Chief of Party - Powered by the People (PxP)

Job Description

PartnersGlobal is seeking a Chief of Party (COP) for the anticipated USAID Powered by the People (PxP) activity. This five-year $45M program is intended to provide direct and accessible support that addresses the needs, opportunities, and challenges identified by activists and other allied civic actors engaged in nonviolent collective action, strengthening the agency, resiliency, and efficacy of activists and people powered nonviolent social movements (NVSMs) that advance human rights, social justice, democracy, and inclusive development within a cohesive global social movement ecosystem.

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.  They will utilize the principles of adaptive management to maximize impact and facilitate innovation. Finally, the COP will be responsible for communications with USAID, for publicly representing the project, and for liaising with government and other institutions/stakeholders on issues related to civil resistance and peacebuilding strategies that improve the sustainability and effectiveness of movements.

The ideal candidate has previous experience in the COP and/or DCOP roles. Strong candidates demonstrate broad knowledge of USAID processes and regulations and have experience guiding complex, global programs involving large consortia partnerships. Experience as an activist and or working with movement leaders and front-line Non-violent social movements is highly desired as is demonstrable capacity to engage in complex programmatic design for activities impeded by tightening civic space and hostile and restrictive environments.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Specific responsibilities of the COP include but are not limited to:

• Act as primary point of contact with USAID, government counterparts, and other critical in-country stakeholders.
• 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 specific outcomes.
• Oversee regular work plan, budget, and implementation reviews to facilitate the cost-effective and timely achievement of contract deliverables. 
• Supervise DCOP and Technical Advisor and ensure strong management of team members, including highly specialized technical staff, to deliver against the annual workplan.
• Engage with strategic funding partners to secure additional resources for the project.
• Ensure project activities maximize impact and are completed in compliance with PartnersGlobal, USAID 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.
• Ensure the production and submission of timely activity and financial reports to USAID, effectively and accurately communicating project progress, achievements, challenges, and utilization of funds.  
• Meet program targets, as well as fiscal integrity of the use of program funds.
• Ensure establishment and maintenance of systems for project operations.
• Provide input and quality control for written reports and oral presentations on the program.
• Represent PartnersGlobal 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.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree + advanced degree (Masters or PhD) related to non-violent social movements, wholistic security, shifting civic space, democracy promotion, independent media, peacebuilding, international development or relevant social sciences areas. If other degree topics at Masters or PhD levels, equivalent of at least 10 years of field-based program leadership required.
• Minimum of ten (10) years of experience serving as a COP or in an executive leadership position on an international USG project.
• Minimum of three (3) years of direct experience with progressively increasing responsibility in managing projects supporting nonviolent social movements, human rights defenders and other advocates at national, regional or community levels – with preference given to those working in conflict, post conflict or closing space contexts.
• Demonstrated knowledge and application of relevant USAID policies and strategies.
• Ability to develop effective working relationships with government officials, civil society organizations, private sector actors, implementing partners, international donors, and other stakeholders.
• Knowledge/experience with USAID rules and regulations required; Demonstrated experience and understanding of relevant local laws, regulations and policies is required.
• Demonstrated capacity to lead large and multi-tiered consortia across countries and regions.
• Proven ability to communicate a common vision among diverse partners and the ability to lead multi-disciplinary teams is desired. 
• Experience in high level leadership positions that require excellent interpersonal, communication, technical, and analytical skills including ability to interact effectively and collaboratively and develop relationships with a broad range of counterparts and key stakeholders.
• 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 ability to lead and manage a diverse team, in a flexible and adaptive programming context, ensuring high performance and staff retention, to deliver impact within agreed timelines and budget.
• Fluency in written and spoken English, required.
• This position requires authorization to work in the United States.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience with storytelling through data is considered highly desirable.
• Experience leading projects at a regional or global scale, strongly encouraged.
• Fluency in additional languages including French, Spanish, Arabic, Hindi, Urdu or Slavic languages a plus
• Experience working on the ground in a country with closing space challenges considered beneficial.

LEADERSHIP CORE COMPETENCIES

The ideal candidate should demonstrate leadership core competencies including but not limited to:

• Accountability – Holds self and others accountable for measurable high-quality, timely, and cost-effective results. Determines objectives, sets priorities, and delegates work. Accepts responsibility for mistakes.
• Decisiveness – Makes well-informed, effective, and timely decisions, even when data are limited, or solutions produce unpopular consequences. Perceives the impact and implications of decisions.
• Problem Solving – Identifies and analyzes problems. Weighs relevance and accuracy of information. Generates and evaluates alternative solutions and makes recommendations.
• Flexibility – Is open to change and new information. Adapts rapidly to new information, changing conditions, or unexpected obstacles.
• Constituency Credibility –Anticipates and meets the needs of both internal and external constituencies. Delivers high-quality products and services. Commits to continuous improvement.
• Conflict Management—Encourages creative tension and differences of opinions. Anticipates and takes steps to prevent counter-productive confrontations. Manages and resolves conflicts and disagreements in a constructive manner.
• Human Capital Management – Builds and manages workforce based on organizational goals, budget considerations, and staffing needs. Ensures employees are appropriately recruited, selected, appraised, and rewarded; takes action to address performance problems.

About the Organization

PartnersGlobal (previously Partners for Democratic Change), established in 1989, is an international, non-governmental organization committed to building sustainable capacity to advance democratic institutions, civil society, and a culture of peaceful change and conflict management worldwide. PartnersGlobal specializes in organizational development and social entrepreneurship, having provided the seed capital and technical assistance to establish 21 independent, local Centers around the world.

PartnersGlobal adheres to the values of participatory decision-making, collaboration, and consensus-building as the fundamentals of an inclusive, democratic society; and we promote the application of these skills in all aspects of our work. The PartnersGlobal team includes process and technical experts, facilitators, and trainers who apply those collaborative skills to achieve concrete results in technical areas such as rule of law development, women’s empowerment, security sector reform, and natural resource management. Our network of local Centers is renowned for undertaking cutting edge work and applying our process expertise to convene disparate parties to jointly tackle some of the most complex development challenges.

PartnersGlobal is an EEO Employer

At PartnersGlobal, we have a clear vision: to be the place where a diverse mix of talented people want to come, to stay and do their best work. Diversity is more than a commitment at PartnersGlobal—it is the foundation of what we do. We are fully focused on equality and believe deeply in diversity of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, national origin and all the other fascinating characteristics that make us different. As an equal opportunity employer, PartnersGlobal recruits, employs, trains, compensates and promotes regardless of race, color, age, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information, HIV/AIDS status, political affiliations or belief, pregnancy, or any other characteristic protected by law. Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. Please contact our Director of Human Resources & Talent Management, Edith Kardouni, at ekardouni@partnersglobal.org for assistance. We welcome the opportunity to discuss accommodation of your disability and ensure fairness in our hiring process.