Chief of Party USAID/BHA Somalia Monitoring Learning Project-2 (SMLP-2)

Introducing Integrity

Integrity is an ethical consultancy and service provider working in challenging and complex environments around the globe.

We help our clients succeed in fragile and challenging environments while building trust and understanding as the basis for transformative change. We work across all phases of the programme and project cycle, delivering eleven complementary services: monitoring, evaluation and learning / data and knowledge management / research, evidence and analysis / advisory / project management / communications / risk management / technical assistance / capability and capacity development / stakeholder engagement / grant and fund management. Our services are underpinned by the principles on which we were founded, a commitment to providing reliable information and evidence, and expert and high-quality delivery.

Headquartered in London and Washington DC, Integrity also has offices in Jordan, Kenya, and Pakistan. Our multi-national team of over 80 deliver multi-year projects, programmes and consulting assignments to a wide range of government clients, international organisations, foundations and private sector clients.

This is a full time fixed term position based in Nairobi, Kenya.

Project Background

The purpose of the Somalia Monitoring Learning Project-2 (SMLP-2) is to establish a third-party monitoring (TPM) system to collect data that verifies partner-reported outputs and selected outcomes, and to deduce lessons learned from humanitarian programs in Somalia funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) in Somalia. The overall goal of this contract is to increase BHA/Somalia’s access to independent, verifiable data related to the 1) quantity and quality of activities delivered, and 2) performance of BHA-funded programs in Somalia. This increased access to data will allow BHA/Somalia to make more evidence-based program design, implementation, and strategy decisions. The SMLP-2 contract period of performance is October 1, 2022, to June 30, 2027.

SMLP-2 is implemented across five key tasks, namely;

1. Conduct monitoring of outputs and verification of quantity and quality of goods and services delivered by BHA supported activities;
2. Establish a virtual third-party monitoring reporting platform;
3. Facilitate and strengthen BHA’s learning objectives related to Somalia, to include conducting learning events or workshops for BHA and implementing partners;
4. Conduct annual data quality assessments (DQA) on select partners and indicators; and,
5. Conduct special studies on specific awards, program sectors, or specific emergency response themes, as needed, to include monitoring of selected immediate outcomes, as well as other activities as requested by BHA such as IP meetings in accordance with the approved work plan.

Scope of Work

The chief of party (COP) must provide overall task management, technical and operational guidance, and strategic vision/direction to all members of the SMLP-2 consortium partners and project staff. The COP is responsible for ensuring a high quality of work products, the timely completion of deliverables, and overall USAID contractual compliance. This includes day-to-day supervision of technical, administrative, security, financial management, and operational support teams. The COP has oversight for all tasks listed in this statement of work and is based at the project’s head office in Nairobi, Kenya. The COP must establish and maintain regular and productive communications with USAID’s SMLP-2 Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) through the BHA/Somalia staff located in Nairobi, Kenya, and Washington, DC.

Project management and technical leadership (60%)

EXAMPLE: You will:

• Provide adaptive and high-quality leadership to SMLP-2 project’s intervention in Somalia, overseeing the technical and strategic vision and direction, and maintaining client (BHA) satisfaction.
• Provide leadership for inclusive annual Work Plan development and allied annual deliverables that set the direction for each Year of programming.
• Provide design, oversight and strategic guidance for all project activities ensuring key results are consistently delivered and key lessons are broadly disseminated to key stakeholders.
• Lead and supervise day-to-day programmatic activities, within the 5 key project Tasks as above.
• Apply a deep understanding of the monitoring, evaluation, and learning systems to ensure the project responds to and leverages all relevant efforts and best practices in humanitarian assistance and third-party monitoring
• Demonstrate MEL and research and development technical experience and be able to provide technical assistance and surge technical support to the project.
• Demonstrate a thorough understanding of BHA’s goals and portfolio of humanitarian assistance activities in Somalia, the wider humanitarian community in Somalia, and share that understanding and knowledge with project staff, consortium partners and consultants.
• Work closely with technical and administrative staff to ensure the integration of all technical areas as well as strong collaboration with donors and local counterparts.
• Provide strategic leadership of the analysis from third-party monitoring, research and assessments, data quality assessments, and other activities requested by USAID / BHA in order to capture the interaction between USAID programming and the humanitarian conditions and context in Somalia.
• Ensure quality control in the production of high-quality written and presentation deliverables from the integrity of the data collection to its analysis and technical drafting and finalization.
• Serve as Integrity’s representative in the country and primary liaison with USAID/BHA.

Personnel and consortium management (25%)

You will:

• Ensure that all staff, consortium partners, and consultants have clear scopes of work/terms of reference/job descriptions, are clear on their individual roles and responsibilities, have the necessary training and resources to perform their duties, and are provided regular performance feedback, including via annual performance reviews.
• Supervise Task leaders, Deputy Chief of Party, Senior Learning Advisor, Senior Monitoring Advisor and Senior Finance and Administration Manager, and contribute to wider team building, incentivizing and motivational activities and processes to ensure a healthy and performing team
• Work closely with the Integrity headquarters Project Manager, Project Director, and VP of Delivery to ensure that the project is implemented in accordance with USAID policies and FAR and AIDAR rules and regulations.
• Ensure timely and result-oriented implementation of activities to meet contractual obligations, produce high quality deliverables and targets, and achieve project results as specified by USAID/ BHA.
• Communicate/work with key stakeholders at different levels, including BHA in Nairobi and Washington, DC; the monitored implementing partners in Somalia; SMLP-2 consortium partners; and other stakeholders in the Somalia humanitarian community as needed
• Liaise with Project Management Unit (PMU) for input for contracting and monitoring subcontractor performance, including developing Scopes of Work against agreed budget ceilings.
• Identify human resource needs within the project, and liaise with PMU to develop TORs, contribute to recruitment processes and hiring.
• Conduct performance management and troubleshooting with Somalia-based SMLP-2 consortium partners on programming issues to help resolve issues in a timely manner.

Operational and financial management (15%)

You will:

• Participate, lead, or oversee all technical, administrative, security and operational activities of the SMLP-2 field office in Nairobi, Kenya, and ensure that all staff, subcontractors and consultants are aware as required of relevant policies and procedures.
• Ensure that annual budgets align with Work Plans and provide input to monthly and quarterly budget performance reviews to ensure the financial health of the project, including providing technical ‘course corrections’ and allied budgetary revisions.
• Contribute to procurement decisions and processes as defined within the schedule of authority
• Manage, lead, and oversee any other tasks as needed.
• Participate, lead, or oversee all technical, administrative, security, and operational activities of the SMLP-2 field office in Nairobi, Kenya, and ensure that all staff, subcontractors, and consultants are aware as required of relevant policies and procedures.
• Ensure that annual budgets align with Work Plans and provide input to monthly and quarterly budget performance reviews to ensure the financial health of the project, including providing technical ‘course corrections’ and allied budgetary revisions.
• Contribute to procurement decisions and processes as defined within a schedule of authority
• Manage, lead, and oversee any other tasks as needed.