Côte d'Ivoire: Chief of Party

Pathfinder seeks a Chief of Party for an anticipated FP/RH, MNCH project in Cote d’Ivoire. The project will provide technical assistance and support to scale up evidence-based maternal, newborn, and child health interventions; family planning and reproductive health services.

Position Purpose

The Chief of Party (COP) will be responsible for the overall management and operations of the project. S/he will supervise project implementation and ensure the project meets stated goals and reporting requirements. The COP will take a leadership role in coordination among key stakeholders and other implementing partners. The COP position requires political and diplomatic acumen, as s/he will interact with numerous government and partner institutions along with senior-level government and donor officials.

Key Responsibilities

· Provide strategic direction of project activities. Develop and update the project strategic plan, ensuring that programmatic directions are technically sound, evidence-based and consistent with national priorities.

· Ensure that project performance objectives and mandated deliverables such as technical activities, annual work plans and programmatic/financial/technical reports are carried out in a timely fashion and meet the highest quality standards.

· Provide leadership and direction to monitoring and evaluation strategies, frameworks, plans and indicators to capture project performance and results. Lead a periodic implementation review process to monitor progress and to identify specific actions that may be needed to achieve expected results.

· In collaboration with project staff, establish and maintain the ongoing administrative and financial operations of Project offices, ensuring compliance with Pathfinder International’s policy and USAID or other donor contract provisions.

· Ensure that appropriate security guidelines and procedures are established, maintained, updated regularly and adhered to by the project staff. Monitor the security situation and provide leadership for staff in emergencies.

· Employ appropriate management procedures to ensure that all resources are in place, adhered to, and in compliance with donor rules and regulations.

· Work with Pathfinder International Headquarters and Country Office to develop policies and procedures that improve efficiency and quality.

· Select, hire, and supervise staff and subcontractors; assign roles and responsibilities, manage performance.

· Develop, monitor and revise budget pipeline and conduct monthly reviews to ensure accountability of all Project activities as well as the accurate and timely reporting of finance deliverables.

· Approve expenditures in accordance with Pathfinder International and USAID or other donor procedures, cost principles, and regulations.

· In coordination with Pathfinder International Contracts Officer, contract with and manage local individuals/organizations for identified tasks in compliance with USAID and Pathfinder International procedures. Negotiate consultancy.

· Partner successfully with Pathfinder International’s Country Representative and Headquarters financial, technical, and operations backstop officers by providing accurate and timely reporting and updates on the Project progress and challenges.

· Cultivate and strengthen positive, productive relationships with donor, partners, Ministry of Health and other governmental agencies ensuring that Pathfinder International is consistently viewed as an effective implementing partner in meeting and achieving project targets.

· Manage and coordinate activities of subcontractors and partners to create synergy and ensure that project responsibilities are carried out in accordance with donor regulations.

· Document Project achievements for communications materials such as the annual reports, brochures, and website updates.

· Identify prospective business development opportunities.

· Assist Development teams in planning for and developing proposal submissions.

· Perform other tasks to ensure effective implementation of the Project as required.

Basic Requirements

· At least a Master’s Degree in health, social services, management, or business administration, or related field.

· At least ten years’ experience in managing complex public health programs or programs of similar scope and size.

· At least ten years of demonstrated technical experience as senior staff in at least two of the following areas: maternal, newborn and child health; family planning; reproductive health; quality improvement/quality assurance; and health systems strengthening.

· At least seven years’ experience in development, managing, overseeing, or evaluating public health programs in Africa of similar size and complexity, preferably in Cote d’Ivoire.

· At least seven years’ experience in program management and administration, financial management, award contractual compliance, sub award management, and tracking project performance and costs via specific funding streams.

· Demonstrated ability to create synergies and work effectively with government representatives, for-profit private sector entities, local community organizations, donors and other stakeholders, particularly at the sub-national level.

· Strong management skills, strategic vision, leadership qualities, interpersonal skills, as well as written and oral presentation skills to fulfill the diverse technical and managerial requirements of the project description.

· Familiarity with community-based approaches for service delivery and procedures in the implementation of donor assisted projects.

· Excellent knowledge of the political, social, economic, and cultural context of working in Cote d’Ivoire and thorough understanding of applicable US Government regulations and administrative procedures.

· Expert computer skills in Microsoft Office Suite applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.

· Fluency in both oral and written English and French language.

· Position may require extensive in-country travel.

· Occasional travel to the US Headquarters may be required.

To apply, please visit:

http://www.pathfinder.org/about-us/careers/employment-opportunities