Chief of Party, USAID/West Bank Gaza Pioneers-Raedat Activity

About IREX

IREX is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to building a more just, prosperous, and inclusive world by empowering youth, cultivating leaders, strengthening institutions, and extending access to quality education and information. Founded in 1968, IREX has an annual portfolio of over $100 million, offices in 20 countries, and a global staff of 600. We work in more than 100 countries worldwide.

Summary of Position

IREX seeks qualified Chief of Party (COP) candidates to support the USAID-funded The Pioneers-Raedat Activity. This program is intended to leverage women’s potential to create ripple effects that shift gender-based power relations within the Palestinian community and will help improve institutional frameworks and processes in select sectors to ensure the inclusion of women. Based in Ramallah, the COP will be responsible for technical leadership, administrative oversight, and overall coordination of the activity. S/he will serve as the principal institutional liaison with USAID and key stakeholders. S/he will manage staff and ensure the Pioneers-Raedat Activity achieves the stated goal and results and meets reporting requirements, as well as ensure the quality, timeliness, and efficiency of all products and interventions generated under the Activity.

Summary of Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic and technical leadership to the program, including a comprehensive vision for transformational outcomes for the activity’s intermediate results.
• Serve as principal liaison with USAID and develop productive collaborative relationships with a wide range of key stakeholders including government officials, other donors and implementers, civil society and private sector partners, program beneficiaries, and others.
• Develop strong collaborative, supportive, and mutually respectful relationships with diverse team members, with other leaders at IREX, and with leaders at key stakeholder and partner organizations.
• Ensure program activities are implemented on schedule, within budget, and coordinated to maximize efficiency and effectiveness across regions.
• Oversee program budgeting and forecasting, financial management, compliance and subgrants management.
• Oversee monitoring, evaluation, learning, and reporting to ensure the program adapts as needed to meet objectives and learning is acquired and shared broadly to maximize impact and sustainability.
• Oversee and help to drive a private sector engagement strategy.
• Integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout program implementation while also promoting an evidence-based positive youth development approach.
• Supervise, manage, and mentor program staff, lead recruitment of specialized technical staff.
• Represent IREX publicly and support its organizational development.
• Ensure that IREX’s safety and security policies and procedures are applied to all program and staff operations.
• Other duties, as assigned.

Skills and Qualifications:

• Minimum of a master’s degree in development or relevant social sciences areas, preferably in gender, institutional capacity building, women’s empowerment, or women’s leadership. In lieu of a master’s degree, a bachelor’s degree, and 5 years’ experience, in addition to the seven years outlined below, will be accepted.
• Minimum of seven years of experience of progressively increasing responsibility in managing gender equality and female empowerment projects of a similar size and scope in developing countries including three (3) years serving as a COP or in an equivalent position.
• Experience of at least three years, in the Middle East, in managing a systems approach programming, directly leading to sustainability of interventions and behavior change.
• Experience working on international donor-funded projects, particularly in the Middle East.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and manage a diverse team, in a flexible and adaptive programming context, ensuring high performance and staff retention, to deliver impact within agreed timelines and budget.
• Experience in high level leadership positions that require excellent interpersonal, communication, technical, and analytical skills including ability to interact effectively and collaboratively and develop relationships with a broad range of counterparts and key stakeholders.
• Demonstrated expert technical knowledge in gender equality and female empowerment and leadership. This will include things like skills development, mentorship and networking, gender-based violence, national and institutional level enabling environments for women’s participation, and promoting inclusive social norms.
• Fluency in written and spoken English. Arabic language knowledge preferred.