Education Development Center (EDC) is a global nonprofit that advances lasting solutions to improve education, promote health, and expand economic opportunity. Since 1958, we have been a leader in designing, implementing, and evaluating powerful and innovative programs in more than 80 countries around the world.

EDC promotes equity and access to high quality education and health services and products that contribute to thriving communities where people from diverse backgrounds learn, live, and work together. We support an inclusive workplace culture that embraces many perspectives and broadens our understanding of the communities we serve, enhancing and enriching our work.

EDC is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

The goal of the upcoming, five-year, $10 million - $24.99 million, Positive, Educated, Employed, and Resilient Youth (PEER Youth) Activity in Liberia is that 20,000 targeted youth, ages 15-29, will have increased economic self-reliance and resilience through a range of sustainable opportunities, tools, and support systems that enable them to improve their livelihoods and increase their abilities to contribute as both economically- and socially- productive and engaged family and community members.

USAID/Liberia expects that through this program, targeted youth will improve knowledge, skills, and attitudes that strengthen their abilities to earn a sustainable livelihood, increase their incomes, and practice healthy behaviors as productive members of society. PEER Youth will include formal employment, non-formal employment, and entrepreneurship as critical focus areas. In addition, the enabling environment that supports youth livelihoods development in Liberia will be improved. PEER Youth will achieve active engagement and commitment of formal employers, non-formal employers, and the private sector in support of youth livelihoods development. The outcome of this engagement will be the placement of targeted youth in hands-on opportunities for apprenticeships, internships, or long-term employment. PEER Youth will also increase targeted youth’s access to finance; improve livelihoods market linkages; and develop personal networks that enable targeted youth to access assets and navigate the job market.

Position Description

The Deputy Chief of Party/Senior Operations Manager (DCOP) will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of financial management, procurement, and operations, including systems implementation, and budgeting. The DCOP will also be responsible for ensuring the project’s compliance with both EDC and USAID policies, procedures, rules and regulations. S/he will proactively manage security and mitigate security risks. 

Responsibilities for the DCOP include, but are not limited to:

• Support the Chief of Party (COP) with overall activity management;
• Support the COP by providing technical expertise and guidance on the goals and objectives of the activity;
• Serve as Acting COP in the absence of the COP;
• Manage office operations and budget execution;
• Ensure effective operational planning and execution so that the activity is meeting proposed objectives and targets;
• Serve as representative of the PEER Youth Activity in meetings with the Government of Liberia, private sector, training institutions, and other stakeholders and partners;
• Lead all project finance and operations, including general administrative processes, financial management, procurement, accounting, and logistics;
• Develop, analyze and monitor program budgets in collaboration with leadership team and EDC HQ staff;
• Manage project procurement processes in accordance with EDC policies and applicable regulations;
• Liaise between EDC headquarters and the field office on financial and procurement matters;
• Work on and monitor sub-award implementation and management for the full cycle of sub-awards, in coordination with other staff in the field and HQ;
• Advise senior leadership on financial and operations-related matters;
• Contribute to the development of high-quality work plans, quarterly and annual reports, financial reports, and any other reports required by USAID;
• Liaise with internal and external auditors in the review of project financial management;
• Supervise and train other project-based administrative, finance, and procurement, staff;
• Support finance/operations-based capacity development of local partners/government agencies as needed by the program; and
• Manage and mitigate risk through monitoring national and regional issues that may impact staff and programming and ensure all staff understand and adhere to EDC staff safety and security policies and plans.

The candidate for the position of DCOP shall have at a minimum the following qualifications:

Education:

Master’s degree in Education, Business Administration, Finance, or a related social science field of study directly related to the activities to be undertaken in this program.

Skills and Experience:

• A minimum of 8 years’ experience working in any of the fields stated under education requirement;
• A minimum of 5 years’ progressive supervisory work experience providing direct supervision of administrative, human resources, or finance staff, as well as direct supervision of professional and support staff responsible for major international donor projects implementing workforce or youth livelihoods programs in developing countries;
• Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal skills with evidence of ability to productively interact with a wide range and levels of organizations (government, training institutions, officials at national and local levels, private sector, NGOs, and other donors);
• Experience working in Africa required; experience working in Liberia strongly preferred; West Africa work experience desired;
• Familiarity with USAID rules and regulations on financial management and procurement required;
• Ability to maintain and apply strong internal controls for finance and procurements;
• Demonstrated experience in developing and managing budgets and managing/implementing /monitoring sub-awards; and
• Experience training and mentoring finance and operations staff.

Language:

Professional level of oral and written fluency in English is required

Deadline for applications is Thursday, 17th September.

Due to the volume of applications submitted, only finalists will be notified. No phone calls, please.

Applications submitted without a resume will not be considered.

All proposal positions are contingent upon donor funding and approval

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EDC is committed to enhancing the diversity of its workforce and ensuring an equitable and highly inclusive work environment. EDC is a smoke-free workplace, and offers a supportive work environment, competitive salary, and excellent benefits. Women, minorities, individuals with disabilities and veterans are encouraged to apply.