Chief of Party, Food for Progress at Global Communities

• Global Communities is seeking a Chief of Party (COP) for an anticipated five-year, USDA Food for Progress project. The Food for Progress Program helps developing countries and emerging democracies modernize and strengthen their agricultural sectors. U.S. agricultural commodities donated to recipient countries are sold on the local market and the proceeds are used to support agricultural, economic, or infrastructure development programs. Food for Progress has two principal objectives: to improve agricultural productivity and to expand trade in agricultural products. Past Food for Progress projects have trained farmers in animal and plant health, helped improve farming methods, developed road and utility systems, established producer cooperatives, provided microcredit, and developed agricultural value chains. Program participants have included private voluntary organizations, foreign governments, universities, and intergovernmental organizations.  
• The COP will lead and oversee the overall implementation of the program, including technical strategy, attaining targeted project deliverables, financial and operational leadership, and human resources.  The COP is responsible for overall program implementation, strategic vision, and outcome achievement.  The COP provides an integrated vision for the program and will manage a team of senior staff to ensure the quality, timeliness, and efficiency of all products and activities generated under the project. The COP will be responsible for communications with USDA, for publicly representing the project, and for liaising with Government entities and other institutions/stakeholders.  

Responsibilities

• Provide program leadership, direction, and supervision, including oversight of staff, consultants, and partners, monitoring and evaluation, and program implementation. 
• Ensure implementation of technical interventions, resulting in concrete and on-time and on-target outcomes. 
• Lead regular work plan, budget, and implementation reviews to facilitate the cost-effective and timely achievement of contract deliverables.  
• Manage team members, including highly specialized technical staff, to deliver against the annual workplan. 
• Ensure project activities maximize impact and are completed in compliance with Global Communities, USDA rules and regulations, local laws, and donor agreement requirements.  
• Lead in adaptive management, achieving peak performance and facilitate innovation.  
• Wherever possible, identify opportunities to engage partners and create growth, and connect actors to find mutual opportunity and benefit.  
• Oversee the production and submission of timely activity and financial reports to USDA, effectively and accurately communicating project progress, achievements, challenges, and utilization of funds.   
• Ensure establishment and maintenance of systems for project operations. 
• Act as primary point of contact for the project with USDA, government counterparts, and other critical in-country stakeholders. 
• Represent Global Communities and overall program interests as necessary and appropriate. 
• Build and maintain strong working relations with key internal and external stakeholders, beneficiaries, prime and subcontractors, suppliers, and partners. Provide effective and timely responses to inquiries and concerns. 
• Foster good working relationships with other agencies working on similar or complimentary projects, maximizing visibility and learning. 
• Be the principal point of contact with other agencies and individuals working on related projects and activities. 
• Ensure that lessons learned are disseminated and applied. 
• Liaise with Global Communities colleagues to coordinate the inputs of gender and inclusion, monitoring and evaluation and other advisory inputs to provide cross-cutting support. 
• Collaborate with Global Communities colleagues and projects in-country to ensure effective coordination of Global Communities country operations. 
• Undertake all other duties and projects as may be assigned from time to time. 
• Frequent travel to project locations required 

Qualifications

• Master’s degree (or equivalent) in a discipline related to agriculture, agri-business, economics, international development or other relevant field with a minimum of 10 years of professional experience, including managing multi-sectoral projects with increasing responsibilities and duties; or, 
• Bachelor’s degree in a discipline related to agriculture, agri-business, economics, international development, or other relevant field with a minimum of 12 years of professional experience, including managing multi-sectoral projects with increasing responsibilities and duties. 
• At least 5 years’ experience as Chief of Party, senior management position, or equivalent, leading implementation of large international donor programs. 
• Technical expertise in food security, nutrition, market systems development, value chain development, and/or climate adapted agricultural production.  
• Experience working in emerging markets with experience in USDA Food for Progress FY25 Priority Countries (Colombia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Vietnam) preferred.  
• High level of interpersonal, technical, and analytical skills, including a demonstrated ability to interact effectively and collaborate with a broad range of public and private sector counterparts and other key stakeholders.  
• Demonstrated knowledge and application of USDA Food for Progress.  
• Ability to develop effective working relationships with government officials, civil society organizations, private sector actors, implementing partners, international donors, and other stakeholders. 
• Proven ability to communicate a common vision among diverse partners and the ability to lead multi-disciplinary teams is desired.  
• Evidence of effective communication skills, both oral and written, to fulfill the diverse technical and managerial requirements of the agreement is desired. 
• Languages: Full Professional Proficiency in spoken and written English is required. Must be able to use English fluently and accurately and be able to read all styles and forms on all levels pertinent to professional needs. Proficiency in additional languages is preferred.  
• A passion for the mission and values of Global Communities. 
• Local candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.