Abt Associates is a global leader in research, evaluation and program implementation; driving innovation and measurable impact for more than 50 years. What sets us apart is our evidence-based and multi-disciplinary approach to solving tough challenges in health, social and environmental policy and international development.

Project Description

The anticipated five-year USAID Feed the Future Ethiopia Food and Agriculture System Transformation (Ethiopia FAST) project is designed to increase access to healthy diets, particularly for women and children, by improving the competitiveness, inclusiveness, and resilience of Ethiopia’s food and agriculture system. Project targets include the increased availability of safe, diverse, nutritious foods; increased outcomes in the food and agriculture sectors; and increased convenience and desirability of safe, diverse, and nutritious foods. The project will work across 132 woredas/districts in all Feed the Future Zones of Influence in Ethiopia using a food systems lens and will partner with both public and private sector stakeholders to amplify nutrition promotion and coordination. The project consists of three intermediate results and four sub-intermediate results:

Job Summary

Abt Associates seeks a qualified Chief of Party (COP) to lead the program’s strategic direction and to manage the design and successful implementation of project activities. S/he will supervise all key personnel, working closely with the Deputy Chief of Party-Technical (DCOP-Technical) and Deputy Chief of Party-Operations (DCOP-Operations) to ensure compliance and responsiveness to client priorities and policies and procedures. The COP will be based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and the position is contingent upon program award and USAID approval.

Key Roles and Responsibilities:

• Responsible for the project’s overall leadership, strategic direction, management, performance and compliance. Responsible for meeting contractual obligations, producing deliverables and targets, meeting objectives, and achieving results as specified by USAID, in full compliance with Abt policies and procedures and USAID rules and regulations.
• Oversees and leads the activity team in planning, budgeting, program implementation, budget execution, performance management, monitoring evaluation and learning (MEL), reporting, deliverable submissions, strategic communication, and partner/subcontractor coordination.
• Leads annual work plan development process and supervise the project’s technical assistance team to ensure a focus on core results, achievements of annual work plan and targets, and timely/effective implementation.
• Assumes final authority for technical, management, resource, and personnel decisions.
• Leads integration of collaboration, learning, and adaptation (CLA), knowledge management, and advocacy strategies into the activity.
• Serves as key liaison with USAID, government counterparts, and local partners/stakeholders, and as principal representative of the activity.
• Ensures appropriate project finance and asset management as per USG and Abt Associates operational procedures and guidelines.
• Manages partners engagement and relationship including clearly defining roles and responsibilities among consortium members and provision of quality assurance on their deliverables.
• Leads local partners capacity development, overseas monitoring and evaluation of capacity building efforts to local development organizations and their achievements.
• Monitors the progress and pace of implementation, ensuring that the full potential of the program is realized through the promotion of high-quality work and internal control.
• Clarifies roles, delegates responsibilities to senior staff, and communicate expectations for work and contribution to project activities.

Requirements

Qualifications:

• A master’s degree (or higher) in international development, agriculture and food security, agricultural business development, finance, economics, nutrition, or a related field.
• Minimum of eight years of progressively responsible experience managing complex agricultural development, food, and nutrition programs in a developing country, preferably in Sub-Saharan Africa and Ethiopia.
• Minimum of five years of experience in a supervisory role with projects of similar size and complexity.
• Strong interpersonal communication skills with demonstrated ability to engage productively with a wide range of organizations, beneficiaries, and related parties (e.g. producers, government, private sector, NGOs, research and training institutions).
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English are required.
• Prior work experience in Ethiopia is an advantage.
• Fluency in one or more Ethiopian languages desired but not required.
• Demonstrated commitment to addressing inclusivity objectives in nutrition and agriculture.
• Understanding of and/or skills in CLA and/or using adaptive management techniques is a plus.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s Degree + Fifteen years of relevant experience, or Master’s Degree + Twelve years of relevant experience, or PhD + Ten years of relevant experience