Location: Nairobi, Kenya

 

SUMMARY

 

Arizona State University seeks qualified candidates to serve as Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP)/Technical Director on an anticipated USAID project supporting the next-generation expression of the Regional Leadership Centers (RLC) component of the Young African Leadership Initiative (YALI), the United States’ premier investment in young African leaders. As the on-continent component of the YALI program, in 2015 USAID launched four YALI RLCs at higher education institutions in Ghana, Kenya, Senegal, and South Africa. The RLCs have provided access to leadership and functional training to 22,000 young leaders aged 18–35 from 49 sub-Saharan countries in three tracks: business and entrepreneurship, public management, and civic leadership. YALI 2030 will build on the RLC foundation to create an expanded pan-African youth development model that will harmonize training curriculum, serve underrepresented/underserved youth, build alumni network capacity and professional development opportunities, and develop new program-related partnerships with the private sector and other stakeholders and donors. The DCOP of YALI 2030 will be based in an African country and support project leadership and oversight. ASU has hosted YALI Mandela Washington Fellows annually since 2014, led public management cohorts at the East Africa Regional Leadership Center, collaborates with the Mastercard Foundation on an eLearning Initiative with African universities, implemented higher education projects for USAID with multiple universities on the continent, and maintains an African hub and a network of alumni through ASU-Thunderbird School of Global Management.

 

Reporting to the Chief of Party (COP), the DCOP/Technical Director will be dedicated to supporting the strengthening and harmonizing YALI systems including directing the delivery of technical assistance to enhance greater YALI alumni impact. The DCOP will specifically be responsible for Objective 2 of the YALI Activity: Scaled and Sustained Leadership Development.  More specifically, this objective includes the following results indicators: Increased access and enrollment, especially for women and under-represented groups; expanding and harmonizing YALI leadership program operations; and enhancing professional development of YALI instructors and administrators.  

 

This position is based in Nairobi, Kenya and is contingent upon award funding.

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Responsibilities

• In close partnership with the COP, plan, direct, and coordinate technical activities to ensure that YALI L and L objectives are accomplished in prescribed timeframes and in compliance with USAID and ASU regulations

• With guidance from the COP, lead the development and execution of detailed implementation plans, flowing from annual strategic work plans, ensuring that they are aligned with the project’s logical framework and intermediate results (IRs)

• Serve in technical advisory role in finalizing a scaled and sustained leadership development plan

• Provide technical advising and oversight to each RLC partnership in developing and implementing capacity-building strategies and work-plans focused on increasing access and enrollment, specifically for women and under-represented groups.

• Collaborate with ASU/Thunderbird networks in designing and implementing capacity-building activities for YALI instructors and administrators in youth leadership curriculum development; student-centered pedagogy; integration of technology in instruction; design of experiential learning opportunities; and education leadership.

• Collaborate with project Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Director in developing and implementing plans for measuring progress of partnership activities.

• Contribute to USAID-required reports.

• Support the COP in conducting periodic technical reviews and managing changes in project direction and focus as needed and prescribed by the USAID.

• Play a lead role in interacting with key stakeholders, development partners, government and regional officials, and private sector partners

• Identify issues and risks related to program implementation in a timely manner and suggest appropriate mitigation measures and program adjustments to the Chief of Party

• Develop and maintain strong relationships and foster collaboration with diverse stakeholders including implementing partners in the Continent, research institutions, think tanks, government agencies, donors, private sector, and local organizations

• Actively support internal and external learning processes, including activity implementation (and events) debriefing, identifying, and analyzing lessons learned from technical activities

• Other related duties as assigned.

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Qualifications

• Advanced degree (Masters level or above) in international education, youth leadership development, education in development, or a related field.

• Minimum 10 years of progressively responsible experience in youth/higher education capacity building.

• Demonstrated understanding of the inherent complexities of higher education partnerships, including cultural difference, power differentials and resource limitations.

• Professional experience in the YALI regions’ youth leadership development sectors/workforce development sectors.

• Strong teamwork, and leadership skills.

• Demonstrated experience developing content and coordinating learning events, as well as applying diverse adult and organizational learning including coaching, mentoring, peer-to peer, and others.

• Proven skills and expertise in women’s empowerment and gender-sensitive contexts.

• Superb interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.

• Preferred Deputy/Chief of Party experience Leading USAID programs.

• National from one of the YALI implementing countries strongly preferred.

• Fluency in written and spoken English and French evidence of strong oral and written communications skills.

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ABOUT ASU

Arizona State University is a public learning enterprise, and our mission is to collaborate with higher education and youth development systems around the world to transform the model for preparing learners to create solutions for global challenges. ASU began its own intentional redesign for access, excellence, and impact in 2002. Six years later, Newsweek hailed ASU as “one of the most radical redesigns in higher learning since the modern research university took shape.” By 2016 and again for the following seven years, U.S. News and World Report has named ASU the #1 innovative U.S. university. ASU ranks #1 in the U.S. and #2 globally for university impact on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (Times Higher Education, 2022). ASU is eager to collaborate with and learn alongside youth development enterprises in emerging economies to meet shared and escalating challenges young people face globally. Since 2010, ASU has successfully implemented projects in the Middle East and North Africa, sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast and Central Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean for USAID, the State Department, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, the Inter-American Development Bank, and private sector donors including foundations such as Mastercard and Gates. Through its University Design Institute, ASU is partnering with 90 institutions in 20 countries to assist universities that seek to catalyze lifelong learning and professional development for young leaders. Deriving from our call to “measure us not by whom we exclude but by whom we include and how they succeed,” positive youth development is core to everything ASU does to prepare young people to impact the equitable governance, prosperity, and resilience of their societies.

 

This job description summarizes the main duties of the job. It neither prescribes nor restricts the exact tasks that may be assigned to carry out these duties. This document should not be construed in any way to represent a contract of employment. ASU reserves the right to review and revise this document at any time.

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ASU is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status.

 

How To Apply: Qualified applicants should submit a CV and cover letter highlighting fit for the position to recruitment@broderickhaightconsulting.com with the subject line "ASU YALI DCOP”

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