Sr. Program Director, Climate Finance for Development Accelerator

Chemonics seeks a Sr. Program Director for the USAID Climate Finance for Development Accelerator (CFDA) program management unit (PMU). This position will join the broader PMU supporting the operations and implementation of CFDA activities. CFDA is in its third year and is a global, $250 million initiative to increase climate investment in emerging markets and developing economies. The CFDA project team is managed by a core Washington-based team of experts in impact investing, climate finance, resilient economies, grants and subcontractor management, and inclusive development. The Senior Program Director will backstop operational and technical activities for the growing portfolio which may include activities/buy-ins in the Africa and LAC portfolios. The Africa portfolio currently comprises activities in Southern Africa, Senegal, Zambia, and Tanzania. The LAC portfolio includes activities across the Caribbean including the Caribbean Climate Investment Program (CCIP), a 4-year, $23.5 million activity that aims to catalyze and increase private sector investments in social and environmentally sound renewable energy (RE) and energy efficiency (EE) projects and Natural Climate Solutions across 14 countries in the Caribbean. CCIP provides business development service facilitation and technical assistance to small and medium scale enterprises working with RE/EE technology, as well as provide technical and financial support to businesses, communities, and other entities in developing, scaling, or improving climate-resilient adaptation practices and technology.  

This senior leadership PMU role is an exciting opportunity to provide operational, compliance, financial management, and programmatic support on CFDA. We seek candidates with experience on USAID global and buy-in mechanisms, experience managing dynamic staffing and providing budget oversight as well as significant grants and subcontracts management experience.

Responsibilities:

Project Management

• Directs program implementation for one or more programs within the BU
• Leads programmatic design and implementation for one or more programs of corporate priority and/or higher complexity, developing operational guidelines and technical solutions that can be applied across the company.
• In collaboration with the chief of party, develops work plans, ensures timely resources to execute the plan, leads and directs progress and reporting of implementation, ensures proper technical direction in fulfilling the project scope of work, and conceptualizes new strategies to improve performance; ensures project activities are aligned with achieving results in MEL plan and QASP (and deliverable schedules if applicable) elevating any deviations for resolution
• Supervises project financial performance, oversees project closeouts and final reports, and ensures resolution of implementation problems
• Conducts periodic supervisory visits to assess the status of project activities or to participate in technical or evaluation work in the project office
• Confers regularly with the BU's SVP on project direction and strategy and makes decisive and timely decisions that positively impact project outcomes
• Establishes key elements of tactical and operational plans with measurable contribution toward the achievement of results of typically mid-sized to large projects; makes significant decisions on what their team of responsibility focuses on
• Develops new processes, standards, or operational short- to mid-term strategies and operational plans (1 to 3 years) to achieve strategic goals
• In collaboration with chief of party, develops and supervises implementation of strategies to optimize profitability and reduce cost overruns; approves overhead expenses per policy
• Facilitates effective working relationships with clients, counterparts, and stakeholders and continually promotes outstanding client service with corporate office staff and project teams; leads discussions as part of quarterly client consultations; leads response on CPAR in consultation with the chief of party and submits the final version in the system
• Leads planning efforts and directs corporate office and project technical activities for project startup, briefing the project team on the business development proposal and award process, with special e