| Deputy Chief of Party I, Operations - Mali
Job Title: Deputy Chief of Party I, Operations- Girls Leadership Empowerment through Education (GLEE) project
Position Type: Full Time
Department Name: Mali
Location: WARO/ Bamako, Mali – with travel throughout the country up to 40%
Band: D
FLSA: Exempt
Reports To: Chief of Party
***THIS POSITION IS CONTINGENT UPON FUNDING**
About CRS:
Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. We welcome as part of our staff and as partners people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need.
Background:
As an organization that takes a holistic approach to relief and development, CRS strives for excellence in all that we do. To reach the scale and quality required by our aspirations, we focus on increasing our effectiveness and influence by deepening our expertise and performing at a world-class level in the following three Strategic Program Areas (SPAs): Emergency Response and Recovery, Agricultural Livelihoods and Health. In Mali, CRS has Education as an additional core program area. CRS has further identified the following core competencies for deeper cultivation and strategic investments: (1) Monitoring and Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL), (2) ICT4D Solutions for Humanitarian and Development Assistance, (3) Partner Collaboration and Support, (4) Global Brand Management, and (5) Justice and Peacebuilding Integration. Our strategy calls for an organizational culture characterized by a set of attributes that establishes the norms, expectations and ethos of CRS. These include, among others: Operational Excellence and Accountability for Outcomes.
Position Summary:
CRS seeks a Deputy Chief of Party/ Operations (DCoP/Ops) for the anticipated USAID-funded Girls Leadership Empowerment through Education (GLEE) Contract in Mali. It is expected that the GLEE Project, which will seek to improve the percentage of girls learning and empower their leadership in education in Mali, will have a duration of five years and a total value ranging from $10M to $25M. The DCoP/Ops is responsible for all project operations including administration, logistics, procurement, budgeting, finance and compliance, property, and oversight of grants under contract (GUC), as appropriate. The DCoP/Ops must ensure that implementation is in accordance with USG regulations and procedures and the specifications determined in the Contract. This must include ensuring that all procurement processes are fair and transparent, reviewing financial compliance, and monitoring grants under contracts (GUCs) and subcontract implementation. The DCoP/Ops will report directly to the Chief of Party.
Key Responsibilities:
I. Management of Overall Project Operations
• Provide management and leadership of the various operational components of the program, including local subcontractors.
• Ensure consistent oversight and guidance to project operational and logistical aspects and management of field-based operations in target regions.
• Monitor program operations including procurement processes, human resources, logistics and inventory, risk management, among other operations.
• Oversee and manage the start-up and close out processes of all office activities and operations.
• With the Chief of Party, ensure that program implementation is done in accordance with CRS and USAID policies and regulations, and within the scope of work of the program.
• Oversee procurement and personnel processes, ensuring they are made in a transparent manner and in accordance with CRS policies and USAID regulations.
• Ensure that the goods purchased comply with CRS and USAID policies and regulations, as well as with relevant contractual restrictions.
• Develop and update the scope of work and position descriptions of all operations and administrative staff, as necessary, and support recruitment of operations and administrative staff.
• With the Chief of Party, ensure close coordination between the Operations team and the program/technical teams, as well as Finance and grants.
• Find ways to improve systems, operational procedures, management structure and/or coordination between different project field offices.
• Directly supervise all full-time project operations and administrative staff, conducting periodic reviews of staff performance in keeping with CRS' performance management system and mentor staff to ensure high levels of motivation, commitment, capacity, and teamwork.
II. Budget Compliance and Management
• Provide monthly analysis for the project burn-rate against the current and Board-Approved Budgets, and for the Life of Activities spending.
• Work closely with the Chief of Party to develop and manage program budgets and track financial and material resources for CRS, consortium members and implementing partners.
• Perform other budgeting or analytical tasks, as assigned by the Chief of Party.
• Ensure all prior approvals are received per USG rules and regulations and flag any potential disallowed cost issues for immediate COP review and action.
III. Sub-Contract/Award Administration
• Develop subcontract and sub-grant award documents compliant with donor requirements and CRS standard templates and work closely with CRS regional and HQ teams to execute quality sub-contracts and sub-awards.
• Administer the full cycle of sub-contract/award management activities beginning from solicitation and selection, pre-award assessments, negotiation, monitoring/compliance visits, and closeout.
• Utilize CRS’s Gateway (Salesforce) and accounting system (SUN and JDE) for sub-contract/award issuance and management. Ensure that all required documentation is available and stored as per CRS policies.
• Oversee budget management of the project’s sub-contracts to ensure accurate and timely disbursement and liquidation of sub-contract/award expenses.
• Support closeout of sub-contracts/awards and vendor agreements in compliance with Federal Acquisition Requirements.
IV. Training of CRS and Partner Staff
• Ensure timely training of sub-contractors (partners) and CRS staff to understand and comply fully with client standards. Develop training materials and carry out regular trainings with partners.
• Ensure that staff are properly trained to fulfill their responsibilities, especially in terms of internal policies and USAID regulations.
Supervisory Responsibilities: All full-time project operations staff.
Agency-wide Competencies: These are rooted in the mission, values, and principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfil his or her responsibilities and to achieve the desired results.
• Serves with Integrity
• Models Stewardship
• Cultivates Constructive Relationships
• Promotes Learning
Key Working Relationships:
Internal: Chief of Party, Country Representative, Head of Programs, Head of Operations and Finance Manager, Senior/Regional Technical Advisors, HQ Award Management Officer
External: sub-contractors/ partners, donor representatives, GoM representatives (national, provincial and district levels); other stakeholders, as relevant
Personal Skills:
• Proven leadership skills and ability to build and motivate diverse and talented teams.
• Cultural sensitivity, patience and flexibility.
• Demonstrated personal accountability and drive to serve others.
• Strong organizational and planning skills, detail-oriented.
• Able to prioritize work, multi-task and meet deadlines.
• Able to analyze problems and design solutions at strategic and functional levels.
• Maturity and discretion.
Qualifications:
• Master’s degree (or equivalent) in in business, finance, management, economics, international development, or a related field (or, alternately, a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field and 5 additional years of relevant experience).
• Minimum of 5 years of experience, including at least 4 years field experience with operational issues, related to a range of development and emergency work, policy development, decentralization, conflict-sensitive programming, and community engagement.
• At least 3 years’ experience with USG contract management, of which at least 2 years must be in a position that involved supervising staff.
• Strong knowledge of USAID regulations, especially in regards to procurement/acquisitions (FAR and AIDAR), including financial reporting, procurement processes, systems, and grants and contracts management.
• Knowledge of 2 CFR 200, Automated Directive Services (ADS), and regulations related to administering grants (such as USAID’s Standard Provisions)
• Demonstrated success in managing sub-contracts/sub-grants with international consortiums, including local organizations, NGOs, and communities.
• Strong analytical skills and ability to work with finance and accounting systems and staff, HR staff and policies, etc.
• Prior knowledge of JD Edwards, Sun Systems, etc. preferred.
• Proven record maintenance and management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to form productive relationships with host country counterparts at the national and sub-national levels.
• Experience in the African region; experience in Mali, West Africa or other fragile and conflict-affected country is preferred but not required.
• Professional level oral and written skills in English and French required.
Disclaimer: This job description is dependent on future funding. Duties and responsibilities are not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties and responsibilities associated with the position.
CRS’ talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.
Equal Opportunity Employer
|
