Chief of Party - USDA-funded Food for Progress (FFPr)

Tags: Law finance English Environment
  • Added Date: Tuesday, 15 July 2025
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Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action โ€” helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future.

The Program / Department / Team Mercy Corps has been present in Ethiopia since 2004, working to drive bold and transformative ideas, working closely with the government, the private sector, and civil society actors to build a more resilient country, ensuring that programs are responsive to and influenced by participants and stakeholders. Our vision is to enhance the resilience of climate and conflict-affected communities through market systems development for improved livelihoods, access to food, and safe and clean water to thrive in the face of crises. Our strategy focuses on the four outcome areas of 1) Economically marginalized populations have improved and diversified livelihoods, income, and assets; 2) Pastoralists, farmers, and households have access to sustainably produced, safe, nutritious food; 3) Social cohesion and inclusive governance processes are built in crisis-affected communities; and 4) People have equitable, sustained access to clean water and sanitation for domestic and productive use. Currently, we operate in the regional states of Afar, Amhara, Gambella, Oromia, Somali, Sidama, Southern Ethiopia, Tigray and Addis Ababa city administration working with a diverse base of donors that includes the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), United Nations (UN), European Union, Global Affairs Canada (GAC), Jersey Overseas Aid (JOA), Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (EKN), Hilton Foundation, and other foundations.

Mercy Corps is seeking a qualified Chief of Party (CoP) to lead a USDA-funded Food for Progress (FFPr) project in Ethiopia. Food for Progress has two high-level strategic objectives: (1) increase agricultural productivity, and (2) expand trade of agricultural products (domestically, regionally, and internationally.

The Position The CoP will provide oversight of the proposed FFPr project in Ethiopia. The CoP will provide overall leadership, management, and strategic vision for the implementation of the anticipated project, ensuring that the project meets its targets and deliverables on time and within budget. The CoP will supervise all project staff and ensure accountability to Mercy Corps policies as well as all donor rules and regulations. The CoP will be the primary representative for the project with USDA and other donors, government entities, and all other partners and stakeholders. The FFPr project in Ethiopia is expected to be five years, with a start date around October 1, 2025.

Essential Responsibilities STRATEGY AND PLANNING

  • Lead development of a vision and strategy for the FFPr project shared with the staff, consortium, and key stakeholders.
    • Recognize opportunities for innovative action and create an environment where alternative viewpoints are welcomed.
      • Set direction by prioritizing and organizing actions and resources to achieve objectives.
        • Foster a culture of collaborating, learning, and adapting for effective implementation throughout the project lifecycle. PROJECT MANAGEMENT
          • Oversee project management and administration for the duration of the project. Provide strategic guidance, oversight, and quality assurance for all project activities, outputs. and deliverables.
            • Assume overall responsibility for the effective implementation of work plans and ensure delivery is on time, within budget, meets donor and stakeholder expectations, and is contractually compliant.
              • Monitor implementation progress, maintain up-to-date logs of issues and risks, manage and mitigate risks, work to resolve issues, and escalate material issues, as appropriate.
                • Ensure that project implementation is responsive to communities and partners and consistent with Mercy Corpsโ€™ relevant project guidelines, principles, values, quality standards, and strategic plan.
                  • Ensure project strategies and activities represent global good practice for agricultural development programming.
                    • Coordinate with Mercy Corpsโ€™ administration, finance, human resources, logistics, procurement, and security teams to ensure operational systems support activities.
                      • Fulfill Mercy Corpsโ€™ Project Management Minimum Standards based on the organization-wide guide. TEAM MANAGEMENT
                        • Oversee recruitment and onboarding of the project staff, including expatriates, national staff, and consultants.
                          • Promote staff accountability, communicate expectations, and provide constructive feedback informally and formally via regular one-on-one meetings and performance reviews.
                            • Supervise and manage all project staff to ensure day-to-day activities are implemented in a coordinated fashion according to schedule, budget, and quality.

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