Project Summary:

Roots of Peace is in the award stage of a new program that will connect the remote production areas of Afghanistan to the cold chain and thus connection to domestic and international markets.  The program will enable farmers in the target areas to sell their harvests to traders for export markets by 2022.

Title:  Chief of Party (COP)

Location:    Kabul, Afghanistan

Reports to:  Sr. Vice President

Contract Period:      September 1, 2019, through December 31, 2022

 

Responsibilities:  

  1. Assume overall responsibility for Roots of Peace (ROP) Program
  2. Manage Program: 
    • Coordinate all required planning to establish and achieve program objectives.
    • Deliver all required plans and reports to ROP/Donor per agreement in a timely manner.
    • Manage team to implement program tasks to achieve program objectives.
    • Track team progress and adjust when necessary to achieve program objectives.
    • Ensure Roots of Peace Home Office Management is briefed regularly, including any significant potential problems.
    • Track spending per budget.
    • Ensure ROP/Donor is periodically briefed on program results and challenges.
    • Manage all communications with ROP/Donor.
  3. Direct Reports:
    • Post-Harvest Specialist
    • M&E Specialist
    • Sr. Production Specialist
    • Grant and Procurement Specialist
    • Communications Officer
    • Finance and Accounting Manager (Home Office – Dotted Line).
  4. Liaise with ROP/Donor and Government of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GIRoA)
    • Responsible for ensuring close collaboration with Roots of Peace production team.
    • Responsible for all communications with ROP/Donor, Government of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GIRoA), Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL), Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), Ministry of Finance (MoF), Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of Economy, Department of NGOs, Community Development Councils (CDCs), and the Private Sector; and with the International Partners: United States Agency for International Development (USAID), United Nations Organization for Drugs and Crime (UNODC) ensuring that and pall reports and requests for information are delivered on time. Ensure that cordial and productive working relations are maintained with ROP/Donor and the GIRoA, provide periodic updates, and address any concerns/issues.
    • When possible lead ROP/Donor and/or GIRoA officials to visit program implementation sites explaining the status of work projects.
    • Brief (in-person) ROP/Donor and GIRoA quarterly on the progress and challenges of the program.
    • Work proactively and directly with ROP/Donor and GIRoA on any issues impacting the program by presenting challenges and recommending solutions.
  1. Administration of Program:
    • Be able to continuously assess program implementation and make adjustments when necessary to keep the program on track and/or enhance implementation.
    • Ensure program deliverables are met on timely basis.
    • Conduct field visits, when possible, to verify quality work.
    • Oversee implementation of M&E work.
    • Manage contract amendments or revisions, if required.
  2. Budget & Financial Management:
    • Responsible for the management of program budgets.
    • Work with ROP financial team to ensure timely (within 30 days) invoicing for program activity.
    • Troubleshoot any invoicing problems with ROP financial team.
    • Anticipate purchasing needs and oversee procurements to maintain compliance with donor regulations.
    • Manage budget modification process as needed.
  3. Human Resources:
    • Work with ROP HR (Home Office & In Country) to manage all personnel issues.
    • Oversee all hiring, firing, position changes and salary changes for the teams. Any changes for Local Professional Staff and expatriates must be approved by SUP, Programs
  4. Reporting:
    • Ensure that all ROP/Donor and GIRoA reports are submitted in a timely manner. Respond to ROP/Donor and GIRoA ad hoc information requests in a timely and professional manner.
    • Alert Roots of Peace Management of any problems or issues immediately.
    • Update Home Office on a monthly basis using project tracking reports.
  5. Security:
  • • Coordinate with Operations Director (In Country) to monitor security in all program areas and make changes or improvements for ROP security plans, policies and procedures as required.

Required qualifications:

The COP qualification should include but not be limited to the following requirements:

  • Must have, at minimum, Bachelor Degree in a relevant field. A Master’s Degree is preferred.
  • Minimum of 10 years’ experience in the International Development sector, preferably in the SME/Business/Economic Growth areas.
  • Minimum of 10 years business/SME/private sector development, particularly supporting SME growth and investment, and providing individual enterprise assistance and mentoring.
  • Must have been a COP or manager of at least one US Government project.
  • Past experience working with horticultural, agribusiness enterprises, Post-Harvest, Production, facilitating economic growth.
  • At least one year leading a diverse team on projects of size greater than $20 million (USD);
  • Previous M & E experience is a plus,
  • Previous experience with US Government regulations and reporting.
  • Experience in developing countries.

Location:  Throughout the assignment, the COP will reside in Kabul.

Direct Coordination:

The COP will work closely with Home Office Staff including Sr. Vice President, Program Director and other senior team members in Roots of Peace (Home Office and in Country).

How to Apply:  Please send CV/`resumes that clearly show you meet all qualifications requirements, with “Chief of Party - Afghanistan” in the subject line to recruit@internationalink.net.  A list of at least three (3) professional referees that include name, contact information, and work relationship to the referee.

Deadline for Application:  August 20, 2019.

 

About Roots of Peace:

Roots of Peace is a humanitarian organization that has worked in war-torn countries around the world with our partners to remove the remnants of war, landmines and unexploded ordinance, and restore the land in order to rebuild peaceful communities for generations to come. For the past twenty years, the Roots of Peace award-winning “Mines to Vines” approach has impacted one million farmers and families, enabling the exports worth over $150 million to international markets. Since beginning our work in Afghanistan in 2003, Roots of Peace has worked with agricultural value chains in every province of the country resulting in 100,000 tons of exports, creating over 9,000 full-time agribusiness jobs that benefited more than 38,000 families from these value chain approaches. From farmers to exporters, Roots of Peace develops entire agricultural value chains by implementing the ROP Development Model which is designed to serve as a catalyst to generate much broader impact industry-wide - improving incomes for smallholder farmers, bringing peace to rural communities, transforming national industries.