Chief of Party

Overview

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 Energy Division is working to develop and implement low emission energy technology alternatives, raise private financing for energy infrastructure, bring efficiency to utilities, work with governments on legal and regulatory reforms to alleviate bottlenecks in energy generation and consumption, and increase access to green energy to sustain economic growth and reduce poverty. We serve as a chosen partner for USAID’s Power Africa program in sub-Sahara Africa and have an established international energy portfolio of over $300 million across Africa, Asia, Pacific Islands, and Latin America and the Caribbean. 

Project Description

The purpose of the $500+million USAID Securing Power, Advancing

Resilience & Connectivity (SPARC) Activity is to provide strategic technical and procurement assistance to the Government of Ukraine (GOU), focusing on enhancing the resilience, reliability, affordability, and security of the electricity, natural gas, and district heating sectors. The anticipated program will be based in Kyiv, Ukraine.

Position Description

RTI is seeking a Chief of Party (COP) for the anticipated SPARC program. The COP will be responsible for overall project performance, management, and execution ensuring all project deliverables are exceptionally exceeded within budget and compliance for mid to large-size complex projects in energy, infrastructure and/or reconstruction. This position will provide project planning, oversight, leadership, and coordination. The COP will build and maintain strong and favorable client, partner, community, home office and team relations. They may provide technical assistance and support activities where necessary.

Position is contingent upon award and funding.

Responsibilities

Your primary responsibilities will include but not be limited to:

• Act as the primary point of contact for USAID/Ukraine for day-to-day implementation and management matters relating to the contract, including contract compliance, contractor staff oversight, and coordination with beneficiaries, stakeholders, and USAID.
• Lead the senior management team for SPARC implementation across a team-of-teams structure to achieve contract results. Provide leadership across a multi-cultural team in a challenging operating environment to deliver Activity results.
• Will be responsible for assuring that all assistance provided under the contract is technically sound and appropriate for the needs to be addressed including leading and overseeing project strategy development, planning, and implementation; review and advance Activity monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL); and manage overall Activity operations team.
• Ensure that a high-quality Activity is delivered; that performance targets are met; that contractual obligations are met in a timely and cost-effective manner; that subcontracts are well managed; and that coordination with all partners and stakeholders is well-managed and well communicated.
• Facilitate proper implementation and quick adaptive management as RTI’s representative in Ukraine. The COP will have power to speak, bind, and enter into agreements for the Activity on behalf of RTI.
• Ensures all project deliverables exceed expectations and are managed within budget.
• Responsible to ensure all staff receive adequate security and operational support and that Standard Operating Procedures are implemented.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree and 18 years of experience, Master’s degree and 14 years of experience with a degree in a relevant field—experience must include management experience on USAID energy/infrastructure programs.
• 10 years of experience in management positions on large USAID or donor funded programs in energy, infrastructure and/or reconstruction including managing large teams with diverse backgrounds and relationships with the USAID, beneficiary country, and donor stakeholders.
• Management experience in Post-Soviet and European Union (EU) integration countries is preferred.
• Demonstrated experience managing/overseeing large USAID procurement and grants activities including experience addressing corruption dynamics in developing countries and implementing anti-corruption measures.
• Fluency in English required.

EEO & Pay Equity Statements

For San Francisco, CA USA Job Postings Only: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. Further information is available here.

The anticipated pay range for this role is listed below. Our pay ranges represent national averages and may vary by location as a geographic differential may be applied to some locations within the United States.

RTI considers multiple factors when making an offer including, for example: established salary range, internal budget, business needs, and education and years of work experience possessed by the applicant. Further, salary is merely one element to our offer.

At RTI, we demonstrate our commitment to rewarding individual and team achievement through a total rewards package. This package includes (among other things) a competitive base salary, a generous paid time off policy, merit based annual increases, bonus opportunities and a robust recognition program. Other benefits include a competitive range of insurance plans (including health, dental, life, and short-term and long-term disability), access to a retirement savings program such as a 401(k) plan, paid parental leave for all parents, financial assistance with adoption expenses or infertility treatments, financial reimbursement for education and developmental opportunities, an employee assistance program, and numerous other offerings to support a healthy work-life balance.

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