Director of Operations

Winrock is recruiting a Chief of Party for a five-year U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Activity in Jamaica called Increasing Resilience of Island Economies. The anticipated program will strengthen communities, key economic sectors, and Jamaica’s enabling environment to prepare for climate change and disasters.  

The Chief of Party (COP) will play a pivotal role in leading and managing the activity in Jamaica. This position requires an experienced and dynamic leader with a deep understanding of climate resilience, disaster preparedness, and USAID project management experience. The COP will oversee all aspects of project implementation, coordination, and stakeholder engagement to achieve the activity’s objectives and foster strong relationships with USAID, the Government of Jamaica, the private sector, and civil society. 

This is a full-time position based in Jamaica and is contingent upon award. 

Essential Responsibilities: 

• Provide overall strategic vision, managerial and technical leadership, and administrative oversight to achieve outcomes of the program.
• Lead and apply participatory adaptive management approaches to ensure relevant, efficient, and effective program interventions.
• Oversee all project activities, budgets, and timelines to ensure efficient and effective project execution.
• Oversee financial and administrative aspects of the project including budget and sub-partner management, ensuring compliance with established Winrock accounting principles and USAID regulations.
• Direct the program’s core team of staff, including performance and risk management, coordination, collaborative learning and adaptation processes, gender integration and social inclusion, monitoring and evaluation, work planning and reporting.
• Apply a deep understanding of climate resilience, natural resource management, environmental policy, private sector engagement, and sustainability to guide project activities and decision-making.
• Analyze project impact and challenges to adaptively manage the project to meet or exceed results.
• Prepare annual work plans and progress reports and monitor the implementation of these plans.
• Prepare and submit performance reports on the progress of activities and achievement of program results to USAID.
• Serve as the principal liaison with USAID, key government officials, and international and local organizations to ensure progress towards activity objectives and goals.
• Coordinate and collaborate with the private sector to leverage resources and maximize results.
• Coordinate and communicate on a regular basis with Winrock’s Home Office.
• Manage relationships with complementary USAID and other donor projects.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications And Background: 

Education: 

• Master’s degree in a relevant discipline is required.

Work Experience: 

• Minimum of 15 years’ relevant working experience in managing and implementing complex international development projects, with a focus on climate change and natural resource management.
• Political savvy and proven leadership abilities within a multi-partner initiative.
• Demonstrated adaptive management capacity abilities.
• Knowledge of the legal and institutional context and frameworks for climate resilience, environmental policy, and sustainability issues in Jamaica or similar contexts.
• Demonstrated effectiveness in strategic thinking, with ability to effectively and collaboratively dialogue with a diverse group of stakeholders, including the public and private sectors.
• Experience operationalizing iterative learning systems consistent with the collaborating, learning, and adapting (CLA) framework.
• Experience in subcontract/subaward/grants management, including capacity development of local organizations and government entities.
• Demonstrated experience in gender and social inclusion.

Skills: 

• Knowledge of USAID policies and procedures related to project management required.
• Demonstrated ability to build coalitions and networks that will provide synergies and sustainable solutions.
• Proven ability to create and maintain effective working relations and coalition building among host country government personnel, the private sector, NGO partners, and international donor agencies.
• Excellent interpersonal, writing, oral presentation, and communications skills in English.
• Fluency (written and verbal) in English is required.
• Ability to manage a high-volume workflow.

Source: https://winrock.org/work-with-us/careers/job-openings/?gh_jid=7715965002