Chief of Party, AMASHIGA, Burundi

About CRS:

Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. We welcome as a part of our staff and as partners people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need.

Background:

CRS has been present in Burundi since 1961, and currently implements projects in nutrition, agriculture, savings-led microfinance, peacebuilding and emergency preparedness/response. The country program’s main office is in Bujumbura with a large sub-office in Muyinga. The country program has more than 140 staff, including three expatriates, and implements its projects through local and international partners, with strong coordination/collaboration with Government of Burundi structures. The FY17 program value is approximately $10.3 million, inclusive of commodities. In 2014, CRS/Burundi was awarded a Title II Development Food Assistance Program (total program value $50m), entitled AMASHIGA, which will run through 2019. Program value is expected to increase over the next two years as AMASHIGA activities scale-up to serve more than 575,000 direct beneficiaries over the life of the program.

Burundi’s population is approximately 10.4 million, 90% of whom are engaged in (mainly subsistence) agriculture. Tea, coffee and minerals are Burundi’s primary foreign exchange earner. Given its high population density and continued population growth, chronic malnutrition is one of the country’s key development challenges. Stunting in children under five averages 50% across the country, with certain areas exceeding 65%.

Since independence in 1960, Burundi has struggled with issues related to conflict that have negatively impacted socio-economic growth. With the end of the civil war in the early 2000’s, the country embarked on a process of infrastructure rehabilitation, political reconciliation and agriculture-driven economic development. However, a controversial third term in 2015 for the president has resulted in increasing social division and insecurity, putting the developmental gains of the past 10 years in jeopardy.

Job Summary:

CRS/Burundi seeks a qualified candidate for a Chief of Party (CoP) II position to lead implementation of CRS/Burundi’s USAID Food for Peace-funded Development Food Assistance Program entitled AMASHIGA. The CoP will be responsible for ensuring high quality, results-oriented program implementation and timely achievement of project milestones and objectives consistent with the scope of the grant, full compliance with donor requirements and local government regulations, as well as alignment with CRS’ vision, guiding principles, and sectoral strategies . The CoP will represent the program to the donor, key government officials, research institutions and other international/local partners, ensuring high levels of visibility and strong collaboration with relevant key stakeholders. The CoP will also ensure effective consortium management, building on the strengths of each partner to promote strong program integration and holistic service provision and capacity building for vulnerable households and local government.

The overall goal of the AMASHIGA program is to measurably and sustainably improve under-5 child nutrition in the province of Muyinga. The program takes a multi-sectoral, community-based approach to reducing stunting; improving food security; and enhancing resilience, through interventions focusing on four key domains: nutrition, agriculture, disaster risk reduction and gender. To promote the sustainability of program impacts, AMASHIGA collaborates with existing community and government structures at all levels and seeks to strengthen the capacity of these structures to increasingly play a leadership role in the fights against malnutrition in their communities. CRS leads a consortium of international and local organizations in the implementation of the program and has overall management and oversight authority as the prime.

Primary Responsibilities:

· Provides overall technical leadership and management oversight of CRS’ AMASHIGA staff and consortium partners for timely achievement of program targets.

· Coordinates program implementation, financial management and commodities management in accordance with policies and procedures of US Government and CRS.

· Serves as primary liaison between program stakeholders including donor, consortium members, implementing partners, CRS staff and technical advisors and relevant government ministries.

Specific Job Responsibilities:

Program Quality:

• With key program staff and stakeholders, ensure program’s strategic objectives and results are fully accomplished and meet expected technical quality standards.
• Ensure that vision and plans for the program are innovative and are in line with CRS agency and country program strategies.
• Ensure appropriate program quality support to consortium members through technical leads
• Promote alignment of program’s strategies and activities with the priorities outlined in relevant national strategies and policies related to agriculture, nutrition and health, particularly the Multi-Sectoral Plan to Combat Malnutrition in Burundi.
• Oversee periodic technical reviews and manage changes in program direction and focus, where necessary. Lead the process of quarterly and annual results reporting and analysis ensuring integration of program innovation and learning.
• In collaboration with program staff, provide guidance and technical oversight to partners and other collaborating agencies to ensure that lessons of sound practice are documented and disseminated.

· Promote synergy between various technical sectors and ensure that this contributes to achieving program targets

• Oversee program’s monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning (MEAL) systems, using data analysis as the basis for measuring performance. Ensure that MEAL is incorporated into evolving program plans.
• Disseminates AMASHIGA mid-term evaluation results and lessons learned. Closely monitors program activities to ensure implementation of recommendations
• With program staff, ensure the delivery of quality training, technical assistance and administrative and financial support to all partner agencies, including selection and coordination of consultants.

Management and Administration:

• Ensure strong coordination/collaboration among consortium members through regular coordination meetings/program reviews, joint field visits and action planning.
• Develop and manage annual program budgets, including tracking of financial and material resources for CRS, consortium members and implementing partners.
• Ensure staff compliance with all CRS administrative and operational procedures and policies, as well as applicable donor regulations.
• Coordinate regular programmatic and financial progress reviews with consortium members and lead budget harmonization processes, where necessary.

Commodity Management

· Ensure processes for AERs, pipeline, call forwards, warehousing of commodities, and distribution of commodities are compliant with USG regulations and agreed targets.

· Support commodity managers to identify and address bottlenecks in commodity call forwards, inland transport and commodity distribution. Ensure timely, accurate and appropriate documentation of processes and timely reporting of commodities inventories/distributions on line with CRS policies and USG regulations.

· Ensure effective risk management and internal controls of commodities. Enforce Zero Tolerance for fraud and development and monitoring of beneficiary/staff feedback systems to identify potential incidents.

· Facilitate appropriate linkages with CRS’ Regional Office and CRS’ Headquarters to resolve commodity management issues

· Ensure Losses are well documented and reported in a timely manner in compliance with Reg 211 requirements

Financial Management

· In conjunction with Sector leads and Finance Manager, develops, reviews and monitors multi and annual budgets for core cost centers, in compliance with grant award provisions, audit principles and CRS’ financial management guidelines.

· Provides overall leadership to implementing partners budget development and reporting.

· Ensure accurate and timely financial, planning and reporting to donors and CRS senior management. Review actual financial performance against the budget and identify/address variances on a regular basis

Representation and Advocacy:

• In collaboration with Country Manager, act as primary program contact to donor and other local and international stakeholders, responsible for addressing all program matters. Serve as the primary representative for AMASHIGA consortium.
• In collaboration with Country Manager, strengthen linkages with existing and potential partner agencies.
• In collaboration with Country Manager, oversee program communication strategies, including compliance with donor’s branding and marketing requirements, as well as CRS’ marketing and communication procedures.

Human Resource Management:

• Lead, manage and supervise a team of consortium staff to meet program objectives.
• Conduct periodic reviews of staff performance in keeping with CRS’ performance management system and mentor staff to ensure high levels of motivation, commitment, capacity, and teamwork.
• Manage recruitment portfolio for AMASHIGA program, in collaboration with Human Resources and CRS country program management, to ensure optimum service delivery through recruitment of competent and qualified staff.
• Develop terms of reference for all program consultants/evaluators and ensure timely delivery of high quality deliverables.

Direct Supervisory Responsibilities:

Deputy Chief of Party, MEAL Advisor and Field Commodity Manager

Key Working Relationships:

Internal- CRS/ Burundi: Country Representative – Burundi & Rwanda, Country Manager, Operations Manager, Technical Advisors and Strategic Objective Coordinators, Program Staff;

CRS/HQ/Region: CARO Regional Staff (RTAs/ DRDs) and CRS/HQ departments.

External: Catholic Bishops and the Episcopal Conference, Government Officials, USAID, UN Agencies, Consortium Member and Implementing Partner Staff, etc.

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS staff):

These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.

· Serves with Integrity

· Models Stewardship

· Cultivates Constructive Relationships

· Promotes Learning

Qualifications and Skills:

• Minimum Master’s Degree in Economic Development, Agricultural Economics, Public Health, Development Studies, International Relations or related field required. Ph.D. preferred.
• At least 10 years of progressively increasing management responsibility in developing countries. Previous experience as a Chief of Party and/or management of Title II programming a plus.
• At least 7 years of experience managing food security projects.
• Prior management of significant USAID funding required; knowledge of USG regulations governing food aid.
• Proven leadership and inter-personal skills and ability to build and motivate diverse and talented teams.
• Proven experience in managing complex consortium or partnership relationships required.
• Understanding of and experience with faith-based organizations, local church structures, and accompaniment and capacity-building principles in local partnerships highly desired.
• Strategic vision and capacity to oversee a vast and complex program required.
• Experience with participatory methods and partnerships required.
• Public relations skills required.
• Proven ability to think strategically.
• Flexibility to work both in a team and independently.
• Cultural sensitivity, patience and flexibility.
• Demonstrated personal accountability and driven to serve others.
• Ability to travel nationally and internationally as required.
• Willing to spend at least 50% of time in the field.
• Excellent English and French language oral and written communication skills required.
• Experience working in a variety of developing environments required; knowledge of the Burundian context desired.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite, including Word, Excel and Outlook required.

EOE

HOW TO APPLY:

Apply online: http://bit.ly/2cyIdMn