Chief of Party (COP) for the USAID funded Sierra Leone Strengthening Integrated Health Services (SIHSA) Activity

Chief of Party (COP) for the USAID funded Sierra Leone Strengthening Integrated Health Services (SIHSA) Activity

Position Title: Chief of Party

Organization: Concern Worldwide

Location: Freetown, Sierra Leone

Duration: 5-year program

Programme Budget: $45M

Salary: €54,054 – €60,059 (Grade 6)

About the Program:

The Strengthening Integrated Health Services Activity (SIHSA) aims to contribute to the Government of Sierra Leone’s overarching goal of improving the health of adolescents, pregnant and postpartum women, and children under five years old. The program seeks to 1) enhance the quality of family planning, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health (FP/RMNCAH), malaria services, 2) promote the adoption of crucial health behaviors and 3) strengthen the stewardship and governance of the Ministry of Health and Sanitation at central and district levels. SIHSA seeks to promote the integration of health services, including malaria services, to rapidly scale-up evidence-based interventions to address preventable causes of maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent morbidities and mortality. SIHSA seeks to demonstrate innovative models to catalyze community-driven solutions and show models to promote private sector engagement.

Role Overview:

The Chief of Party (COP) will provide overall leadership, strategic direction, and management for the SIHSA program. Reporting to the Country Director, the COP will be responsible for ensuring the program’s goals, objectives, and strategy are achieved within the specified timeframe and budget. The COP will serve as the primary liaison with USAID, government stakeholders, implementing partners, and other relevant stakeholders.

Recruitment is contingent upon successful award and USAID approval.

Key Responsibilities:

• Set, communicate and deliver the strategic direction of the programme and ensure consistency with the overarching objectives of the project.
• Provide overall leadership and oversight of the project’s delivery and results and on planning, designing and the implementation of project activities in the light of donor strategic priorities and project design/objectives.
• Provide line management to the Core Project Management Team staff (5+) in accordance with organisational policies and procedures.
• Oversee and monitor project risks (including financial, logistical and other support systems, security and safeguarding) and flag issues in a timely manner to the Concern Country Director and Programmes Director.
• Ensure compliance with organisational and donor rules and regulations, particularly with respect to financial and contract management, budget and expenditure monitoring.
• Lead on quarterly and annual work planning, programme implementation, M&E and donor reporting.
• Ensure that efficient systems are in place to support all aspects of the project, including grant management, M&E systems, and technical assistance provision, in compliance with organizational procedures.
• Ensure adherence to agreed project quality standards, M&E guidelines, frameworks for the project and provide technical support to embed M&E and accountability throughout all aspects of the project implementation.
• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with downstream partners; maintaining regular communication, including negotiating scope of works, addressing revisions in project work, and addressing issues that may arise.
• Manage relationships with internal and external stakeholders, representing Concern and serving as the primary focal point for the donor and the Government of Sierra Leone, which involves ongoing political economy and stakeholder analyses.
• Promote and ensure accountability to programme participants and Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) and Do No Harm principles, and ensure high ethical research standards, particularly given the sensitive nature of the topic areas throughout programme implementation.
• Ensure that gender equality and diversity principles are upheld in the recruitment, orientation, performance and management of staff and to demonstrate leadership on workplace equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Ensure adherence/compliance with Concern’s Code of Conduct, Programme Participant Protection Policy, Safeguarding policy and associated policies and to role model a positive safeguarding ethos.

Qualifications:

• Master’s degree or higher in Public Health, International Development, Public Policy, or a related field.
• Minimum of ten (10) years of experience designing, managing and implementing complex health projects, preferably in Sierra Leone or West Africa.
• Minimum eight (8) years of successful experience as Chief of Party, Deputy Chief of Party, Team Leader, Project Director, or equivalent senior position for USAID or a similar donor agency-funded health project.
• In-depth and extensive knowledge of USAID approaches and regulations.
• Technical expertise in one or more of the following: health systems strengthening, family planning, RMNCAH and malaria.
• Strong financial management and donor compliance skills.
• Experience in the design and use of monitoring and evaluation systems.
• Ability and experience in building and maintaining effective relationships with senior representatives of donor, particularly USAID, INGOs, and Government structures, and to represent at national or international level fora.
• Strong coordination skills specifically with the ability to effectively coordinate, influence, and negotiate with partners and grantees.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent written and spoken English language skills.

Desired Qualities:

• Cross-cultural awareness and sensitivity.
• Commitment to capacity building, protection, and participation.
• Demonstrated experience of team building and participatory approaches.
• Flexibility and adaptability in a changing environment.