Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP) - CELGA Sierra Leone

  • Executive-level, Full-time staff position
  • Posted on 3 November 2021

Job Description

Democracy International (DI) is seeking to hire a Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP) for an anticipated five-year USAID Civic Engagement in Local Governance for Accountability opportunity in Sierra Leone. This activity will aim to strengthen the social contract between local governments and citizens in Sierra Leone by fostering increased accountability of local-level decision-makers to citizens on issues of importance to the community. The project hopes to increase effective and informed citizenry and civil society participation in local government and political processes as well as bolster the capacity of local governance institutions to provide critical services via improved transparency in their processes. This is a full-time position based in Freetown, Sierra Leone. This position is open to both expatriates and Sierra Leonean citizens and will be contingent on award and funding. The DCOP will lead programmatic, operational, and administrative activities of the activity and will report to the Chief of Party. The DCOP will support the Chief of Party to develop a strong vision and implementation of the program with an evidence-based approach, integrating innovative strategies and delivering on all objectives of the project. They will also provide mentorship and training, as needed, for local staff. The DCOP will be responsible for grants management, financial and programmatic reporting, procurement, budgeting and financial monitoring, oversight of political reporting and analysis, technical oversight of certain activities, monitoring and evaluation, and responding to funder requests as needed. The successful candidate must be a development professional with significant experience in Sierra Leone or a similar context and demonstrated expertise in gender advocacy, civil society engagement, media, and democratic systems development. Essential Job Duties:
  • Ensure effective field coordination;
  • Provide guidance and coordinate support to the programmatic teams and sub-grantees, including identifying and promoting clear communications on issues of programmatic and budget management activities, compliance, monitoring and evaluation, and documentation;
  • Supervise finance, grants, operations and administrative professionals;
  • Ensure effective implementation of administrative and financial procedures and ensure compliance with DI and USAID policies;
  • Oversee financial tracking systems and coordinate and monitor project budgets to ensure all expenditures are in compliance with DI and donor regulations and within the scope of the program’s long-term budget;
  • Ensure that timely cash flow analyses and projections are provided and accurate for internal management purposes and to the donor;
  • Review and oversee administrative, procurement, and financial management procedures and recommend improvements as needed;
  • Oversee staff capacity-building across the program and provide evaluation and workforce management to ensure their continued growth;
  • Develop regular reports and ongoing activity monitoring consistent with the requirements of DI’s contract with USAID and with internal reporting requirements;
  • Provide technical advice;
  • Work in collaboration with internal project teams supporting civic engagement in Sierra Leone; and,
  • Serve as a secondary liaison for finance and administration with USAID and serve in an acting capacity in the absence of the COP.
Secondary Job Duties:
  • Contribute to ongoing Democracy International business development efforts in Sierra Leone and around the world.
Qualifications:
  • Bachelor’s degree and 10 years relevant work experience;
  • Minimum of 5 years of experience with USAID compliance and reporting requirements as well as a thorough understanding of the USAID regulatory environment;
  • Significant relevant experience in project management and supervising staff, preferably for projects in developing countries, including work planning; establishing systems and overseeing startup and closeout; hiring, training, and overseeing teams; financial budgeting, management, tracking, and reporting; and procurement;
  • Substantial experience working on civic education, democracy support, civil society, media, or other topics relevant to democratic development;
  • Strong interpersonal skills to effectively coordinate with a wide range of stakeholders;
  • In-depth familiarity with, understanding of, and ability to successfully navigate within the Sierra Leonean political context preferred;
  • Experience collaborating with women’s groups, election promotion organizations, and civil society organizations required;
  • Long-term experience working in Sierra Leone preferred;
  • Knowledge of local languages (ex. Krio, Mende, Themme, etc) preferred; and,
  • Professional fluency in English (both spoken and written) required.
  • This position is open to both expatriates and Sierra Leonean citizens.
Reporting:
  • This position reports to Chief of Party
  • Direct reports may include members of the DI Sierra Leone Team
Application Process: Interested applicants should submit a cover letter and CV. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and the position will be filled as soon as a qualified candidate is identified. DI will only contact candidates of interest.

About the Organization

DI provides technical assistance, analytical services and project implementation for democracy, human rights, governance and conflict mitigation programs worldwide for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the U.S. State Department and other development partners. Since its founding in 2003, Democracy International has worked with civil society organizations, political parties, election-management bodies, government agencies, legislatures, justice-sector institutions, and others in 70+ countries.

DI welcomes and supports a diverse and inclusive work environment. We are committed to equal employment opportunities (EEO) for all applicants seeking employment and for DI employees. DI makes employment decisions based on organizational needs, job requirements and individual qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, personal appearance, military status, gender identity or expression, genetic information, political affiliation, educational status, unemployment status, place of residence or business, source of income, or reproductive health decision making. Additionally, harassment or discrimination based on these characteristics will not be tolerated at DI. To perform the essential functions of this position, reasonable accommodations are available to qualified individuals with disabilities.

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