Chief of Party, USDA Food for Progress, Ecuador

Pan American Brand•Washington, DC

12d•Onsite

About The Position

The Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) is seeking a Chief of Party (COP) based in Ecuador for a five-year, $25 million USDA Food for Progress (FFPr) project focused on Trade Facilitation and Sanitary and Phytosanitary Modernization. The COP will lead the implementation of the FFPr Program, ensuring effective execution of PADF’s activities. This includes enhancing Ecuador’s capacity to meet WTO TFA obligations, promoting trade, competitiveness, and agricultural productivity. The role requires strong project management, operational support, and leadership, with liaison responsibilities involving the HQ team, field team, partners, USDA, and Government of Ecuador representatives. This position is contingent upon donor funding and is anticipated to be based in Quito, Ecuador, with travel to project sites as needed.

Requirements

Advanced degree (Master’s level or higher) in agriculture, agribusiness, management, law, international relations, or other related fields, or at least 10 years of relevant experience to substitute the education requirement.
Minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in international donor assistance organizations, with a focus on agriculture, agribusiness, market systems, food security, or similar.
Implementation experience of large USDA, State Department, and other international donor grants in high-profile programs demanding attention to operational details and relations between donors, host governments, and local institutions.
Track record of successful cooperation with host country governments and USG missions.
Written and oral fluency in Spanish and English.

Nice To Haves

Prior senior-level experience with USG-funded programs in Latin America, and especially in Ecuador, highly preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead the coordination of program activities according to the approved work plan and in consultation with USDA and key Government of Ecuador stakeholders.
Ensure the implementation team’s compliance with USG and local rules and regulations.
Lead work planning, forecasting, and training initiatives.
Monitor project progress, supervise data quality, and obtain feedback from participants, partners, and stakeholders.
Work with PADF HQ and Ecuadorian staff to ensure financial and programmatic reports to USDA effectively account for project progress and use of funds.
Participate actively in evaluating, providing feedback, and formulating recommendations that result in subgrants and contracts, in collaboration with the project team.
Liaise with USDA, partner organizations, and local and departmental governments to support and monitor program activities as required.
Build and foster a strong working relationship with key internal and external stakeholders within the Ecuadorian Government at all levels, focused on collaboration toward the program’s objectives.
Engage with private sector actors including chambers of commerce, commodity groups, producer associations, cooperatives, and financial institutions.
Communicate and coordinate with HQ departments, consortium partners, sub-contractors, and other stakeholders as required.
Lead and support a regional team of experts, program managers, advisors, and local staff, contributing to and ensuring a collegial and respectful working and team environment.
Support the drafting, review, and presentation of quarterly, annual, and other donor reports in close coordination with HQ.
Collaborate closely with the Country Director, HQ program team, and other relevant staff to ensure partner management, sub-grant administration, and reporting are conducted in a cohesive and coordinated manner.
Provide input to high-quality written reports in English and Spanish on program activities, capturing results (outcomes and eventual impacts); ensure this reporting is consistent and meets donor guidance on length and format.
Oversee administrative, finance, and operations functions, including human resources, accounting and financial reporting, procurement, grants and contracts, and IT.