Land O’Lakes Venture37 is preparing for a USAID-funded Feed the Future opportunity in Madagascar. It is anticipated that this activity will focus on building resilient and diversified food systems, using a market-led agricultural growth approach.
Position Summary:
The Chief of Party will provide overall leadership, management, and technical direction of the program. The COP will be the primary liaison with USAID/Madagascar and will manage project staff and implementing partners to ensure proper reporting, financial management, and compliance. The COP is expected to provide the overall vision for effective and sustainable implementation of project interventions and foster strong institutional relationships with key public and private stakeholders. The COP will act as the key liaison between USAID/Madagascar and all other counterparts, implementing partners, and Government of Madagascar officials. The COP will monitor progress to ensure program goals and reporting requirements are met on time and within budget, complying with USAID and Venture37 policies and procedures.
The position will be located in a ‘to be determined’ region of Madagascar.
Primary Responsibilities:
• Lead overall implementation and management of the program, including setting the strategic vision for the team.
• Ensure successful project implementation and achievement of results on time and within budget.
• Provide overall coordination for the project and ensure operational harmony with relevant stakeholder partners in the public and private sector.
• Serve as the main point of contact with donors and donor representatives.
• Promote strong relationships with all stakeholders with effective networking, linkages to other programs, capacity building of project staff, and institutional strengthening of implementing partners and organizations.
• Implement a practice of Collaboration, Learning, and Adaptation (CLA) with the technical team and project stakeholders.
• Ensure timely, high-quality, and complete submission of work plans, quarterly and annual reports, financial reports, and any other reports required by USAID.
• Oversee budgets and financial accounting and work with headquarters staff on development of budgets and pipeline analyses.
• Ensure that all activities are undertaken in full compliance with Venture37’s standard operating procedures, donor policies and regulations, and national policies and laws.
• Manage the program team in a manner that is open and respectful, encourages professional development, and solicits constructive staff input.
Required Skills and Qualifications:
• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field such as agribusiness, international development, finance, economics, or other relevant field.
• A minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience managing agricultural development programs.
• Extensive experience and/or technical knowledge in designing, managing projects and activities, particularly related to climate smart agriculture, natural resource management, and rural resilience and similar programming.
• Experience managing projects to facilitate private-sector investment and locally led development approaches.
• Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain productive relationships with a range of stakeholders, including USAID and other donors, governments, and diverse sets of public and private sector stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate across projects, be flexible, and creative and successfully lead an intercultural team in complex development contexts.
• Demonstrated general knowledge in financial planning and management, human resources, procurement and other management support areas/functions.
• Ability to communicate effectively, instilling trust and confidence.
• Excellent interpersonal and written and oral presentation skills.
• Fluency in oral and written English and French is required.
Preferred Skills and Experience:
• An advanced degree (e.g. MA/MS) in agribusiness, international development, economics, international trade, business management, agricultural or rural development or other relevant field.
• Previous experience serving as Chief of Party or Deputy Chief of Party on a US Government-funded project.
• Experience managing donor-funded programs in francophone Africa.
The position described above is contingent upon activity award.
Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. No phone calls will be accepted.
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