Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Programs – MCA Zambia II

About MCA Zambia II

The Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) in Zambia, collaborating with the Government of the Republic of Zambia and the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) of the Government of the United States of America, delivers projects under the $491.75 million Farm to Market Compact (Compact) that promotes agriculture and agro-processing in the country through the implementation of the Roads and Access Project, Asset Finance Project, Agriculture Policy Reform and Institutional Strengthening (Ag PIR) Project, and American Catalyst Facility for Development (ACFD) Project. More information on the Compact can be found in the following link: https://www.mcc.gov/where-we-work/program/zambia-farm-to-market-compact/“.

The MCA Zambia II offices are in Lusaka, Zambia.

Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Programs

Position Objective

The Deputy Chief Executive Officer (DCEO), Programs supports the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in ensuring high-quality and efficient operations at MCA-Zambia II. Specifically, this role involves overseeing the implementation of the four Compact projects and defining operational standards for the organization, which includes the creation, revision, and continuous enhancement of project management and quality assurance processes throughout all stages of the Compact lifecycle. The DCEO, Programs reports directly to the CEO, ensures that projects are delivered on schedule and meet the quality expectations of all stakeholders, and is responsible for implementing MCC policies and procedures that promote environmental sustainability and social and gender inclusion throughout all aspects of the organization’s operations.

Primary Responsibilities

• Assist the CEO in supervising the execution of all four Compact Projects, ensuring that project management standards such as engineering, institutional reforms, environmental, social, and inclusion aspects, work planning, risk management, and quality assurance are established and uniformly applied across all Compact projects.
• Provide counsel to the MCA-Zambia II CEO regarding operations and project management status at MCA. Collaborate closely with the DCEO, Administration to aid the CEO in enhancing MCA operations.
• Modify program management policies and frameworks to meet the Compact’s statutory and operational needs, devise systems, and allocate budgets and resources in accordance with MCA-Zambia II’s requirements.
• Supervise MCA’s adherence to MCC project management, environmental, social, and gender prerequisites. This includes creating crucial MCC operational manuals and plans, such as the Quality Assurance Manual, Social and Gender Inclusion Plan, and Stakeholder Engagement Plan, and ensuring uniform implementation across the Compact.
• Facilitate the hiring and training of the MCA-Zambia II team, ensuring the team is sufficiently developed and equipped throughout the Compact’s duration.
• Connect the MCA Program Management Division with MCC and the MCA-Zambia II Board of Directors, ensuring that the overall status of operations is communicated and that significant changes to programmatic and technical issues and budgetary and resource issues are conveyed.
• Direct Program Management Division directors and managers and foster a cooperative environment to facilitate collaboration, information sharing, and shared accountability for the Compact’s success.
• As needed, seek and implement partnerships to enhance MCA-Zambia II operations. This process involves identifying potential partners, establishing relationships, and integrating their resources or capabilities into the operational framework.
• Instruct external implementing entities on MCC technical guidelines, local regulations, and reporting requirements to ensure compliance and transparency.
• Implement streamlined methodologies and policies for documentation, evaluation, monitoring, and reporting to improve delivery timelines while remaining responsive to MCA’s needs.
• Arrange knowledge management resources and tools to enhance the quality-of-service delivery of the Program Management Division and ensure alignment with MCA-Zambia II and MCC policies and guidelines.
• Execute and deliver on implementing a cohesive work plan that integrates the different areas of the Program Management Division by established quality metrics.
• Foster an environment that encourages interaction among other program teams and staff to implement activities successfully with cross-cutting components.
• Oversee the tasks and daily responsibilities of the Roads PIR Director, Roads Infra Director, Ag PIR Director, Asset Finance Director, Gender and Social Inclusion Director, Environmental & Social Performance Director, and Monitoring and Evaluation Director.

Required Competencies

• An Advanced University degree in Project Management, Business Administration, Engineering, Public Administration, Social Sciences, Economics, Development Administration, International Development, Humanitarian Aid, Non-for-Profit Management, or another relevant field is required.
• Minimum of nine (9) years of experience at the executive management level, leading large-scale, cross-cutting national development programs for government, bilateral, or multilateral agencies/organizations encompassing cross-program oversight and development and management of significant resources.
• Demonstrated experience and proven management skills in leading multi-disciplinary teams with at least fifteen (15) personnel working in a large-scale donor-funded entity and/or government agency handling fast-paced, complex, and multi-disciplinary business processes, including road construction engineering or cross-sector technical activities (gender and social inclusion, monitoring and evaluation), in the implementation of programs of similar size and complexity.
• Extended experience in program design and project management, including integrating multiple disciplines required for effective project delivery.
• Proven experience managing public finances and/or procurements with bilateral or multilateral technical and financial partners.
• Professional certifications in project management (e.g., PMP, PRINCE2) or other relevant areas (e.g., finance, operations management) are strongly desired.
• Fluent written and verbal communication skills in English. Communication skills in local language(s) are strongly desired.

Diversity Statement:

“MCA Zambia is committed to equal opportunities for all and does not discriminate on grounds of race, gender, religion, disability or any other status. Women and minority candidates are encouraged to apply”.