the delivery of quality training, technical assistance, and administrative and financial support to all partner agencies and government, including the selection and coordination of sub-grantees and consultants.
9) Coordinate with other ongoing projects to ensure consistency and avoid duplication.
Management and Administration:
1) Manage program budgets, including tracking of financial and material resources.
2) Ensure accurate and timely reporting of program finances and progress status, review actual financial performance against the budget, and explain variances on a regular basis.
3) Ensure staff compliance with all USDA and CRS administrative and operational procedures and policies, as well as applicable donor regulations.
4) Approve program expenditures, budget adjustments, and cost modification requests to donors.
Representation and Advocacy:
1) Provide leadership and oversight to the consortium, ensuring that sub-grantees accomplish their aims and fully meet their assigned scopes of work and sub-award terms, and ensuring all members of the consortium work cooperatively and productively to achieve project objectives.
2) Serve as primary contact to USDA for the project, taking responsibility for addressing all program matters, collaborating with the CRS Country Representative on overall donor relationships.
3) Strengthen linkages with existing and potential partner agencies, in collaboration with CRS Country Representative and Head of Programming.
4) In collaboration with CRS Country Representative and Head of Programming, manage relationships with the governments of Burkina Faso.
5) Oversee program communication strategies, in collaboration with CRS Country Representative and Head of Program, including compliance with donor’s branding and marketing requirements as well as CRS’ marketing and communication procedures.
Human Resource Management:
1) Lead, manage, and supervise a team of CRS and consortium staff to meet program objectives. 2) Conduct periodic reviews of staff performance in keeping with CRS’ performance management system and mentor staff to ensure high levels of motivation, commitment, capacity, and teamwork.
3) Manage recruitment portfolio for the program, in collaboration with CRS country program management, to ensure optimum service delivery through recruitment of competent and qualified staff.
1) Lead CRS and consortium member program staff and other stakeholders to ensure program’s strategic objectives and results are fully accomplished and meet expected technical quality standards.
2) Ensure program activities and approaches adopt best practices in gender-responsiveness, protection, governance, and participant accountability.
3) Provide a clear vision and plans for an innovative, integrated and comprehensive program
4) Oversee regular technical reviews, ensuring best practices are followed and leading changes in program direction and focus as lessons are learned.
5) In collaboration with program staff, provide guidance and technical oversight to consortium members to ensure that lessons are documented and disseminated.
6) Oversee program’s monitoring and evaluation system, using data analysis as the basis for measuring performance. Ensure that M&E data/results are integrally linked with learning and programmatic adjustment as program plans evolve.
7) Ensure integration of program interventions with other USAID-funded programs in the geographic target areas, and ensure appropriate linkages with other stakeholders.
8) Ensure the delivery of quality training, technical assistance, and administrative and financial support to all partner agencies and government, including the selection and coordination of sub-grantees and consultants.
9) Coordinate with other ongoing projects to ensure consistency and avoid duplication.
Management and Administration:
1) Manage program budgets, including tracking of financial and material resources.
2) Ensure accurate and timely reporting of program finances and progress status, review actual financial performance against the budget, and explain variances on a regular basis.
3) Ensure staff compliance with all USDA and CRS administrative and operational procedures and policies, as well as applicable donor regulations.
4) Approve program expenditures, budget adjustments, and cost modification requests to donors.
Representation and Advocacy:
1) Provide leadership and oversight to the consortium, ensuring that sub-grantees accomplish their aims and fully meet their assigned scopes of work and sub-award terms, and ensuring all members of the consortium work cooperatively and productively to achieve project objectives.
2) Serve as primary contact to USDA for the project, taking responsibility for addressing all program matters, collaborating with the CRS Country Representative on overall donor relationships.
3) Strengthen linkages with existing and potential partner agencies, in collaboration with CRS Country Representative and Head of Programming.
4) In collaboration with CRS Country Representative and Head of Programming, manage relationships with the governments of Burkina Faso.
5) Oversee program communication strategies, in collaboration with CRS Country Representative and Head of Program, including compliance with donor’s branding and marketing requirements as well as CRS’ marketing and communication procedures.
Human Resource Management:
1) Lead, manage, and supervise a team of CRS and consortium staff to meet program objectives. 2) Conduct periodic reviews of staff performance in keeping with CRS’ performance management system and mentor staff to ensure high levels of motivation, commitment, capacity, and teamwork.
3) Manage recruitment portfolio for the program, in collaboration with CRS country program management, to ensure optimum service delivery through recruitment of competent and qualified staff.
MEAL Competencies
Design in MEAL - Ensure the design of the theory of change for projects and programs, their M&E system, and the tools to conduct M&E activities, mobilizing the necessary resources for these activities
Monitoring - Implement designed monitoring activities and coordinate the process to ensure project indicators are being tracked on-time and respond to reporting needs
Evaluation - Guide project and program evaluations, including all necessary assessments, facilitating data use, coordinating evaluation processes, and supporting decision-making on methodologies and approaches used
Accountability - Provide M&E information to support CRS internal and external accountability processes to key stakeholders, especially beneficiaries, responding to their specific information and reporting needs.
Learning - Promote learning processes at the project, program and institutional levels, with emphasis on signature program areas, to generate robust evidence for decision-making and influence.
Design in MEAL - Ensure the design of the theory of change for projects and programs, their M&E system, and the tools to conduct M&E activities, mobilizing the necessary resources for these activities
Monitoring - Implement designed monitoring activities and coordinate the process to ensure project indicators are being tracked on-time and respond to reporting needs
Evaluation - Guide project and program evaluations, including all necessary assessments, facilitating data use, coordinating evaluation processes, and supporting decision-making on methodologies and approaches used
Accountability - Provide M&E information to support CRS internal and external accountability processes to key stakeholders, especially beneficiaries, responding to their specific information and reporting needs.
Learning - Promote learning processes at the project, program and institutional levels, with emphasis on signature program areas, to generate robust evidence for decision-making and influence.
Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff)
These are rooted in the mission, values, and principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and to achieve the desired results. • Serves with Integrity
• Models Stewardship
• Cultivates Constructive Relationships
• Promotes Learning
These are rooted in the mission, values, and principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and to achieve the desired results. • Serves with Integrity
• Models Stewardship
• Cultivates Constructive Relationships
• Promotes Learning
Supervisory Responsibilities: Both CRS and consortium staff members
Key Working Relationships:
Internal: Burkina Faso Country Representative, Head of Programming, Chiefs of Party for MYAP and RECOLTE; WARO Regional Program Quality and Management Quality staff; Africa and Headquarters Technical Advisors; Key Project staff.
External: All project Partners, Government officials, sesame industry public and private sector stakeholders; donors; organic and fair trade industry experts; local/international NGOs, and local and international Catholic agencies.
Internal: Burkina Faso Country Representative, Head of Programming, Chiefs of Party for MYAP and RECOLTE; WARO Regional Program Quality and Management Quality staff; Africa and Headquarters Technical Advisors; Key Project staff.
External: All project Partners, Government officials, sesame industry public and private sector stakeholders; donors; organic and fair trade industry experts; local/international NGOs, and local and international Catholic agencies.
Qualifications and Skills:
• Minimum of a Masters in Development, Management, or a related field;
• Minimum 10 years of progressively increasing management responsibility in developing countries; including:
o previous Chief of Party experience, preferably in value chains, food security, economic growth, or related field
o significant experience specific to livelihoods development in a developing country context, preferably sub-Saharan Africa and/or working with agricultural populations
• Minimum 7 years managing commercial value chain programs with established cooperatives;
• Demonstrated experience in implementing and or facilitating access to financial products for the poor, and working with MFI;
• Demonstrated experience supporting development of business models and operations for farmer cooperatives;
• Demonstrated experience supporting market development, value added processing, and facilitating linkages to private sector actors;
• Prior management of significant ($15 million +) USDA or USAID funding required;
• Familiarity with and commitment to addressing gender equality in programming;
• Experience working in francophone Africa required – in-depth knowledge of the Sahel, and in particular Burkina Faso, preferred.
• Proven leadership and inter-personal skills and ability to build and motivate diverse teams.
• Proven experience in managing complex consortium or partnership relationships in a participatory way required;
• Strategic vision and capacity to oversee a complex program required;
• Public relations skills required;
• Ability to work well both in a team and independently;
• Cultural sensitivity, patience, and flexibility;
• Demonstrated personal accountability and drive to serve others;
• Understanding of and experience with faith-based organizations, local church structures, and accompaniment and capacity-building principles in local partnerships desired;
• Ability to travel nationally and internationally as required. Travel approximately 30%;
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, and Outlook;
• Native or near native English oral and written communication skills, as well as native or near native skills in oral and written French, required.
• Minimum of a Masters in Development, Management, or a related field;
• Minimum 10 years of progressively increasing management responsibility in developing countries; including:
o previous Chief of Party experience, preferably in value chains, food security, economic growth, or related field
o significant experience specific to livelihoods development in a developing country context, preferably sub-Saharan Africa and/or working with agricultural populations
• Minimum 7 years managing commercial value chain programs with established cooperatives;
• Demonstrated experience in implementing and or facilitating access to financial products for the poor, and working with MFI;
• Demonstrated experience supporting development of business models and operations for farmer cooperatives;
• Demonstrated experience supporting market development, value added processing, and facilitating linkages to private sector actors;
• Prior management of significant ($15 million +) USDA or USAID funding required;
• Familiarity with and commitment to addressing gender equality in programming;
• Experience working in francophone Africa required – in-depth knowledge of the Sahel, and in particular Burkina Faso, preferred.
• Proven leadership and inter-personal skills and ability to build and motivate diverse teams.
• Proven experience in managing complex consortium or partnership relationships in a participatory way required;
• Strategic vision and capacity to oversee a complex program required;
• Public relations skills required;
• Ability to work well both in a team and independently;
• Cultural sensitivity, patience, and flexibility;
• Demonstrated personal accountability and drive to serve others;
• Understanding of and experience with faith-based organizations, local church structures, and accompaniment and capacity-building principles in local partnerships desired;
• Ability to travel nationally and internationally as required. Travel approximately 30%;
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, and Outlook;
• Native or near native English oral and written communication skills, as well as native or near native skills in oral and written French, required.
Physical Requirements/Environment: Based in Ouagadougou requiring at least 30% travel time.
Disclaimer: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.
CRS’ talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.
EOE/M/F/D/V
