Chief of Party

World Learning  (www.worldlearning.org)
Description: Chief of Party
Location:  Hanoi, Vietnam

World Learning, a global non-profit organization, (www.worldlearning.org) is seeking a Chief of Party for an active USAID solicitation titled Pathways for Participation: Strengthening the Civil Society Response to HIV in Vietnam. The position will be based in Hanoi. Expected duration: 5 years. Recruitment contingent upon successful award of the project.

SCOPE OF WORK:
The CoP will be responsible for the technical leadership and administrative oversight of the program,  ensuring that implemented projects are in accordance with USAID regulations for cooperative agreements and contracts. The CoP is the primary representational link with partner staff. The CoP works closely with the USAID Mission to provide project updates, and discuss strategies, obstacles, performance plans, and indicator success. World Learning CoPs liaise with partner contracting officers, technical support staff, and outside contractors; s/he will represent the project to all key stakeholders, government officials, and donors at coordination forums and other related seminars and meetings.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:
- Provides day-to-day leadership and direction, defining and implementing activities to achieve the greatest coverage and impact possible;
- Prepares in coordination with key project staff strategic work plans with clear objectives and achievement benchmarks, long-term and short-term priorities, implementation plans, financial projections, and tools for evaluation;
- Manages the overall project by planning, monitoring and evaluating project activities in accordance with the cooperative agreement and work plan;
- Identifies technical assistance needs and arrange for the provision of needed assistance; Manages sub-agreement partners; ensure coordinated inputs and technical/managerial quality from all partners/collaborators;
- Provides financial and technical management to ensure the best use of resources by preparing sound budgets, monitoring project expenses, and ensuring timely submission of financial reports to the donor;
- Ensures that the project is implemented in accordance with the cooperative agreement, donor regulations, and internationally recognized quality standards;
- Ensures that project initiatives adequately address the needs of the most vulnerable beneficiary population in the most cost-effective manner;
- Reports to the funding partner through both formal and informal debriefings, annual, and semi-annual reports;
- Maintains an active dialogue with the partner/funder managers and timely respond to their inquiries;
- Forges and maintains solid cooperation with partner organizations and local government officials;
- Manages external relations by representing the project and the organization in the public and ensuring the distribution of information about project achievements and lesson learned;
-Maintains frequent communication with World Learning headquarters office with project updates, challenges, deliverables, data, financial pipeline information, etc.
- Manages project properties according to World Learning and funder regulations.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- A minimum of 10 years professional experience in international development, with at least five years in a developing country, and five to seven years of management experience; Preference given to those with regional expertise (Vietnam or other countries in Southeast Asia);
- A minimum of a Master’s degree in management, international development or a related field of study;
- Demonstrated capabilities in institutional capacity building, high-level strategic visioning and leadership, and experience in working effectively with civil society, local, regional and central-level government authorities and with USAID or other development partners;
- Proven exceptional leadership in the design, management, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of similar sized international donor supported programs, with skills in strategic planning, management, supervision, and budgeting, and preferably experience in managing complex activities involving coordination with multiple program partner institutions;
- Experience in managing USAID programs is highly desired;
- Strong communication skills, including interpersonal and written and oral English, to fulfill the diverse technical and managerial requirements of the program and to effectively coordinate with a wide range of regional stakeholders;
- While the CoP will not need to be an expert in the technical areas of HIV/AIDS, a solid working understanding, especially of working with MARPs and home-based care, is desirable;
- Proven ability to develop and communicate a common vision among diverse partners and the ability to lead multidisciplinary teams;
- Effective English language skills;
- Effective and persuasive writing and public speaking;
- Proven sound judgment and decision-making skills; and
- Computer literate in MS Office (Word, Excel, Outlook).

The applicant must state in his/her cover letter how his/her strengths and skills, including education, prior work experience, inter-personal skills, technical skills, knowledge of the area of work, knowledge of USAID policies and regulations and their capabilities to effectively launch and implement the program make him/her the best candidate. Individuals should be able to demonstrate experience in implementing and managing programs in one or more of the following sectors: civil society and governance, community development and mobilization, institutional strengthening, and HIV/AIDS prevention. Only finalist candidates will be contacted.

Apply by e-mail only with 3-page maximum CV in English, scan copies of relevant certificates and recommendations before 11 March 2011 to [email protected] with a subject line that States “Vietnam Application”.