Chief of Party, USAID/Kosovo Higher Education Program

Job Description

POSITION SUMMARY

IREX seeks qualified Chief of Party (COP) candidates to lead an anticipated five-year USAID-funded higher education program in Kosovo. Based in Pristina, the COP will provide programmatic and technical leadership to strengthen higher education institutions and help transform them into a driver of economic growth in Kosovo. The COP will be a creative and dynamic leader, overseeing all staff and program implementation to ensure that objectives are met on time and within budget.

This position is contingent on funding.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide strategic and technical leadership to the program; deploying innovative and adaptive program implementation that engages a wide range of stakeholders to enrich the educational experiences of students and support activities to close the skills gap
• Serve as the principal liaison with USAID, as well as with key government officials, other donors and implementers, private sector and civil society partners, program beneficiaries, and other stakeholders
• Develop and maintain effective partnerships with local, regional, and international organizations
• Ensure program activities are efficiently implemented on schedule and within budget; responsively adapting to changes and lessons learned throughout implementation
• Supervise, manage, and mentor program staff and work in close coordination with IREX’s home office
• Oversee program budgeting, financial management, and compliance
• Oversee monitoring, evaluation, and reporting of program activities as well as facilitate learning and improvement across activities and amongst key stakeholders
• Represent IREX publicly and support its organizational development
• Other duties, as assigned

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Higher education (Masters, or Doctorate degree) in Education, Economics, Public Administration, Business Administration, International Development, or a related field with at least eight years of relevant experience including at least 3 years as a COP or senior manager of projects of similar scope and complexity
• Successful track record of supervising, designing, managing, and implementing complex donor-funded technical assistance projects (with strong preference for past USAID-funded project management experience)
• Demonstrated track record of achieving results in higher education system reform (i.e. improvements in accessibility, quality, research management, and the school to work transition), workforce development, private sector engagement, and or diaspora engagement
• Ability to establish strong working relationships and collaboration with senior government officials; education institutions, faculty, and administrators; media, civil society, and private sector leaders; international donors; and other stakeholders
• Proven leadership qualities and excellent management skills
• Demonstrated ability to track and manage budgets and plan both strategically and creatively to meet project objectives in compliance with USAID rules and regulations
• Strong representational and organizational skills
• Experience in Kosovo or South Eastern Europe is preferred
• Demonstrated experience and/or understanding of the higher education system in Kosovo and in the U.S.
• Professional fluency in English in both written and oral communication. Ability to speak Albanian and/or Serbian is preferred.
• Citizens of Kosovo or third-country nationals living and authorized to work in Kosovo strongly encouraged to apply.

TO APPLY

Please visit https://app.jobvite.com/j?aj=oyWGefw8&s=Devex to submit your CV for consideration, preferably along with a cover letter which summarizes your qualifications and states your salary expectations.

About the Organization

IREX is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to building a more just, prosperous, and inclusive world by empowering youth, cultivating leaders, strengthening institutions, and extending access to quality education and information. Founded in 1968, IREX has an annual portfolio of over $90 million, offices in 20 countries, and a global staff of 400. We work in more than 100 countries worldwide.