Summary

Save the Children is seeking a Chief of Party (COP) for an anticipated five-year USAID-funded Improved Access to Early Childhood Education and Employment Activity in Jordan. The program will focus on understanding the economic viability of private sector and community-based organizations to invest in expanding access to quality and affordable KG1, KG2, and nursery education-specific services targeting children between the ages of 3-6 years.

The COP will oversee project design and implementation, provide technical expertise and quality assurance for project activities, and will be Save the Children’s primary point of contact with USAID and all relevant stakeholders. They will lead a team of experts implementing project activities, prepare reports, annual operating plans, project deliverables, and ensure the program is compliant with USAID and Save the Children regulations. The COP will collaborate with the Ministry of Education, UN Agencies, the Arab Network for Early Childhood (ANECD) and other critical partners to provide strategic and high-level support for effective capacity building at the local level and sustainability of project interventions.

This position is contingent upon donor approval and funding.

What You’ll Be Doing (Essential Duties)

• Provide overall leadership, program and operations oversight, personnel management, quality and risk control, in line with Save the Children and USAID guidelines.
• Establish a comprehensive understanding about major policy, strategy and program landscape of Early Childhood Education (ECE) in Jordan and develop viable strategies for its successful institutionalization and sustainability.
• Deliver high quality, timely, strategic plans, annual and quarterly work plans, and budgets in line with USAID guidelines to achieve objectives.
• Lead team to provide the necessary and sufficient coordination and guidance among local government, country-wide initiatives, community partners, NGOs, private sector and other key stakeholders.
• Oversee the design and implementation of strong monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, tools, data flow, and feedback loops to ensure high quality implementation.
• Ensure robust evidence and learning systems are applied to inform the project’s implementation.
• Monitor and ensure achievement of the Activity’s key performance indicators (KPIs)
• Ensure compliance with USG regulations, procedures, and Save the Children guidelines.
• Play an influencing role through forging strong partnerships with major ECE policy and strategy level actors in Jordan for enhanced outcomes of the project.
• Provide policy and strategy level advisory assistance to Ministry of Education (MoE) and other major ECE actors.
• Represent Save the Children with partners, early childhood networks (global and regional, academic conferences, and other key stakeholders,
• Maintain positive relationships with USAID, local ministries, and the country office team.
• Establish effective communication and coordination with key personnel from the government to implement interventions and incorporate country-wide priorities.
• Actively participate as a member of the Country Extended Senior Management Team (ESMT), contributing to country office strategic plans.
• Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where the project team strives to achieve excellence.
• Incorporate SC’s vision, values, Child Safeguarding and 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

• A master’s degree in education, project management, international development, or a related field from an accredited university.
• Minimum of 10 years of professional experience designing, managing, and implementing USAID-funded international development activities in education, ECE, and/or education-related development activities, preferably in a program director, Deputy Chief of Party or COP role.
• Experience working and living in Jordan or the Middle East preferred.
• Proven successful experience in ECE policy design and advocacy.
• In-depth knowledge of USAID approaches and regulations.
• Demonstrated experience in successfully leading and managing multi-disciplinary teams to achieve project results in a fast-paced and complex environment.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively with foreign governments, development partners, the private sector, and community organizations.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English. Ability to produce clear and concise reports, publications, briefs and other written materials related to the project.

Preferred Qualifications

• Arabic proficiency.
• Familiarity with the political, social, and cultural context of Jordan.
• Qualified Jordanian candidates and women are encouraged to apply.

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

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.

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.

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.