POSITION SUMMARY:
Winrock International works with people around the world to increase economic opportunity, sustain natural resources, and protect the environment. Winrock is seeking a Chief of Party to lead a dynamic team in implementing an anticipated $25-50M USAID-funded, anticipated 5-year, project to foster an inclusive and sustainable agriculture-led economic growth project in the Sylhet Division of Bangladesh.
The Chief of Party will be responsible for overall project management, administration, and implementation of the anticipated project. S/he will maintain systems for project operations; ensure that all award deadlines are met and targets are achieved; oversee field staff; and coordinate and maintain working relationships with project stakeholders, including government ministries, private sector firms and industry groups, subgrantees and/or subcontractors, other development projects, short-term technical assistance providers, and local institutions. S/he will lead collaborative initiatives to ensure all approaches are sustainable, inclusive, cross-sectoral, and evidence-based.
Qualified Bangladesh nationals are strongly encouraged to apply.
The position is contingent upon receipt of donor funding.
ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES:
Coordination
· Serve as the principal liaison with the donor, key government officials, and international and local organizations, representing Winrock International.
· Coordinate and collaborate with private sector firms, smallholders and industry groups, government counterparts, research institutes, and other relevant parties to leverage resources and maximize results.
Technical
· Lead the development of strategies to increase the productivity of the agriculture, livestock, and aquaculture sector in Sylhet for increased incomes and improved nutrition.
· Provide technical direction to diagnostics and assessments for evaluating market opportunities, identifying partners, and designing project partnerships.
· Design and lead interventions that sustainably build the capacity of staff and key stakeholders in the private sector, industry associations, government, academic institutions, and among producers and processors.
· Monitor project performance through indicators and evaluate program effectiveness and results.
· Apply an adaptive management and learning approach to iteratively evaluate project results and impact. Institute adjustments to replicate and scale successful activities and course correct activities that are not yielding desired results.
· Oversee and contribute to annual deliverables communication products that showcase the progress of activities and achievement of program results to USAID and the general public.
Administration and Leadership
· Provide high-level oversight for project administrative functions including financial management, human resources and procurement while ensuring compliance with Winrock policies and principles and donor rules and regulations.
· Provide supervision, support, and direction to long- and short-term staff and technical consultants.
· Maintain close communication with Winrock home office and USAID to provide ongoing, informal updates of project progress.
· Other duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS AND BACKGROUND:
Education: Academic degree in agriculture sciences, international development, business administration, or related field. Master’s degree or higher strongly preferred.
Experience:
· Minimum 10 years of experience managing agriculture, climate resilient livelihoods, and/or market systems development programs.
· At least 5 years previous executive experience managing USG-funded programs required. Feed the Future experience preferred.
· Experience training, managing, and coaching project staff and partners on food systems-based interventions required.
· Experience operationalizing iterative learning systems consistent with the collaborating, learning, and adapting (CLA) framework.
· Demonstrated results designing and implementing activities to reach women, youth, and marginalized communities, in particular within agriculture, livestock, and aquaculture value chains.
· Experience developing partnerships with and supporting government and private sector actors.
Skills/Knowledge:
· Ability to supervise, challenge, and build capacity of staff and coordinate activities with partners from a broad range of backgrounds and experiences.
· Ability to build coalitions and networks with private sector actors that can provide synergies and sustainable solutions.
· Must be comfortable in a high-level representational role as well as interacting with beneficiaries.
· Sound knowledge of international donor contracts and cooperative agreements, financial and accounting regulations and procedures, particularly USAID regulations.
· Demonstrated understanding with USG M&E frameworks and reporting systems. Skills in knowledge management, qualitative and quantitative analytical methods, and data analysis preferred.
· Excellent management, communication, and organizational skills are required.
· Excellent computer skills (word-processing, spreadsheets, and databases) are required.
· Fluency in English required, proficiency in Bangla strongly preferred.