Chief of Party, USAID Iraq Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Activity (IMELA) (Baghdad or Erbil)

Position Description

EnCompass LLC is seeking a Chief of Party (COP) for an anticipated five-year United States Agency for International Development (USAID) USAID Iraq Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Activity (IMELA).

The USAID/Iraq Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Activity (IMELA) Activity will provide USAID/Iraq with a variety of monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) services to advance evidence and decision-making for USAID. This may include, but is not limited to, assessment, performance and impact evaluations, third-party monitoring, data quality assessment (DQAs), and special studies.

The COP will serve as IMELA’s in-country lead, serving as the primary point of contact to USAID/Iraq and EnCompass’ home office. The COP is responsible for all technical, administrative, and financial aspects of the activity.

In addition to providing overall leadership, management, and technical direction, the COP will have experience working in performance management, organizational development, strategic decision-making, quality control, and project learning, preferably in the USAID context and with CLA practices.

We are looking for someone who can facilitate learning and build relationships with high political acumen and strong conflict prevention and management skills. They must be an inclusive leader, who can navigate change with flexibility and emotional resilience. The ideal candidate will have demonstrated experience focusing on results and impact, with a strong strategic vision and an understanding of systems approaches to programming. They will understand how to foster a culture of continuous improvement and learning and will maintain high self-awareness and personal improvement skills.

The position will be full-time and be based in Baghdad or Erbil, Iraq (dependent on the needs of contract), with anticipated travel throughout the country.

Position Duties and Responsibilities

Essential functions:

Administration:

• Serve as the main point of contact for the activity, providing vision, direction, leadership, and management for the contract.
• Provide technical, operational, and managerial oversight to all aspects of the Activity to ensure all activities, and deliverables are executed with quality and timeliness
• Establish and maintain highly collaborative working relationships with the Government of the Iraq, USAID/Iraq and USAID/Washington as required, along with relevant in-country stakeholders; serve as the primary point of contact for USAID and as the principal liaison with USAID staff, institutions, and country partners to exchange information and develop professional relationships.
• Manage the country team, ensure technical capacity of staff; provide technical assistance and backstopping when required
• Ensure that all activities are undertaken in full compliance with EnCompass’ standard operating procedures, USAID policies and regulations, and national policies and laws
• Ensure documentation and dissemination of findings, impact, innovations, and lessons learned
• Ensure optimal use of human, financial, and physical resources to successfully meet project milestones, objectives, deliverables and targets

Technical:

• Responsible for the overall technical direction of the activity, ensuring quality and timeliness of all deliverables
• Promote sustainability of project activities with effective networking, linkages to other programs, capacity building of project staff, and institutional strengthening

Other:

• Engage fully as a member of the EnCompass staff team, including participating in staff meetings and other EnCompass events, and providing administrative support to other team members as needed
• Other duties as assigned

Position Requirements

Qualifications

Academic Qualifications

• Master’s degree and 10 years’ experience; or PhD and 8 years’ experience in international development/studies, business, statistics, or a related field required

Experience and Skills

Required:

• Minimum of 8 years’ experience in the area of M&E and results-based management, data quality control, and reporting for USAID projects and systems
• Prior experience as a COP, or project director leading complex USAID-funded projects, as well as managing sizeable USG-funded contracts and budgets preferred
• Strong experience with evaluation standards and practices required
• Experience working in performance management, strategic decision-making, and project learning
• Experience managing complex relationships with a variety of stakeholders, including host country governments at different levels; experience mentoring staff and working with international and national consultants and staff
• Demonstrated leadership, strategic thinking/planning, management, and presentation skills required
• Working knowledge of and experience with USG-funded program management, policies, regulations and procedures
• Former supervisory experience required
• Excellent communication skills in English required (written and verbal)
• Ability to live and travel within Iraq

Preferred:

• Experience building monitoring, evaluation, and learning capacities of USAID staff, implementing partners, and government counterparts
• Experience with USAID monitoring and evaluation policy and guidance, including CLA practices.
• Familiarity with USAID/Iraq preferred and/or USAID programming in the MENA region

How to Apply

• Please submit CV and cover letter, and complete the application online
• Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) programs to write your application materials or to submit answers to screening questions could disqualify your application and/or candidacy

EnCompass LLC is a progressive Equal Opportunity Employer. We promote, celebrate, and support a diverse and inclusive organizational culture and workforce. We are committed to providing all of our employees with an environment free from discrimination and harassment, where all are treated with dignity and respect. We do not tolerate, and explicitly prohibit, discrimination or harassment of any kind, at any time, in all aspects of employment. This includes recruitment, hiring, promotions, disciplinary measures, terminations, compensation, benefits, social and recreational programs, and training. EnCompass also does not tolerate retaliation against individuals who report discrimination or harassment. Our continuing commitment to the principle of Equal Opportunity Employment for all means all employment decisions are based only on the job requirements, the candidate’s qualifications, and the needs of EnCompass as a business—not on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, belief, sex (including pregnancy and related medical conditions), gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability status, veteran status, genetic information, HIV status, family/marital/parental status, or any other status protected by the laws and regulations in the jurisdictions where we work.