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Job Description:
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Job Title: Chief of Party –
Development Food Assistance Program (DFAP)
Department: CRS/Malawi
Location: Blantyre, Malawi
FLSA: Exempt
Reports To: Country Representative
Note: This position is contingent upon grant and
candidate approvals by the donor
Background:
CRS/Malawi established an in-country presence in Malawi
in 1997 and administers a diverse portfolio of relief and development
programs in partnership with the Episcopal Conference of Malawi and other
national and international NGOs. Key program areas include livelihoods and
agriculture, education, justice and peace, and health and nutrition.
CRS/Malawi is seeking a qualified Chief of Party for an
anticipated five-year Title II Development Food Assistance Program (DFAP)
in Malawi. The Chief of Party will lead a consortium of NGOs and other
development partners in managing and implementing this project.
Primary Responsibilities:
- Leads
and supports DFAP consortium partners to achieve program targets.
- Manages
all resources assigned to the project, and serves as the primary
liaison among stakeholders including the donor, consortium member
Country Directors, the CRS Country Representative, and relevant
government ministries, raising decisions and issues as needed.
- Coordinates
program implementation, monetization, finance and distribution
commodities according to the policies and procedures of USG and CRS.
- Directly
supervises senior DFAP staff.
- Manages
consortium and donor relationships
Program Quality:
- Ensure,
in coordination with the key program staff and stakeholders, that the
program’s strategic objectives and results are fully accomplished and
meet expected technical quality standards.
- Ensure
appropriate program quality support to consortium members through
technical leads
- Oversee
periodic technical reviews and manage changes in program direction and
focus.
- Oversee
that bottlenecks and challenges to program impact are addressed at
various levels of stakeholders using forums such as Technical Working
Groups, General Body Meetings and meetings with consortium member
Country Directors.
- Ensure
that vision and plans for the program are innovative and are in line
with CRS agency and country program strategies.
- In
collaboration with program staff, provide guidance and technical
oversight to partners and other collaborating agencies to ensure that
lessons of sound practice are documented and disseminated.
- Oversee
integration between various technical sectors to achieve program
targets
- Ensure,
in coordination with the DFAP program staff, that the delivery of
quality training, technical assistance and administrative and
financial support to all partner agencies, including the selection and
coordination of consultants.
Financial Management and Administration:
- Manage
program budgets, including tracking of financial and material
resources.
- Ensure
accurate and timely reporting of program finances and progress status,
review actual financial performance against the budget, and explain
variances on a regular basis.
- Ensure
staff compliance with all USG and CRS administrative and operational
procedures and policies, as well as applicable donor regulations.
- Draft
and submit program expenditures, budget adjustments, and cost
modification requests to donors.
- Approve
and manage financial transactions within the approved limit
Commodity Management
- Ensure
planning, appropriate call forwards, sale of proceeds and
documentation of commodity are in accordance to USG regulations and
agreed targets.
- Monetization
o Ensure high quality returns in monetization of commodities in
accordance with regulations by supporting Monetization Manager
o Facilitate linkages with the Region, HQ, Lifelinks, Mission and
FFP on monetization
o Address issues of Bellmon Analysis
o Promote through Monetization Manager good linkages with buyers
- Support
Commodity Manager to address any obstacles in commodity call forward,
movement and distribution.
- Facilitate
appropriate linkages with the CRS Regional Office and Head Quarters in
commodity management issues
Representation
- In
collaboration with the CRS Country Representative and consortium
member Country Directors:
o Act as primary program contact to donor and other local and
international stakeholders, responsible for addressing all program
matters.
o Strengthen linkages with existing and potential partner
agencies.
o oversee program communication strategies, including compliance
with donor’s branding and marketing requirements
o liaise with Government of Malawi representatives
o Represent Consortium with FFP and Mission
o Link with appropriate Church office bearers in coordination
with the CR
- Facilitate
high quality marketing of the DFAP consortium with various
stakeholders
- Liaise
with Private Sector companies
- Facilitate
visits of donors to program
- Ensure
periodic communication with Country Directors of consortium members to
highlight achievements and challenges of their team’s performance
- Address
bottlenecks that may arise within the consortium in coordination with
the Country Representative of CRS
Human Resource Management
- Lead,
coach, mentor and manage a team of consortium staff to meet program
objectives.
- Conduct
periodic reviews of staff performance in keeping with CRS’ and staff’s
parent agency’s performance management system and mentor staff to
ensure high levels of motivation, commitment, capacity, and teamwork.
- Coordinate
between CRS staff, seconded members and their parent organizations
- Manage
the recruitment portfolio for the program, in collaboration with Human
Resources and CRS country program management, to ensure optimum
service delivery through recruitment of competent and qualified staff.
- Conduct
activities that promote commitment and increase skills and knowledge
of the DFAP team
- Develop
terms of reference for all program consultants and ensure that they
are fulfilling their tasks.
Reporting
- Continuously
update the CR on the operations of the DFAP
- Ensure
that reporting (PREP, OP reports, quarterly, semi-annual and annual reports,
Monetization reports, etc) are timely and of high quality
Growth, Learning and Innovation
- Promote
innovation within the consortium to improve program quality.
- Facilitate
the use of M&E data to improve program quality and facilitate learning
to enhance skills and knowledge of team members and support scaling up
best practices.
- Support
country program and agency learning and knowledge management through
linkages with the CRS Malawi Head of Programs unit, and relevant staff
in the regional office, and headquarters as well as other CP DFAPs as
possible.
- Oversight
of partner capacity building strategy
Key Working Relationships:
Internal: CRS Country Representative, Country Directors of
Consortium, senior DFAP staff
External: Consortium members, USAID, FFP, Ministry of Agriculture,
Office of the President and Cabinet, service providers
Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff):
These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS
and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and
achieve the desired results.
• Serves with Integrity
• Models Stewardship
• Cultivates Constructive Relationships
• Promotes Learning
Program Manager Competencies:
These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS
and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and
achieve the desired results.
• Sets clear goals and manages toward them
• Collaborates effectively with staff and stakeholders
• Manages financial resources with integrity
• Applies program quality standards to project design and
organizational learning
Qualifications and Skills:
- Minimum
Masters Degree in Development Studies, International Relations,
Agriculture, Public Health or related field required
- Minimum
8 years of progressively increasing management responsibility in
developing countries, including experience in operational research,
nutrition or food security.
- Prior
management of significant USAID funding required, including previous
Title II management.
- Proven
leadership and inter-personal skills and ability to build and motivate
diverse and talented teams. Demonstrated staff management experience.
- Proven
experience in managing complex consortium or partnership relationships
required.
- Strategic
vision and capacity to oversee a vast and complex program required.
- Experience
with participatory methods and partnerships required.
- Public
relations skills required.
- Proven
ability to think strategically.
- Flexibility
to work both in a team and independently.
- Cultural
sensitivity, patience and flexibility.
- Demonstrated
personal accountability and driven to serve others.
- Understanding
of and experience with faith-based organizations, local church
structures, and accompaniment and capacity-building principles in
local partnerships desired.
- Ability
to travel nationally and internationally as required.
- Excellent
English oral and written communication skills required.
- Experience
working in a variety of developing environments required.
- Proficiency
in Microsoft Office suite, including Word, Excel and Outlook required.
This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort,
duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.
EOE/M/F/D/V
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