Deputy Chief of Party
ARK Group, Yemen

Location: Aden, Yemen

Contract type: Full time, fixed term contract 1 year renewable (project currently funded until 2027)

Reports to: Chief of Party

Direct Reports: Gender and Inclusion Specialist

Closing date: 29th September 2023

ARK is a social enterprise, empowering local communities through the provision of agile and sustainable interventions to create greater stability, opportunity and hope for the future.

We believe that strong, resilient communities are the foundation of local, national, regional and international development and stability and ultimately a safer, peaceful and more prosperous world. At ARK, we have delivered research and programmatic interventions validating this approach in over twenty countries since 2008. As a social enterprise we work in partnership with communities, our donors, and other implementers to build local capacities, generate opportunity and bring about sustainable change.

Learn more about our impact here: https://www.ark.international/impact

Who are we looking for?

ARK is recruiting a Deputy Chief of Party to demonstrate strong leadership, offering clear guidance, and showcasing a steadfast commitment to advancing peacebuilding and fostering community resilience in Yemen.

We are currently executing two programs funded by USAID in the governorates of Abyan, Aden, Al-Dhali’, Hadramout, and Lahj in Southern Yemen.

The USAID Building Peace in Yemen program partners with communities in rural Yemen to address root causes of land and water conflict, especially water scarcity, by promoting water conservation, particularly in agriculture, and facilitating community-led climate change resilience planning. The program will promote dialogue, mediation, and resolution of existing land and water conflicts, with an important focus on those between groups in conflict.

The USAID Yemen Community Resilience program also partners with local civil society and community-based organisations, especially those led by women, to strengthen community cohesion and child protection through direct support as well as through health and social service referrals.

As Deputy Chief of the Party (DCoP), you will support the Chief of Party (CoP) in the strategic and operational management of these two programs. You'll play an integral part in ensuring that community awareness, prevention mechanisms, reconciliation, and economic empowerment initiatives are executed effectively. As the primary focal point for the program implementation, you'll oversee the day-to-day execution of work plans and ensure all activities align with ARK's mission and USAID's objectives.

What you'll be doing

Program Implementation

• Collaborating with the COP to manage resources and technical implementation
• Leading work plan preparation and overseeing its execution, reporting challenges to the CoP
• Managing program deadlines, milestones, and progress reports.
• Ensuring program delivery quality and supporting budget versus actual reviews.
• Coordinating with program teams for accurate measurement, monitoring, and evaluation.
• Working with a Third Party Monitoring team on monitoring activities, including field visits at Data Quality Assessments.

Partnerships Management

• Assisting the CoP in maintaining strong relationships with stakeholders.
• Overseeing the selection and due diligence, and subsequent monitoring and capacity building of subrecipients.
• Supporting in subaward close-outs and lesson documentation.

Capacity Building and Support

• Providing mentorship and training to implementation staff to enhance programs’ performance in delivering field activities.
• Building capacity of formal and informal local community leaders, organisations, and networks to meet program objectives, including the people-to-people program principles, child protection, and community-led conflict mitigation.

Requirements

Essential

• Extensive knowledge and experience in community-led resilience building, community-led conflict mitigation, and child protection programs.
• Comprehensive experience within a leadership/deputy leadership position.
• Familiarity with managing peace-building programs in volatile environments.
• A deep understanding of the socio-political context in Yemen.
• Strong oral and written skills in both English and Arabic.
• Legal right to work in ROYG-controlled areas of Yemen.

Desirable

• Degree in a relevant discipline
• Prior experience with USAID and knowledge of their rules and regulations.
• Experience in peacebuilding initiatives in Yemen,

Job Rewards and Benefits