Summary

Save the Children seeks a Chief of Party (COP) for an awarded, funded $20 million USAID five-year (2023-2028) Resilient Education for Crisis-Affected Children (Galyam) activity in Burkina Faso. The purpose of this activity is to increase primary education completion, particularly for displaced and host community learners who have been marginalized due to conflict and crisis conditions, with improved foundational skills and wellbeing, even in the face of shocks and stressors. A disproportionate number of Burkinabe primary school-aged children are unable to complete their primary school education, nor receive quality instruction, and therefore struggle to acquire foundational skills. Insecurity, displacement and climate risks further exacerbate poor education conditions for both host community and displaced learners. This activity has been designed to support the Government of Burkina Faso’s Education Sector Plan (2017-2030).

This senior leadership position will provide overall project management, leadership, technical and strategic guidance, representation and support to the activity at the country level. The COP is accountable for activity quality, compliance with USAID regulations and Save the Children (SC) policies and procedures, and financial and operational management. They may also provide technical assistance on in education in crisis and conflict-affected areas to increase learning including appropriate teaching and learning materials. The COP will be SC’s primary point of contact with USAID and all relevant stakeholders. They will collaborate with the Ministry of Education and other critical partners to provide high-level support for effective capacity building at the local level and sustainability of project interventions. The COP will oversee a team of experts and support staff, prepare reports and annual operating plans, align project initiatives with in-country priorities and ensure the program is compliant with USAID and SC regulations.

The successful candidate will be based in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, and is expected to travel both in-country and internationally as needed.

What You’ll Be Doing (Essential Duties)

• Ensure activity success through high-quality technical leadership and oversight.
• Develop strategic plans, annual and quarterly work plans, and overall management of the program in line with USAID guidelines to achieve project objectives.
• Lead the project team towards meeting donor compliance requirements as stipulated in the cooperative agreement, including timely submission of high-quality reports and deliverables.
• Lead team to provide proper coordination and guidance among local government, country-wide initiatives, community partners, NGOs and other key stakeholders.
• Support the development of strong M&E mechanisms, program monitoring tools and efficient systems to ensure high quality implementation.
• Manage direct, transparent communications with partners, including negotiating scopes of work, addressing requisite revisions in programmatic work, and troubleshooting issues that may arise.
• Ensure compliance with USG regulations, procedures and Save the Children guidelines.
• Maintain oversight of high-risk areas, including but not limited to procurement, monitoring and evaluation, and staff security.
• Represent Save the Children with partners and key stakeholders, maintaining positive relationships with USAID, local ministries, and the Burkina Faso country office team.
• Establish effective communication and coordination with personnel from the government in order to implement interventions and incorporate country-wide priorities.
• Actively participate as a member of the Country Extended Senior Management Team (ESMT), contributing to country strategic plans.
• Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect, excellence, and high integrity.
• Incorporate SC’s vision and values and full adherence to Code of Conduct principles.
• Closely monitor security dynamics in the project areas and report to the Country Director on significant changes in the security context.

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree in a relevant area of expertise preferred, such as education or international development. Bachelor’s degree required.
• Minimum of 10 years of professional experience designing, managing and implementing large and complex education programs.
• At least five years of senior program experience working and living in a developing country, ideally in Burkina Faso or West Africa.
• In-depth knowledge of USAID approaches and regulations.
• Prior experience as Chief of Party or Deputy COP preferred.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to lead and work effectively in team situations.
• Creative problem-solving skills with the ability to work effectively in resource-constrained environments.
• Fluency in English and French.
• Personal commitment to gender equality, child rights and social inclusion.

Preferred Qualifications

• Expertise in one or more of the following areas preferred: foundational skills, social emotional learning (SEL), soft skills, and building resilience capabilities and assets.
• Knowledge of gender equity and transformative concepts.
• Strong experience of working within a complex national program in the context of an emergency intervention or in conflict/fragile state contexts.
• Ability and willingness to be flexible and accommodating in difficult and sometimes dangerous working circumstances.

Why you should join the Save the Children Team

Save the Children US offers outstanding benefits that include health, dental, vision and life insurances, pet insurance, short-term and long-term disability coverage, an Employee Assistance Program, 403(b), generous vacation, personal sick leave, family leave, parental/adoption leave, commuter benefits, dress for your day, and much more.

Click here to learn more about how Save the Children US will invest in YOU!

About Save the Children

No matter your role when you join Save the Children, each and every day you will challenge yourself to devote your skills, talent and expertise to changing the world for kids. It’s an ambitious goal, and a meaningful one no matter how you see yourself professionally: an accountant, a writer, a data analyst, a teacher, a driver, a designer, or any one of the hundreds of dozens of roles we’re looking to fill every day.

You see, Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. In the United States and around the world, we give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We do whatever it takes for children – every day and in times of crisis – transforming their lives and the future we share.

Our work for children and their families requires that we commit—at every opportunity—to work together to identify and dismantle persistent systemic and structural racism, inequality, and any other forms of discrimination in this country and beyond. As an anti-racist organization, Save the Children will not tolerate discrimination in any form—in our employment practices, amongst our staff, in our leadership or toward the people we serve. We stand in solidarity with all people to fight for equal rights, justice, inclusion, and belonging.

We provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, ancestry, sexual orientation, national origin, age, handicap, disability, marital status, or status as a veteran. Save the Children complies with all applicable laws.

Save the Children is committed to conducting its programs and operations in a manner that is safe for the children it serves and helping protect the children with whom we are in contact. All Save the Children representatives are explicitly prohibited from engaging in any activity that may result in any kind of child abuse. In addition, it is Save the Children’s policy to create and proactively maintain an environment that aims to prevent and deter any actions and omissions, whether deliberate or inadvertent, that place children at the risk of any kind of child abuse. All our representatives are expected to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with this commitment and obligation.

Save the Children is committed to minimizing safety and security risks for our valued employees, ensuring all are given training, support and information to reduce their risk exposure while maximizing the impact of our programs for children and families. Our shared duty, both agency and individual, is to seek and maintain safe working conditions for all.