Job Description
Project Description
The purpose of the Empower West Africa (EWA) activity is to increase the availability of and access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and clean energy in West Africa in order to reach measurable economic growth, development outcomes, such as reducing poverty, improving livelihoods and increasing inclusive access to electricity-enabled services in such areas as health, education, sanitation, and food security. The activity will additionally support Just Energy Transition; improve the reliability of power supply; reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the energy sector by supporting cleaner electricity generation delivered by the national power grids; accelerate distributed renewable energy (DRE); support the transition of host governments’ resource planning leading to the adoption and further integration of renewable energy sources and solutions to meet climate action commitments; crowd in new technologies and innovations that scale access and impact; and, increase access to private capital investment including improved uptake of climate funds, while working in partnership with governments to improve the enabling environment for energy sector investment and innovation. The EWA activity anticipates supporting the West Africa region in Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Sao Tome & Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo.
Position Description
RTI is seeking a Chief of Party (COP) for the anticipated EWA Activity. The COP will be responsible for overall project performance, management, and execution ensuring all project deliverables are delivered with exceptional quality within budget and compliance. This position will provide project planning, oversight, leadership, and coordination and requires deep knowledge of regional energy issues in West Africa, including development trends, technologies, financial incentives and enabling environment. The COP will build and maintain highly effective client, government, partner, community, home office and project team relations. They may provide technical assistance and support activities where necessary, including specializing in key project technical areas such as regulatory frameworks, utility improvements, private sector engagement, technology innovations. This position may be based in Ghana or another EWA priority country and will report to RTI’s Home Office.
This position is contingent upon award and funding.
Responsibilities
- Responsible for overall vision, management, and strategic leadership for the project.
- Identify adjustments in scope and operations to ensure that the project adapts to changes in need and context.
- Supervise and empower all personnel.
- Establish effective partnerships with other US government agencies, African partners, regional technical and financial institutions, development partners, non-governmental organizations, and a wide variety of other stakeholders.
- Communicate effectively in large public settings, as well as with senior government officials.
- Ensure that managerial, administrative, and financial procedures comply with USAID and RTI policies and procedures.
- Oversee preparation and delivery of high-quality reports to USAID, including quarterly and annual reports, and other reports required by the contract
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s Degree and 18 years of experience, Master’s degree and 14 years of experience, PhD and 10 years of experience.
- Minimum eight (8) years of management experience implementing energy programs on- and beyond-the-grid; work experience in West Africa.
- Minimum eight (8) years of progressive senior management experience on donor-funded programs of similar size and scale with strong skills in strategic planning, management, supervision, procurement and budgeting similar size and scope.
- Excellent interpersonal, diplomacy, and leadership skills, including the ability to manage high-level relationships.
- Proven ability to form collaborative relationships with intergovernmental, government representatives, and other stakeholders.
- Demonstrated ability to motivate and lead a dynamic team of professionals across large geographies.
- Prior experience effectively managing large, complex activities, and achieving performance objectives.
- Proficiency in French and in English is required.