Deputy Chief of Party, Global FORK Activity

Position description

ACDI/VOCA is seeking a Deputy Chief of Party for an upcoming Global Feed the Future FORK Activity funded by USAID. The anticipated program will be implemented across multiple countries and will increase access to safe and nutritious foods by improving business and technical practices related to food processing, strengthening market linkages, and facilitating knowledge sharing.

The Deputy Chief of Party will support the coordination and management of project teams, ensuring timely progress against schedules, achievement of deliverables, and quality of results. The program is anticipated to start in 2025 and this position will be based in Washington, DC.

Responsibilities

• Support the COP in the overall management of the program for administration, operations, implementation, and fiscal compliance to ensure achievement of objectives within set timelines, scope, and budget allocations following USAID regulations and ACDI/VOCA internal policies. Serve as principal point of contact for procedural and substantive matters in the absence of the Chief of Party;
• Support the development of strategic plans, annual and quarterly work plans, and other deliverables in line with USAID guidelines to achieve objectives;
• Ensure that synergies among Activity elements and grantees are capitalized upon. Provide significant design and oversight of scopes of work, partnerships agreements, and other inputs to facilitate support to USAID missions;
• Support the development of strong M&E mechanisms, program monitoring tools, and efficient systems to ensure high quality implementation;
• Lead and closely work with the program team to provide effective coordination and guidance among smallholder farmers and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), other private sector partners, government entities, service providers, research and academic institutions, and other key stakeholders;
• Work closely with subcontractors, private sector associations, and local service providers to provide technical and organizational assistance to food processors;
• In coordination with the COP, manage and track activity implementation progress by personnel, consultants, and subcontractors, ensure it adheres to the approved workplan and deliverable schedule, and troubleshoot deviations;
• Represent ACDI/VOCA with partners and key stakeholders, maintaining positive relationships with USAID, local authorities, and as necessary, country office teams;
• Provide input into the performance monitoring plan to measure success and validate causal model assumptions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in agriculture, economics, business administration or relevant field is required; master’s degree is desired;
• Minimum 10 years of progressively responsible experience in managing and implementing development projects in the agricultural sector, with a focus on agri-food development, nutrition-sensitive agriculture, and food systems;
• Experience implementing donor-funded programs is required; USAID experience is preferred;
• Experience working on or managing USAID global mechanism is preferred;
• Demonstrated ability to manage a diverse team of professionals and coordinate with project partners, local communities, and other stakeholders;
• Proven experience in project management, including planning, budgeting, and resource allocation. Experience with effectively utilizing funds to implement similar projects in size and scope and achieve project objectives;
• Extensive knowledge of food processing techniques, agri-food financing models, nutrition-sensitive agriculture, and climate resilience;
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of other languages, such as French is preferred.

Application instructions

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