The Chief of Party (COP) will be responsible for the overall management and implementation of the USAID Cambodia Bridging Education Solutions for Transformation (BEST) project, ensuring it meets stated goals and reporting requirements. The COP will lead project implementation and serve as the main focal point for ASAID, key stakeholder, and other implementing partner. The COP position requires political savvy and close coordination with USAID, as the individual will interact with numerous public and private sector institutions and senior-level national and County government officials The COP will provide strategic direction and technical vision in the education sector, focusing on improving literacy, numeracy, pedagogy and foundational skills for underserved populations.
Principal Responsibilities
Serve as the main point of contact for the activity, providing vision, direction, leadership, and management of the project.
Provide technical, operational, and managerial oversight to all aspects of the project to ensure all activities, and deliverables are executed on target, on time and within budget.
Provide overall education technical subject matter expertise and strategy for the project, particularly in developing cost-effective and innovative literacy packages for grades 4-6, and improving teachers’ competencies.
Serve as the primary point of contact for USAID and as the principal liaison with USAID staff, MoEYS, and local partners to exchange information and develop professional relationships.
Manage the activity team, ensure technical capacity of staff; provide technical assistance and backstopping when required.
Ensure that all activities are undertaken in full compliance with Food for the Hungry standard operating procedures, USAID policies and regulations, and national policies and laws.
Ensure optimal use of human, financial, and physical resources to successfully meet project milestones, objectives, deliverables and targets.
Design and oversee an annual project cycle in accordance with USAID’s annual planning cycles, ensuring alignment with MoEYS and other stakeholders’ strategic plan.
Ensure documentation and dissemination of findings, impact, innovations, and lessons learned, and utilize a collaborative and adaptive learning approach to the project cycle.
Lead the design and implementation of robust monitoring and evaluation frameworks to track project progress, impact, and scalability.
Lead the development and revisions of donor reporting, including producing and disseminating learning and visibility materials.
Representation and Partnerships
Encourages, promotes, and expands appropriate and value-added partnerships and collaboration with external organizations and groups.
Keeps abreast of the trends and priorities.
Promotes FH brand, abilities and programs to donors, partners, and the public.
Identifies, cultivates, establishes, and maintains relationships with partners.
Represents FH as “chief of mission” at official functions.
Safeguarding and Risk Management
Ensures appropriate protection and well-being of FH staff.
Ensures that children and vulnerable adults are.
Ensures that systems, policies, and procedures are.
Actively identifies, mitigates, and monitors all risks.
Other duties as assigned.
Job Level Specifications
Spiritual wellbeing: Demonstrated personal Christian commitment to serving those who are challenged by poverty and marginalization and in full agreement with FH Christian foundation and beliefs.
Strategic and Operational Leadership: Demonstrated experience working in leadership positions including the development of organizational strategy, ability to exercise budgetary/financial and internal controls systems analysis, and capacity building policy development and enforcement.
Programmatic proficiency: Demonstrated knowledge of field-based health and nutrition, risk and resilience, and food security and livelihoods sectors in a relief and development context; Proven ability to create and execute organizational strategy that advances corporate values, vision, and purpose.
Representation: Proven ability to build relationships, negotiate and partner with national and international governments, aid agencies, non-governmental organizations, and private sector.
Relational skills: Able to relate to understand, appreciate, and effectively communicate with people from different cultures, diverse backgrounds and perspectives and make them feel welcome, included, and valued. Demonstrated appreciation for and familiarity with a relational style of work and management.
Communication: Effective oral and written communication and presentation skills.
Integrity: Ability to lead with integrity, candor, honesty, and sensitivity.
Wellbeing: Experience developing organizational resilience, employee engagement and wellbeing initiatives.
Managing change: Substantial proven ability in successfully managing and leading organizational development and change, including culture change.
Diversity and inclusion: Substantial experience with leading, promoting and working in a diverse, inclusive, cross-cultural environment.
Organizational skills: Excellent organizational skills; ability to plan and coordinate the efficient flow of projects and processes.
Analysis: Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
Medical fitness: Fitness to live and travel in rural and urban areas with extreme conditions and limited medical support.
Travel: Ability to travel up to 25% of time in the Cambodia and internationally, to fragile contexts, and/or locations.
Technological proficiency: Demonstrated computer operating skills, including proficiency in Microsoft Office products, Google platform, and virtual conference technologies.
Experience
At least 15 years of experience in managing teams and implementing education programs in developing countries, preferably in Cambodia.
Demonstrated experience in USAID funded programs that include strategic leadership and proven track record in designing, implementing, and managing program activities, specifically education and research focused activities.
Expertise in organizational development, institutional strengthening of government, non-government, and community-based organizations.
A proven ability to identify and negotiate partnership opportunities and experience managing sub-partners.
Proven management, supervision, communication, and interpersonal skills to ensure internal coherence among diverse team members and productive relations with multiple stakeholders.
Ability to write, communicate, and prepare contractual documents and reports clearly in English.
Experience in the education sector in Cambodia or similar contexts, with a deep understanding of the local educational landscape and challenges.
Oral and written fluency required in English and preferably also Khmer.
Prior experience as a Project/Research Director or leading complex USAID-funded projects, preferred.
Education/Certifications
Bachelor’s degree, or a field related to, social sciences, or a relevant field to education programs., or 15 years of experience in relief and development, or relevant industry with 10 years of experience as a senior-level manager overseeing complex, matrixed organization.
Master’s degree in International Development, Business Administration or a related field is preferred.
Language
Proficiency in spoken and written English. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.