Deputy Chief of Party, Usda Nourish

Overview:
Counterpart International, alongside a diverse consortium of local partners and in collaboration with the Government of El Salvador, implements the Nourish & Flourish program, a McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program in El Salvador funded by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) This is a five-year initiative that aims to reach over 44,000 students in the Departments of San Miguel and Morazán by providing nutritious school meals, supporting infrastructure rehabilitation, empowering local communities to decentralize school feeding, boosting local food production, and strengthening economies.

The Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP) will serve as a vital member of the senior management team, supporting the Chief of Party (COP) in leading the implementation of the Nourish & Flourish program. The DCOP will oversee the day-to-day execution of all programmatic components, including technical excellence, financial stewardship, compliance with donor and institutional requirements, and reporting. S/he will guide the development and execution of strategies to achieve program results and indicators, ensuring seamless cohesion among activities. The DCOP will supervise the Program Manager and School Feeding Quality Assurance and Commodity Manager while fostering comprehensive staff development and promoting collaboration. The DCOP will also play a pivotal role in cultivating and managing strong partnerships to amplify program impact, working closely with stakeholders to sustain positive and sustainable outcomes. This is a full-time position based in San Miguel.

**Responsibilities**:

- Support the COP in the overall management of the program, ensuring strategic oversight and clear communication and cross collaboration between the program’s technical and operations teams and partners.
- Lead the planning, design, and implementation of programmatic activities while identifying personnel, material, and financial resourcing needs to achieve targeted results.
- Oversee, mentor, and guide the Program Manager and School Feeding Quality Assurance and Commodity Manager, ensuring high-quality implementation of activities related to school feeding, literacy, nutrition and health, and community engagement.
- Monitor the program’s alignment with Counterpart’s award with USDA, its Performance Monitoring Plan, and annual work plans to ensure the program is meeting donor expectations; propose and champion corrective actions as needed.
- Foster and strengthen relationships with program partners and key actors from the Government of El Salvador to encourage collaboration, amplify impact, and ensure alignment with program goals.
- Lead the semiannual reporting process, gathering inputs from across the program’s teams and addressing feedback from the US office as requested.
- Mentor and develop project staff and partners, emphasizing capacity building for national staff and fostering a collaborative, high-performing team to contribute to long-term sustainability and knowledge transfer.
- In the absence of the COP, represent Counterpart to the donor, local and national government authorities, beneficiaries, and other stakeholders.
- Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

- Bachelor’s degree in education, public health, nutrition, or another related field.
- Twelve (12) years of experience in the education, health or another related sector.
- Strong leadership and management skills with a proven ability to oversee diverse teams and coordinate complex program activities.
- Demonstrated expertise in school feeding, nutrition, literacy, and community development programs, including technical oversight and quality assurance.
- Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills to ensure effective resource management and operational efficiency.
- Proven ability to establish and maintain partnerships with government entities, NGOs, academic institutions, and other stakeholders.
- Experience in managing decentralized programs and promoting sustainable local food production and agricultural practices.
- Proficiency in strategic planning, resource management, and achieving programmatic goals in compliance with donor requirements.
- Full proficiency in Spanish and intermediate to advanced proficiency in English.
- Willingness and ability to travel up to 50% of the time.

**_ Preferred:_**
- Master’s degree in education, nutrition, or organizational development.
- Demonstrated experience working with and/or managing school feeding programs.
- Experience managing USG-funded programs, particularly USDA programs.
- Full proficiency in English.

Counterpart is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and does not discriminate in its selection and employment practices. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, protected