Overview

Job Description

OverviewResearch Triangle Institute (RTI) has over 30 years’ experience assisting governments, communities, and the private sector. As a not-for-profit, independent research institute based in North Carolina, USA, RTI has roughly 6,000 employees with global experience implementing international development projects.

IDG’s International Education Division supports education development around the world by strengthening education policy, management and practice in order to achieve measurable improvement in teaching and learning. From our well-established reputation in education system strengthening, to innovative work in early grade assessment and learning, RTI is improving education quality, relevance and efficiency through implementation of projects funded by USAID, The LEGO Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and other donors and clients.

Project Description 
RTI seeks a Chief of Party (COP) candidate for the anticipated USAID/Malawi Secondary Success Activity. The Secondary Success Activity will build on existing structures to increase the availability, access, and quality of secondary education, including remedial skills, life skills, health and leadership, mentorship, and financial inclusion.

Position Description 
The Chief of Party (COP) will be responsible for the overall management of the activity and will oversee the design, implementation, and quality of various activities that will result in the desired outcomes and impact. In addition, the COP will lead his/her team and provide overall supervision on the implementation of the program. The Chief of Party will serve as the primary liaison with USAID/Malawi on management and technical matters and will ensure exceptional quality and timeliness of project deliverables within budget and compliance parameters.

The position will be based in Lilongwe, Malawi and is contingent upon award and funding. 

Responsibilities

Your primary responsibilities will include but not be limited to:  

  • Lead the coordination of program activities among a diverse group of stakeholders and beneficiaries, including relevant national and subnational other government bodies, key partners and stakeholders, and other donor-funded education and inclusion projects.
  • Provide overarching leadership and direction across all technical and functional areas, such as technical strategies, monitoring and evaluation, finance, operations, reporting, communications, and human resources.
  • Serve as primary liaison to USAID on management and strategic issues to maximize impact and scale, minimize costs, and maximize efficiency and sustainability in achieving project requirements.
  • Serve as the project’s primary interlocutor with relevant ministry leadership; represent the Activity, USAID, and RTI International, with key beneficiaries and stakeholders in public and international forums.
  • Lead the annual work plan and budgeting process.
  • Create and maintain an effective project management team.
  • Oversee an effective monitoring and evaluation system.
  • Manage technical and administrative personnel, as well as sub-agreement partners, in the implementation of the project to improve student learning outcomes.
  • Ensure that all activities conform to the terms and conditions of project requirements, including cost, schedule, and quality parameters, and are carried out in accordance with RTI policy and procedure.
  • Prepare status reports, budget information, and other documentation as needed.
  • Foster teambuilding by developing and implementing practices encouraging a high level of staff morale and retention.
  • Work collaboratively with the home office project support team, providing regular updates about the project’s progress.

Qualifications

Qualifications:  

  • Master’s degree or higher in education policy, education management, international development, gender & social inclusion, project management or another relevant field.
  • Minimum of 10 years of experience managing complex international donor-funded development and education intervention activities in challenging environments.
  • Prior experience in senior leadership roles on USAID-funded projects and strong knowledge of USAID rules and regulations strongly preferred.
  • Prior experience managing USAID-funded projects that include PEPFAR/DREAMS funding strongly preferred.
  • Technical expertise and experience in two or more of the following areas: education service delivery, inclusive education, equity in education with a focus on gender equity and social inclusion, universal design for learning, teaching and learning materials development, teacher professional development, government capacity strengthening, or monitoring, evaluation, and learning of international education initiatives.
  • Demonstrated skills in leadership, effective organizational development, partnership building, management, team building, and communication.
  • Demonstrated ability to work across different cultures and manage diverse teams to deliver impact within agreed timelines.
  • Commitment to inclusive programming that encourages full participation of individuals regardless of gender, disability status, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or other marginalized status.
  • Prior education-focused experience working in Malawi strongly preferred.
  • Must possess excellent oral and written communication skills in English.