Deputy Chief of Party, Civic DEFENDERS

Freedom House

Washington, DC, United States

POSITION SUMMARY

Freedom House is seeking a Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP) to support the anticipated five-year Civic DEFENDERS (Digital Freedom Enabling Networks to Defend Rights and Security) award from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The Civic DEFENDERS activity aims to empower local civil society, human rights defenders, and independent media organizations to effectively address digital repression within their specific contexts, particularly in environments marked by repression. The initiative will concentrate on fostering enduring local resilience within civil society through a collaborative network involving global, regional, and local stakeholders. Expected interventions include providing technical guidance on digital security, advocating for digital governance, circumventing censorship, and offering comprehensive support encompassing legal, psychosocial, and physical security measures. Notably, this initiative closely aligns with USAID's current strategy, emphasizing a strong emphasis on localized action.

The DCOP will support the Chief of Party (COP) in the overall program implementation, and ensuring project deliverables are delivered on time, within budget, and high quality. Other duties include financial management, staff supervision and operational oversight.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Manage the day-to-day operations of the Civic DEFENDERS project, including staff management, technical coordination, compliance with USAID rules and regulations, logistics, and grants management;
Work with the COP to ensure that the technical approach aligns with the operational context and conditions;
Ensure high-quality, results-oriented technical programming through hands-on guidance and support grounded in Civic DEFENDERS’ strategic objectives and approved annual workplans and adhering to expected technical quality and reporting requirements;
Build the capacity of project staff as needed to equip them to adhere to USAID regulations;
Ensure that Freedom House and the consortium members provide high-quality technical assistance to local partners;
Travel when necessary for outreach about the activity to USAID and local partners, assess needs, or provide oversight on project implementation;
Conduct operational trainings and follow-up courses as needed throughout the life of the project;
Ensure compliance with Freedom House policies and procedures, USAID rules and regulations, and any applicable local laws, regulations, policies, and procedures;
In conjunction with project staff, manage project budget to meet expected results, ensuring cost-effective use of donor and Freedom House resources;
Oversee project staff and help partners utilize reporting and tracking systems to provide key information in an efficient and timely manner;
Hire, supervise, and mentor project staff;
Work collaboratively and liaise with other technical experts across Freedom House, as relevant for Civic DEFENDERS.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

Bachelor’s degree in political science, international affairs, human rights, or a related field;
Minimum of 10 years of experience in project management in the areas of civil society, media freedom, freedom of expression, digital literacy, governance, and/or capacity building.

Experience:

Demonstrated experience in human rights sector and significant experience working on USAID funded initiatives;
Experience working on projects with an LWA funding mechanism is a plus;
Experience managing complex USAID or USG budgets;
Proven success in the management, monitoring, and evaluation of USAID and other international donor-supported programs, with skills in strategic planning, adaptive management, supervision, budgeting, gender equality and social inclusion, and local capacity building;
Experience working on global projects, especially those designed to prioritize an inclusive, localized approach;
Demonstrated experience working on issues related to digital repression and internet freedom, such as censorship, surveillance, privacy, free expression, digital governance, and digital security;
Demonstrated experience supervising teams, including human rights professionals and partner organizations, to effectively respond to complex assignments;
Practical experience working with a range of program partners, including the USG, partner organizations, NGOs, and civil society.

Technical Skills and Abilities:

Solid understanding of the value systems, traditions, and social norms and practices of different cultures is strongly preferred;
Knowledge of important digital governance debates, the technical and legal mechanisms underpinning online censorship and surveillance, and the ways in which technology can contribute to repression, particularly of the most marginalized communities;
Excellent oral and written communication skills in English;
Strong analytic ability, ability to master new subject matter quickly, and to articulate complex concepts clearly and effectively;
Excellent organizational and managerial skills with a focus on achieving measurable and ambitious goals;
Strong and diplomatic interpersonal skills, demonstrating both a collaborative spirit and the ability to make decisions;
Ability to thrive in a creative, fast-paced, and highly professional environment that emphasizes excellence, collegiality, and teamwork;
Ability to travel as needed, including internationally (approximately 10-15%);
Ability to maintain the highest degree of confidentiality and exhibit unquestionable integrity, honesty, and forthrightness.

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