Chief of Party – Tunisia 19 views0 applications 14 views

Position Summary:

Under USDA/FAS Food For Progress (FFPr), Shelter For Life International (SFL) is anticipating a multi-year program in Tunisia with a focus on supporting the Tunisian government’s food security objectives through the application of climate smart agriculture and improving the production and trade environment for Tunisian date farmers.

The goal of the project is to enhance the sustainability of date production and oasis resilience in the southern regions of Tunisia through improving water management and building long term economic stability.

Project priorities to strengthen the date farming sector include:

1) Climate smart agriculture (CSA) and water management: implementing climate smart agriculture practices including adaptation measures for better water management for farming; includes water management technologies.

2) Productivity of the oasis agricultural system: includes interventions to improve yields, revenue, and resilience for both dates and non-date crops, including the use of oasis farming methods; this includes better storage and processing practice, farmer capacity building, and training.

3) Sustainable oasis agricultural system business models: build or improve market linkages between producers and financial institutions to gain better finance access for producers; this includes promoting trade enabling environment with improved market access for farmers and processors.

These measures aim to increase incomes and standards of living for smallholder farmers while promoting sustainability.

Shelter For Life International (SFL) is seeking a Chief of Party (COP) to lead the anticipated FFPr program in Tunisia. The COP will be responsible for the overall implementation, oversight, and results of the project. The COP will provide quality assurance and control of all program deliverables as well as provide leadership, supervision, and direction to the project’s field staff and operations.

Areas of Responsibility:

Strategic Leadership

• Provide supervision, support, and direction to field staff in Tunisia
• Lead a multi-national, multi-lingual, and multi-skilled group of professionals
• Establish relationships with various partners and stakeholders, such as the donor organization, government ministries, research institutions, farmers’ associations and cooperatives, national, regional and local authorities, and represent SFL at key meetings
• Bring focus and determination to the project staff to ensure high quality results, and prioritize the achievement of the program’s goals

Quality Program Management

• Develop and oversee detailed regular, periodic work plans and ensure the project meets all deliverables
• Provide quality reports on project progress to SFL headquarters and the project donor
• Carefully monitor project performance and document progress on project indicators
• Provide oversight and guidance to the project’s finance department to maintain adherence to the program’s budget and financial plans in accordance with donor requirements and SFL’s internal controls
• Coordinate and communicate activities with SFL HQ, USDA, the US Embassy, and local government officials
• Implement and enforce procedures that ensure compliance with US Government rules and regulations
• Enforce SFL’s internal control procedures, outlined by SFL’s Field Operations Manual, Employee Handbook and the Who we Are, What we Believe, and How we Serve documents

Technical Oversight

• Responsible for strategy, technical oversight and guidance of project components
• Provide overall responsibility for all data collection, monitoring and evaluation
• Oversee a range of activities for coherence and reinforcement of impact, to ensure that components and activities work harmoniously together

Education and Experience Requirements:

• Master’s degree in business administration, international development, international trade, agriculture, horticulture, or related fields
• Knowledge and experience with oasis farming, agroforestry or permaculture methods, and/or ecology a plus
• A minimum of eight (8) years of relevant professional experience in designing and implementing donor-funded development projects in the following technical sectors: agribusiness, food security, agriculture value chains, and cooperative and associations development
• A minimum of five (5) years of work experience as Chief of Party or a similar level post managing large agricultural development with agribusiness projects
• Prior work experience and familiarity with USDA-funded or other US-funded international aid programs
• Demonstrated experience in reporting project progress in accordance with donor guidelines
• Strong leadership and administrative skills, management ability in a cross-cultural environment
• Strong communications and interpersonal skills with evidence of ability to productively interact with a variety of stakeholders and organizations
• Prior work experience in North Africa or the Middle East preferred; specific experience in Tunisia a plus
• Understanding of banking and finance with relation to agribusiness development, public private partnerships, policies, and fund development a plus
• Experience bringing together a variety of stakeholders (farmers, co-ops, communities, organizations, and local government, etc.)

Personal Skills & Abilities:

• Proven leadership skills with ability to maintain a positive work environment with professionalism
• Strong teamwork and listening skills combined with excellent interpersonal skills and cross-cultural sensitivity
• Ability to research, analyze, coordinate, and plan, both strategically and innovatively
• Ability to quickly assess complex programs and situations and form accurate opinions
• Ability to respond practically, using adaptive management to operate successfully in difficult field conditions
• Willingness to consider using local technologies where appropriate
• Ability to be flexible, persistent, and diplomatic to gain respect among staff and diverse stakeholders including local community leaders, governmental ministries, and the donor organization
• Proficiency in written and spoken English required
• Working knowledge of French required; knowledge of Arabic a plus

SFL is interested in applicants whose professional ethics, values, and determination to achieve impact are evident and aligned with organizational priorities.

Additional notes:

• A minimum of 12 months commitment to live and work in Tunisia is required
• Applicant must be comfortable with frequent travel, particularly within Tunisia and North Africa
• Competitive pay and generous benefits including six weeks of paid time off, two weeks of R&R, ACA compliant health insurance, and allowances for housing, food, and communication

About Us:

Shelter For Life International (SFL) is an international faith-based relief and development organization with over 30 years’ experience in providing sustainable development and humanitarian assistance to post-conflict countries around the world. We are currently operational in Afghanistan, Senegal, The Gambia, and Guinea-Bissau, with

headquarters located in Minnetonka, MN, USA. Our team provides support and assistance in the following areas:

1. Population Movement and Settlement
2. Public Infrastructure Reconstruction
3. Economic and Social Development

Our mission is to demonstrate God’s love by enabling people affected by conflict and disaster to restore their lives and rebuild their communities.