General Summary and Background
The USAID Zambia Program for Advancing Supply Chain Outcomes (PASCO) project is implemented by Chemonics International Inc and its subsidiary, Connexi, under contract with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). In collaboration with the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA) and the Zambian Ministry of Health (MOH), USAID PASCO is a commodity distribution project that works to create sustainable access to health commodities at the last mile by enhancing the use of private sector, third-party logistics (3PL) providers in Zambia’s national health supply chain.
The project seeks to recruit for the position of:
Job Title : Chief of Party (Extended)
Reporting to : Chemonics Managing Director
Position Objective
The Chief of Party (COP) will act as the primary point of contact with USAID/Zambia regarding day-to-day implementation and management matters relating to the contract. The COP will have overall responsibility for assuring that all assistance provided under the contract is technically sound and appropriate for the needs to be addressed. The COP is also responsible for facilitating communication and close coordination with all stakeholders of the activity. To allow for proper implementation and quick adaptive management, the COP will have the ability to speak for and bind the Contractor.
Principal Duties and Responsibilities
The COP is responsible for implementing the USAID PASCO project in compliance with USAID regulations and the contract signed by USAID and Chemonics. The COP will work closely with the Chemonics home office in providing oversight of the field office to develop annual work plans according to contract specifications, prepare scopes of work for all personnel, supervise technical assistance furnished under the contract, monitor project performance, communicate with – and report to – USAID on matters required by the contract, prepare contract deliverables, and provide updates to the Chemonics Project Management Unit (PMU) on project progress. The COP will also hire local personnel, oversee local subcontractors, oversee local bank accounts, approve bank transactions, and approve delegated local procurements. The COP will at all times adhere to and act according to the Chemonics Professional Code of Ethics (“Living Our Values”) and will make the principles of the Code a part of the project’s culture and standard operating procedures. The COP is authorized, through Scopes of Work, to delegate to staff members the duties ascribed to the COP where appropriate, but the COP bears ultimate responsibility for successful performance by the delegates of those duties.
The COP position is a key personnel position under the PASCO contract with USAID.
Specific Tasks / Activities
Annual Work Planning
In association with the project team, the COP will design and operationalize an annual work planning cycle which formulates annual project activities, deliverables, and budget needs in accordance with the USAID annual planning cycle and thereby assures appropriate project budget and financial management. The COP will ensure that proper action is taken to maintain implementation plans and will make timely and cost-effective adjustments to unforeseen and unavoidable implementation constraints and delays. The COP is responsible for managing field-level, fiscal year financial targets and is responsible for providing input to the PMU for the project budget targets, in tandem with achieving required results of the project. In addition to general project planning, the COP will be responsible for overseeing all funding stream specific reporting requirements, such as PEPFAR and PMI planning and reporting requirements.
Project Technical Assistance
The COP will identify all project technical assistance needs, develop suitable scopes of work, recruit consultants, and execute technical assistance contracts. The COP will also maintain quality control over all project operations and performance targets, ensuring that deliverables outlined in the project contract are completed in a timely and cost-effective manner. The COP requires advanced written communication skills to draft, write, and edit various project reports and deliverables. The COP will also provide technical assistance to the project, including leading assessment trips, initiating pilot projects, and conducting other technical assignments.
Project Performance Monitoring
The COP will take an active role in project performance monitoring, conducting in depth reviews of the project Activity Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Plan (AMELP) and closely monitoring project performance against key performance indicators, liaising with USAID and a USAID-contracted Third-Party Monitoring entity to regularly review project performance for development and improvement of improvement efforts.
Technical Supervision
The COP will provide overall technical oversight for the work of long-term and short-term team members and consultants hired under the project. The COP will ensure, through assistance from the project staff and PMU, that appropriate consultants are hired, briefed, and supported in completing their assignments.
Administrative Supervision
The COP will supervise project staff and all consultants, both expatriate and domestic, hired under the project. The COP will coordinate closely with the PASCO Zambia Managing Director for effective communications with and completion of tasks by the PMU. The COP will ensure that performance evaluations are completed annually and will cultivate a positive office environment with effective and appropriate business communications and a culture of giving and receiving constructive feedback.
Communications and Relationship
The COP will serve as Chemonics’ in-country representative to USAID, maintain routine correspondence with USAID, ensure that all pertinent information is disseminated appropriately, and that accurate records are kept of all communications with USAID. The COP will review and edit intermediate and final reports and deliverables compiled by project staff and short-term consultants prior to submitting to the USAID COR or CO, as a quality control measure. The COP will also maintain good and professional relationships with their counterparts in the Government of the Republic of Zambia (GRZ) and ensure that the broader project team similarly maintains good and professional relationship. The COP will coordinate with USAID on technical matters, allocation of resources, and any other contractual issues that may arise during program implementation. The COP will serve as the project’s top-level quality control manager. The COP will maintain close communications with the PMU as well as subcontractors and local stakeholders.
Minimum Education Qualifications, Experience, and Competencies
- Master’s degree in global health, supply chain management, international development, or related field.
- Minimum 10 years of experience in international development.
- Understanding of the Zambian supply chain context and last mile delivery, to include challenges and opportunities.
- Skilled communicator with USAID and Zambian supply chain management leaders.
- Experience with USAID contracts, including familiarity with USAID contractual, financial, and reporting requirements required.
- Ability to work effectively with diverse stakeholders.
- Strong project management and leadership skills.
- Strong computer literacy and proficiency in Microsoft programs (Outlook, Word, Excel, PPT, Teams, etc).
- Advanced written and oral communication skills.
- Excellent problem solving and decision-making skills.
- Written and spoken English proficiency.
Zambian nationals are strongly encouraged to apply.
Location of Assignment
The location of assignment is Lusaka, Zambia with intermittent travel throughout the country.
Send electronic submissions of your CV, cover letter and the highest necessary qualifications to ZambiaPASCORecruit@chemonics.com with a subject line of “PASCO Chief of Party” by 5pm on Sunday, March 10, 2024. No telephone inquiries, please. Finalists will be contacted.
Candidates who have already applied will continue to be considered and need not reapply.
Chemonics is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in its selection and employment practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, or other non-merit factors.
