Action Against Hunger seeks a visionary Chief of Party (COP) for the upcoming five-year, USAID-funded Feed the Future Global DASHED Activity. This initiative aims to enhance access to safe and nutritious foods by advancing the technical and business capacities of food processors, strengthening market systems, and fostering inclusive growth and knowledge sharing. The position will be based in Washington, D.C., with substantial travel to project sites across multiple countries. The project is anticipated to start in 2025.
Purpose:
The Chief of Party will lead the project, focusing on innovative food processing solutions to improve nutrition and economic outcomes. This role includes leading the strategic vision of the project, ensuring high-quality project delivery, and maintaining compliance with USAID guidelines and Action Against Hunger's operational policies.
Engagement:
As the primary point of contact for USAID and key stakeholders, the COP will ensure effective collaboration and manage relationships across a broad spectrum of government, private sector, and community partners. This role demands proactive leadership to align diverse project components and stakeholders towards common goals.
Delivery:
The COP will oversee the project's technical and operational aspects, ensuring all deliverables meet quality standards and are achieved on time and within budget. The COP’s responsibility will extend to managing a diverse team, fostering innovation, and driving the project towards impactful and sustainable outcomes.
Essential Job Duties
Direct the overall implementation of the project, setting high-performance expectations that align with strategic objectives.
Engage with senior USAID officials and key stakeholders to advocate and communicate project goals and milestones.
Manage project resources effectively, ensuring adherence to budget constraints and financial regulations.
Lead efforts to innovate and integrate best practices and emerging technologies in food processing and nutrition.
Develop and maintain systems for project operations in line with USAID requirements and organizational policies.
Report on project progress and evaluate impacts, aligning with Feed the Future and Action Against Hunger's strategic priorities.
Oversee the integration and prioritization of gender equality, protection and inclusion across all facets of project implementation.
Ensure the development and implementation of a strategy to engage local stakeholders, ensuring their insights and expertise are integrated into project planning and execution.
Supervisory Responsibilities
Provide leadership and direction to senior technical and administrative staff, fostering an environment that encourages strategic and operational excellence.
Fiscal Responsibility
Oversee the project’s budget, ensuring financial compliance and effective allocation and utilization of resources to achieve project objectives.
Required Qualifications
Advanced degree in agriculture, business administration, economics, nutrition or a related, coupled with a minimum of ten years of progressive leadership experience in international development, particularly in food security and nutrition programming.
Required Skills & Experience
Demonstrated success in leading large-scale, multi-country programs with complex stakeholder landscapes.
In-depth knowledge of USAID funding and its operational requirements, with proven ability to navigate and comply with its policies and regulations. Experience with USAID and U.S. Government regulations is required.
Strong strategic thinking and leadership skills, capable of motivating diverse teams to achieve high levels of performance and impact.
Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, essential for building relationships across cultures and effectively engaging with a wide range of stakeholders.
The candidate must have at least five years of field experience.
Fluency in English is required. Proficiency in other languages relevant to the geographic areas of program operation are a plus.