Chief of Party - USAID/Southern Africa's Countering Wildlife Crime Activity at RTI International

Research 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. 

RTI's Sustainable Growth & Resilience (SG&R) technical unit within the International Development Group brings together RTI experts and capabilities across food security, agriculture, energy, environment, water, governance, and economic opportunity. SG&R will leverage RTI's experience designing and delivering multisectoral programming and technical solutions to respond to climate change, build resilience, and promote economic growth around the world. 

SG&R’s Environment portfolio has delivered innovative, locally driven, evidence-based solutions in local and institutional capacity building in natural resource governance and environmental policy, countering wildlife and environmental crime, forest and protected area management, sustainable landscapes, climate change and resilience, livelihood development, and economic growth. 

Project Description 

The purpose of the anticipated USAID/Southern Africa’s Countering Wildlife Crime Activity is to reduce threats to and protect biodiversity from wildlife crimes in Southern Africa. The Activity will build on the long history of the USAID Southern Africa Regional Mission in countering wildlife crimes (CWC) through partnerships with regional organizations, governments, the private sector, and civil society. The anticipated program will be based in Pretoria, South Africa and provide programming within USAID-supported countries within Southern Africa, which includes Angola, Botswana, eSwatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.  

Position Description 

RTI International is seeking a Chief of Party (COP) for USAID/Southern Africa’s Countering Wildlife Crime Activity. The COP will be responsible for providing overall leadership, management, and general technical direction of the entire activity, ensuring an integrated vision among different components and actors, and a focus on achieving the results defined in the Contract. The COP also has the leadership role in coordination among sub-contractors, grantees, and other partners in Southern Africa. 

Position is contingent upon award and funding. 

This position will be based in Pretoria, South Africa. 

Responsibilities

• Hold primary responsibility for project performance and budget management. 
• Lead preparation and/or supervision of work plans and financial, logistical, and other documents. Review all financial and logistical information on a periodic basis.  
• Serve as the principal liaison with USAID staff, institutions, and client partners to exchange information and develop professional relationships, and make verbal or written presentations, as requested, to various audiences.   
• Lead planning, oversight and coordination of all project activities and personnel, operational and technical. 
• Ensure all project deliverables exceed expectations and are managed within budget.   
• Ensure internal integration of project activities through effective engagement of partners and staff through 1) the annual work planning, Pause & Reflect, and budgeting processes; 2) creating/maintaining effective project management between teams in Southern Africa and the U.S.; and 3) overseeing an effective monitoring and evaluation system. 
• Responsible for ensuring all staff receives adequate security and operational support and that Standard Operating Procedures are implemented.  
• Manage all aspects of staffing and creating/maintaining a clear organizational structure with specific roles, responsibilities and reporting lines.  
• Ensure management systems are operational to track expenditures (including labor) and monitor same against the project work plan and budget, according to both company policy and client standards/regulations.  
• Responsible for developing and implementing practices to ensure a high level of staff morale and retention.  

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree and 15 years of experience, Master's degree and 12 years of experience, PhD and 8 years of experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience. 
• Demonstrated technical leadership and supervision of staff, partners, and consultants as evidenced by at least ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience and expertise in the implementation of large, complex, multidisciplinary, and regional projects relating to coordination, collaboration, learning, and sharing across diverse stakeholder groups; strengthened criminal justice sector capacity, collaboration, and commitment; increased resilience against corruption and support to anticorruption bodies; and increased support for and participation of local communities in the delivery of CWC/natural resources management programming in Southern Africa.  
• Demonstrated significant management and coordination skills as evidenced by at least ten (10) years of progressive senior management experience on programs of similar sized international donor programs with strong skills in strategic planning, management, supervision, procurement and budgeting similar size and scope.  
• Demonstrated ability to motivate and lead multi-cultural, multidisciplinary, geographically dispersed teams across multiple countries in Southern Africa.  
• Five years’ substantive experience working with high-level counterparts at various levels of government, private sector leaders, and other stakeholders. 
• Prior USAID experience required. 
• Demonstrated broad management and team building, and partnership building experience, especially those requiring large programmatic flexibility.  
• Demonstrated experience managing similar programs in Africa, experience working in Southern Africa strongly preferred. 
• Proven ability to work under pressure, with ability to ensure coherence and consistency under tight deadlines, including quality control and timeliness of all deliverables. 
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Fluency in English required. 
• Ability to work throughout Southern Africa, primarily based in South Africa.