What are the responsibilities and job description for the Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP) - Sierra Leone position at Democracy International?
Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP)
Democracy International (DI) is seeking to hire a Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP) for the anticipated five-year Elections 2028 Democratic Institution Reform (ELECT 2.0) in Sierra Leone. We anticipate that the activity will bolster citizen engagement in peaceful elections, support electoral reforms, and support Election Management Bodies.
This will be a full-time position based in Freetown, Sierra Leone, and will be contingent on award and funding. The anticipated award start date is estimated to be December 31, 2024. This position is open to Sierra Leonean citizens only.
The DCOP will lead programmatic, operational, and administrative activities of the activity and will report to the Chief of Party. The DCOP will support the Chief of Party to develop a strong vision and implementation of the program with an evidence-based approach, integrating innovative strategies and delivering on all objectives of the project. They will be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day management of operations staff, along with a subset of programmatic staff. They will also provide mentorship and training, as needed, for all national staff. The DCOP will be responsible for grants management, financial and programmatic reporting, procurement, budgeting and financial monitoring, oversight of political reporting and analysis, technical oversight of certain activities, monitoring and evaluation, and responding to funder requests as needed. The successful candidate must be a development professional with significant international program management experience, preferably in Sierra Leonean or other countries with similar settings.
The DCOP will lead programmatic, operational, and administrative activities of the activity and will report to the Chief of Party. The DCOP will support the Chief of Party to develop a strong vision and implementation of the program with an evidence-based approach, integrating innovative strategies and delivering on all objectives of the project. They will be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day management of operations staff, along with a subset of programmatic staff. They will also provide mentorship and training, as needed, for all national staff. The DCOP will be responsible for grants management, financial and programmatic reporting, procurement, budgeting and financial monitoring, oversight of political reporting and analysis, technical oversight of certain activities, monitoring and evaluation, and responding to funder requests as needed. The successful candidate must be a development professional with significant international program management experience, preferably in Sierra Leonean or other countries with similar settings.
Essential Job Duties:
The position’s responsibilities will include:
- Provide expertise on constitutional and electoral reform, election administration, and observation;
- Oversee and manage all areas of operations, including administration, human resources, logistics, procurement, grants management, security, compliance, budgeting and financial accounting, and IT;
- Supervise a team of finance, grants, operations and administrative professionals; provide capacity building and mentoring when necessary, and ensure effective implementation of administrative and financial procedures compliant with DI and USAID policies;
- Oversee grants and sub-contracts administration in compliance with DI and USAID policies and regulations; and
- Build and maintain strong working relations with key internal and external stakeholders, beneficiaries, subcontractors, STTA, and partners.
Secondary Job Duties:
- Contribute to ongoing Democracy International business development efforts, in Sierra Leone and around the world.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree and relevant work experience of 7 years;
- Minimum of 5 years of experience with USAID compliance and reporting requirements as well as a thorough understanding of the USAID regulatory environment;
- Significant relevant experience in project management and supervising staff;
- Substantial experience working on democracy support, institutional capacity support, civil society, media or other topics relevant to election matters;
- Experience and technical expertise working on constituational and election reform, election administration, and observation.
- Demonstrated skills in planning, conflict management, and budgeting;
- Strong interpersonal skills to effectively coordinate with a wide range of stakeholders;
- Professional fluency in English (both spoken and written) required, knowledge of local languages preferred; and
- This position is open to Sierra Leonean citizens.
Application Process:
Interested applicants MUST submit a cover letter and CV. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and the position will be filled as soon as a qualified candidate is identified. DI will only contact candidates of interest.
Democracy International maintains the highest ethical standards. We are committed to the prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment as well as other ethical breaches. All our positions are therefore subject to stringent vetting and reference checks.
About the Organization:
DI provides technical assistance, analytical services and project implementation for democracy, human rights, governance and conflict mitigation programs worldwide for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the U.S. State Department and other development partners. Since its founding in 2003, Democracy International has worked with civil society organizations, political parties, election-management bodies, government agencies, legislatures, justice-sector institutions, and others in 80 countries.
DI provides technical assistance, analytical services and project implementation for democracy, human rights, governance and conflict mitigation programs worldwide for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the U.S. State Department and other development partners. Since its founding in 2003, Democracy International has worked with civil society organizations, political parties, election-management bodies, government agencies, legislatures, justice-sector institutions, and others in 80 countries.
DI welcomes and supports a diverse and inclusive work environment. We are committed to equal employment opportunities (EEO) for all applicants seeking employment and for DI employees. DI makes employment decisions based on organizational needs, job requirements and individual qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, personal appearance, military status, gender identity or expression, genetic information, political affiliation, educational status, unemployment status, place of residence or business, source of income, or reproductive health decision making. Additionally, harassment or discrimination based on these characteristics will not be tolerated at DI. To perform the essential functions of this position, reasonable accommodations are available to qualified individuals with disabilities.
