Description:
ECODIT is seeking a qualified Chief of Party (COP) for the anticipated five-year USAID She Leads Pakistan Rises Activity (SLPRA). The primary purpose of the Activity is to increase women’s participation in Pakistan’s economy by supporting women-led businesses (WLBs), including start-ups and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). The Activity will have a national focus and the following three objectives: (1) Strengthen the business enabling environment for women-led businesses; (2) improve access to economic resources; and (3) strengthen the startups ecosystem. The COP will be based in Islamabad, Pakistan and will bear primary responsibility for the strategic direction, overall coordination, and management of the Activity, including oversight of financial and contract management. S/he will be responsible for ensuring compliance with USG rules and regulations. The COP will serve as the primary interlocutor with USAID and key stakeholders in Pakistan. S/he will ensure the program meets stated objectives and reporting requirements in a timely manner. The COP will assume the leadership role in coordination among various partners and subcontractors. The COP will also work closely with the ECODIT Home Office Project Manager (HOPM) and other Home Office (HO) support staff and will serve as an important link between USAID and the ECODIT HO. Specifically, the COP will:
- Lead the technical and operational aspects of the Activity including planning and implementation, ensuring clarity over plans and priorities, and encouraging effective teamwork and adaptive management.
- Provide technical leadership for at least one of the Activity’s three objectives.
- Oversee the incorporation of cross-cutting principles into Activity programming, including localization, and gender equity and social inclusion
- Supervise a capable and diverse team of technical and administrative staff, provide them with mentoring and support, and foster a strong sense teamwork
- Ensure compliance with USAID requirements, U.S. Government regulations, and ECODIT policies and procedures.
- Lead or support the preparation of deliverables, including annual work-plans, budgets and project activity updates, and other project-related communication and reporting materials in accordance with USAID deadlines.
- Provide overall financial oversight of the budget over the life of the Activity (e.g., ensuring cost effective management, financial projections, and systems to ensure proper use of funds).
- Collaborate with ECODIT’s contracts management team to ensure continuous compliance with contract rules and regulations.
- Ensure continuous communication with ECODIT’s HO and work with the HO to coordinate technical and editorial review of project deliverables prior to submission to USAID.
- Liaise with USAID, project counterparts (e.g., Government entities, financial institutions) and other stakeholders in the country to coordinate activities and facilitate monitoring and reporting of project objectives and achievements.
- Liaise with USG partners and other donors and implementing agencies as needed to ensure coordination and synergy.
Required Qualifications
- Advanced degree (e.g., Master’s degree, JD, or PhD) in business administration, finance, economics, law, international relations, or related field.
- A minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible international experience managing donor-funded programs of similar scope and size, with skills in strategic planning, management, supervision, and budgeting
- Strong management skills and ability to work with diverse teams of technical and administrative staff and develop professional relationships with a wide range of counterparts, stakeholders, subcontractors, and other donors.
- Demonstrated strong operations, budgetary, compliance, and decision-making skills, and subcontracts and grants skills.
- Highly developed interpersonal, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
- Exceptional oral and written communication skills in English.
- Written and spoken fluency in Urdu, with additional provincial language knowledge (Sindhi, Punjabi, Balochi and/or Pashto) preferred.