Project Director/Chief of Party

Job Description

Summary:

ME&A seeks an experienced Project Director/Chief of Party for USAID’s anticipated Designing Effective evidence-based Engagement and Learning for Organizational Performance (DEVELOP) project. DEVELOP activity will primarily support the Center for Education in strengthening its organizational capacity to lead in the education sector, with a particular focus on organizational effectiveness, professional development of USAID education staff, knowledge management, and communications. It is critical that the new systems and structures within the Center reinforce a culture of continuous learning and improvement and break down technical and operational stove piping so the Center can respond more comprehensively across the entire education continuum.

The Project Director will be the primary point-of-contact for the COR for all matters pertaining to the contract. He/She is responsible for overall and day-to-day management of contract activities, vision for the contract and drive strategy. The Project Director must have a background in organizational learning, which might include an emphasis on knowledge management, organizational development, leadership coaching, and/or organizational strategic planning. In addition, the Project Director must have extensive experience creating and managing complex teams as well as providing client services. USAID will assume that all decisions rendered by the Project Director are taken with the full authority of the Contractor.

Responsibilities:

• Serve as primary activity liaison with the USAID Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) and other members of USAID’s Bureau for Development, Democracy and Innovation (DDI) to ensure the timely production of high-quality deliverables that respond to the Agency’s priorities and needs;
• Oversee program administration, operations, and budget management, aligned with ME&A and donor policies and regulations;
• Responsible for overall implementation, and coordination with wide range of stakeholders, including government agencies, donor community, local and international NGOs and CSOs, and all other project stakeholders;
• Coordinate and communicate with USAID for timely submission of all written reports and other deliverables, and to ensure quality control and overall responsiveness to meet the program objectives;
• Serve as critical team member or leader in project unit, monitoring individual’s performance, assure quality and timeliness, and manage project resources;
• Supervise a team of long-term personnel and short-term consultants and provide leadership in staff mentorship and professional development;
• Leverage linkages across project components for the purpose of improving the relevance and quality of communications and knowledge management products;
• Contribute to the design and implementation of communications, knowledge management and learning activities;
• Apply adaptive management and learning evaluating program results and impact, instituting adjustments to replicate and scale successful activities and course-correct ineffective activities;
• Coordinate DEVELOP Project activities with other USAID Education sector support mechanisms/contracts and implementing partners; and
• Perform other tasks and duties as necessary for the success of the project and as requested by USAID.

Qualifications:

• Advanced degree (PhD, MS, MBA, MA, JD, etc.) in Education & Teaching, Education Policy Organizational learning, Knowledge Management, International Education or other field appropriate to the project’s Statement of Work (SOW);
• A minimum of ten (15) years of project management and supervisory experience, with significant experience working in natural resources management projects, with substantial knowledge and experience related to at least one or more of the above-mentioned technical areas;
• Ability to manage all aspects of the project, including technical implementation, administration, finance, operations, and logistics;
• Demonstrated familiarity with the U.S. Government Strategy for International Basic Education, USAID’s Education Policy, and Education-related policies and tools;
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail with an ability to work well under pressure.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and the ability to communicate effectively at multiple levels, from Mission Directors and Officers to project implementers, partners, and stakeholders;
• Exceptional cross-cultural communication and management skills;
• Prior experience with USAID Education projects, USAID procedures, regulations and reporting requirements. Previous COP experience highly desirable.

Fluency in English required.

All applications and CVs must be submitted in English.

ME&A, Inc. is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class. ME&A will make reasonable accommodations in compliance with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. For our EEO Policy Statement an

About the Organization

ME&A is a qualified small business, dedicated to providing creative solutions for economic development and social development throughout the world. Our Core Areas of Concentration include Monitoring & Evaluations, Economic and Community Development, Public Administration and Governance, and Business Development and Technology Transfer.

ME&A’s staff of professionals are dedicated to pursuing excellence in the principles, practices and processes of their professions. We are a client-oriented organization committed to upholding the highest of professional standards and being a responsible corporate citizen.

We believe in creative teaming with other partners, maintaining strong professionalism and ethics in meeting our objectives, and utilizing our multicultural skills to better understand and communicate with our clients. ME&A pursues and embraces our client’s organizational and programmatic goals. We work as a team, whereever appropriate, to bring collective knowledge to bear in creating developmental solutions.

ME&A is an Equal Opportunity Employer.