BACKGROUND

 

The Pakistan Regional Economic Integration Activity (PREIA) is a nine-year, $24.9 million project located in Islamabad, aims to further the development of the country’s trade sector by improving Pakistan’s competitiveness in international market. This objective is consistent with USAID/Pakistan’s overall development program and supports achievement of Development Objective #2 from USAID/Pakistan’s Mission Strategy: “Improving Economic Status of Focus Populations.” The activity aims to increase access to international and regional markets in order to enhance Pakistan’s regional economic integration with its neighbors. Focusing primarily on trade promotion and facilitation, PREIA will improve the international trade environment, resulting in increased trade and transit volumes. The project is currently in its 8^th year of implementation with 17 months remaining until in the end of project in Aug 2024. PREIA is fully programmed and requires a strong technical COP to implement and manage the programmed activities through delivery.

Purpose

The COP is PREIA’s senior supervisor and ultimately responsible for completing the activity deliverables in the contract scope of work. The COP serves as the principal point-of-contact for USAID and must incorporate USAID’s directions into planning and execution of the activities. He/she is the primary representative of PREIA for the activity’s external stakeholders, including government, private sector, academia, civil society and donor counterparts. The success of the activity depends, in part, upon the COP’s understanding of international markets and trade issues such as trade policy, implementation of trade agreements and customs reforms to provide strategic guidance and leadership related to the planning, management, and implementation of the activity. The COP will oversee all aspects of PREIA’s performance, both technical and managerial. The COP will also be responsible for subcontractors ensuring timely progress against schedules, achievement of deliverables, and quality of results. Additionally, the COP will be supported as required for any activities and ad hoc events by DAI’s home office technical POC, and by specialized environmental/climate, trade facilitation/policy, and customs reforms STTAs as needed.

Responsibilities include:

• Provide overall leadership, management, and technical direction for PREIA.
• Facilitate USAID’s ad hoc requests for activities including environment/climate linked with trade.
• Serve as the senior PREIA representative to USAID, Government of Pakistan, and other key project stakeholders, including private sector, academia, civil society and donor counterparts.
• Manage networks and individuals related to project activities.
• Oversee project close-out, ensuring that the project meets the schedule of deliverables throughout the life of the project.
• Maintains PREIA’s engagement process with key stakeholders, i.e. Pakistani Government ministries to understand respective issues, engagement capacity and concerns.
• Maintains engagement with the private sector to identify industries with high export potential and obstacles to growth.
• Supervises PREIA senior technical staff—Deputy Chief of Party, Regional Trade and Policy Advisor, and Customs and Trade Facilitation Advisor— and Finance and Operations Manager, ensuring integration across technical and operational activities.
• Ensures STTA is utilized effectively across components to achieve maximum impact.
• Serves as primary liaison to DAI home office management, ensuring clear communications and consistent expectations across all parties.
• Guides PREIA in collaboration with DAI’s Technical POC to achieve performance targets and ensures compliance with all USAID regulations.
• Provides timely reporting to USAID.

Required Qualifications:

1. A minimum of 7-10 years of experience in the field of international trade and investment facilitation, preferably with experience in Pakistan and/or Central Asia;
2. Expertise in managing USAID funded programs in the economic growth/trade sector is required;
3. Demonstrated experience working collaboratively with senior-level host-country counterparts;
4. An advanced degree in political or social science, business administration, or related area is preferred; and
5. English fluency is required.

Base of Operations: 

The Chief of Party will be based in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Reporting:

He/She will report to the Bethesda-based Senior Portfolio Director (SPD) for the Central Asia, Afghanistan, and Pakistan (CAAP) region or her/his designee.

About the Organization: 

DAI delivers development. We do it in many of the world's most demanding environments, by integrating a broad range of disciplines. Over 40 years, our employee owners have built a forward-looking company — one that combines innovative thinking, deep technical knowledge, and professional project management. We approach our work with passion, analytical rigor, and open minds. By freely sharing what we learn, we have built a reputation as thought leaders who translate good ideas into action and action into results. Our global team of 1,500 development professionals welcomes each opportunity to solve a new problem, no matter how difficult. That's how DAI has earned the trust of the clients, partners, and people who work alongside us all over the world. DAI Advancing Human Prosperity SM.