Objective:

J.E. Austin Associates and its consortium is seeking a dynamic and strategic leader for an anticipated USAID activity focused on tourism development in Moldova. The overall goal of this five-year program is to further stimulate the transformation of the Moldovan tourism sector into an engine of economic growth, leading to higher living standards for rural Moldovans in the long term, while concurrently cultivating greater national pride in the Moldovan identity and strengthening social cohesion.

The implementation of the program is expected to yield the following outcomes: (a) an increase in number of annual international visitors to Moldova; (b) increased average spending by international visitors translating into higher foreign exchange earnings; (c) an increase in number of days per visitor with an emphasis on attracting tourists to destinations located outside of the capital; and (d) an increased number of direct and indirect tourism-related jobs; (e) enhanced social cohesion among various ethnic groups in Moldova.

Responsibilities and Tasks:

Based in Chisinau, Moldova, the COP will be responsible for:

• Providing overall vision, direction, leadership, and management of the project, including regular reporting to USAID/Moldova.
• Supervising senior long and short-term advisors
• Overseeing knowledge capture, organization, synthesis, and executing effective strategies for implementing effective work under the program in all rural areas.
• Managing project partners and resources
• Overseeing reporting to USAID technical and contract personnel
• Liaising with USAID Missions (the client) to maintain frequent and open communication

 

Qualifications:

• Advanced degree in relevant field required; Tourism related degree or training is highly preferred
• 10 -15 years of international development experience; COP experience is desired
• Minimum eight (8) years of senior-level experience in leading, designing, implementing tourism related projects
• Deep knowledge of cultural, sustainable and destination tourism development concepts
• Experience managing contracts and agreements with USAID and other donors.
• Experience interacting with host country stakeholders, including governmental, public and private sector actors, and others
• Demonstrated leadership, strong interpersonal, writing and oral presentation skills
• Excellent Communication and English writing skills; Knowledge of Russian and/or Romanian will be plus.

 

Objective:

J.E. Austin Associates and its consortium is seeking a dynamic and strategic leader for an anticipated USAID activity focused on catalyzing systemic change in agricultural market systems. The Market Systems and Partnerships (MSP) Activity will be one of the flagship projects focused on advancing learning and good practice on market systems development and private sector engagement within USAID (Washington and Missions), USAID partners, and beyond by providing and improving upon the evidence, capacity, tools, technical assistance, and/or services required to design, implement, monitor, and/or evaluate activities that lead to inclusive and resilient agriculture-led economic growth, improved food security and nutrition, and increased incomes for the poor.

The Activity will engage leading private sector players in the industry to support market systems development approaches by developing long-term partnerships with the private sector; conducting research, evaluation, and analytics around market systems; and delivering training to USAID and its partners in new concepts and methods developed. Activities should lead to inclusive and resilient agricultural-led economic growth, improved food security and nutrition, and/or increased incomes for the poor. This program seeks to improve the effectiveness of Feed the Future, USAID, and other USG programs, leading to sustained development outcomes at scale.

 

Responsibilities and Tasks:

Based in Washington, the COP will be responsible for:

• Providing overall vision, direction, leadership, and management of the project, including regular reporting and buy-in management under MSP Activity
• Supervising senior long and short-term advisors
• Overseeing knowledge capture, organization, synthesis, use and adaptation; and executing effective strategies for implementing effective work under core and buy-in activities
• Managing project partners and resources
• Working collaboratively with partners, USAID, and field project managers to oversee/manage buy-ins for the Activity
• Overseeing reporting to USAID technical and contract personnel
• Liaising with Bureau for Food Security (BFS) and Missions (the client) to maintain frequent and open communication
• Overseeing Global Leadership Functions to generate knowledge and collate evidence on cutting-edge market systems development and private sector engagement learning questions as well as developing tactical approaches to the day-to-day front-line work involved in implementing approaches
• Oversee action research in partnership with donor and implementing partner staff; ensuring academic rigor.

 

Qualifications:

• Advanced degree in relevant field required; PhD in a relevant agricultural field preferred
• 10-15 years of international development experience, COP experience is preferred
• Minimum eight (8) years of senior-level experience in leading, designing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating, and managing large-scale Feed the Future and/or other agriculture and food security projects, initiatives or Centers
• Deep knowledge of Market Systems approach
• Experience managing contracts and agreements with USAID and other donors.
• Experience interacting with host country stakeholders, including governmental, public and private sector actors, and others
• Demonstrated leadership, strong interpersonal, writing and oral presentation skills
• Excellent Communication and English writing skills