Chief of Party - based Anywhere where Prosper Global operates at Mercycorps, Africa - Various Locations

Chief of Party - based Anywhere where Prosper Global operates at Mercycorps in Africa - Various Locations. Full-time. Apply with swipeandhired.

Anticipated USDA Food for Peace Food Security Development Programs
Position Status: Full-time, contingent upon award
Location: To be determined, based on program assignment
Risk Level : ☐ Level 3 ☐ Level 2 ☐ Level 1

• (Level 3: Frequent contact with participants, direct contact with children, access to sensitive data, and/or high level of accountability .
• Level 2: Some contact with participants; unplanned non-direct contact with children.
• Level 1: Likely to have no contact with participants or sensitive data)

About Prosper Global
Barely enough is not enough for anyone. Prosper Global is a humanitarian organization working alongside communities facing conflict, climate change, and economic hardship to meet urgent needs and create the conditions for lasting progress. Today's challenges demand new solutions, so we pair local knowledge with global resources to help communities build what's needed, test what's possible, and scale what's proven so that people everywhere can pursue a full life on their own terms. In 2026, we changed our name from Mercy Corps to Prosper Global, to reflect our belief that when every community can prosper, all of humanity moves forward.
Position Summary
Prosper Global seeks experienced Chief of Party (COP) candidates for anticipated U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food for Peace non-emergency development programs. These multi-year food security initiatives are expected to support vulnerable communities in achieving greater food security, improved nutrition, increased resilience to shocks, and sustainable pathways out of poverty through integrated programming that may include agricultural development, nutrition, livelihood strengthening, resilience-building, graduation approaches, and strategic use of U.S. in-kind food assistance. Anticipated programs may range from 18 to 36 months in duration and be implemented in partnership with government, civil society, private sector, and community stakeholders.
The Chief of Party will provide overall vision, leadership, and management for program implementation, ensuring technical excellence, operational effectiveness, strong stewardship of resources, and achievement of program outcomes. The COP will serve as the primary liaison with USDA, host-country government counterparts, consortium partners, and other key stakeholders while fostering a culture of adaptive management, learning, accountability, and continuous improvement.
General Position Summary
The Chief of Party will be responsible for the strategic, technical, financial, and operational leadership of a USDA Food for Peace development activity. The COP will ensure high-quality implementation of integrated interventions designed to strengthen food security, improve nutritional outcomes, enhance household resilience, promote sustainable livelihoods and agricultural growth, and support increased self-reliance among vulnerable populations.
The COP will oversee program teams, partners, and resources to ensure activities are implemented on time, within scope, and within budget while complying with donor and organizational policies. The COP will promote evidence-based decision-making, collaboration across technical sectors, and strong engagement with local institutions to support sustainable outcomes and local ownership.
Essential Responsibilities
Strategy and Leadership

• Provide strategic leadership and vision across all aspects of program implementation.
• Ensure programs are responsive to local needs, priorities, and market opportunities.
• Lead the development and execution of program strategies that contribute to improved food security, nutrition, resilience, livelihoods, and self-reliance.
• Promote adaptive management and use of data to strengthen program effectiveness and achieve results.
• Guide program teams in identifying innovations and partnerships that enhance impact and sustainability.
• Ensure strong integration across technical sectors and between food assistance and complementary development interventions.

Program Management and Technical Oversight

• Oversee implementation of all program activities, ensuring quality, timeliness, and compliance.
• Ensure coordinated delivery of interventions that may include:
• Agricultural productivity and market systems development;
• Livelihood strengthening and income generation;
• Poverty graduation and economic inclusion approaches;
• Nutrition-sensitive and nutrition-specific interventions;
• Community resilience and disaster risk reduction;
• Natural resource management and climate resilience;
• Food assistance and commodity-supported programming; and
• Capacity strengthening of local institutions and service providers.
• Ensure work plans, budgets, targets, and performance indicators are regularly monitored and adjusted as necessary.
• Promote rigorous monitoring, evaluation, learning, and accountability systems.
• Foster strong collaboration among technical, operational, and partner teams.
• Ensure inclusive of cross-cutting integration of social inclusion, youth participation, safeguarding, and community accountability principles across the organization.

Partnership and Stakeholder Engagement

• Serve as the primary representative to USDA, government counterparts, consortium members, private-sector actors, donors, and other stakeholders.
• Build and maintain productive relationships with national and local government institutions.
• Strengthen collaboration with local organizations and promote locally led development approaches.
• Support the development of strategic partnerships that contribute technical expertise, sustainability, and scale.
• Represent the program in relevant coordination forums and technical working groups.

Financial, Operational, and Compliance Management

• Ensure sound financial oversight and stewardship of program resources.
• Oversee program budgeting, forecasting, and expenditure management.
• Ensure compliance with USDA regulations, award requirements, and organizational policies.
• Establish effective systems for procurement, logistics, commodity management, and risk management.
• Monitor program risks and implement mitigation strategies.
• Maintain high standards of accountability, transparency, and internal controls.

Team Leadership and Management

• Lead, supervise, and mentor a multidisciplinary program team.
• Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performing team culture.
• Support recruitment, onboarding, professional development, and succession planning.
• Promote accountability through regular performance management and coaching.
• Create an environment that encourages innovation, learning, and continuous improvement.

Learning, Adaptation, and Knowledge Management

• Promote systematic learning and use of evidence throughout implementation.
• Ensure timely analysis and utilization of program performance data.
• Support operational research, learning agendas, and dissemination of lessons learned.
• Document and communicate promising practices, impact, and program achievements.
• Facilitate adaptive management processes that strengthen program performance in dynamic operating environments.

Safeguarding Responsibilities

• Actively learns about safeguarding and integrates it into their work, including safeguarding risks and mitigations related to their area of work.
• Practices the values of Prosper Global including respecting the dignity and well-being of participants and fellow team members.
• Encourages openness and communication in their team; encourages team members to submit reports if they have any concerns using reporting mechanisms e.g., Integrity Hotline and other options.

Supervisory Responsibility
The Chief of Party will supervise senior program leadership positions, which may include:

• Deputy Chief of Party
• Technical Directors
• Finance and Administration Director
• Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, Learning and Adaptation Lead
• Commodity Manager
• Operations and Logistics Manager
• Partnership Manager

Knowledge, Skills and Experience
Required

• Master's degree in agriculture, food security, nutrition, international development, economics, rural development, public health, business administration, or a related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible international development experience.
• Minimum of 5 years in senior leadership roles managing large, multi-sectoral donor-funded programs.
• Demonstrated experience leading food security, resilience, agricultural development, nutrition, or economic inclusion programs in low- and middle-income countries.
• Proven ability to manage complex awards, budgets, teams, and partnerships.
• Experience engaging effectively with government institutions, community organizations, private-sector actors, and donors.
• Demonstrated experience implementing programs that support vulnerable populations to improve food security and resilience.
• Strong understanding of market-based approaches, livelihood development, and poverty reduction strategies.
• Experience utilizing data for program management, adaptive learning, and performance improvement.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English.

Preferred

• Previous experience serving as Chief of Party, Deputy Chief of Party, or Program Director on USAID Food for Peace Resilience Food Security Activities (RFSAs), USAID Feed the Future programs, USDA Food for Progress projects, or similar donor-funded food security, agriculture, resilience, and nutrition programs.
• Experience overseeing programs involving food assistance commodities and associated commodity management systems.
• Technical expertise in one or more of the following areas:

• Agricultural development;
• Market systems development;
• Nutrition;
• Poverty graduation;
• Financial inclusion;
• Resilience and disaster risk reduction;
• Climate adaptation and natural resource management.

• Experience working in fragile, food-insecure, or shock-prone contexts.
• Additional language proficiency relevant to assigned regions.

Success Factors
The successful candidate will combine strong strategic leadership with proven operational management experience and a deep understanding of food security and development programming. They will demonstrate the ability to navigate complex stakeholder environments, build strong partnerships, lead diverse teams, and translate evidence into practical action. The ideal COP will be an adaptive leader who can drive results, promote innovation, and support communities in progressing toward lasting food security, improved nutrition, resilience, and self-reliance.
Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions
Location to be determined based on project award and assignment. The position may require up to 40% travel to support program activities and stakeholder engagement. Travel may include insecure locations where freedom of movement is limited and areas where amenities are limited. Housing for this role is in individual housing, and staff will have access to good medical services, and the living situation is of a high standard.
Ongoing Learning
In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development
Team Engagement and Effectiveness
Achieving our mission starts with how we build our team and collaborate. By bringing together individuals with a variety of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives, we strengthen our ability to solve complex challenges and drive innovation. We foster a culture of trust and respect, where every team member is valued for their contributions, empowered to reach their full potential, and motivated to do their best work.
We recognize that building a strong and effective team is an ongoing process, and we remain committed to learning, improving, and growing together.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Prosper Global is an equal opportunity employer committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristics protected under applicable law.
Safeguarding and Ethics
Prosper Global is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme . We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Prosper Global Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct elearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.
As an applicant, if you witness or experience any form of sexual misconduct during the recruitment process, please report this to Prosper Global Integrity Hotline ( [email protected] ).