Chief of Party – Multi‑country ECB Project

About the role

The Chief of Party (COP) provides strategic leadership and overall accountability for the Every Child Belongs (ECB) Initiative, a multi‑country programme that improves wellbeing, inclusion and access to quality services for children with disabilities. Reporting to senior leadership, the COP oversees implementation across health, education, child protection, WASH, livelihoods and social inclusion sectors in countries such as Malawi and Rwanda.

Key responsibilities

• Ensure achievement of programme and financial performance targets for approximately 500,000 beneficiaries.
• Provide technical leadership to country‑level ECB Directors and oversee implementation of the ECB Business Plan.
• Build and improve quality‑assurance systems, including rollout of a digital case‑management platform and data‑driven decision making.
• Collaborate with finance teams to optimise resource utilisation and identify cost‑saving opportunities.
• Identify, assess and manage programme risks across all implementing countries.
• Standardise project indicators and ensure consistent application across the portfolio.
• Strengthen government and community systems for sustainable disability‑inclusive services.
• Coach, mentor and develop ECB Directors and implementation staff.

Required profile

• Extensive experience (10+ years) in leading large‑scale, multi‑country development programmes.
• Proven track record in disability‑inclusive programming across health, education and protection sectors.
• Strong financial management and budgeting expertise.
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex stakeholder relationships, including governments, NGOs and donors.
• Excellent risk‑management and strategic planning capabilities.
• Fluent English communication skills; additional language proficiency is a plus.

Required skills