Chief of Party (COP), USAID Armenia Strategic Communications Support Activity
Zinc Network, Armenia
Job Description
Introducing Zinc Network
Zinc Network is a B-Corp certified U.S. small business with offices in Washington, D.C., London (HQ), Tbilisi, and Warsaw. Zinc conceptualizes and creates programs, interventions, and strategic communications campaigns around some of the world’s most complex problems from disinformation to extremism, media capture to authoritarianism.
Zinc has 80+ team members from diverse professional and cultural backgrounds, including diplomats, behavioural scientists, researchers, content producers, digital experts, and service designers. Zinc works with a broad range of governmental, NGO, and private sector clients, including the United States Agency for International Development (USAID); the U.S. Department of State (DOS); the UK Home Office (HO); the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO); UN agencies and missions; and foundations.
Zinc seeks a Chief of Party (COP) for the anticipated USAID Armenia Strategic Communications Support Activity. The COP will provide strategic and managerial oversight of the Activity. This position will be based in Yerevan, Armenia. The position is dependent upon funding.
Key responsibilities:
- Lead a cutting-edge program dedicated to equipping the Government of Armenia (GOA) with effective strategic communication systems, capacity, and practices. The assistance will target the following areas: institutional set-up and talent management for streamlined strategic communication, systems and capacity building for data-driven information management, and citizen-centered strategic communications and public outreach
- Lead the Activity’s efforts to support the GOA establish a strategic communications system aimed at proactive communication and public engagement as part of its 2022-2024 Public Administration Reform (PAR) Strategy, including by developing a more agile institutional architecture capable of effective synchronization, establishing rules and guidelines across communication channels, creating a unified corporate identity, and enhancing the capacities of responsible staff
- Drive overall program strategy and technical direction, and supervise partners and personnel, including by providing project management, operations, and financial leadership to reach program goals
- Serve as the primary liaison among USAID, GOA counterparts, Activity stakeholders, implementing partners, and Zinc’s project management division
- Apply technical expertise in strategic communications to the Activity’s work planning, implementation, activity adjustments, and monitoring and evaluation
- Identify issues and risks associated with Activity implementation in a timely manner and guide appropriate adjustments
- Facilitate close collaboration and teamwork, including mentorship and development of local partners and staff
- Lead regular work planning and oversee reporting and program learning activities
- Represent the Activity compellingly to the client and all other internal and external stakeholders
- Oversee the collection and dissemination of successes and lessons learned to inform program adaptation, build an evidence base of what works, and inform scale-up strategies
Requirements
What we need from you
Qualifications:
Sharing our enthusiasm for measurable impact and data-driven insight, you are a great leader and communicator who is passionate about issues related to strategic communications within governments. Naturally, you have a high degree of rigor, leadership experience, attention to detail, ability to translate complex concepts into succinct, compelling messages, and the soft skills to successfully manage multi-disciplinary teams in complex environments. You also have:
- Extensive experience and expertise in strategic communications including in areas related to supporting institutional set up and talent management for streamlined strategic communication, ensuring institutionalized systems and capacity for data-driven information management to inform strategic communication, and fostering citizen-centred strategic communications and public outreach
- Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field such as communications, media, political science, or digital media Master’s degree preferred
- Minimum 10 years of progressively responsible work experience leading strategic communications within government, an agency, or on projects
- Exceptional communication skills with a proven ability to foster a cohesive and collaborative environment working with a range of program stakeholders
- Skills related to the management and handling of grant-giving programs including experience and coordination with international, regional, and local partners
- Outstanding written and verbal communications skills in English, including creative present