Chief of Party – Child Protection

Job Title/Req: Chief of Party – Protecting the Rights of Children and Families
Location: Democratic Republic of Congo

*** PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING***

1) This announcement is for a proposal and employment is contingent on Heartland Alliance being awarded the project.

2) When you apply for this position, you will be required to select a US state from a drop down menu. If you are not residing in the US currently, you will still need to select a US state in order to proceed with the application process. The remainder of the address fields are text boxes in which you can type in your actual location.

Heartland Alliance for Human Needs & Human Rights
Heartland Alliance for Human Needs & Human Rights is a non-profit 501(c)(3) service-based human rights organization founded in 1888 and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Heartland Alliance advances the human rights and responds to the human needs of endangered populations – particularly the poor, the isolated and the displaced – through the provision of comprehensive and respectful services and the promotion of permanent solutions leading to a more just global society.

Overview of the Chief of Party Position
Heartland Alliance seeks candidates for Chief of Party for an upcoming five-year USAID-funded program to protect vulnerable children and families from human rights abuses, exploitation and family separation by preventing and responding to vulnerability and abuse, and by supporting interventions that build the capacity of families, communities, NGOs, the private sector and GoDRC to prevent and respond to abuse. The anticipated start date for the program is early-to-mid 2012.

The Chief of Party will be responsible for the management, strategic planning, and oversight of the program described above.

The Chief of Party will:
- Oversee all aspects of the program;
- Be the principle liaison with USAID and USG officials and GoDRC;
- Maintain overall programmatic and financial management responsibility for the program and ensure that Heartland Alliance abides by USAID financial and programmatic procedures, rules and regulations;
- Ensure that program goals and objectives are met within the agreed upon time-frame and budget;
- Train and support staff to build capacity and to transfer skills in all aspects of program implementation, M&E, and financial management;
- Ensure high standards in meeting financial management accountability;
- Monitor progress toward meeting objectives and make program design corrections as needed;
- Liaise with program partners, Heartland Alliance HQ, and other NGOs to ensure solid coordination and to encourage knowledge sharing;
- Oversee the development of annual workplans, monitoring and evaluation plans and other required documents;
- Produce and deliver all required program reports to the GoDRC, USAID, partners and Heartland Alliance HQ to keep all stakeholders informed on program progress and to share lessons learned;
- Directly supervise the Senior Child Protection Advisor, Livelihoods Specialist, and Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist, as well as other program staff, to ensure that all deliverables are met in a timely fashion;
- Travel to project sites to provide technical assistance and troubleshoot with staff;
- Represent the program and deliver presentations on behalf of Heartland Alliance in DRC, throughout the region and at related conferences;
- Oversee all programmatic implementation;
- Other duties, as assigned.

Requirements
Education and/or Experience:
- Master’s degree in Social Sciences, such as international development, social work, public policy, or other areas directly related to providing services to vulnerable populations, or equivalent experience;
- At least twelve years of progressively responsible experience in international development project management, with at least six years of experience with human rights and protection of vulnerable groups;
- Strong communication, both oral and written;
- Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to develop excellent relationships with Congolese counterparts and donor officials;
- Sound understanding of development, political, and human rights issues in DRC; knowledge of Congolese counterparts and organizations active in human rights issues is highly desirable;
- Fluency in spoken and written French and English at the FSI 4/4 level;
- Experience managing large-scale USAID-funded field programs;
- Extensive experience working alongside and developing the capacity of grassroots NGOs;

Other qualifications:
- Sensitivity to and intimate knowledge of children and families’ human rights and an ability to support and strengthen the autonomy of grassroots organizations/associations;
- Strong commitment to advancing human rights;
- Strong M&E skills and experience;
- Ability to read, analyze, and interpret complex documents. Ability to respond effectively to the most sensitive inquiries or complaints;
- Ability to write speeches and articles using original or innovative techniques or style. Ability to make effective and persuasive speeches and presentations on controversial or complex topics to top management, public groups, and/or boards of directors;
- Strong negotiation skills and ability to remain composed and professional in difficult circumstances.

This announcement is for a proposal and employment is contingent on Heartland Alliance being awarded the project. To apply, send an email with the job title in the subject heading. Include CV, cover letter – send to [email protected].