Chief of Party

Chief of Party, McGovern-Dole Education and Child Nutrition Program

At Feed The Children, we are on a mission to ensure that no child goes to bed hungry. As a leading non-profit organization, we are dedicated to tackling childhood hunger head-on, serving the world’s most vulnerable children in impoverished communities across eight countries on three continents.

Over the coming years, we have set ambitious goals to address this crisis, understanding that childhood hunger is a multifaceted challenge. Success in our programs, both in the U.S. and globally, hinges on our ability to adapt to the unique cultural and community nuances of the regions we serve. By acknowledging and respecting these contexts, we aim to create solutions that are effective and sustainable, ensuring maximum impact.

Our Strategy for Change

Our pathway to success is rooted in our commitment to:

• Forge and strengthen partnerships with local entities, governments, and communities, enhancing sustainable impact while honoring the dignity and agency of every individual and family.
• Assemble a dynamic team of development experts dedicated to refining our existing programs and pioneering innovative solutions.
• Harness technology to its fullest, optimizing our monitoring, evaluation, and impact-reporting capabilities.
• Utilize the strength of our brand to maintain consistency across borders, establishing ourselves as thought leaders and amplifying our growth and impact.
• Address the escalating global hunger crisis by increasing access to nutritious foods, promoting climate-smart agriculture, and fostering community cohesion.
• Enhance health, nutrition, and hygiene practices through education and community engagement.
• Improve access to clean drinking water and essential sanitation facilities.
• Support livelihood development with initiatives like the Village Savings and Loan programs.
• Boost maternal and child health education and outcomes, laying the foundation for a healthier future.

Together, we can make a difference. Join us on this journey to eradicate childhood hunger and build a world where every child has the chance to thrive.

Job Summary

This senior leadership position will provide overall strategic direction in the design, management, implementation, and overall quality assurance of an anticipated Education and Child Nutrition Program funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The COP will collaborate closely with relevant government ministries and other critical partners to provide high-level support for effective cooperation at the national and local levels. The COP will oversee a team of technical experts and support staff, prepare reports and annual operating plans, align project initiatives with in-country priorities, and ensure the program complies with the DONOR and FEED the Children’s regulations. The COP is ultimately accountable for quality and timely program implementation based on an effective and adaptive management approach and constructive relationships with various stakeholders and consortium members. The position will be based in Lilongwe, Malawi, and involve extensive travel to project locations.

This position is contingent upon donor approval and project award.

Primary Role and Responsibilities

• Lead the management of the program in line with donor guidelines to achieve project objectives.
• Lead overall program planning, technical and operational approaches, infrastructure, monitoring and evaluation (M&E), and feedback loops required for program delivery and success.
• Lead partnerships within the program consortium, as well as with external stakeholders as needed, to foster the teamwork required for program success.
• Represent the program to USDA donor officials, Government of Malawi officials, partner representatives, local stakeholders, and team members.
• Lead annual planning processes and associated donor resource requests, as well as monitoring and implementation progress.
• Ensure the quality of all program deliverables, including activities, outputs, documentation, and reporting.
• Ensure sound program financial management, logistical and operational structures and management, and reporting.
• Ensure compliance with USDA, Government of Malawi, and FEED the Children policies and procedures.
• Active management of the program team, ensuring that adequate and appropriate capacity-building plans are in place for team retention and high performance.
• Establish effective communication and coordination with the donor, government stakeholders, and the country office team.
• Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where the project team strives to achieve excellence.
• Participate as part of the Country Office Senior Management team, contributing to country strategic plans and reporting.
• Incorporate FEED the Children’s vision and values and full adherence to Code of Conduct principles.
• Closely monitor security dynamics in the project areas and report to the Country Representative on significant changes in the security context.

Qualifications and Experience

• Minimum of a Master’s degree in business, international development, agricultural economics, agribusiness, or a related field;
• Minimum of 10 years of increasing levels of responsibility working in international development, preferably in areas of literacy, education, nutrition, and/or food security.
• A Minimum of seven years of experience with increasing management responsibility in international development projects in Malawi or the Africa region, including experience with adaptive management is preferred.
• Prior Chief of party-level or Project Director experience on US Government-funded economic growth, livelihoods, rural agriculture, education, or food security projects is required.
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in supply chain and sustainable sourcing of commodities, including traceability systems and processes, is preferred.
• Knowledge of and experience in incorporating climate-smart agricultural solutions and approaches; experience implementing climate-smart agriculture solutions for increased productivity preferred.
• Demonstrated experience working with farmer cooperatives in market development, value-added processing, and the formation of market linkages to private sector stakeholders is preferred.
• Familiarity with and commitment to gender integration in programming will be advantageous.
• High level of leadership, interpersonal, technical, and analytical skills, including a demonstrated ability to interact effectively and collaboratively with a broad range of public and private sector counterparts and other key stakeholders, is highly desirable.
• Ability to travel up to 50% of the time nationally, with internationally as required.
• Proficiency in MS Outlook, Microsoft Office (including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access), and Outlook
• Ability to conduct official business in the English language (both written and verbal) skills required.