Chief of Party at International Rescue Committee (IRC)

Requisition ID: req16093
Sector: Program Administration
Employment Category: Fixed Term
Employment Type: Full-Time
Open to Expatriates: Yes

Job Description

• The IRC began working in Nigeria in 2012, providing assistance to communities displaced by large-scale floods.
• In response to escalating armed conflict in 2014, the IRC launched an emergency response in Yola and has since scaled health and nutrition, education, protection, and WASH programming across Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe (BAY) states.
• As one of the largest multi-sector actors in the northeast, the IRC has strong linkages with civil society organizations (CSOs), state line ministries, and local stakeholders to ensure lasting gains for communities in need.

Scope of Work:

• The IRC seeks a Chief of Party (COP) for an anticipated five-year, multi-million dollar USAID education activity in Nigeria.
• The project will equip out-of-school children and youth in northeast Nigeria with the foundational skills needed to progress to higher levels of education, training and/or engagement in the workforce.
• The COP will be responsible for ensuring the proposed project is implemented in accordance with the terms of the USAID award (cooperative agreement), USAID regulations, principles of IRC, and internationally recognized quality of assistance standards.
• The COP will be the primary representational link with USAID staff. The position will be based in Abuja, Nigeria.
• Recruitment is contingent upon successful award of the project, and selection of final applicant is subject to USAID approval.

Job Responsibilities

• Provide overall leadership and technical direction for the project, ensuring completion of project deliverables.
• Responsible for the overall planning, implementation, administration, and financial management of the project, as well as the achievement of all impact goals and objectives.
• Coordinate with government and other relevant stakeholders to ensure activities complement ongoing initiatives and adhere to country and global standards.
• Serve as the primary liaison with the donor and Nigerian Ministry of Education. Report to USAID through formal and informal debriefings, annual and semi-annual reports, etc.
• Represent the project and organization at regional, national, and international forums, including technical conferences and policy briefings, and share information about project achievements and lessons learned within the organization and wider development community.
• Oversee the development, review, and monitoring of yearly work plans and project strategy documents to ensure long- and short-term priorities are on track.
• Manage project staff and consortium partners to ensure proper reporting, financial management, and compliance.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in education, international development, or related field is required.
• Minimum 10 years of experience designing, implementing, and managing large, complex projects that work specifically to support out-of-school children and youth through high-quality formal and non-formal education.
• Minimum three years of senior project leadership experience on USAID activities; previous experience as COP of USAID-funded programs preferred.
• Significant previous experience working in conflict or crisis situations, preferably in West Africa and/or Nigeria.
• Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain productive working relationships with a wide network of partners and stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to liaise with senior government officials, dignitaries, executives of NGOs, and senior members of the donor community.
• Demonstrated success incorporating innovation and participatory, flexible, and gender-sensitive programming into implementation.
• Experience working to incorporate issues of government accountability, transparency, and equity in education programs, including gender, ethnicity, and disability inclusion.
• Demonstrated experience in policy dialogue and education reform working with government and civil society organizations.
• Capacity to work well under pressure, and the ability to communicate appropriately and effectively cross‐culturally is critical.
• The candidate must be fluent in English.