Job Description

The Deputy Chief of Party (COP) will be a specialist in agribusiness and/or youth engagement who will provide strategic leadership, management, and technical direction and support to the project team, client, and counterparts in the implementation of PSSA activities that support building the capacity of private sector associations to facilitate opportunities in the agriculture sector that support youth entrepreneurs or youth-led businesses. The DCOP will report to the Chief of Party and supervise a team of technical leads.

The DCOP and project team will be based in Dar es Salaam, and the position is contingent upon project award to Abt Associates.

Responsibilities include:

Support the COP in overall technical management and oversight of the activity including supervision of technical leads. This includes working closely with the COP and technical leads to develop work plans and monitor activity timelines.
Contribute to the design of innovative, integrated activities to strengthen private sector associations to 1) improve the enabling environment for young entrepreneurs and youth-led businesses operating in the agriculture sector, 2) facilitate youth access to financing, business development support services, and/or actionable data/information.
Provide substantive involvement regarding development of technical management and oversight for the accomplishment of the objectives of the activity including the supervision of project technical leads.
Support reporting, update, and implementation of the technical strategies, identifying technical assistance needs, and mobilizing required technical resources and staff.
Responsible for harmonizing the objectives of the activity specifically ensuring effective complementary and efficient implementation.
Lead the development and timely production of quality deliverables to USAID, such as quarterly and annual reports, work plans, budgets, technical reports, and publications. The DCOP will work with technical leads, MEL and finance to meet these deliverables according to work plans and timelines.
Assume primary responsibility for managing the work and monitoring the performance of international and local subcontractors, working with regional and technical staff to ensure that all activities and outputs are technically sound and appropriate.

Qualifications:

Master’s degree in business administration, finance, economics, agribusiness, or related field.
Minimum 10 years of relevant professional experience managing and implementing private-sector oriented projects with a focus on agriculture/agribusiness, entrepreneurship, and/or youth development.
Minimum of 3 years of demonstrated experience in building, managing, and supervising a team including substantial experience managing development programs of similar size.
Demonstrated experience building effective relationships with and capacity of private sector associations or organizations (such as producer, processor, and/or trade associations, input providers, and business service providers).
Demonstrated experience working on projects with a strong youth engagement and/or gender, equity, and social inclusion component (GESI).
Sub-Saharan Africa/East African work experience required; Tanzania experience preferred.
Prior experience working with a USG activity of similar size and complexity, preferably for USAID, preferred
Excellent written and oral communication skills.
Fluency in English required. Command of Kiswahili preferred.