Deputy Chief of Party

Position Title: Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP)

Organization: Concern Worldwide

Location: Freetown, Sierra Leone

Duration: 5-year program

Programme Budget: $45M

Salary: €45,457-50,509 (Grade 4)

About the Program:

The Strengthening Integrated Health Services Activity (SIHSA) aims to contribute to the Government of Sierra Leone’s overarching goal of improving the health of adolescents, pregnant and postpartum women, and children under five years old. The program seeks to 1) enhance the quality of family planning, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health (FP/RMNCAH), malaria services, 2) promote the adoption of crucial health behaviors and 3) strengthen the stewardship and governance of the Ministry of Health and Sanitation at central and district levels. SIHSA seeks to promote the integration of health services, including malaria services, to rapidly scale-up evidence-based interventions to address preventable causes of maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent morbidities and mortality. SIHSA seeks to demonstrate innovative models to catalyze community-driven solutions and show models to promote private sector engagement.

Role Overview:

The Deputy COP (DCOP) will support the Chief of Party (COP) in providing overall oversight and management with an integrated approach for the program to achieve the desired results, while ensuring quality, efficiency, accountability, and learning throughout the life cycle of the activity.

The DCOP leads on the technical oversight of SIHSA, including development and implementation of the Activity’s regular work plans and reports, ensuring operational efficiency and success. DCOP will take on the technical program lead role that involves regular monitoring and tracking of all activities of SIHSA, while timely identifying and communicating all risks, challenges and learnings discerned throughout the implementation period, and spearheading appropriate adaptations to the activity.

The DCOP will work with the COP and liaise with implementing partner leads, government and Concern program and systems colleagues. The DCOP will supervise project staff including professional performance management and coaching.

Recruitment is contingent upon successful award and USAID approval.

Key Responsibilities:

• Support the COP in the design and implementation of the project based on the strategic direction set by the COP.
• Support the project’s delivery and results and on planning, designing and the implementation of project activities in the light of donor strategic priorities and project design/objectives.
• Oversee all aspects of project implementation, including quality assurance and evidence generation in line with USAID requirements.
• Provide line management to key Project Management Team staff including cross-team oversight of finance and operations/systems in accordance with organizational policies and procedures.
• Provide overall operational and programmatic support throughout the implementation of the project across all pillars (while downstream partners will contribute specific areas of expertise).
• Ensure compliance with organizational and donor rules and regulations, particularly with respect to financial and contract management, budget and expenditure monitoring.
• Support the COP on quarterly and annual work planning, program implementation, M&E and donor reporting.
• Ensure that efficient systems are in place to support all aspects of the project, including grant management, M&E systems, and technical assistance provision, in compliance with organizational procedures.
• Ensure adherence to agreed project quality standards, M&E guidelines, frameworks for the project and provide operational support to embed M&E and accountability throughout all aspects of the project implementation.
• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with downstream partners; maintaining regular communication, including negotiating scope of works, addressing revisions in project work, and addressing issues that may arise.
• Manage relationships with internal and external stakeholders, representing Concern in donor meetings and public health coordination meetings, and supporting the COP in facilitating senior-level dialogue with the relevant government ministries.
• Contribute to public health knowledge management, specifically coordinating internal and external communications and ensuring documentation of learnings.
• Support the design and dissemination of innovative solutions for public health and health systems strengthening in Sierra Leone, providing effective guidance and support to technical members of the in-country management teams and staff assigned to the project.
• Promote and ensure accountability to program participants and Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) and Do No Harm principles, and ensure high ethical research standards, particularly given the sensitive nature of the topic areas throughout program implementation.
• Ensure that gender equality and diversity principles are upheld in the recruitment, orientation, performance and management of staff and to demonstrate leadership on workplace equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Ensure adherence/compliance with Concern’s Code of Conduct, Programme Participant Protection Policy, Safeguarding policy and associated policies and to role model a positive safeguarding ethos.

Qualifications:

• Master’s degree or higher in Public Health, International Development, Social Sciences, or a related field.
• Minimum of ten (10) years of experience designing, managing and implementing complex health projects, preferably in Sierra Leone or West Africa.
• Minimum four (4) years of successful experience as Deputy Chief of Party, Team Leader, Project Director, or equivalent senior position for USAID or a similar donor agency-funded project.
• Technical expertise in one or more of the following: health systems strengthening, family planning, RMNCAH and /or malaria prevention.
• In-depth and extensive knowledge of USAID approaches and regulations.
• Strong financial management and donor compliance skills.
• Experience in the design and use of monitoring and evaluation systems.
• Ability and experience in building and maintaining effective relationships with senior representatives of donor, particularly USAID, INGOs, and Government structures, and to represent at national or international level fora.
• Strong coordination skills specifically with the ability to effectively coordinate, influence, and negotiate with partners and grantees.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent written and spoken English language skills.
• Sierra Leonean and West African candidates strongly encouraged to apply.

Desired Qualities:

• Cross-cultural awareness and sensitivity.
• Commitment to capacity building, protection, and participation.
• Demonstrated experience of team building and participatory approaches.
• Flexibility and adaptability in a changing environment.