Chief of Party | Manila, Philippines | 2024

Chemonics International, a US-based international development consulting firm, seeks a Chief of Party (COP) for the anticipated USD $25-50 million USAID Water Secure Philippines Activity. This project aims to advance the Philippines’ water security goals to foster more resilient communities, ecosystems, and economy. The new Activity will strengthen collaboration among key stakeholders in the water sector to address systemic challenges facing the Philippines and advance the achievement of the country’s water sector goals.

The project is anticipated to have the following objectives:

• Objective 1: Improve water services providers’ performance for increased access to more sustainable services
• Objective 2: Enhance institutional processes for accelerating water security at sub-national levels
• Objective 3: Strengthen national institutions, governance, and financing to enable scaling of actions to increase water security

The COP will be responsible for responsible for overseeing all technical, financial, and administrative aspects of the program and serve as the primary liaison with USAID throughout the life of the activity. This position is anticipated to be based in Manila with travel across the country.

Responsibilities include:

• Provide strategic leadership for implementation, monitoring, and adaptive management on programmatic requirements of the contract.
• Ensure the timeliness and quality control of all project interventions and deliverables.
• Serve as the primary liaison with USAID, national and sub-national representatives of the Philippine government, and local and regional private sector and civil society actors.
• Ensure the team effectively meets the activity’s goals and objectives on schedule while remaining within the budget ceiling.
• Ensure that all staff receive adequate security, operational, and/or technical support, and that Standard Operating Procedures are implemented.
• Oversee all aspects of staffing, maintaining a clear organizational structure aligned to the needs of the activity.
• Ensure all project interventions are high quality, technically sound, and appropriate.
• Ensure management and performance systems thoroughly track expenditures and monitor the same against the program work plan and budget, in accordance with Chemonics and USAID policies, standards, and regulations.
• Develop and implement practices to ensure a high level of staff morale and retention.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in a relevant field.
• A minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience and expertise in the implementation of large and complex projects, including under contracts, related to water service delivery, water security, water governance, or other relevant programming.
• A minimum of 5 years of experience working with counterparts at various levels of the government, private sector, and other stakeholders in water resources management, water governance, natural resources management, or other relevant programming.
• A minimum of 10 years of progressive senior management experience on international donor funded programs of similar size with strong skills in strategic planning, management, supervision, procurement and budgeting.
• USAID experience as COP, Country Director, Project Director, or an equivalent role is preferred, but not required.
• Demonstrated ability to manage technically, operationally and geographically diverse teams.
• Demonstrated leadership, versatility, and integrity.
• Fluency in English required.
• Ability to work throughout the Philippines.