Deputy Chief of Party – Operations

Chemonics seeks a Deputy Chief of Party – Operations. Chemonics International, a US-based international development consulting firm, seeks a Deputy Chief of Party – Operations (DCOP-O) for the ongoing USAID/Office of Transition Initiatives funded Iraq Regional Program II (IRP II). IRP II is strengthening the resilience of vulnerable communities by increasing collective action to address local challenges and empowering mechanisms able to alleviate shocks communities may face. The program delivers assistance primarily through small grants to a variety of partners including local government and civil society organizations.

The DCOP-O position is the second most senior position on the project and primarily responsible for operational aspects of the program, which includes finance, human resources/staff care, IT, legal status, and office management. This long-term position is based in Erbil, Iraq, but may be subject to change in response due to security and operational requirements. The DCOP-O must have strong management and leadership skills and demonstrated experience successfully operating in sensitive political and cultural contexts. The DCOP-O is a member of the Senior Management Team, which includes both Chemonics and client senior leadership.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Ensures that program implementation is in accordance with USAID regulations and procedures and the specifications determined in the scope of work, ensuring fair and transparent procurement processes, and reviewing of financial management
• Coordinating closely with and at the direction of the Chief of Party, this position will be responsible for managing programmatic representation, technical implementation, and direct supervision of the project office in Iraq
• Ensures that the most reasonable, fair, expeditious, and appropriate procurement choices are made pursuant to Chemonics’ procurement standards to support the management and operations of the project’s offices
• Supervises day-to-day field presence in the areas of operations (including the project’s facilities such as office space, equipment, and project vehicles), administration, logistics, procurement, budgeting, and financial accounting, IT and information security, and translation
• Supervises the daily financial operations of the contract, including cash flow management, time sheet recording, reporting to the client on the financial aspects of the project, and daily monitoring of obligations, budgets, and expenditures
• Ensures continuous liquidity for the project
• Oversees all human resource and personnel management issues and tasks, including recruiting and hiring of local staff, employment mechanisms such as short-term and long-term agreements of local staff, administration of local staff leave and benefits, local staff care and professional development, and performance management and review
• Manages local registrations across two legal jurisdictions; ensures compliance with host country requirements, and coordinating with the Chemonics’ home office and other Chemonics projects in country, as needed
• Establishes business conduct standards and procedures in compliance with Chemonics and USAID standards, and ensures staff are regularly trained in this area, including the establishment and use of systems and internal controls to reduce risk and exposure to vulnerabilities
• Identifies new ways of achieving project efficiencies
• Coordinates with the home office on all compliance issues, seeking legal and policy guidance on sanctions and other applicable restrictions
• While not directly responsible for overseeing activity development, the DCOP-O will be expected to have a good grasp of the programmatic aspects of the program and be prepared to step in as needed to support the COP and other program staff in activity development aspects of the project while staying apprised of the evolution of the local political, legal, and economic situation and on how to continuously adapt the program.
• Serve as an alternate point of contact for Chemonics and USAID and acting Chief of Party when the Chief of Party is unavailable
• Other duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications:

• Between four (4) to six (6) years of relevant work experience and a minimum of bachelor’s degree or ten (10) years of relevant work experience without a bachelor’s degree on donor-funded projects in a related role, preferably with grants or small grants under contract programs and with significant demonstrated supervisory experience
• At least one (1) year of supervisory experience, with culturally and geographically diverse staff
• Experience with a donor, contractor, or international NGO managing an office or program
• Experience working in developing countries is required, preferably in a fragile or transitional state environment
• Ability to cope with and function effectively in high stress and fluid environments
• Fluency in USAID’s policies and procedures regarding human resources, financial management, financial reporting, and procurement processes, and systems
• Demonstrated experience and knowledge in establishing systems and overseeing all phases of a project life cycle, including start-up under limited time constraints, implementation, as well as program close-out is highly desired, but not required
• Experience working in Iraq or other Middle Eastern countries preferred, but not required
• Experience with remote management in transitional environments preferred, but not required
• Experience working in security challenged environments is preferred, but not required
• Fluency in English is required, Arabic or Kurdish language skills strongly preferred, but not required