Job Openings at IREX

Summary of Position:

IREX seeks qualified Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP) candidates to support the USAID-funded Ghana Youth Activity. The Activity will support rural and urban youth in northern Ghana with a range of sustainable opportunities, tools, and support systems that enable youth to improve their livelihoods, increase their abilities to contribute as both economically and socially productive individuals, promote peace, and become engaged community members. The activity will give special attention to the needs of girls, the disabled, and other disadvantaged groups. Based in Accra, the DCOP will support the Chief of Party in the management of the program and provide high-quality technical inputs to achieve program objectives.

Only citizens of Ghana or permanent residents with work authorization will be considered.

This position is contingent on funding.

Summary of Responsibilities:

• Support the COP in providing overall day to day management and coordination of project technical and administrative personnel and functions.
• Fulfill the role of the Chief of Party in that person’s absence.
• Ensure effective coordination between program activities as well as between field, country office, and HQ staff to maximize efficiency and impact
• Manage and supervise a team of technical staff.
• Provide technical expertise across program activities aiming to support rural and urban youth in northern Ghana with a range of sustainable opportunities, tools, and support systems.
• Design activities that enable youth in northern Ghana to improve their livelihoods, increase their abilities to contribute as both economically and socially productive individuals, promote peace, and become engaged community members.
• Contribute to monitoring, evaluation, and learning; program communications; and program reporting.
• Other duties, as assigned.

Required Skills and Qualifications:

• Ghanaian citizenship or residency with work authorization is required.
• At least eight (8) years of relevant experience leading youth-focused programs with a master’s degree in a relevant field such as business, economics, education, international development, non-profit management, etc.; or a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field with at least 10 years or relevant experience also considered. Successful track record of at least five (5) years supervising, managing, and implementing USAID-funded programs and or other related donor-funded programming.
• In-depth understanding of positive youth development and proven track record delivering inclusive multi-sectoral programming that strengthens youth access, participation, and systems.
• Extensive experience in improving youth livelihoods by supporting activities focused on a range of sustainable opportunities, tools, and support systems.
• Work experience with disadvantaged groups, such as girls, the disabled, and other disadvantaged groups preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to advise host country contacts at the ministerial level, and create and maintain effective working relations with international and local stakeholders, NGOs, local partners, and U.S. Government Agencies
• In-depth understanding of the local youth context, including key youth actors, policies, donors, and initiatives. Previous experience as a Deputy Chief of Party or another senior managerial role on an international donor-funded program;
• Tangible results in building administrative and technical capacity of youth-serving or youth-led local organizations.
• Proven experience building consensus among diverse actors.
• Excellent leadership and interpersonal skills including conflict resolution abilities.
• Excellent communication and writing ability in English and local Ghanaian languages required.

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Summary of Position:

IREX seeks qualified Finance and Operations Director candidates to support the USAID-funded Ghana Youth Activity. The Activity will support rural and urban youth in northern Ghana with a range of sustainable opportunities, tools, and support systems that enable youth to improve their livelihoods, increase their abilities to contribute as both economically and socially productive individuals, promote peace, and become engaged community members. The activity will give special attention to the needs of girls, the disabled, and other disadvantaged groups. Based in Accra, the Finance and Operations Director will ensure efficient and effective program operations and compliant financial protocols to ensure deliverables are met on time and on budget.

Only citizens of Ghana or permanent residents with work authorization will be considered.

This position is contingent on funding.

Summary of Responsibilities:

• Support the COP in day-to-day program management and ensure that the program meets all IREX, USAID and host country regulations and requirements related to USAID funds usage, accountability, and operations within the country.
• Track and analyze all costs incurred under the award; oversee all payments.
• Monitor program budget and advise senior management on burn rates and other programmatic considerations; provide complete and compliant required reporting; and maintain financial records for all program activities;
• Overseeing subgrantee budgets and expenditures; provide relevant capacity building on financial and operational requirements for local partners as needed.
• Supervise Finance and Operations team.
• Ensure that appropriate financial record-keeping policies and practices are established and maintained throughout the life of the program;
• Oversee all office expenditures and staff transportation/vehicles; lead human resource management;
• Establish financial and operational systems during start-up.
• Liaise with IREX home office financial, compliance and field operations teams; and
• Other duties, as assigned.

Required Skills and Qualifications:

• Ghanaian citizenship or residency with work authorization is required.
• A graduate degree in accounting or a relevant social or administrative science, with at least eight (8) years of experience in Ghana in the administration of international donor-funded programs; or an undergraduate degree in a relevant social or administrative science with at least 10 years of experience in the administration of donor-funded programs.
• Demonstrated knowledge of management processes and systems from start-up to close out, such as human resources management and development (including performance evaluation), financial management, fraud prevention measures, and management of employee compensation systems.
• Ability to compile and prepare financial and budget data in-line with USG rules and regulations.
• Experience analyzing budget trends and monitoring funding levels.
• Expertise with procedures required for adequate planning, monitoring, and realigning of complex budgets.
• Demonstrated ability to work with host government and cooperating partners in implementing a complex program in the field under challenging circumstances.
• Skilled in managing and compiling financial data for reporting and ensuring compliance with all donor requirements.
• Ability to successfully manage and develop staff in a multi-cultural setting as demonstrated by past experience.
• Excellent computer skills as they relate to financial management.
• Excellent interpersonal and teamwork skills.
• Fluency in written and spoken English and local Ghanian languages.

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Summary Of Position

IREX seeks qualified Chief of Party (COP) candidates to support the USAID-funded Ghana Youth Activity. The Activity will support rural and urban youth in northern Ghana with a range of sustainable opportunities, tools, and support systems that enable youth to improve their livelihoods, increase their abilities to contribute as both economically and socially productive individuals, promote peace, and become engaged community members. The activity will give special attention to the needs of girls, the disabled, and other disadvantaged groups. Based in Accra, the COP will oversee all aspects of program implementation, providing a vision for the program and ensuring that objectives are met on time and within budget.

Summary of Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic and technical leadership to the program, including a comprehensive vision for transformational outcomes for the activity’s three intermediate results:
  • Increase high quality economic opportunities for youth;
  • Increase appropriate, high-quality, timely health care for youth; and
  • Strengthen youth engagement in communities.
• Serve as principal liaison with USAID and develop productive collaborative relationships with a wide range of key stakeholders including government officials, other donors and implementers, civil society and private sector partners, program beneficiaries, and others.
• Develop strong collaborative, supportive, and mutually respectful relationships with diverse team members, with other leaders at IREX, and with leaders at key stakeholder and partner organizations.
• Ensure program activities are implemented on schedule, within budget, and coordinated to maximize efficiency and effectiveness across regions.
• Oversee program budgeting and forecasting, financial management, compliance and subgrants management.
• Oversee monitoring, evaluation, learning, and reporting to ensure the program adapts as needed to meet objectives and learning is acquired and shared broadly to maximize impact and sustainability.
• Oversee and help to drive a private sector engagement strategy.
• Integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout program implementation while also promoting an evidence-based positive youth development approach.
• Supervise, manage, and mentor program staff; lead recruitment of specialized technical staff.
• Represent IREX publicly and support its organizational development.
• Ensure that IREX’s safety and security policies and procedures are applied to all program and staff operations.
• Other duties, as assigned.

Skills and Qualifications:

• Ghanaian citizenship or residency with work authorization to be able to work in Ghana is required.
• At least eight (8) years of relevant experience leading youth-focused programs with a master’s degree in a relevant field such as business, economics, education, international development, non-profit management, etc.; or a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field with at least 10 years or relevant experience also considered. Successful track record of at least five (5) years supervising, managing, and implementing USAID-funded programs and or other related donor-funded programming, with at least 5 years of experience managing programs in Africa.
• Proven leadership qualities including a leadership style that is empowering to team members, and instills diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Demonstrated experience supporting youth leaders to spur inclusive economic growth and/or promote good governance in their communities.
•  Proven coaching and mentoring approach to management and leadership to collaborate effectively with others and build the capacities of those in the program leadership team.
• Excellent management, communication, representational, and organizational skills. 
• Demonstrated capacity to develop collaborative, supportive, and mutually respectful relationships with other diverse adult and youth leaders.
• Demonstrated entrepreneurial mindset, to plan strategically and creatively to meet program objectives, with a focus on innovation. 
• Ability to establish strong working relationships with senior officials in government, with youth-led organizations, civil society organizations, international donors, and other stakeholders.
• Fluency in written and spoken English; language skills in local Ghanaian languages highly preferred.
• Ghana nationals are strongly encouraged to apply.