Overview of Pathfinder International

Pathfinder International is a global leader in sexual and reproductive health. We place reproductive health care at the center of all that we do—believing that it is not only a fundamental human right, but is critical for expanding life opportunities for women, families, communities, and nations, and paving the way for transformations in environmental stewardship, decreases in population pressures, and innovations in poverty reduction. Pathfinder provides women, men, and adolescents with a range of quality health services—from contraception and maternal and child health care to HIV prevention and AIDS care and treatment. Pathfinder strives to strengthen access to family planning, ensure availability of safe abortion services and post-abortion care, advocate for sound reproductive health policies, and, through all of our work, improve the rights and lives of the people we serve.

Pathfinder is seeking the following 2 positions for the 5-year $49.99M USAID/Ethiopia Empowering Communities – Community Engagement (ECCE) Activity. The activity will work to empower communities for better health and nutrition outcomes through community ownership of its own health and strengthened accountability systems.

 Chief of Party-USAID/Ethiopia Empowering Communities-Community Engagement (ECCE) Activity

 Reports to: Country Director

Duty station: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Job Summary:

The COP has an appropriate balance of leadership, managerial, technical, and interpersonal skills and experience. They also have experience interacting with host country agencies, including central and local government, USAID, development partners, civil society, and community-based organizations. The COP has the overall responsibility for coordination of all project activities and staff, ensuring project objectives and targets are met, representing the project to the USAID.

Key Job Outcomes:

1.       Strategic Development and Implementation: Provides strategic direction on all project activities. Develops and updates the project work plan, ensuring programmatic approaches are technically sound, evidence-based, and consistent with USAID priorities.

2.       Project Implementation: Ensures the project achieves the greatest possible impact, including providing the necessary leadership to inspire and motivate the project team to implement performance objectives and mandates in a timely and cost-efficient fashion. Meets the highest quality standards and value for money and ensures project compliance with USAID rules/regulations and Pathfinder SOPs, including technical guidelines.

3.       Pathfinder Representation: Serves as the senior representative for the Project to USAID, host country government agencies, development partners, and civil society organizations. Cultivates and strengthens positive, productive relationships and ensures that Pathfinder is consistently viewed as an effective implementing partner and achieves project targets.

4.       Monitoring and Evaluation Strategy: In collaboration with the MEL Advisor, provide leadership and direction to ensure robust monitoring and evaluation strategies, frameworks, plans, systems and indicators to capture and monitor/evaluate project resources, performance and results.

5.       Financial and Operations Management: In collaboration with the Finance and Operations Director, establish and maintain the ongoing financial and grants operations, including monthly pipeline reviews to ensure accountability of all project activities as well as the accurate and timely reporting of finance deliverables.

6.       Internal Partnerships: Partner successfully with Pathfinder’s Program Director and US-based financial, technical, and operations officers by providing accurate and timely reporting, updates on the project progress, monitor quality of project implementation, and coordinate provision of relevant technical assistance based on project needs.

7.       Security Monitoring: Ensure that appropriate security guidelines and procedures are established, maintained, updated regularly, and adhered to by staff. Monitor the security situation and provide leadership for staff in emergencies. 

Minimally Required Job-Specific Competencies:

• Program Management: Experience in program management and administration, financial management, award compliance and sub award management, and tracking activity performance and costs.
• Leadership: Demonstrated leadership skills in working collaboratively with other donors, Ethiopia institutions, and international organizations.
• Relationship Building: Demonstrated depth and breadth of relevant technical expertise and experience, interpersonal skills and professional relationships, including strong relationships with the Ethiopia MOH, USAID and other relevant stakeholders.
• Management and Supervision: Proven ability to lead, manage, and develop direct reports within a matrix culture.
• Operations and Financial Management: Deep knowledge of operations and financial management on a USAID funded project.

Minimally Required Organizational Competencies:

• Languages: Proven writing and speaking skills in Amharic and English language. Preference for Ethiopian Nationals.
• Communication and Influencing Skills: Proven ability to influence others through diplomacy and proven oral and written communication skills.
• Passion for Sexual and Reproductive Health: Demonstrated commitment to family planning, reproductive health services, gender, maternal, child health services, and eradication of harmful traditional practices.
• Software Applications: Advanced knowledge of MS Excel, PowerPoint, Word and Outlook.
• Self-Management and Teamwork: Ability to work independently or as a member of the team, ability to thrive in a matrix organization, ability to be detailed-oriented, and ability to manage stress effectively in a fast-pace environment.
• Matrix Management: Ability to thrive in a matrixed organization.

Minimally Required Education, Training and Experience:

• Advanced degree in public health, social sciences, or related field.
• Over 10 years of progressive program management experience overseeing USAID funded projects.
• Professional experience working in a senior management position for USAID-funded projects.
• Experience with community engagement and accountability approaches in Ethiopia.
• Experience interacting with Ethiopian agencies, including central and local government, development partners, civil society, and community-based organizations is essential, including experience in capacity building.
• Previous experience working in Ethiopia where project will be based

Other Information:

• Ability to travel throughout Ethiopia to project sites (up to 35%)
• Uses cellular and desk phone; laptop or desktop computer