International Non-Governmental Organization (INGO)

Deadline: 5 April 2021

Office Location: Harare, Zimbabwe

Supervisor Title: Deputy Regional Director

New or Replacement: New Position

Full or Part-Time: Full-Time

Expected Project End Date: 8/31/2026

Position purpose

An international Non-Governmental Organization (INGO) seeks an experienced Chief of Party for the anticipated Zimbabwe Citizen Action for Accountability Project (CEAP). The activity aims to strengthen a culture of political and civic engagement in Zimbabwe by promoting greater and more effective citizen participation in governance processes at multiple levels with an eye to improved, citizen-driven development. This is anticipated to be a five-year activity. This position is contingent upon award.

Key responsibilities

The Chief of Party (COP) will provide overall technical and administrative leadership and expertise for the project; S/he will be responsible for the overall management and implementation of the project and will serve as the primary liaison with the Donor Agreement Officer’s Representative (AOR) on management and technical matters; S/he will serve as the primary liaison with Donor on management and technical matters; S/he will ensure that the project meets stated goals, outcomes, benchmarks, and reporting requirements; S/he will promote the use of recognized evidence-based tools and promising innovations for strengthening the capacities of organizations; S/he will take a leadership role in coordination among Donor and key stakeholders, including partners, government stakeholders, and other Donor projects; S/he will manage and coordinate the implementation of activities across project partners, ensuring successful integration of activities; S/he will oversee a highly adaptive, politically-informed approach to program management which ensures continuous learning and contextually-aware interventions; S/he will liaise closely with INGO’s Regional Director for Africa and INGO’s Washington, DC, team to ensure that all project activities are compliant with USG rules and regulations, as well as consistent with INGO’s policies, procedures and best practices; S/he will oversee project planning (e.g., develop work plans and project budget), monitoring and reporting (e.g., review and approve periodic budgets and technical and financial reports) in accordance with the highest standards; S/he will oversee project budget and work in close coordination with the Finance and Administration Director to meet expected results, ensuring cost-effective use of donor and INGO’s resources; S/he will provide strategic management and oversight of the project’s subaward portfolio; S/he will oversee project staff in helping partners establish reporting and tracking systems to provide key information in an efficient and timely manner; S/he will ensure that program meets programmatic and financial targets and makes accurate projections; S/he will represent the project at conferences, working groups, and meetings to support Donor and INGO’s thought leadership on civic engagement, accountability, women’s empowerment, youth empowerment, and social inclusion.

Basic requirements

Master’s Degree from an accredited university in social sciences, political science, international development, or another relevant field; At least ten years of experience in international development; At least five years of experience as a COP or in a comparable managerial position on international donor projects; Demonstrable experience in working with civil society advocacy organizations and networks, capacity building, and governance issues; Experience working in Zimbabwe; Experience working on and leading teams for USAID contracts and/or cooperative agreements; Knowledge of USAID rules, regulations and policies; Demonstrated leadership skills; Demonstrated track record of successfully building and effectively managing a diverse team of employees and partners; Demonstrated ability implement highly adaptive and politically smart programs in complex environments, and work with and between different stakeholders; Ability to develop and maintain strong relationships with government and community stakeholders; Demonstrated skills in problem solving and consensus building; The candidate must be fluent in English and at least one other local language; Ability to travel within Zimbabwe and internationally when health and safety concerns regarding COVID-19 diminish.

Preferred qualifications

Experience with gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) and youth-focused interventions; Zimbabwean nationals are encouraged to apply.