Chief of Party

**Title: Chief of Party (COP),** Partnership for Higher Education Reform (PHER)**

**About**: The Partnership for Higher Education Reform (PHER) Activity is a five-year initiative funded by USAID and implemented by Indiana University, aiming to modernize Vietnam's leading universities and strengthen Vietnam’s higher education system in alignment with USAID's Higher Education Program Framework. PHER implements activities towards institutional reform in Vietnamese higher education institutions through developing effective and innovative models and approaches in governance, teaching and learning, research, and university-industry linkages, and enhancing new partnerships and collaborations. Its goals centers around four key pillars - _Governance and Policy, Improvement of Teaching and Learning, Research, and University-Industry Linkages_ - and targets three major Vietnamese universities: Vietnam National University-Hanoi, Vietnam National University-Ho Chi Minh City, and the University of Danang. Higher-education policy advocacy and reform, technology and digitization, and gender empowerment are critical, cross-cutting strategies for success across these four pillars and support the long-term sustainability of PHER outcomes. Vien Sang Kien Vietnam (SKI) is a sub-awardee to Indiana University supporting and implementing the PHER Activity in Vietnam.

**Job Summary**

The Chief of Party (COP) reports to the Principal Investigator (PI) and works with the PHER Leadership (co-Principal Investigator, and Academic Director) to help them establish and execute the program strategy. The COP for PHER Activity has overall responsibility for the management and coordination of all project activities and staff to ensure timely and high-quality completion of workplan activities and deliverables.

All Personnel based in Vietnam reports to the COP, including the Sang Kien staff. The COP will cultivate open and collaborative management relationships with the project team at USAID and PHER leadership and staff. The COP will have principal responsibility for representing PHER to USAID and works closely with the USAID Agreement Officer Representative (AOR). The COP plays the lead role in working with the Vietnam National University-Hanoi, Vietnam National University-Ho Chi Minh City, and the University of Danang, as well as USAID AOR in effectively implementing planned activities of PHER. The COP, working closely with the PHER leadership and staff, develops annual workplans and activities in a collaborative manner; ensures that program activities comply with agreement requirements, applicable USG regulations, and appropriate standards and procedures; and supervises the communications specialist to ensure high quality and frequently updated PHER communications.

**Specific Responsibilities**
- Provides day-to-day operational management of support staff.
- Identifies operational issues and/or areas of improvement and implements solutions to improve processes and/or operational efficiency.
- Analyzes, monitors, and evaluates performance of assigned staff; establishes work priorities, conducts performance reviews, and provides corrective action as needed.
- Draft quarterly, semi-annual, and annual programmatic reports of PHER Activity for review and finalization by the PIs and submission to funding agencies.
- Support in the preparation of quarterly, semi-annual, and annual financial reports.
- Develop and maintain relationships with project stakeholders including US Agency for International Development, government representatives, project consultants and vendors, as well as partner institutions.
- Assist in the preparation of promotional materials, press releases, success stories, and conference presentations in support of the PHER Activity.
- Establishes short-term operational objectives.
- Ensures adequate staffing and effective scheduling; participates and informs employment decisions for assigned staff.
- Provides direct supervision and oversight of assigned staff and activities; impacts, and is held accountable for, the performance of team and/or assigned staff.
- Ensures and provides training to assigned staff to improve user support operations; researches and identifies development opportunities for assigned staff.
- Keeps next-level leader(s) informed of trends as well as significant problems.
- Represent PHER Activity, in consultation with the PI, in local, national, and other meetings presenting Activity programs and services to clients and partners including business, education, public, non-profit, and governmental organizations.

**Qualifications**

EDUCATION

**_ Required:_**
- Master's or higher degree in education, international affairs, public administration, public policy, or a related field

WORK EXPERIENCE

**_ Required:_**
- Ten (10) years of experience in a senior-level or equivalent management position leading, managing, and implementing development-relevant projects with the higher education sector institutiona