Chief of Party - Food for Peace Multi-Year Emergency Food Security Activity

Job Description

iDE has worked in Nepal since 1992, developing and implementing an internationally recognized and proven approach that has increased the economic, social and climate resilience of over 3 million Nepali farmers. iDE Nepal developed and pioneered the Commercial Pocket approach, which creates local community hubs for agricultural inputs and outputs, agronomic information, access to multiple use water systems, and serve as hubs for farm business advisors providing last mile services to smallholders, and focal points for community-based governance groups. In the last 15 years, iDE Nepal has developed approximately 300 commercial pockets, through which smallholder farming households see an average annual income increase of $450. iDE’s focus in Nepal has increasingly turned towards adaptation and resilience to climate change as well as disaster risk reduction; and our work in those areas has recently been recognized on a global level. Lastly, recognizing that developing close partnerships with government is crucial for the sustainability of our initiatives, iDE actively coordinates and collaborates with government at local, provincial, and national levels to implement projects.

We are recruiting a Chief of Party (CoP) for the USAID Food for Peace-funded Multi-Year Emergency Food Security Activity in Nepal. This is a pilot activity for multi-year emergency food assistance, focusing in Nepal on recovery and resilience to annual monsoons in the Karnali River Basin. This will likely be a three-year, multimillion dollar project through which iDE, if awarded, will work in-consortium with other international and local NGO partners. iDE Nepal takes a “one team” approach in which all project implementation is closely coordinated between consortium partners; project activities will also be supported by and contribute to the strategic direction of the country program as a whole.

The CoP will be responsible for the overall management of the activity, leadership of the project team, a representation with the donor, government, and stakeholders. S/he should bring extensive experience and skills in team leadership and management of complex activities. The candidate should thrive in dynamic and innovative organizational settings and be comfortable leading a project within the broader context of iDE’s unique programmatic strengths and strategy in Nepal.

This role is a full-time position based in Kathmandu, Nepal with regular travel to western Nepal.

iDE is committed to equal opportunities for all, and does not discriminate on grounds of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or any other status. Women and minority candidates are encouraged to apply.
Primary Responsibilities

• Drive project strategy and vision, in collaboration with iDE leadership, partners, and key stakeholders, including utilizing learning and adaptive management approaches to evaluate project progress, identify needs, and pivot accordingly within an overall goal to transition from emergency response to longer-term resilience in the project area.
• Engagement with government and stakeholders; coordination with other relevant activities in the project area funded by USAID or other donors.
• Manage project technical and financial reporting in compliance with USAID guidelines and iDE policy in coordination with iDE’s HQ operations and finance teams.
• Oversee collection and management of data for both project and iDE-wide M&E systems
• Represent the project consortium and iDE at USAID-hosted events and others, as relevant, in coordination with iDE Nepal’s Country Director.

Primary Qualifications Successful candidates will fulfill most of the following requirements:

• Master’s degree in development studies, international relations, agriculture, nutrition, public health, business administration, or related field, combined with a minimum of seven years of progressively increasing management responsibility in international relief/recovery/DRR projects. (Appropriate experience may serve as substitute for a master’s degree.)
• Experience in a CoP or Deputy CoP role on a USAID Food for Peace food assistance project required, especially experience managing cash for work and direct cash transfer modalities.
• Experience managing humanitarian and disaster risk reduction (DRR) activities.
• Experience with gender approaches (including GESI)
• Proven skill in recruiting, developing, and leading teams, especially multiple partners in consortium and culturally diverse teams, including subgrantees and consultants.
• Experience and skill in managing programmatic and financial reporting to USAID.
• Strong English verbal and written communication skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in South Asia, especially Nepal, preferred
• Expertise in climate resilience, WASH, nutrition, and/or access to finance is a plus.
• Familiarity with internet-based software systems such as Google Suite (Docs, Sheets, etc.) and Salesforce; proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite

Language/Mathematical and Reasoning Skills

• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret scientific and technical journals, financial reports, and legal documents. Ability to write speeches and articles for publication that conform to prescribed style and format. Ability to effectively present information to top management, public groups, and/or boards of directors.
• Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations None Physical Demands The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand; sit; and use hands to finger, handle, or feel. The employee is occasionally required to walk and use stairs. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, and ability to adjust focus. The employee is also often required to travel to field-based rural, urban and peri-urban locations in Nepal with limited infrastructure, and international locations as needed. Work Environment The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Other

• Equipment used: all office equipment
• Access stairs, elevator
• International Travel
• Variable Work Hours/Shifts

About the Organization

iDE is a global development organization that co-creates with foundations, governments, individuals, for-profits, and nonprofits to develop lasting solutions to poverty. We design and deliver market-based solutions in Agriculture and WASH in 11 countries across Asia, Africa, and Central America. Much more than a collection of technologies and field offices, we are a globally integrated ecosystem of nearly 1,000 staff, passionate about innovation and entrepreneurism.

The bottom line is improving the lives of our clients: the rural farmers and small businesses that are among the world’s poorest. The impact we report is rooted in reality and the data is readily available to anyone. This is our method of ensuring that the investments—in money and in time—made by our donors, the rural entrepreneurs we are working with, the customers they are serving, and our staff are having real impact.