Niger: Chief of Party USAID’s Markets and Nutrition (M&N) - Niger

Lutheran World Relief (LWR) is seeking applications for Deputy Chief of Party (COP) for the anticipated USAID Markets & Nutrition project in Niger. M&N will serve as the lead markets development activity for USAID’s Resilience in the Sahel II Project (RISE II) and the Sahel Development Partnership. M&N has the following Goal and Expected Results:

M&N Goal: Strengthen market systems such that household incomes and nutritional status are sustainably improved.

Result 1: Enhanced performance of commodity market systems

Result 2: Increased utilization of quality inputs and services

Result 3: Increased local consumption of nutritious, safe foods

The DCOP will provide technical and programmatic leadership. This position will oversee the program and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) teams, lead project reporting and documentation efforts, while ensuring cost effectiveness and compliance with USAID rules and regulations. S/he will support the Chief of Party and liaise regularly with key stakeholders representing the program, including assigned USAID in-country technical advisors and other staff, Government of Niger, relevant Ministry stakeholders, and civil society networks. This position reports directly to the Chief of Party.

This is an anticipated five-year project with a budget of $34 - $37M. Position is contingent upon award and funding.

Duties:

• Coordinate with the Chief of Party to manage the technical components, providing programmatic leadership and overseeing the strategic planning of activities in support of the project goals and objectives, including determining project priorities and appropriate technical initiatives.
• Oversee quality and timely reporting in line with donor requirements according to the contract/award agreement; ensure results-oriented technical components.
• Evaluate program effectiveness and determine corrective action needed to improve achievement of project objectives and targets.
• Oversee implementing partners, including consortium partners and other implementers, and advise on technical issues related to their performance.
• Ensure strong working relationships with implementing and technical partners, the Ministry of Health and USAID.
• Serve as LWR’s representative to USAID, the Niger government, other donors and multinationals, technical agencies, and other participating organizations on behalf of the project.
• Support development and monitoring of technical work plans and budget.
• Identify lessons learned and best practices for external dissemination.
• Work closely with HQ staff to ensure effective, timely, and coordinated project implementation
• Supervise the technical lead team to ensure program activities maximize project objectives.
• Ensure visibility of program results, achievements and lessons learned through presentations at conferences and workshops and/or publishing articles through professional journals.

The position requires a competent and experienced person with the following attributes:

· Master’s Degree or higher in economics, business, international development, agricultural economics, agribusiness or a related field;

· Minimum 8 years of increasingly higher levels of responsibility working in international development in market system development, nutrition sensitive agriculture and food security, and fostering resilient households, communities, and systems.

· Experience implementing economic growth, livelihoods, rural agriculture or food security projects is required.

· Experience overseeing sub-awardees/sub-contractors to achieve program results; familiarity and expertise in overseeing the financial and contractual management aspects of program management.

· Experience working with development programming in contexts similar to Niger; experience working in West Africa and particularly in Niger.

· Demonstrated experience working with farmer cooperatives in market development, value added processing, and the formation of market linkages to private sector actors;

· Knowledge or understanding of social, economic, and political context governing rural economic development and food security in Sahelian West Africa

· Knowledge of US Government regulations, policies, and procedures, preferably USAID, or those of an equivalently complex international government funding organization

· Strong interpersonal and communication skills (including in making presentations); high degree of political savvy in interacting with senior government and civil society stakeholders.

· Excellent written and spoken English and French.

· Niger nationals are highly encouraged to apply.

Interested candidates are encouraged to submit an application through:https://lwr.org/jobs