Background:

Creative Associates International is a dynamic, fast-growing global development firm that specializes in education, economic growth, democratic institutions and stabilization. Based in Washington, D.C., Creative has a field presence in more than 25 countries with a strong client portfolio that includes the U.S. Agency for International Development and the State Department, among others. Since its founding in 1977, Creative has earned a solid reputation among its clients and is well-regarded by competitors and partners alike.

Project Summary:

Creative seeks a Deputy Chief of Party- Operations for the USAID READ II Education Recovery Activity. The USAID READ II Education Recovery responds to the crisis in Northern Ethiopia conflict. READ II Education Recovery Activity’s Core Activity Package consists of three major areas of focus: 1) Support and Prepare At-risk Populations to Return to Learning, 2) Reduce the Risk of School Related Gender-Based Violence (SRGBV), and 3) Support to Child Protection and Wellbeing. The “triple layered approach” is mainly organized to target at-risk populations, including adolescent girls and young children who have been victims of the Northern Ethiopia Conflict. The project provides support to conflict affected communities in many ways including provision of teaching, learning, and recreational materials to students as well as basic school supplies, furniture, and tents for use in Temporary Learning Centers (TLCs), where necessary. training and ongoing support are also provided to teachers and school and community leaders on Psychological First Aid (PFA), Psychosocial Support (PSS) and Social Emotional Learning (SEL). Education administrators are trained on how to lead and manage TLCs and schools, so that teachers and students can recover quickly and effectively from conflict shocks and trauma and recommence teaching and learning. READ II collaborates and coordinates its crisis response with international and local organizations to leverage their programs as appropriate.

Position Summary:

The Deputy Chief of Party-Operations works with the Chief of Party, Deputy Chief of Party (technical), technical leads and financial project personnel to perform a range of tasks and activities. S/he will make operational decisions, provide overall program management and operational oversight, and will be responsible for all aspects of operations including administration, logistics, human resources, procurement, grants, and compliance functions. The position will oversee preparation of schedules and logistics as well as will organize and manage large scale workshops. The incumbent will also be responsible for internal and external coordination of the project including liaising between the program technical team, finance, and operations to ensure a coordinated implementation schedule and efficient use of project time and resources. Moreover, the incumbent will assist the COP in management of relationships with the government and client as they relate to adhering to host government legal matters, relationships, Creative’s business license renewals, processing visas for international consultants and visitors and liaising with the client on administrative matters such as obtaining supporting letters to import project assets. The DCOP-Operations will work closely with the COP, DCOP-Technical and Director of Finance and is responsible for overseeing the smooth running of the main project office in Addis Ababa and regional offices to ensure office operations are consistent with client and Creative standards.

 Reporting & Supervision:

This position reports to the Chief of Party (COP) supervises the following positions: HR Manager, Logistics Manager, Procurement Manager, Grants Manager and Security Manager.

Primary Responsibilities:

• As a member of senior project management, actively participate in all project work planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluating, and reporting processes and activities.

• Ensure streamlined operations systems are compliant with Creative and client rules and regulations, including effective organization, labeling and retention of project files in SharePoint.

• Oversee all program operations, including administration, human resources, procurement and logistics, IT, communications, grants, and security.

• Coordinate and oversee the day-to-day management of operational staff in all four project offices, including mentoring, developing, and training of all operational staff.

• Manage the contractual implementation of program activities to include oversight of procurement processes, development of service agreements, milestone verification, and overall management of consultants, and subcontractors/sub awardees.

• Manage large scale events, workshops, and trainings for READ II; troubleshoot challenges; and serve as the project’s primary liaison with USAID and the Ministry of Education in planning and managing events.  

• Provide direction to the other project teams on activity budgets, timelines and feasibility, and coordinate activities among the technical and financial leads, troubleshooting to ensure smooth implementation of the project. 

• Coordinate with technical teams to prepare activity budgets and support development of cash projections and procurement requests for technical teams and ensure close coordination with the finance team.

• Maintain spreadsheets to facilitate data interpretation and manipulation to enable more accurate projections for training and procurement of materials.

• Ensure close coordination of operations processes with HQ program and technical support units.

• Oversee subcontracts and procurement alongside programs team, liaising with HQ to ensure regulatory compliance.

• Oversee effective implementation and compliance with the project’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) as set forth in the project’s Operations Guide and Security Plan.

• Identify potential and actual activity-based risks and take appropriate mitigation measures as necessary.

• Ensure prompt and thorough trends analysis and incident reporting from the support units as required.

• Put in place  In coordination with HQ project management and COP, oversee and enforce the project’s policies and procedures required to ensure full compliance with Creative policies and those of US and Ethiopian Governments.

• Oversee subcontracts and procurement alongside the programs team, liaising with HQ to ensure compliance with regulations.

• Support the COP in managing relations with vendors and ensuring technical quality and accuracy of procurement documents as required.

• Liaise with the USAID program logistics team on duty free customs clearance to ensure timely delivery of freight and goods for the READ II Education Recovery Activity. 

• Communicate upcoming project activities to technical leads and all READ II staff. 

• Assist the COP and DCOP-Technical in providing inputs to project communications about accomplishments, lessons learned and other issues which require wider communication.

• Contribute to quarterly and annual reports.

• Travel to the field to coordinate large training activities and regional offices when necessary.

Perform other duties as assigned.

Job Requirements

Required Skills & Qualifications: 

• Master’s degree in Business, Public Administration, or related fields. 

• At least 8 years of increasingly responsible administrative and program coordination experience; at least three years in supervisory roles.

• Demonstrated effective interpersonal, creativity, problem-solving skills, coupled with professional and ethical leadership behaviors.

• Strong written and verbal communications. 

• Knowledge of the political, economic, cultural, and social context in Ethiopia and the issues affecting service delivery in areas affected by the Northern Ethiopia conflict.

• Expertise in USG policies, procedures, and regulations, agreement compliance, financial planning and management, procurement, subaward management, and other management support areas.

• Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain strong relationships with the client and beneficiaries in Ethiopia.

• Demonstrated experience in overseeing compliance, operational, and administrative management functions.

• Demonstrated ability to manage and oversee multiple complex tasks simultaneously.

• Experience managing large programs, with demonstrated capacity to create and/or maintain complex systems and procedures involving multiple implementation sites, diverse staff and beneficiaries.

• Fluency in English and at least one Ethiopian language.

Desired Qualifications 

• Experience working on post-conflict stabilization and recovery activities. 

• Experience with Ethiopian Labor Law.

How to Apply

Creative invites eligible candidates to submit applications via THIS LINK on or before March 16, 2023.

Only finalists will be contacted.  No phone calls, please. 

Creative Associates International Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer: Disability/Veteran