DEPUTY CHIEF OF PARTY, COMPLIANCE, MALAWI

CARE seeks a Deputy Chief of Party, Compliance (DCOP) for the anticipated USDA-funded five-year, $28 million McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition (McGovern-Dole) project in Malawi. The principal objectives of the McGovern-Dole Program are to carry out: 1) preschool and school food for education programs to improve food security, reduce the incidence of hunger, and improve literacy and primary education, particularly with respect to girls; and 2) maternal, infant, and child nutrition programs for pregnant women, nursing mothers, infants, and children who are five years of age or younger.

By providing school meals, teacher training, government capacity-building, and related education and nutrition support, McGovern-Dole helps boost school enrollment, increase attendance, and improve reading outcomes and literacy results. McGovern-Dole also provides support to Maternal and Child Nutrition (MCN). To improve health, nutrition, and dietary practices, McGovern-Dole encourages the inclusion of health- and nutrition-sensitive activities such as the use of micronutrient-fortified products; take-home rations; treatments for deworming and diarrhea; water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH); school gardens; and curriculum-based nutrition education.

The DCOP Compliance will play a pivotal role in upholding the highest standards of compliance throughout the project lifecycle, ensuring that all activities align with USDA regulations, other applicable laws, and donor requirements. In coordination with the COP, the DCOP Compliance will coordinate with key project partners, stakeholders, other USG implementing partners, and the government of Malawi, particularly at the sub-national level. They will supervise program staff, providing oversight and support to achieve project results and ensure adherence to all relevant regulations, policies, and procedures, fostering a culture of compliance across all project activities.

This is a Key Personnel position, subject to USDA approval. It is also subject to project award and funding. National candidates are encouraged to apply. This position will be based in Lilongwe.

Application Deadline: Wednesday, March 24, 2024.

Responsibilities:

• Support the Chief of Party (COP) in the development, implementation, and monitoring of compliance policies and procedures for the project.
• Conduct regular assessments to identify potential compliance risks and develop strategies to mitigate them.
• Ensure that all project activities comply with USDA regulations and other applicable laws and donor requirements.
• Collaborate with project staff to build a strong understanding of compliance requirements.
• Provide training and guidance to project teams on compliance issues, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of regulations and standards.
• Oversee the compliance aspects of sub-awards and ensure that sub-recipients adhere to all relevant regulations.
• Conduct regular audits of sub-recipient activities to assess compliance and address any identified issues.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date compliance documentation for the project.
• Prepare regular reports on compliance activities and present findings to project leadership and relevant stakeholders.
• Establish a robust system for monitoring and evaluating compliance performance.
• Work closely with the M&E team to integrate compliance metrics into project monitoring systems.
• Coordinate with relevant stakeholders, including government bodies, to ensure alignment with national policies and regulations.
• Facilitate communication between project teams, donors, and external partners on compliance-related matters.

Qualifications:

• University degree in international development, business administration, or a related field is required.
• Minimum of 5-7 years’ senior-level leadership experience managing USG commodity-focused programming preferably with Food for Education or Title II commodities.
• In-depth knowledge of USDA regulations and compliance requirements.
• Proven experience and excellent abilities related to commodity management, logistics, coordination, and compliance in low-resource settings.
• Demonstrated exceptional leadership in the design, management, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of similar-sized international donor-supported programs.
• Skills in strategic planning and thinking, management, supervision, budgeting, and experience managing complex activities involving coordination with multiple program partner institutions.
• Experience managing USDA or USAID cooperative agreements and/or contracts.
• Knowledge of Malawi’s legal and regulatory context.
• Fluency in English required (spoken and written).
• Strong oral and written communication skills; excellent demonstrated intercultural, interpersonal, and negotiation skills.
• Demonstrated commitment to PSHEA (Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Harassment, and Abuse).
• Demonstrated commitment to principles of Diversity, Equity, Belonging, and Inclusion (DEBI).