IESC recrute 01 Chief of party

IESC is a leading U.S. nonprofit organization that fosters private sector development in the economically developing world. Since 1964, we have delivered lasting solutions that have resulted in more than 1.5 million jobs in 137 countries. We partner with businesses, cooperatives, entrepreneurs, jobseekers, and governments to sustainably build capacity, create jobs, and grow enterprises, sharing proven skills and experience that improve the lives of individuals, families, and communities around the world. Our major funders today are the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), among others.

IESC is seeking a Chief of Party for the upcoming USAID/Senegal Youth Development Activity. The goal of the Youth Development Activity will be to increase pathways for rural young people to improve their livelihoods in Senegal’s Feed the Future (FTF) Zone of Influence (ZOI). The Activity will target agriculture, entrepreneurship, and leadership, and will provide both technical and social solutions to youth un- and underemployment.

With a focus on the agriculture sector, the activity will promote entrepreneurship and development of micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), commercial on-farm and off-farm production opportunities; and year-round employment opportunities in informal and formal sector. The activity will focus on modern technology-based agriculture to provide youth opportunities to improve their livelihoods. The activity will seek opportunities for supporting youth engaged in agriculture value chains, community organizations, and agribusinesses.

Through existing and new relationships with public and private institutions, such as incubators, training centers, universities (notably the Centers for Research and Piloting), businesses, youth-dedicated and government-run programs, the Activity will connect youth to technical expertise while helping these institutions provide high quality and relevant services to the community. This activity will prioritize youth residing in rural areas, who are largely outside of the formal education system. Private sector engagement will serve as a critical means for leveraging resources, sector specific know-how, and insight into labor market dynamics. As such the Chief of Party will need to help articulate the value proposition for private businesses to engage with the activity and the target beneficiaries.

The program will support enhanced capacity and increased access to incubators and training centers. The objective will be to strengthen the skills of youth from rural and peri-urban areas to develop businesses or secure employment through partnerships with public and private incubator structures. The activity will also focus on undergraduate vocational training, especially for out-of-school youth.

IESC will also support strategies to foster an ecosystem that provides greater economic opportunities for youth. Additionally, IESC will propose innovative and sustainable solutions for increasing communication and awareness of training, education, employment, entrepreneurship opportunities. The Activity will partner with public institutions, private incubators, and training centers, to explore, develop, strengthen, and/or implement public-private partnerships (PPPs), and apprentice programs. IESC will work with existing public and private entities involved in youth employment, such as Senegal services, DER/FJ, 3FPT, PRODAC, and financial institutions, to increase access to finance for youth

The Chief of Party (COP) will report to IESC’s Associate Vice President and Practice Lead for Agriculture-led Growth, and is responsible for providing technical leadership and administrative oversight to the program, managing interventions and staff to ensure that the project proceeds effectively and meets its targets. This position will be based in Dakar, Senegal This position is contingent upon IESC winning the award and approval by USAID. Candidates should be available to join the program by March 2024.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary point of contact with USAID/Senegal regarding day-to-day implementation and management matters relating to the award. The CoP will have overall responsibility for the award by ensuring quality control and the appropriateness and overall responsiveness of all activities performed under the award.
• Provide strategic and technical leadership, vision, and direction for the program, including strategic planning.
• Oversee and mentor program staff, subcontractors/subawardees, and consultants to achieve expected results.
• Ensure high-quality standards of technical assistance and support to program partners.
• Engage private sector partners, public sector counterparts, and other local institutions to identify interventions that catalyze and drive locally-led systemic change.
• Generate and manage the development of high-quality deliverables, such as the annual work plans, quarterly reports, weekly updates; ensure high quality technical documents.
• Oversee program communications with USAID, key stakeholders, and the public.
• Ensure compliance with IESC and USAID regulations, policies, and procedures, and Government of Senegal laws.
• Serve as IESC’s in-country representative, delegated financial authority and oversight of project finance and administration functions.
• Oversee the Monitoring & Evaluation team to ensure program targets are met as required.
• Other tasks as required to achieve the Program Objectives and Key Results.

Minimum Qualifications

• At least ten years of progressively responsible professional experience in the implementation and management of youth and agriculture programs.
• At least seven years of senior management experience on donor-funded programs, including USAID programs, and a strong track record of building and maintaining strong teams and effective subcontractors.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple components simultaneously, multifunctional teams, international personnel, host country government relations, and client satisfaction.
• Proven experience effectively working and building strong relationships with a broad range of counterparts and stakeholders, including high government officials, the private sector, and other donors is required.
• Experience managing agriculture-focused programming, with practical knowledge of USAID’s positive youth development principles, policy priorities, program cycle, USG regulations, and M&E and reporting requirements.
• Experience working with international donors in francophone West Africa, or Senegal preferred.
• A Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in a relevant field such as business, economics, entrepreneurship, international development, or a related field is required, Masters preferred.
• Strong communication skills, including spoken, written, and oral French and English required.