Back Chief of Party - Uzbekistan Food for Education Project

*Position is contingent on funding.

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within.
Now, and for the future.

Program / Department Summary

Mercy Corps was recently awarded the USDA McGovern-Dole Food for Education program in Uzbekistan.

The objectives of the program are to:

• Promote reading readiness in preschools and homes through the provision of age-appropriate pre-literacy activities, training and mentoring of preschool teachers and school administrators on pre-literacy instruction and enhancing community and family support for reading;
• Improve nutrition of children and their families through the provision of school meals, and promotion and improvement of dietary diversity;
• Improve school infrastructure and the learning environment of preschool children through the construction or rehabilitation of preschool kitchens, classrooms and water and sanitation facilities;
• Increase knowledge of nutrition, health, and hygiene practices and safe food preparation and storage practices, by facilitating training for cooks, parents, and school officials;
• Improve student attendance in preschools through the provision of daily school meals, improved learning environment, and access to clean water and sanitation.

The program will target preschools in the Autonomous Region of Karakalpakstan and the southern region of Surkhandarya. Mercy Corps is partnering with ACTED (Agence d'aide à la Coopération Technique Et au Développement) who will lead activities to rehabilitate 35 preschools in Surkhandarya.

Mercy Corps previously implemented programs in Uzbekistan from 1994-2007 ranging from strengthening civil society, enhancing economic development and supporting vulnerable groups with targeted assistance. In addition to these programs, Mercy Corps also founded a micro-credit institution in Uzbekistan, Barakot, to provide communities, especially women entrepreneurs, with access to loans and credit services; increase income generation; stimulate the local economy; and promote gender equity. Mercy Corps is currently pursuing re-registration in Uzbekistan.

Mercy Corps is seeking a Chief of Party (CoP) to manage overall implementation of project activities, operations and advocacy with the Government of Uzbekistan (GoU) in support of FFE program objectives. Mercy Corps' vision for change requires the private sector, government and civil society to work together to create meaningful and sustainable change.

General Position Summary

The CoP will be highly experienced in a broad spectrum of technical focus areas with responsibility for establishing and managing systems to ensure cohesion across all technical sectors in the program (Nutrition and Dietary diversity, WASH and Pre-literacy education). S/he will also make sure technical interventions are integrated, layered and sequenced appropriately at all levels of implementation.

Essential Job Functions

PROGRAM MANAGEMENT & IMPLEMENTATION

• Provide overall technical guidance and leadership, mentoring, quality control and coordination to strengthen program outcomes.
• Lead the development of detailed implementation plans, performance monitoring plan, Results Framework, Evaluation Plan and other deliverables flowing from the project workplan, and ensure the delivery of the same.
• Support the establishment of a program structure that favors integration between all sectors.
• Ensure that cross-cutting themes such as adaptive management, resilience and sustainability are fully included within the program strategy.
• Ensure that program implementation is responsive to communities and GoU policies/priorities, and is consistent with Mercy Corps' relevant program guidelines, principles, value and quality standards.
• In coordination with the country Monitoring and Evaluation department, monitor the implementation of activities through regular field visits and assessments to ensure program quality and impact.
• Provide managerial and programmatic oversight to partners and sub-grantee(s).
• Document processes and achievements to ensure best practices are captured and disseminated. This will include the continual re-evaluation of program activities and information, with resulting activity adjustments in keeping with new insights.
• Produce written reports on program activities, capturing the impacts of activities.
• Create and follow effective stakeholder management plans, ensuring sound and proactive communications with Mercy Corps Uzbekistan, partner organizations, Mercy Corps headquarters, USDA, Government of Uzbekistan authorities, and colleague agencies.

• Conduct frequent field visits to all project sites – spend up to 40-50% of time in the field.

  TEAM MANAGEMENT

• Oversee program implementation team, ensuring that all staff are following workplans, activities are on schedule, and project deliverables are completed as planned.

• Develop and oversee implementation of capacity building strategy for team members that promotes a culture of learning through systematic analysis and reflection of program data and lessons learned.

• Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback via regular performance reviews.

• Supervise and manage all program staff to ensure day-to-day activities are implemented in a coordinated fashion according to schedule, budget and quality.

• Supervise and manage all program partnerships to ensure sound coordination in the context of an overall program strategic and resilience-building framework.

• Manage and help with the recruitment, orientation, professional development and ongoing training of FFE staff to ensure they are of the quality and technical capacity necessary to ensure the successful implementation of activities.

FINANCE & COMPLIANCE MANAGEMENT

• In collaboration with the country program's operations and finance departments, ensure proper financial management, procurement, administration, human resources and logistics (including transport, warehousing and asset management) needs of the program are conducted within Mercy Corps' policy and with the maximum benefit to the program.
• Monitor adherence to grant agreement, Mercy Corps' policies and procedures and relevant external rules and regulations, including those of the government of Uzbekistan.

REPRESENTATION

• Liaise with and represent program to USDA and other cooperating stakeholders.
• Represent Mercy Corps at government, donor, NGO and other relevant events in the field
• Ensure close coordination and information sharing with consortium partners, sub-grantees, local government and other implementers, as well as with other Mercy Corps programs.
• Establish and maintain relationships with communities and local government.

SECURITY

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
• Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.

INTERNAL & EXTERNAL COORDINATION

• Contribute to program visibility and advocacy work by assisting in dissemination of program research and learning information. Represent Mercy Corps in forums with the broader humanitarian and development community.

• Active contributor and collaborator with regional and global counterparts to promote best practices.

  SECURITY

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country

• Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.

  ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING

• As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve, we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.

ACCOUNTABILITY TO PARTICIPANTS

• Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our participants and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Supervisory Responsibility

Number of direct reports is to be determined

Accountability

• Reports Directly To: Regional Director - Asia
• Works Directly With: Sector leads/program managers, field teams, the MEL team, partner organizations and other implementers, Mercy Corps HQ Regional program Team, Technical Support Unit, Country Finance Manager, Country M&E Manager, Communications Specialist

Knowledge and Experience

• MA/S or equivalent experience in food security, nutrition, public health, development studies, social sciences, or other relevant field.
• At least 10 years of relevant experience in positions of progressively greater responsibility in programming in a developing country context.
• At least five years in a senior management role is required with experience in project management related to multi-sectoral, FFP/FFE funded activities strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience developing and ensuring quality control for technically rigorous nutrition, food security and/or health programming.
• Experience providing leadership, supervising staff, managing multiple complex program components, and convening people across technical teams to build consensus and achieve an outcome.
• Experience with USAID and/or USDA rules, regulations and requirements is preferred.
• Fluency in written and spoken English and Russian.
• Preference for experience with USDA-funded programs.
• Experience in Uzbekistan preferred.

Success Factors

A successful candidate will have a demonstrated ability to lead and communicate effectively with team members and other stakeholders of varied work styles and cultures, follow procedures and meet deadlines with flexibility and creativity in planning and problem solving. This position requires an ability to think creatively about improving food and nutrition security. S/he will have a proven ability to learn quickly, multi-task, prioritize, take initiative, and be accountable for results, understand the larger picture while remaining focused on the details, problem solving, work within a complex and sensitive setting and to follow laws and security protocols. The most successful Mercy Corps team members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and changing environments and make effective written and verbal communication a priority in all situations.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

This position will be based in Tashkent. The location is accompanied and secure. Housing is individual accommodation with complete freedom of movement in Tashkent and other locations in the country for which no travel restrictions exist. There are several international schools in Tashkent. Staff have access to reasonable quality healthcare services in Tashkent and access to reliable water services. Access to electricity during the hot season can be less reliable, with the occasional power cut. This position requires at least 25% travel by plane and vehicle to field offices in environments that for the most part are secure. This position is not eligible for hardship and/or R&R benefits.

Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/assignment to a field posting. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and Mercy Corps' policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

Fostering a diverse and open workplace is an important part of Mercy Corps' vision. Mercy Corps is an Equal Opportunity Employer regardless of background. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment.

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