Chief of party, or COP, is one of the most senior positions for global development professionals who specialize in project management. As a result, it tends to be one of the higher-paying jobs in the development sector. But to do it well, those with experience in the role say it requires a mix of tenacity, technical know-how, and “a big heart.”
In this edition of Career Hub, I’m sharing some of what we learned from our recent job board data analysis on the top hiring organizations of COPs, and what they’re paying, along with some insider tips for how to succeed in the role. Plus, featured job postings from the likes of USAID, DAI Global UK Ltd., and more.
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1. Development Program Specialist
USAID
Moldova
2. Research Associate
Innovations for Poverty Action
Philippines
3. Chief of Party
IREX
United States (Remote)
4. Senior Project Manager
DAI Global UK Ltd.
United Kingdom
Featured opportunity: Devex Talent Solutions, our very own boutique recruitment agency, is leading the search for a senior director of environment and climate action for The Asia Foundation. The role can be based in the United States or across Asia and the Pacific region.
+ DTS is also seeking candidates for a gender expert with Tanager and an associate manager of legal operations with the Islamic Development Bank, among many others. See all roles DTS is helping to fill.
“I think you can complement a chief of party who has limited technical experience with people who are technical experts, but compensating for lack of management or lack of leadership is really tough.”
— Kimberly Mahling, chief of party, EnCompass LLCWhile recruiters stress the need for program management skills and technical experience, those who typically thrive as a chief of party offer much more. Here’s what recruiters and experienced COPs have to say about the qualities needed in order to be successful.
Leadership and management. The soft skills of leadership and management are “absolutely necessary,” says Kimberly Mahling, a COP with EnCompass LLC. When Democracy International is hiring for this role, “the way you treat people is top of our list,” according to its Senior Vice President Evan Smith.
Understanding local contexts. While stressing the importance of technical and management skills, Hervil Cherubin, country director for Haiti at Heifer International, says “When it comes to implementation, if they have no connection with the people they work [with], if they cannot relate to the situation in the field, they fail completely.”
Managing stress and risk. While USAID is pushing for local “leadership, ownership, decision-making,” international staff are still often deployed, including to remote and potentially risky places. Being sensitive to such stressors is part of being a good leader, says former COP Marc Barrera, as is understanding that the job is about more than being a boss and is a 24-hour role.
Read: How to succeed as a chief of party (Career)
Watch: What makes a great chief of party? (Career)
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1. Finance Specialist
United Nations agency
Myanmar
2. Director, Climate Change
Regional development bank
Philippines
3. Program Officer III - Social Marketing and Communication
Nonprofit human development organization
United States (Remote)
4. Gender and Social Equity Capacity Building Consultant
Global research nonprofit organization
Kenya
We've analyzed Devex job postings from the last 12 months to gain a better sense of the organizations offering the most opportunities for chief of party candidates and what they’re paying. Here are three numbers that stood out:
$152,064 — Average COP salary. The position pays well, and we’ve seen a 27% increase in maximum salaries offered by organizations ($172,668) compared to our last COP salary analysis in July 2023.
67 — COP roles posted by Chemonics. The for-profit consulting firm advertised the most COP positions, followed by RTI International and The Palladium Group. Current COP opportunities with Chemonics include roles based in Ethiopia and Bangladesh.
$230,000 — Highest publicly-shared COP salary. This U.S.-based chief of party role with EngenderHealth was being recruited for a project focused on advancing family planning and reproductive health initiatives in USAID-supported countries.
Read: The top development employers hiring for chief of party roles (Career)
Explore more: What you can expect to earn as a chief of party (Career)
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