Chief of Party

Pact is an international nonprofit that works in nearly 40 countries building solutions for human development that are evidence-based, data-driven, and owned by the communities we serve. Founded in 1971, Pact works with partners to build resilience, improve accountability, and strengthen knowledge and skills for sustainable social impact.

Department

Programs – Pact strives for a world where all people are heard, capable, and vibrant. The Programs Team helps realize this objective by bridging program management, technical support, and business development, enabling Pact to achieve its global strategy. We ensure program excellence through continuous learning, monitoring and evaluation and provide organizational and industry-wide thought leadership by leveraging a complementary set of cross-functional, multi-disciplinary skills, expertise, and experiences. The Programs team: influences progressive change through the development and implementation of global and regional strategies and business plans; supports advancement of innovative solutions; pursues new business opportunities; and drives effective internal and external engagement to maximize Pact’s impact across the globe. Across all aspects of its role, the Programs Department adheres to and promotes a culture of inclusion, accountability, and respect.

Position Overview

Pact is recruiting a Chief of Party (COP) for the USAID Malawi flagship biodiversity/fisheries project: REFRESH. The COP is responsible for the overall leadership and oversight of the program. The COP serve as the primary liaison to USAID, the Government of Malawi, and other project stakeholders. The COP provides technical and strategic oversight of project implementation and management.

The purpose of the REFRESH activity is to conserve the freshwater biodiversity of Lake Malawi to restore the natural fisheries productivity, which largely underpins the food and nutrition security of the rural and urban populations. Primarily, the REFRESH activity will aim to achieve the following outcomes:

1. Fisheries governance and regulatory framework strengthened
2. Fisheries ecosystem-based management improved
3. Decentralization of fisheries management strengthened
4. Commercialization of conservation enterprises to counter unsustainable fishing catalyzed and supported
5. CDCS priorities for integration advanced

Key Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership to ensure high quality programming to achieve project results; ensure that the technical assistance provided by the project is effective and sustainable.
• Responsible for the overall quality control and the timeliness of all required deliverables.
• Oversee development, implementation, monitoring and reporting on all work plans and budgets.
• Responsible for Quarterly and Annual reports, Annual work plans, Performance Indicators, Financial reports, and regular results reporting as needed.
• Manage project budget to meet expected results, ensuring cost-effective use of resources in compliance with USAID and Pact rules and regulations.
• Oversee project monitoring and evaluation; ensure that project impact reporting requirements are met.
• Ensure close coordination with other relevant initiatives/programs in country.
• Ensure effective application of internal controls, US Government, and Pact policies and procedures.
• Represent Pact at conferences, working groups, and meetings to support Pact’s thought leadership in natural resource management, livelihoods, governance, and capacity development programming in Malawi and the region.
• Supervise and coordinate the sub-grant management process, including advice on assessing the programmatic potential of grants and strengthen appropriate procedures for project funds.
• Oversee technical assistance and capacity building to local partners for delivery of interventions, and overall achievement of objectives and targets.
• Ensure compliance with all donor and Pact policies.
• Perform other duties as assigned .

Basic Requirements

• Advanced degree (Masters or PhD) in a relevant field such as environmental science or management, natural resource management, biodiversity conservation, natural science, or other relevant field with bias towards fisheries.
• A minimum of fifteen (15) years of technical and managerial experience in freshwater fisheries, biodiversity conservation, or natural resource management – preferably in Sub-Saharan Africa.
• At least eight (8) years of experience in a senior level management and leadership position, including direct supervision of staff, program management, and technical leadership.
• Expertise in project management, biodiversity conservation, sustainable livelihoods, and natural resource management approaches and principles.
• Demonstrated experience managing multi‐million-dollar donor-funded complex projects.
• Demonstrated ability to establish and sustain professional relationships, and to work collaboratively with host government agencies, civil society, and community-based organizations, and other donors
• Experience managing USAID contracts and cooperative agreements.
• Ability to respond to changing situations as well as diverse stakeholders and government partners in a flexible manner.
• Proven track record of effective and convincing negotiation skills.
• Ability to produce exceptional quality deliverables with sustainable impact and a strong commitment to work.
• Demonstrated management skills, including relevant experience in direct supervision of professional Malawian and international staff.
• Strong organizational skills including task and time management.
• Ability to live, work, and travel within Malawi.

Preferred Qualifications

• Technical Director and/or COP experience, biodiversity conservation or natural resource management projects is strongly preferred.
• Experience implementing or managing USAID sustainable landscapes, natural resource management and/or biodiversity programs.
• Experience supporting local organizations implementing biodiversity conservation, natural resource management and/or climate change programs.
• Knowledge of USAID policies and procedures preferred.

Pact is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in its selection and employment practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, citizenship status, genetic information, matriculation, family responsibilities, personal appearance, credit information, tobacco use (except in the workplace), membership in an employee organization, or other protected classifications or non-merit factors.