Summary

Save the Children is seeking a Chief of Party (COP) for the anticipated five-year USAID/Pakistan Foundational Learning Activity. The purpose of the Activity is to enhance student learning outcomes in reading and math and to prevent school dropout by enabling teachers, head teachers, and local education administrators to improve the quality of education.

The COP is a senior leadership position and will provide overall strategic direction in the design, management, implementation, and overall quality assurance of the project, and will report to the Country Director. The COP will be the primary point of contact with USAID and be responsible for the sustainability of project interventions. The COP will lead programmatic, operational, and administrative activities. The COP is responsible for overseeing the overall delivery of the program to ensure education opportunities that are accessible, relevant and of high quality. The COP will be responsible for developing a strong vision and implementation of the program with an evidence-based approach, integrating innovative strategies, and delivering on all objectives of the project. They will be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day management of all staff. They will collaborate with all relevant stakeholders to strengthen education systems as well as support the design of service delivery strategies, track progress towards program goals and adapt as necessary.

This position is contingent upon donor approval and funding.

What You’ll Be Doing (Essential Duties)

• Ensure Activity success through high-quality leadership and oversight.
• Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where the project team strives to achieve excellence.
• Develop strategic plans, annual and quarterly work plans, and overall management of the program in line with USAID guidelines to achieve project objectives.
• Establish compliance with USG regulations, procedures, and Save the Children guidelines.
• Establish effective communication and coordination with personnel from the government in order to implement interventions and incorporate country-wide priorities.
• Lead team to provide proper coordination and guidance among local government, country-wide initiatives, community partners, NGOs and other key stakeholders.
• Support a rigorous approach to learning and adaptation driven by data that, in consultation with USAID, leads to refinements and adjustments to the activity’s technical approaches and annual work plans and allows for timely and accurate decision-making.
• Support the development of strong M&E mechanisms, program monitoring tools and efficient systems to ensure high quality implementation.
• Direct transparent communications with partners, including negotiating scopes of work, addressing requisite revisions in programmatic work, and troubleshooting issues that may arise.
• 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 Pakistan country office team.
• Incorporate SC’s vision and values and full adherence to Code of Conduct principles.
• Closely monitor security dynamics in the project areas and consult with the Country Director – Ops on significant changes in the security context.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant area of expertise, such as education or international development. Advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years of professional experience designing, managing and implementing large and complex education programs. At least three years of experience must be as COP, DCOP, or Project Director on USAID-funded programs or in a similar capacity.
• At least five years of senior program experience working and living in a developing country, ideally in Pakistan or the broader South Asia region.
• In-depth knowledge of USAID approaches and regulations.
• Strong experience of working within a complex national program in the context of an emergency intervention or in conflict/fragile state contexts.
• 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.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English. Proficiency in Urdu and/or other languages spoken in Pakistan is strongly preferred.
• Personal commitment to gender equality, child rights and social justice.
• Sound knowledge of promoting Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) agenda within program implementation and staff management.
• Ability and willingness to be flexible and accommodating in demanding working circumstances.
• A good track record for delivering program results.
• Knowledge of gender equity and transformative concepts.

Qualified Pakistani and female candidates are highly encouraged to apply.

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.