Deputy Chief of Party

ABOUT ARK:

ARK is a social enterprise, empowering local communities through the provision of agile and sustainable interventions to create greater stability, opportunity, and hope for the future.

We believe that strong, resilient communities are the foundation of local, national, regional and international development and stability – and ultimately a safer, peaceful and more prosperous world. At ARK, we have delivered research and programmatic interventions validating this approach in over twenty countries since 2008. As a social enterprise we work in partnership with communities, our donors, and other implementers to build local capacities, generate opportunity and bring about sustainable change.

Learn more about our impact here: https://www.ark.international/impact

PURPOSE OF POSITION:

The Deputy Chief of Party (DCoP) will support and work closely with ARK’s Chief of Party (CoP) on a prospective 5-year USAID-funded programme in Iraq. The programme aims to increase citizen engagement in the public sphere, especially among women and youth, while supporting civil society organizations (CSOs) to connect to and empower citizens and other CSOs, with the overall objectives of actively contributing to positive change on shared citizen-identified priorities and increasing the resilience of civil society organisations.

The DCoP will work closely with the COP in overseeing program operations and will assume technical direction and oversight of the civic participation grants component of the program. S/he will be expected to interact regularly with programme and Mission staff, as well as with civil society partners and all stakeholders to the programme. This will be a full-time position based in Iraq and will be contingent on award and funding.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Work closely with the COP in the planning and implementation of all programme activities in collaboration with the programme and operations team (Research, MEAL, Communications, Finance, Human Resources, Compliance and Logistics and Procurement), consortium partners and implementing partners to ensure activities are aligned with programme objectives in accordance with ARK Project Management policies and procedures.
• Assume technical direction and oversight of the civic participation grants component of the programme.
• Ensure all staff and service provider-related tasks are carried out in accordance with ARK’s and the donor’s policies and guidelines. This includes but is not limited to recruitment, performance management, security, and staff development and training.
• Review financial glidepath with Finance staff monthly to identify underspends and overspends. Brief financial aspects in weekly reports. Brief the COP on any budget lines anticipated to result in a 10% variance. Ensure that budgets are spent in accordance with donor funding and donor regulations within the appropriate timeframe.
• Review the Project Risk Register and Security Plan at least monthly or on being made aware of a change in the threat level to ensure that it remains accurate and relevant, and all risks are managed appropriately.
• Review the MEL plan with the project’s Monitoring and Evaluation staff.
• Conduct Logistics and Procurement (L&P) planning for each phase of implementation including briefing all L&P stakeholders. Review all L&P paperwork to ensure that it is compliant, realistic and will meet the contractual deliverables.
• Assist the COP in the delivery of all contracted client reporting deliverables including monthly, quarterly, analytical and closedown reporting. This includes briefing relevant stakeholders of their required inputs in advance, supporting in the writing of certain parts of the report and reviewing the outputs.
• Interact regularly and maintain/build professional relationships with programme and USAID Mission staff, as well as with civil society partners, sub-grantees and all stakeholders to the programme.

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

Essential

• A Master’s degree in social sciences, community development, communications, business, international development, and/or other related fields.
• At least eight (8) years of experience working in the engagement of civil society.
• Demonstrated experience developing systems to identify potential partners, evaluation of capacity of partners, and managing grants (in-kind and cash) with local partners, training development and other technical areas in the civil society space.
• Excellent team management skills.
• Good understanding of current dynamics in Iraq pertaining to the civil society space.
• Ability to work under pressure, be a self-starter, team builder, innovative and demonstrate the capacity for maintaining high professional standards.
• Full professional fluency in Arabic and English.
• Proficiency in the Microsoft Office suite.

Desirable

• Previous USAID experience and extensive experience with USAID rules and regulations.
• Experience of MEL systems and processes in a development project environment.

MORE ABOUT OUR COMPANY:

We believe that strong, resilient communities are the foundation of local, national, regional and international development and stability – and ultimately a safer, peaceful and more prosperous world. At ARK, we have delivered research and programmatic interventions validating this approach in over twenty countries since 2008. As a social enterprise we work in partnership with communities, our donors, and other implementers to build local capacities, generate opportunity and bring about sustainable change.

Our People

Our team covers a diverse range of professional backgrounds, from diplomacy, humanitarian, development and the military, to the UN, civil society groups, multilateral organisations, journalism and the private sector.

An ARK Person Is:

Smart: We think deeply about things. We’re proud of our institutional knowledge and our grounding in rigorous research, which we use to make informed decisions.

Humble: Our work leaves little room for pride or arrogance. Our operating environment is constantly evolving, and we recognise our limitations. We believe in and rely on the education and experiences of others while remaining quick to read, invite feedback, and ask sensible questions.

Accountable: Each of us want ARK, its partners, and beneficiaries to succeed. This means taking initiative, assuming ownership when necessary and never giving up on our beneficiaries. We are committed and accountable, to both our donors and the communities we serve.

Collegiate: We know we are stronger together, and that every contribution counts. We trust each other and always support each other.

Outspoken: We tackle diverse challenges, and we always want to find the best solution to a problem. We aren’t afraid to share our opinions and we want to hear those of others too.

ARK Group is an equal opportunity employer. We actively seek a diverse applicant pool and encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply. ARK Group does not discriminate on the basis of ability, age, gender identity and expression, national origin, race and ethnicity, religious beliefs, or sexual orientation. We welcome all kinds of diversity. ARK Group places human dignity at the centre of its development and stabilisation work and is thus committed to the protection from sexual exploitation and abuse of children and adults. All ARK Group employees and related-personnel are expected to share this commitment, and only those who also uphold these values will be recruited as part of our team. This vacancy is therefore subject to a range of due diligence checks.