Deputy Chief of Party, Itongo Ryanje, Itunga Ryanje

Counterpart International is currently seeking a Deputy Chief of Party to serve on the Burundi Itongo Ryanje, Itunga Ryanje Activity. The overall objective of the Activity is to improve the livelihoods of women growers and small holders in Ngozi province, Burundi, and subsequently improve their ability to influence their family and community due to increased social status. The Activity will support land titling and certification, improve agricultural productivity and climate resilience, and increase women growers’ access to resources and markets.

The Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP) will support the Chief of Party in the technical direction and oversight of activities to improve understanding and application of land rights laws by local authorities and communities, increase the technical and entrepreneurial skills of women farmers, and assist women growers to access resources and markets. The DCOP will be expected to interact regularly program stakeholders, including NGOS, private sector partners, and local and national government. The ideal candidate will have experience in land rights, agriculture, market systems, and/or women’s economic empowerment.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a team of technical experts in land titling and certification, agricultural productivity and climate-resilience, and women’s economic empowerment to implement activities under the program.
• Provide technical and managerial guidance and direction to staff members, coordinate process and policy implementation, develop and execute technical strategy in close collaboration with the COP and technical experts.
• Support the COP in the day-to-day implementation of the project, including managing the work of project personnel, subcontractors, and grantees, with a focus on achieving work plan targets and core results in a timely manner.
• Provide mentoring and professional development support to project staff, with emphasis on building the capacity of Burundian national staff.
• Serve as acting COP, as requested.

Qualifications

• University degree (bachelor or higher) in agriculture, business administration, economics, international development, or a related field; master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum of 12 years of progressively responsible experience in donor-funded international development programs, working on agriculture, economic growth, market systems, women’s empowerment and/or land rights programs.
• Experience supervising teams of diverse staff and sub-awardee partners and demonstrated leadership capacity.
• Previous experience managing USAID-funded programs preferred.
• Demonstrated commitment to women’s empowerment, gender equality, and social inclusion.
• Experience collaborating with national and local government representatives, donors, NGOs, women’s cooperatives, the private sector, and other stakeholders.
• Strong interpersonal, analytical, and problem-solving skills, and exceptional oral and written communication skills.
• Prior work experience in Burundi or the region.
• Fluency in English and French required; Kirundi preferred.