Chief of Party at PACT

Department Overview
Pact seeks a Chief of Party for the USAID-funded five-year Community Initiatives to Promote Peace (CIPP) Activity in Nigeria, which seeks to strengthen inter-faith, interethnic, and other local conflict mitigation networks to support and promote peaceful coexistence, good governance, and religious freedoms in targeted communities. This position is contingent on award.

Key Responsibilities
The Chief of Party’s primary responsibilities are to provide overall leadership, management, and general technical direction of the entire activity, ensuring an integrated vision among different components and actors, and focus on achieving the results defined in the award. The COP will be the principal point of contact in Nigeria for procedural and substantive matters, including technical matters. The COP will be responsible for responding to the designated AOR and Agreement Officer, and will ensure quality control and the overall responsiveness of technical assistance provided under the award. S/he will be expected to identify issues and risks related to activity implementation un a timely manner, and suggest appropriate adjustments.

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree in a relevant field such as social sciences, law, development studies, etc. A Bachelor’s degree and five (5) additional years of relevant international development experience can be substituted for the Master’s degree.
• At least ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in the successful implementation of international development activities, with preference given to conflict mitigation and/or violent extremism prevention programs – at least five (5) years of which must be in senior program management, including direct supervision of professional and support staff.
• Experience working in conflict mitigation/preventing violent extremism sector in Africa is essential
• Excellent oral and written communication skills. Demonstrated ability to think strategically and communicate his/her vision to partners and colleagues
• Proven experience navigating complex and high-pressure operating environments
• Demonstrated ability to establish and sustain interpersonal and professional relationships with different donors, civil society organizations, and host country government counterparts.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Responsible for the overall technical direction of the project and management of project activities, providing leadership to the project team to ensure high quality programming to achieve project results.
• Serve as the project’s liaison with USAID, partners, the Government of Nigeria, and other key project stakeholders.
• Oversee project planning (i.e., development of work plans and operating budget) and reporting (i.e., review and approve periodic budgets and reports).
• Manage project budget to meet expected results, ensuring cost-effective use of donor and Pact resources.
• Ensure that Pact provides high-quality technical assistance to local partners; conduct regular monitoring and mentoring visits to local partners.
• Ensure that all project reporting requirements are met.
• Oversee project staff in helping partners establish reporting and tracking systems to provide key information in an efficient and timely manner.
• Ensure close coordination with other relevant in-country initiatives.
• S/he will be expected to proactively identify issues and risks related to activity implementation in a timely manner, and suggest appropriate adjustments.
• Represent the project at conferences, working groups, and meetings to support USAID and Pact’s thought leadership in local governance in Nigeria and the region.
• Provide regular written/oral program progress updates as requested.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Pact is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in its selection and employment practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, genetic information, age