Chief of Party

Country: Bangladesh

Organization: Miyamoto International

Closing date: 8 May 2020

Miyamoto International (“Miyamoto”) is a global structural engineering and disaster-risk reduction firm providing resiliency expertise that sustains industries and safeguards communities around the world. We are experts in earthquake resilient engineering that reduces damage and facilitates disaster recovery. We design new construction and assess existing buildings to address specific vulnerabilities to disasters. We prioritize solutions that limit damage, business interruption and loss of life.

Miyamoto is currently seeking qualified candidates for the position of Chief of Party (COP) for an anticipated USAID-funded disaster preparedness and resilient construction project in Bangladesh.

The position will be based in the Cox’s Bazar area of Bangladesh and is contingent on award. If awarded, selection of final candidate is subject to USAID approval. This is a four year leadership assignment.

Responsibilities/Scope of Work

The Chief of Party must provide overall technical and administrative leadership and expertise and serves as the primary liaison with USAID on management and technical matters. They will be responsible for administering and managing the implementation of the activity and has the overall responsibility for assuring that all assistance provided is technically sound and appropriate to meet activity objectives. They must be responsible for all aspects of coordination and communication, including with the Government of Bangladesh, other donors, the targeted communities, and other implementing partners. They will supervise the work of all organizations (sub-grantees, as needed) and individuals engaged under the activity. A successful candidate will have demonstrated experience in managing projects of similar size and scope.

Key job responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

· Provide overall project management, oversight and strategic direction for the project;

· Coordinate, liaise and effectively engage a broad array of high-level national and local stakeholders while executing representational and relationship management duties with host-governments, clients, donors and other international and national stakeholders

· Official point of contact with USAID in Bangladesh, including official representational duties

· Ultimate oversight and responsibility for quality control and timelines of all USAID deliverables, including coordination with Miyamoto International development and engineering teams on all program and technical activities;

· Responsible for overall financial management of the project, ensuring managerial, administrative and financial procedures comply with USG regulations and principles and Miyamoto implementation modalities;

· Manage the overall multiyear project budget including forecast expenditure reports and update the project budget to mitigate cost overruns.

· Manage implementation of the Performance Monitoring and Evaluation Plan;

· Supervise all project personnel, contractors, and other personnel as assigned;

· Ensure that all program documentation is complete and effectively stored and saved for institutional memory and audit purposes;

· Create, maintain and update work plans to ensure on time delivery of all activities;

· In coordination with the technical team, develop and deliver capacity building and knowledge transfer workshops and activities;

· Timely preparation and submission of client/donor and Miyamoto internal reporting requirements;

· Communicate frequently, proactively and openly with Miyamoto International on programming and implementation status, including raising and troubleshooting challenges;

· Maintaining codes of conduct and other international donor regulations;

· Ensuring fundamental elements of the safety and security plans are understood and executed, including a basic level of training for all project staff.

· Perform other related duties as needed.

Candidate Profile

The anticipated USAID-funded project in Bangladesh focuses on support to multipurpose disaster shelters, disaster mitigation and risk reduction, and inclusive development and capacity building for disaster preparedness. The candidate will have successfully developed high profile international development project with a demonstrated skill in international development program management, specifically programs related to disaster risk reduction and construction, a high-level of political awareness, deep knowledge of and aptitude in multi-stakeholder engagement and demonstrated contextual sensitivity to displaced and conflict affected populations.

The candidate will have substantial experience (10+ years) managing or directing significant development donor programs in dynamic security environments with a full understanding of the sensitivities of operating both at the highest levels of government and at the community level.

The Chief of Party will be supported by corporate policy and programming support in Washington, DC, California and Bangkok, as well as technical support with overall accountability to the Director of International Programs.

Qualifications Include:

Education

· Advanced degree in international development (and related areas to disaster risk reduction and disaster risk management), engineering or other relevant advanced degree; degree in engineering/other technical fields is a definite plus

Knowledge and Experience

· Demonstrated knowledge, skills and experience in two or more of the technical areas required under the program: disaster risk reduction, humanitarian assistance shelter construction, engineering, resiliency and conflict & gender sensitive inclusive development

· Proven leadership managing multi-million-dollar, multi-year international development projects in the shelter sector; prior experience with USAID preferred.

· Must have served in long-term or short-term positions overseas previously. Prior experience as a successful Chief of Party preferred.

· Ability to successfully execute a high-level international development project with remote support and supervision. Proven ability to rapidly assemble and manage teams with requisite skills and experience.

· Must demonstrate highly developed interpersonal skills and ability to lead diverse teams. Excellent communicator able to work credibly and effectively and develop and maintain professional working relationships with community members as well as high-level government and private sector officials, civil society organizations and others

· Must demonstrate strong analytical and problem-solving skills. Excellent organizational and planning skills.

· Self-starter with a “start-up” mentality a high degree of initiative, professionalism and integrity.

· Excellent external representative at community events, meetings with the Client, workshops with local stakeholder groups, etc.

· Proven ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and communicate a common vision among diverse partners

· Ability and willingness to work in a flexible and dynamic organization.

· Professional fluency in English (reading, writing and presentation skills); knowledge of Bengali a plus

· Experience working in Bangladesh or the Southeast Asia region required, professional experience in the Cox’s Bazar area highly desired