Chief of Party, Climate Adaptation Program

The Climate Adaptation Program is a five-year USAID-funded program that seeks to build locally led, long-term resilience to climate change by promoting sustainable livelihoods and water security, which should result in significant environmental gains in the Dajabon watershed, beyond the province and into Haiti. By engaging communities, leveraging private funding and public resources, enabling data informed decision-making, and building diverse partnerships grounded in inclusion and market-based approaches, the Climate Adaptation Activity will accelerate sustainable social, economic, and environmental outcomes.

The Chief of Party is responsible for providing overall vision, technical leadership, and management for successful program implementation, and will represent Counterpart International and the program before USAID, national and municipal governments, Dominican and international partners, communities, and other relevant stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Provide overall project and staff leadership, management, quality control, and technical direction, while ensuring compliance with donor requirements and regulations and Counterpart policies and procedures.
• Build an integrated vision among diverse project components, partners, and stakeholders, with a focus on achieving results.
• Lead the development of program strategies, planning and implementation of program activities while ensuring cohesion among the program components, achievement of objectives, results, and indicators.
• Lead the development of program documents and deliverables for submission to USAID, including workplans, MELP, technical analysis, programmatic quarterly and annual reports, and communications products, among others.
• Provide technical leadership on climate change adaptation, and alternative livelihood approaches.
• Manage and supervise program personnel, implementing partners, with a focus on achieving objectives and results in a timely manner and on budget.
• In collaboration with the finance and administration director, oversee program finances and administration of sub-awards.
• In collaboration with the finance and administration director, oversee the program’s human resources practices, ensuring recruitment, hiring, employee evaluations and promotions follow Counterpart policies and procedures, and in accordance with Dominican law.
• Provide mentoring and professional development support to project staff.
• Coordinating with local and regional partners and other relevant stakeholders, such as civil society organizations, and government authorities.
• Ensure that long and short-term technical assistance provided by the program is technically sound and appropriate for the local context in close collaboration with the Technical Director.
• Represent Counterpart and the Program before USAID, local and national governmental authorities, local CSO partners and community organizations.
• Represent Counterpart and the Program at international and regional events, as necessary.
• Ensure compliance with Counterpart and USAID rules and regulations, particularly with respect to financial and grant management.
• Work closely with Counterpart’s Safety and Security department to protect staff, assets, infrastructure, and reputation as required.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities, as required.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in biology, environmental resource management, international development, and/or another related field. Significant relevant experience may be substituted for an advanced degree.
• Minimum eight (8) years of experience in development programming, or technical fields, preferably in a developing country environment.
• Minimum five (5) years of experience in climate change programming (adaptation, mitigation, watershed governance) – preferably USAID programming.
• Knowledge of USAID and other USG assistance policies and reporting requirements, and previous experience in managing complex USG or bilateral donor-funded projects with sub-grants portfolio.
• Fluency in spoken and written Spanish and English.
• Excellent organizational, analytical, oral, and written communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to lead and work on a multi-partner team.
• Ability to establish strong working relationships with national and municipal government officials, community leaders, academics, and international partners.
• Strong supervisory skills.
• Demonstrated record of championing social inclusion across programming, such as gender integration and inclusion of women, youth, internally displaced persons, persons with disabilities, ethnic and religious minorities, and other marginalized communities.
• Knowledgeable about USAID’s inclusive development frameworks.
• Ability to work well in a team.

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience living and/or working in the Dominican Republic- understanding of context and key stakeholders.
• Experience working with Ministries in the Government of the Dominican Republic on watershed management, and/or climate change programming.
• Formal training in climate adaptation/mitigation, alternative livelihood development, and/or economic development.
• Adherence to the principles of participatory team management and participatory community development.
• Experience with the participation of women, youth, and other marginalized groups to ensure their inclusion and participation.