The Chief
of Party is responsible for the planning, development and management of all
project activities related to the Food for Progress – Aquaculture project in West
Africa. The position of Chief of Party will serve as the primary contact for
the program, interacting with HQ staff, other implementing partners and
implementing units. The Chief of Party
is responsible for maintaining the safety and integrity of the overall mission,
as well as working to achieve program goals and objectives.
Chief
of Party Job Responsibilities:
· Provide
overall program management, develop a strong, coherent technical vision, and
initiate innovative strategies across the project
· Provide
financial management oversight, analyze budgets, and provide updates to HQ on
budget expenditures
· Manage
relationships with local organizations, private sector stakeholders, and
government bodies
· Travel
to site offices and target regions as needed to oversee technical assistance
and troubleshoot alongside project partners
· Develop
and implement annual work plans
· Manage
relationships with local organizations, private sector stakeholders, and
government bodies
· Represent
ASA/WISHH to donors and deliver presentations on behalf of the West African
Aquaculture project in country and in related conferences
· Establish
a respected presence within the international donor community and strategically
position the organization in the forefront of agricultural development
activities within West Africa
· Supervise
program operations, and technical and administrative personnel
· Provide
periodic written and oral reports to USDA and WISHH headquarters
· Ensure
effective and compliant contract management, reporting, communications and
relationship management with USDA
Essential Duties and
Responsibilities:
· Oversee
all aspects of program related to the West African Aquaculture Food for
Progress program in coordination with ASA/WISHH HQ.
· Coach
and guide in-country staff/third party contractors to ensure compliance under
USDA and ASA regulations and policy guidelines, country specific laws and other
related policies as appropriate
· Coaching
and development of in-country staff, consultants, partners on requirements,
objectives and intended results/outcomes of the project.
· Maintain
a working knowledge of compliance, government relations, project schedule and
timelines, and of the food security industry, markets and trends.
· Participate
in and communicate with Monetization Agent during each product monetization
plan and event.
· Communicate
as necessary with USDA Foreign Agriculture Service staff, attaches and other
foreign service officers as necessary regarding project status and coordination
with other programs in country
· Provide
overall leadership for the project while maintaining a focus on achieving
results efficiently and safely.
· Ensure
industry leading monitoring and evaluation strategies are planned and executed
throughout the project
· Recommend
new approaches, policies and procedure to drive continual improvements in the
efficiency of the department and services performed.
· Forge
and maintain strong relationships with other international and national
organizations and continue to expand outreach and education of the benefits of
soy products in feed
· Evaluate
the feasibility and structure of potential programs, special projects including
geographical location, potential program expenses, and duration of program, and
make recommendations to the Project Director
· Monitor
security issues and other relevant news that may affect local staff and/or
third-party contractors
· Assist
WISHH in achieving its operational goals
and objectives outlines in the strategic plan and project agreements.
Chief of Party Qualifications / Skills:
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
TO APPLY: send electronic submission of resume
including salary requirements to Eric DeMerit; edemerit@soy.org by July 21, 2025. Interested individuals are encouraged to apply quickly as the applicant review and interview process will begin immediately. Please write “West African Aquaculture COP” in the subject line. No telephone inquiries, please. Finalists will be contacted. ASA is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Provider. Women, minorities, veterans and the physically challenged are encouraged to apply.
Non-Discrimination Statement: In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age,
marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program
or incident. ASA/WISHH is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
The American Soybean Association (ASA) was founded in 1920 by soybean farmers
and extension workers to promote soy for high protein applications in developmental settings.
Overseas activities initiated in the mid-1950s, and to date ASA has worked in over 80 countries. The World Initiative for Soy in Human Health (WISHH) was founded in 2000 to expand the work of the American Soybean Association (ASA) indeveloping and emerging markets to improve health, nutrition and food\ security, building the
groundwork for future markets of soy. WISHH providesservices in food technology, business development, nutrition services, and program and proposal development. WISHH expertise extends its network into additional areas, such as aquaculture, poultry, and animal feed.
ASA/WISHH connects trade and development to strengthen agricultural value chains in emerging markets, creating trade and long-term demand for U.S. soy. Trade can improve lives worldwide for both farmers and consumers. U.S. soy trade in emerging markets is pivotal to improve accessibility, affordability, and acceptability of high-quality plant and animal-sourced proteins in developing economies. Rising incomes in emerging economies generate further opportunity for trade. ASA/WISHH builds opportunity for long-term trade by improving agricultural value chains, human and animal nutrition, and farmer net incomes. ASA/WISHH initiatives broadly fit in two arenas: (1) trade-building long-term, early-stage market development, and (2) trade-building international agriculture and economic development. The St. Louis-based Program operates in sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and Central America.
ASA/WISHH offers proven feed sector capacity and decades of accumulated knowledge from ASA programs. Principal approaches include market and economic assessments, technical assistance and capacity building,food and feed trials and demonstrations, farmer field days, youth mentorship programs, food and feed value chain development, and market linkages.
ASA/WISHH achieves its mission by working in close partnership with: (1) the public sector (e.g., USDA, USAID, U.S. land grant universities, and host country governments), (2) the private sector (e.g., trade associations: Qualified State Soybean Boards, United Soybean Board and U.S. Soybean Export Council), and (3) private voluntary organizations. The Program draws upon the resources and experience of these partners and the
services of a cadre of ASA/WISHH consultants with technical expertise in agricultural, international and commercial development spheres. ASA/WISHH relies on decades of experience in food commercial development and agricultural development programming. The Program takes pride in its growing portfolio of success with U.S. government-funded projects including USDA (Food for Progress, , Global Broad-Based Initiative, Foreign Market Development, Market Access Program, Agricultural Trade Promotion, Emerging Markets
Program, Regional Agricultural Promotion Program and Quality Samples Program) and USAID funding in
both prime and sub-recipient capacities. ASA/WISHH has also attracted both private sector and other complementary funding sources from various donors to build on and leverage core funding from Qualified State Soybean Boards.
