Chief of Party, USAID Power Africa EDE East & Central Africa at Abt Associates

Key Roles and Responsibilities:

•  Overall leadership, management, and strategic direction for the program
•  Serves as the primary liaison with USAID, senior government officials and counterparts, the donor community, and other USAID programs
•  Provide overall technical, administrative, and quality assurance, financial management leadership and oversight to the project
•  Responsible for ensuring compliance with Abt policy and procedures and USAID rules and regulations
•  Manage relationship between Abt headquarters and program field offices.
•  Responsible for all project and cross-cutting deliverables and reporting

Preferred Qualifications:

• An advanced degree in economics, energy/environmental policy, engineering, MBA, JD, or a related field
• 12+ years of experience working with energy sector programs, particularly in the power sector, with progressive leadership experience
• Experience managing international development energy projects as a senior manager: Chief of Party experience with USAID projects preferred
• Established expertise in renewable energy and experience working in at least two of the following six areas: Strategic/long-term and/or medium term energy planning; deploying distributed RE integrated into major or mini-grids, including for anchor loads (e.g. schools, health facilities, and other productive uses); grid integration of DRE; innovative business models for expanding energy access; use and management of funds to encourage participation and/or collaboration of diverse organizations in the RE space; and knowledge management and coordination with other USAID projects and initiatives
• Experience on programmatic activities that increase power supply, increase grid-based power connections, strengthen utilities and other power sector entities, and increase regional power trade
• Significant experience as a team leader or senior technical expert focused on expanding on and off-grid energy access, including through deploying distributed renewable power
• Experience convening technical and management teams quickly to respond to client requests
• Experience with gender equity and social inclusion or women's empowerment on energy focused programming
• Demonstrated ability to work and coordinate effectively with a wide variety of stakeholders including national governments, regulators, utilities, financial institutions, project developers, donor community, and private sector
• Knowledge of Sub-Saharan Africa renewable energy, energy efficiency, and climate change policies, laws, and capacity constraints; experience in East and/or Central Africa required
• Excellent interpersonal, diplomacy, and leadership skills, including the ability to manage relationships and motivate staff across large geographies
• Fluency in English is required; experience in a second language is preferred

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree + Fifteen years of relevant experience, or Master’s Degree + Twelve years of relevant experience, or PhD + Ten years of relevant experience