Creative- Deputy Chief of Party(Operations) – USAID Tunisia Civil Society Retour vers les opportunités

Creative Associates International is a dynamic, fast-growing global development firm that specializes in education, economic growth, governance, and post-crisis stabilization. Based in Washington, D.C., Creative has a field presence in more than 25 countries with a strong client portfolio that includes the U.S. Agency for International Development and the State Department, among others. Since its founding in 1977, Creative has earned a solid reputation among its clients and is well-regarded by competitors and partners alike. 

Creative Associates seeks a highly experienced Deputy Chief of Party for a USAID-funded project that seeks to support Tunisian citizens to act and advocate for specific issues and effect change at the local, regional, and national level in advancing Tunisia’s development and to build the legitimacy and sustainability of the civil society sector. The DCOP will be a member of the senior management team and will support the Chief of Party (COP), oversee all operations of the project, including start-up, logistics management, operations, grants, procurements, and closeout. The DCOP will also carry out other tasks assigned by the COP to ensure proper management of the project. 

Reporting & Supervision: 

The DCOP works under the leadership of the COP and supports the COP in appropriate operations and coordination aspects of the program.  

Primary Responsibilities: 

• As a member of senior project management, actively participate in all project work planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluating, and reporting processes; 
• Manage the implementation of program activities, to include oversight of procurement processes, development of service agreements, and milestone verification; 
• Ensure project activities are implemented in accordance with established policies, procedures, and practices, in coordination with project and client staff; 

• Manage Tunisia based project operations staff, in collaboration with technical backstops at Creative HQ; 
• Provide overarching activity-based operations and procurement support to all project components; 
• As needed, support the revision and/or creation of new project standard operating procedures for implementation of activities; 
• Review draft activity budgets to ensure that costs are reasonable and allowable; 
• Provide direction to the other project teams on activity budgets, timelines and feasibility; 

• Working in collaboration with the COP and other senior management staff, ensure staff are effectively implementing administrative and financial procedures compliant with Creative and donor policies; 
• Mentor, develop, train and lead Operations staff; 
• Provide policy guidance and interpretation for both vendors and staff involved in vendor relations; 
• Oversee the solicitation, award and management of subcontracts, purchase orders, and other procurements; 
• Oversee the solicitation, award and outputs of grants to partners in collaboration with the COP; 

• Identify potential and actual activity-based risks and take appropriate mitigation measures; 
• Investigate, identify and implement new ways of achieving activity efficiencies; and 
• Coordinate as necessary and in coordination with other members of the project management team, with other implementing partners operating in the same fields of operation 

Required Skills & Qualifications: 

• An advanced degree in relevant field such as business administration, project management, or development studies preferred, with a minimum of seven (7) years of relevant experience, or bachelor’s degree with five (5) additional years of relevant international development experience; 
• Minimum six (6) years of experience in operations management in support of donor-funded programming of a similar size, scope, and complexity to this activity, preferably in Tunisia, including two (2) years in senior management including direct supervision of professional and support staff; 
• Minimum three (3) years of experience in governance, civil society engagement, community development, economic empowerment, or related activities in Tunisia or in the region; 
• Demonstrated ability to organize program work teams, to collaborate with a wide range of stakeholders, and to liaise as needed with USAID and home office personnel to ensure the smooth implementation of the project;  
• Past management and administrative experience, familiarity with grants management, procurement, and logistics; 

• Excellent administrative skills, with demonstrated comprehensive understanding of USAID and US Government rules and regulations; 
• Exceptional organizational skills and ability to work and multi-task under pressure; and 
• Professional proficiency in written and spoken English; professional proficiency in Arabic and/or French also required. 

Only finalists will be contacted.  No phone calls, please.  

Creative Associates International Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer: Disability/Veteran.