Attention chiefs of party: Here's how to have a successful project launch

“Chief of party” is the job title most commonly used for the overall project lead on a United States Agency for International Development-funded program. While the exact duties of a COP can vary, this person plays a critical leadership role in the launch and management of a project. Tasked with overseeing project implementation, the COP is involved in a wide range of activities from hiring staff, to guiding project strategy, to managing financial budgets and donor relationships. Devex spoke to several professionals with chief of party experience in a range of regions and sectors to find out what contributes to a successful project launch and what they would do differently next time round. Here’s what they said. Recruit the right people During the startup phase, chiefs of party should invest considerable time in hiring the right people. Identifying a strong team from the beginning is one of the “critical responsibilities” of a chief of party and something that can make or break the project, says Jane Kellum, an education and gender specialist who was COP for more than two years for a Care project in Haiti. Things can of course be tweaked and fixed further down the road, but it is more difficult she adds, so “establishing and finding the right team from the very beginning is a critical part of that beginning launch of the project.” Kate Heuisler, who is currently overseeing USAID’s Development Innovations project in Cambodia, agrees that staff are one of the most critical elements for project success, particularly “the quality and diversity of the people on the team.” When it comes to hiring, Kristi Ragan, who is based in Washington, D.C., as chief of party for USAID Invest, doesn’t stick to rigid criteria and appreciates candidates who are more interested in “doing real, relevant work” than the job title or profile. “I look for people who are a bit hungry to break into the space and who don’t have the perfect resume,” says Ragan, because skills in collaboration, team building, flexibility, risk taking, client management, and “having your colleagues’ back” are not always apparent in a resume. “These are the skills of adaptive management,” she adds “You have to frame questions that show you value these traits and find ways to see if the candidate does also.” “At the end of the day, every project is only as good as its entire team.” --— Jane Kellum, education and gender specialist Ragan also pays attention to a candidate's reaction after she tells them that the scope of work often becomes obsolete within the first five minutes of a job, especially those roles dealing with new approaches and innovation in international development. “If the candidate smiles then I know they are willing to trust me with their lives and future happiness,” she says. Finally, a candidate displaying a sense of humor, which can be a bit of a gamble in an interview, is a plus for Ragan, who believes it shows their capability for partnering and collaboration, and that they are willing to take a risk. Engage stakeholders The COP is, in a way, the face of the project says Kellum, so a huge part of their role is making sure that all stakeholders — donors, host-nation partners, target beneficiaries, and staff — are involved in the planning and understand they are “part of the vision.” For Heuisler, the launch is essentially an announcement of the project’s intentions — to ensure key stakeholders and the public understand the project, and know how its services or programs can be accessed. In order to do this, the COP must identify, invite, and engage the right stakeholders, and ensure the description of activities is accessible. Communication is key, and better to feel like you are “overcommunicating” says Ragan, as insufficient communication can lead to confusion, distrust, and wasted resources with stakeholders. Ragan also believes in being authentic with stakeholders and showing them that you are willing to speak honestly. “I absolutely want to make a strong case that I have no success without their success,” she says, “so that I establish a collective commitment to the activity because we both want to succeed.” Focus on internal relationships Building relationships internally is also key to success says Kellum, because “at the end of the day, every project is only as good as its entire team.” That means building trust on all levels — between other staff, and between staff and leadership. Leadership can’t just be closed off in a room, only having high-level discussions. They also need to be sitting around the dinner table with staff and pitching in with the “non glamorous” aspects of the job, says Ragan, emphasizing face-to-face time is very important in “forging a team.” And while the client is important, Ragan says her first priority is always ensuring that her team is well functioning, a key to actually achieving quality deliverables and client satisfaction. Understand the proposal Kellum had been involved in writing the proposal for the project in Haiti before moving to the chief of party role. While this is not typical, she found the background knowledge and insight extremely beneficial. One of the main roles of a chief or party is “mapping out what is the way forward” she explains but in most cases, someone writes the proposal then someone else is hired in “to interpret that and make it come to life.” This is one of the “deficiencies in development” says Ragan — proposals are drafted without sufficient knowledge of the context, then handed off to a new team who wasn’t involved in the design and might not completely understand it. Ragan has served as COP on four USAID contracts and says that her involvement in the proposal generation contributed to the success of each of these. “I could say ‘no that’s not what they need,’” and make sure the implementers were not just “dreaming up something pie in the sky,” she explains. The COP is responsible for implementing the project, so they first have to really understand the proposal it is based on. Set aside sufficient time for planning workshops, ideally when your team has been identified and are able to participate, to go over the proposal. Make sure everyone has the same vision for the project, and have a solid plan in place from the very beginning which reflects this. Find the balance between technical expertise and people management While the chief of party is ultimately a leadership role, they must also have some understanding of each of the different technical aspects involved the project. Steve Gorzula, who has served as COP on environmental projects in Pakistan, Mozambique, and Nepal, says that in order to make sure the work plan is on track, the COP has to be a “technical manager [and] be functionally literate in all the different fields that make up that particular project.” For Ragan however, one of the most important lessons for succeeding as a COP was learning to let go of the technical work, despite having a strong technical background. “What I learned was I needed to let go and stop clinging to my technical expertise, and develop a new expertise that focused on management, inspiring teams and managing value for money. It was a change for me to finally say I need to stay here, I need to be the relationship manager, I need to be the defender and mentor of teams instead of I need to do this technical work,” says Ragan. Be flexible to change Complications will likely arise and changes in staffing, security, and activities may be necessary at some point in the project, so chiefs of party should demonstrate adaptability from the start. Learning to become more flexible was one of the most important lessons for Kellum because part of working as a big team means “there are always going to be conflicts and problems arising.” Heuisler agrees that projects also benefit significantly from internal adaptability, as well as strong communications and learning processes. Spend time in the field The COP is like the orchestra conductor says Kellum — indicating areas of need and giving direction for how all the players involved can better harmonize their efforts. However, all too often COPs get stuck in the office, she says, and lose the understanding that comes from spending time in the field. Getting this balance right was a challenge for Kellum while overseeing the project in Haiti and working mainly from Port-au-Prince, where all the meetings were taking place. On reflection, she says she could have spent more time in the field and this is something that is needed more across projects. “It is not just about oversight,” she says “it’s about understanding how things are working, how the team is interpreting the way forward.” For short-term or mid-project COPs: Listen While this is an important skill for any COP, the ability to listen is particularly important for those taking on short-term COP positions or joining a project which is already underway. Every project is different, explains Heuisler, so when assuming a new director role it is essential that you start by listening to existing staff, key partners, and stakeholders before defining next steps. See where you can add value rather than “bulldoze staff with external ideas that sound good on paper or have worked somewhere else,” she says. Try to help staff innovate — this could be in areas such as improving internal systems to save time or money, looking for new programming opportunities, and identifying roadblocks in the day-to-day work to make operations more efficient. Even after a successful start, it is vital that the COP continues to listen throughout the duration of the project to ensure it stays relevant and is able to deliver results, says Heuisler.