Chief of Party, Promoting Human Rights in Armenia

Chief of Party, Promoting Human Rights in Armenia

Freedom House

Yerevan, Armenia

POSITION SUMMARY

Freedom House is seeking a Chief of Party (COP) for the anticipated USAID Promoting Human Rights in Armenia Activity. Key outcome areas of the Activity are expected to include: Legal and regulatory frameworks for human rights protection improved; Human rights institutions and oversight mechanisms strengthened; and Public demand and access to human rights protection improved.

The COP will be responsible for the strategic leadership, management, and operations of the Promoting Human Rights in Armenia activity. This role will ensure that the project’s goals, objectives, and strategy are achieved and that project requirements are met on time and within budget. This position entails ensuring a high level of coordination and collaboration among the program partners, building and maintaining productive relationships with USAID, civil society organizations, government officials, and other key stakeholders. The COP is responsible for ensuring that programming is done in a safe, adaptable and effective way; ensuring prompt program start-up, including leading program prioritization and design processes. The COP will be tasked with optimizing coordination and collaboration among the program partners through frequent learning and adaptation reviews; and ensuring that all program activities are carried out in accordance with federal regulations and USAID guidelines, while promoting context-appropriate flexibility and innovation within those guidelines.

The COP will be responsible for building an office culture of collaboration, adaptation and proactive risk analysis and management. The incumbent will help build and lead a team that is expected to grow to approximately 7 people. The Chief of Party position will be housed within the broader Europe and Eurasia Programs team at Freedom House, overseeing and deconflicting multiple projects in the Armenia country portfolio, as well as contributing to the team’s regional strategy.

The Chief of Party, Promoting Human Rights in Armenia, will be based in Yerevan, Armenia, with an on-site or hybrid office arrangement.

Hiring for this position is contingent upon the receipt of award.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Leadership:

• Effectively lead the adaptive implementation of the Activity and Freedom House’s overall project portfolio in Armenia;
• Develop and periodically update a country strategy for Freedom House programming in Armenia that is aligned with the overall Freedom House strategic plan, which prioritizes countering authoritarianism, supporting defenders for democratic change, promoting a global democratic landscape, and strengthening Freedom House as a world class organization;
• Working closely with other program staff in the field and HQ, conduct periodic needs assessments, project design reviews, and conceptualize new business ideas to advance Freedom House’s country strategy in Armenia;
• Frequently engage USAID, program partners, and other key stakeholders to share information, assess progress and challenges, optimize coordination and collaboration; and plan responses to new or changing needs and opportunities;
• Ensure integrated security of program personnel in the field, including physical, digital, and well-being, by developing and periodically reviewing safety and security plans in collaboration with the Global Security Team.

Program Management:

• Ensure high-quality, results-oriented technical delivery of “Promoting Human Rights in Armenia” programming through hands-on guidance and support grounded in the Activity’s strategic objectives and approved annual workplans and adhering to expected technical quality and reporting requirements;
• Oversee all aspects of program management, including budgeting and activity planning, expense review and approval, execution of contracts and agreements, planning and allocation of resources, narrative reporting, and stakeholder management; lead the establishment and implementation of program systems and decision-making processes.
• Regularly engage with high-level stakeholders, including USAID Mission, senior government officials, senior diplomatic corps, and others on Freedom House’s work and advocacy priorities in Armenia;
• Ensure full and compliant operational functioning of the Armenia field office in accordance with local laws and regulations, by working closely with local accountants, legal advisers, as well as the HQ Global Security and Operations Teams HQ. Assume legal accountability for compliance with Armenian tax and other financial oversight bodies.
• Ensure compliance of business operations with Freedom House policies and procedures, USAID rules and regulations, and any applicable local laws, regulations, policies, and procedures;
• Foster a culture of teamwork, learning, and continuous improvement within the team and the program consortium; ensure that program partners share common norms and expectations that will promote information sharing and collaborative decision making; lead the planning of technical assistance and organizational capacity strengthening efforts within the consortium. Where possible, play a capacity building mentorship role to develop management skills on the team and with leaders of the program consortium.

Staff Management:

• Bear overall responsibility for the Freedom House Armenia team, its structure, management, well-being, and professional growth opportunities. Hire, supervise and mentor direct-report staff, including communicating clear expectations, setting performance objectives, providing regular and timely performance feedback, and leading documented annual performance reviews for direct reports;
• Build a strong Freedom House culture that is rooted in our core values: Belonging, Collaboration; Respect, Integrity and Excellence;
• Ensure the integration of the organization’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) strategy throughout the team;
• Support the team through finding solutions through excellent communication and interpersonal skills to build strong relationships and include diverse groups of stakeholders;
• Facilitate mutually respectful and open communication between field and HQ teams; address conflicts sensitively and promptly.

External Outreach, Advocacy, and Representation:

• Serve as point of contact in Armenia for this Activity; represent Freedom House’s activities in Armenia with donors, at policy forums, with government and diplomatic stakeholders, and in regional or international advocacy initiatives;
• Work closely with the E&E program, advocacy, and communications staff to author written materials for publication, including statements, articles and social media content to strengthen Freedom House’s communication, advocacy agenda, and programmatic strategy for Armenia;
• Proactively develop and nurture new relationships and potential partnerships with local stakeholders.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

• Advanced degree in social sciences, nonprofit management, public policy, political science, international affairs, human rights, or a related field. A bachelor’s degree with two (2) additional years of relevant experience beyond the minimum required years of work experience may be considered in lieu of an advanced degree.

Experience:

• Minimum of 10 years in leading complex, multi-year projects supporting civil society, promotion of media freedom, advocacy for freedom of expression, governance improvement, and/or capacity building programs;
• Minimum 5 years of experience working on complex, multi-year projects in the Europe and Eurasia region;
• Proven success and exceptional leadership in the design, management, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of U.S. government-supported programs, with skills in strategic planning, political economy analysis, adaptive management, supervision, budgeting, gender equality and social inclusion, and local capacity building. Demonstrated experience implementing USAID cooperative agreements;
• Demonstrated experience strengthening capacities of diverse teams as a localization strategy;
• Significant experience in promoting human rights and fundamental freedoms by preventing, responding to human rights violations, and enhancing rights protection;
• Demonstrated experience in recruiting, onboarding, and supervising teams, including human rights professionals and partner organizations;
• Practical experience establishing and nurturing strong working relationships with a range of program partners, including the USG, CSOs, and government officials;
• Practical experience leading a consortium of organizations of varying capacity;
• Experience in leading advocacy campaigns or targeted advocacy activities in Eurasia.

Technical Skills and Abilities:

• Solid understanding of the value systems, history, traditions, and social norms and practices in the South Caucasus strongly preferred;
• Excellent leadership and managerial skills with a focus on achieving measurable and ambitious goals while enabling and supporting a highly capable and committed team of colleagues;
• Superb strategic thinking and project management skills necessary to develop and execute technical and learning-oriented products, such as workplans, budgets, strategic communications initiatives, stakeholder management plans, risk management plans, evaluation and learning initiatives, and specialized learning products;
• Excellent ability to communicate clearly, concisely, and professionally in English, both orally and in writing. Fluency in Armenian or Russian is highly desired;
• Demonstrated knowledge of and ability to interpret USG foreign assistance regulations, including 2 CFR 200 and agency-specific rules;
• Strong analytical skills, ability to master new subject matter quickly, and to articulate complex concepts clearly and effectively;
• Superb interpersonal skills, demonstrating both a collaborative spirit and the ability to make decisions, ability to bring together people with divergent views;
• Ability to travel as needed within Armenia and occasionally internationally.

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