Job

Announcement Note: This position is contingent upon approved funding by the donor Position: Chief of Party Employing Organization: The Trust for the Americas Donor: USAID Mexico Project Title: Implementation of the Workforce Development (WFD) for Youth in Mexico: Strengthening Education-to-Employment Systems Area of Interest: Workforce Development, Socioeconomic Inclusion of Youth, Economic Development, and Education Location: Monterrey, Ciudad Juarez, or Tijuana, Mexico (TBD) Length of Assignment: Three Years (36 months) Anticipated State Date: October 2013 Program Summary (taken from the official Request for Applications published by USAID Mexico) The overall goal of this activity is to support Mexican initiatives at a systemic level to increase labor market skills acquisition among youth, adapt upper- and post- secondary education and training programs to labor market needs, and increase portability of skills across the education, training and labor market systems. This activity will support systemic changes that facilitate job search and skills matching for youth entering the workforce and strengthen competency-based certification. In addition, this activity will seek to support and assist Mexican governmental, non-governmental, private sector and academic institutions to work together to adopt, implement, and account for more effective policies that address critical workforce skills gap-related issues, creating necessary linkages for the education to employment continuum to function more effectively. Position Description: The Trust for the Americas seeks an experienced Chief of Party to plan and coordinate all activities under an anticipated USAID-funded project for Workforce Development for Youth in Mexico beginning in October 2013. The Chief of Party (COP) should have significant leadership, management, and international development experience, a demonstrated track record in successfully managing relationships with the public, private, and civil society sectors, and extensive previous experience managing USAID grants.

RESPONSIBILITIES: Serve as main point of contact/representative of the USAID-funded workforce development for youth project Ensure the effective use and coordination of USAID resources and the compliance of the financial systems and controls with USAID standards. Lead internal and external program planning and reporting including annual work planning with sub award partners. Provide effective guidance and support to technical members of the management teams and staff assigned to the project. Ensure sound financial management including programmatic budgeting, spending projections and monitoring of payments. Ensure high-quality periodic reporting in line with USAID and Trust for the Americas requirements Perform other responsibilities as requested by the Trust for the Americas. QUALIFICATIONS: Masters degree in social sciences, international development, business, or related field 10+ years experience in the implementation and management of international development projects Knowledge of the socioeconomic issues relevant to education, vocational training, and employment of youth in Mexico Demonstrated knowledge of USAID grant implementation Exceptional managerial and operational experience, preferably managing complex multi-sectoral activities involving the simultaneous coordination of multiple implementing partners Excellent interpersonal and communication skills Excellent managerial skills Written and spoken fluency in English and Spanish is required To apply, please send CV and cover letter to ptedoff@oas.org by April 23