Chief of Party, West Africa Energy Program 519 views4 applications

Position Summary

RTI International is currently accepting applications for Chief of Party (COP) for the anticipated USAID-funded West Africa Energy Program (WAEP). This position will be a full-time role based in Accra, Ghana.

WAEP will expand supply of and access to affordable and reliable grid-connected electricity services in West Africa, with the ultimate goal of advancing development priorities including inclusive economic growth, security, and improved health and education outcomes. Progress toward this ultimate goal is outlined in the Power Africa Roadmap, which functions as the master plan that describes how Power Africa and its partners will fulfill its objectives. The purpose of this activity is to provide a range of technical assistance, capacity building, and transaction support to advance Power Africa’s objectives in the West Africa region. For the purposes of this program, West Africa includes Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, the Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Sao Tome & Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo.

WAEP will implement targeted interventions to accomplish the below objectives:

1. Increase the supply of power in West Africa;
2. Enable expanded end-user connection to the grid;
3. Improve the technical and institutional capacity and performance of select national utilities and other relevant national power sector entities; and,
4. Accelerate the establishment of a high functioning regional power market.

The COP will be responsible for the overall management of the activity and in charge of developing the various interventions that result in the desired outcomes and impact. In addition, the COP will lead his/her team and provide overall supervision on the implementation of the interventions.

Primary Responsibilities

· Manage Task Order performance and ensure achievement of Task Order results, quality standards, and schedules required under the contract.

· Provide technical leadership for WAEP tasks’ implementation

· Define and manage overall Task Order requirements, including staffing, cost, and quality control of all tasks and assignments undertaken to achieve this contract’s objectives.

· Speak for the Contractor on all matters, thus ensuring that the Contractor can make decisions in a timely and efficient manner.

· Serve as the main point of contact between USAID and the Contractor.

· Ensure effective coordination between the Regional and Ghana programs and implementing teams.

· Ensure close coordination and the delivery of services aimed at achieving the above objectives with existing and anticipated work conducted by stakeholders, including the Power Africa Coordinator’s Office, other USAID programs, relevant USG entities and implementers, regional and national host-country partners, the private sector, development partners, and civil society.

· Ensure effective and efficient performance for all aspects of the Task Order.

· Oversee all quality control and reporting.

· Interact professionally with senior USAID Mission, Embassy, and government officials, other donors, and regional organizations.

Required Skills and Qualifications:

Education and Experience

· Master’s degree in engineering or another relevant field with 14 years of experience in technical and management roles on similar energy projects.

· Experience ensuring cost control, compliance, and accessibility.

· At least 12 years of experience in the implementation and management of international donor- (including USAID-) funded energy projects in Africa with at least 5 years in a senior-level management position.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

· Extensive technical expertise in one or more of the following: energy sector reform, renewable energy, energy financing, rural electrification legal and regulatory reform, electric utility turnaround, power markets, power system planning.

· Reputation for professional excellence including strategic planning and management skills (as evidenced by references and achievements.)

· Excellent communications and interpersonal skills with evidence of ability to establish strong working relationships with diverse stakeholders.

· Ability to resolve sensitive and complicated work issues with senior high-level country counterparts, donor representative and senior-level staff.

· Verbal and written fluency in English, along with strong communications, interpersonal, and presentation skills, required.

· Fluency in French is a plus.

Position is contingent upon award and funding.