Director for Strengthening the Capacity of Local Partners – Congo

Pact is seeking an enthusiastic, experienced leader to lead the Capacity Strengthening (CS) of local partners in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Central Africa Regional Mission Countries, with a focus on increasing capacity to apply for, receive, and better manage USAID-supported direct grants. This position reports to the Chief of Party/Project Director and is a member of the leadership team of the planned USAID-funded DRC Localization Capacity Strengthening Support Mechanism. She will lead the project’s strategy for working with a range of Congolese and regional mission partners, oversee a team of professionals providing capacity strengthening support, and help ensure alignment between the project’s parallel work to strengthen USAID’s own capacity to work with local organizations.

Please note that this position is contingent on the award of funding and that the exact job title, requirements, and responsibilities are subject to change at the direction of USAID.

Main responsibilities

• Lead the development and implementation of the project’s overall CS strategy to strengthen the technical and organizational capacity of existing and potential new USAID/DRC and regional mission partner organizations while maintaining the performance and quality of local partners’ transition efforts.
• Ensure good coordination of multiple project sites, employees and technical teams to develop, modify and monitor programming elements.
• Drive and monitor the implementation of CS activities by mentoring technical teams and ensuring compliance with objectives, schedules, budget management and goal achievement.
• Form partnerships and networks with government, civil society organizations and the private sector to develop platforms for resource sharing, cross-sector learning and innovation that lead to sustainable CS outcomes.
• Lead the technical and contextual adaptation of Pact’s CS tools and approaches to support the achievement of program objectives.
• Lead the development and implementation of local organizations’ resource mobilization and sustainability strategies, including technical assistance for transition to direct USAID funding.
• Support knowledge management, linkages and sharing of lessons learned and best practices between programme activities and project teams, as well as with other stakeholders in capacity building and local partner transition.
• Work closely with the Chief of Party and other project leaders to ensure that CS interventions are consistent with program budget and outcomes.
• Lead a team of up to 4 capacity building consultants supporting specific technical CS areas for the project.
• Contribute to project planning (i.e., developing work plans and operating budgets) and work closely with the Chief of Party to collaborate and report to USAID.
• Provide innovative solutions to grant needs, particularly for local partners who are about to receive direct USAID funding for the first time and those already implementing USAID-funded projects and need support in increasing their absorption capacity.

basic requirements

• Master’s degree and 9+ years of relevant experience or equivalent combination of education and experience including 5 years of management experience or Bachelor’s degree and 11 years of experience including 5 years of management experience.
• At least 5 years of professional experience in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
• Proven ability to build and maintain strong relationships with governments and civil society partners.
• Excellent facilitation and training skills in a wide range of organizational development topics. Direct experience with transition pricing and/or successfully transitioning local partners to direct donor funding.
• Proven experience in successfully building and effectively managing diverse teams of employees.
• Proven experience in developing organizational capacity in financial and grant management, human resources, ESG compliance and related issues with partners at various stages of organizational development.
• Fluent in English and French.

Pact is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in its selection and employment practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, citizenship, genetic information, enrollment, family responsibilities, personal appearance, credit information, tobacco use (except in the workplace), membership in an employee organization, or other protected classifications or non-merit-related factors.
At Pact, we recognize your importance, provide you with opportunities and support your overall well-being. Our comprehensive benefits offering can include health insurance, retirement plans (8.8% to 13% depending on seniority) and savings plans, paid vacation, disability and life insurance programs, learning and development opportunities, wellness programs, and other optional benefit options.
Given the ongoing impact of COVID-19 around the world, we are taking steps to protect the health and well-being of our colleagues and ensure the safety of the communities in which we operate. Pact strives for a COVID-19-free environment and prefers that all employees are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Proof of vaccination status is required for employment at Pact. Additional health and safety requirements may apply to unvaccinated employees, including any federal, state and/or client-side restrictions.