Position Summary:
Under USDA/FAS Food For Progress (FFPr), Shelter For Life International (SFL) is implementing a multi-year program in The Gambia with a focus on supporting the Gambian government’s food security objectives through the application of resilient agriculture practices and improving the trade enabling environment.

Project goals include strengthening the horticulture (namely fruit and vegetable) sector by:
1) increasing productivity and output; 2) expanding and improving quality of exports;
3) enabling increased trade by linking Gambian horticultural products to regional and US markets; and
4) improving incomes and standards of living for smallholder farmers.

The project will achieve these goals by focusing primarily on three components:
1) increasing horticulture productivity and markets;
2) building capacity of farmer associations and cooperatives; and
3) improving the trade enabling environment and sanitary and phytosanitary services.

Shelter For Life is seeking a Chief of Party (COP) to lead the FFPr program in The Gambia. The COP will be responsible for the overall implementation, oversight, and results of the project.
The COP will provide quality assurance and control of all program deliverables as well as provide leadership, supervision, and direction to the project’s field staff and operations.

Areas of Responsibility:
Strategic Leadership
• Provide supervision, support, and direction to field staff in The Gambia
• Lead a multi-national, multi-lingual, and multi-skilled group of professionals
• Establish relationships with various partners and stakeholders such as the donor organization, government ministries, research institutions, farmers’ associations and cooperatives, national, regional and local authorities, public private investment participants, and represent SFL at key meetings
• Bring focus and determination to the project staff to ensure high quality results, and prioritize the achievement of the program’s goals

Quality Program Management
• Develop and oversee detailed regular, periodic work plans and ensure the project meets all deliverables
• Provide quality reports on project progress to SFL headquarters and the project donor
• Carefully monitor project performance and document progress on project indicators
• Identify and engage participants for public private investment partnerships
• Guide initiatives with producers to link Gambian horticultural products to local and US markets
• Provide oversight and guidance to the project’s finance department to maintain adherence to the program’s budget and financial plans in accordance with donor requirements and SFL’s internal controls
• Coordinate and communicate activities with SFL HQ, USDA, the US Embassy, and local government officials
• Implement and enforce procedures that ensure compliance with US Government rules and regulations
• Enforce SFL’s internal control procedures, outlined by SFL’s Field Operations Manual, Employee Handbook and the Who we Are, What we Believe, and How we Serve documents Technical Oversight
• Responsible for strategy, technical oversight and guidance of project components
• Provide overall responsibility for all data collection, monitoring and evaluation
• Oversee a range of activities for coherence and reinforcement of impact, to ensure that components and activities work harmoniously together Education and Experience Requirements:
• Master’s degree in business administration, international development, international trade, agriculture, horticulture, or related field(s)
• A minimum of eight (8) years of relevant professional experience in designing and implementing donor-funded development projects in the following technical sectors: agriculture/horticulture, agribusiness, food security, agriculture value chains, and cooperativeand associations development
• A minimum of five (5) years of work experience as Chief of Party or a similar level post managing large agricultural/horticultural development of agribusiness projects
• Prior work experience with USDA-funded or similar international donor-funded programs
• Industry knowledge and experience in the field of resilient agriculture and/or horticulture
• Demonstrated experience in reporting project progress in adherence with donor guidelines
• Strong leadership and administrative skills, management ability in a cross-cultural environment
• Strong communications and interpersonal skills with evidence of ability to productively interact with a variety of stakeholders and organizations
• Prior work experience in Africa required; specific experience in The Gambia or West African countries preferred Personal

Skills & Abilities:
• Proven leadership skills with ability to maintain a positive work environment with professionalism
• Strong teamwork and listening skills with excellent interpersonal skills and cross-cultural sensitivity
• Ability to research, analyze, coordinate, and plan, both strategically and innovatively
• Ability to quickly assess complex programs and situations and form accurate opinions
• Ability to respond practically, using adaptive management to operate successfully in difficult field conditions
• Willingness to adopt the use of locally appropriate technologies
• Ability to be flexible, persistent, and diplomatic to gain respect among staff and diverse stakeholders including local community leaders, governmental ministries, and the donor organization
• Proficiency in written and spoken English required; knowledge of local languages a plus SFL is interested in applicants whose professional ethics, values, and determination to achieve impact are evident and aligned with organizational priorities.

Additional notes:
• A minimum of 12+ months commitment to live and work in The Gambia is required
• Applicant must be comfortable with frequent travel, particularly within The Gambia and West Africa
• Competitive pay and generous benefits including six weeks of paid time off, two weeks of R&R, ACA compliant health insurance, and allowances for housing, food, and communication