Senior Technical Advisor – Human Security (LAC)

Overview

Creative Associates International is a dynamic, fast-growing global development firm that specializes in education, economic growth, governance, and post-crisis stabilization. Based in Washington, D.C., Creative has a field presence in more than 25 countries with a strong client portfolio that includes the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Department of State (DoS), among others. Since its founding in 1977, Creative has earned a solid reputation among its clients and is well-regarded by competitors and partners alike.

Responsibilities

Creative seeks a Senior Technical Advisor (STA) on Human Security to increase the company’s reputation as a pre-eminent expert, service provider with thematic and technical acumen programmatically and operationally in this area. The STA serves as Capture Manager or Tech Lead for relevant proposals; writes and/or reviews proposals; and provides strategic expertise to forecasted and live opportunities including support to field teams on capture, data collection and assessments. Key elements of this role also include cross divisional collaboration to Economic Growth and Educations Divisions and support across Practice Areas (PAs) within the Communities in Transition (CIT) division. As a subject matter expert (SME), the STA will adopt an outward facing role championing thought leadership and positioning the company with relevant USAID Missions to secure increasing business in these areas. He/she will contribute to annual business and work planning as a member of CITs senior management team. The staff member provides capacity building on Citizen Security/Human Security issues across the company and programmatic and managerial support as a resident SME. He/she will monitor market trends and business opportunities on Citizen Security/Human Security in close collaboration with BD personnel within CIT and across Creative Associates. STA will also serve as Practice Area Director in his/her absence.

Qualifications

Reporting & Supervision:

The STA for Human Security reports to the Practice Area Director, Citizen Security.

Expected Outcomes:

Leadership

The STA provides superior technical leadership on issues related to Citizen Security through expert level contributions to programming, and policy development within the company and to external stakeholders and clients. The STA will enhance Creative’s reputation as a leader in Citizen Security in Washington DC. circles and leverage their global network with a diverse set of actors outside of Washington, DC. contributing to that latest thinking on Human/Citizen Security in the areas of operational support, and program implementation. He/she will provide technical area leadership as a SME and support to Practice Area Directors (PADs) within CIT and across divisions within the company, including Education and Economic Growth (EG), in a manner that helps position Creative as a leader and expert implementer to clients. The STA will exercise considerable entrepreneurism and independence in the pursuit of establishing Human/ Citizen Security credentials on behalf of the company.

Technical & Thought Leadership

The STA has the demonstrated capacity to increase Creative’s profile on Citizen/Human Security issues, building the company’s reputation as an exemplary thought leader in this space. The STA positions Creative as a leader with expert level research and evaluation skills that facilitate the expansion of the company’s portfolio in Citizen/Human Security through the development of publications and various working papers. The STA successfully pursues opportunities for the company’s work in Citizen/Human Security to be presented to relevant stakeholders. Notably, he/she represents the company through engaging in speaking events with the USG, leading think tanks and academic institutions inside the US and globally and is invited to serve as an expert panelist at both forward facing public events and closed events under The Chatham House Rule. The STA for Human Security will lead field-based research that includes building and managing client relationships with senior staff including national government representatives, COPs and DCOPs.

Business Development

The STA serves as Capture Manager or Tech Lead for relevant proposals; writes and/or reviews proposals; and provides strategic expertise to forecasted and live opportunities including support to field teams on capture, data collection and assessments. STA brings expertise into discussions on corporate strategy on Citizen and Human Security, assuring that cross-cutting themes related to the technical areas are included in geographical and sector-based strategies. He/she supports senior leadership within the company to diversify its client and donor portfolio. He/she supports proposal development by providing technical expertise in areas related to Citizen/Human Security. This includes support to field missions and strengthening partner and client relations, building relationships with new clients. The STA provides strategic expertise to forecasted and live opportunities including support field teams on capture, data collection and assessments.

Learning & Adaptation

The STA contributes significantly to Creative’s visibility and excellence in Citizen/Human Security by actively participating in external networks and communities of practice, providing short-term technical assistance to field programs as needed. He/she develops and cultivates networks of technical and functional experts for learning and adaptation across the whole of Creative, e.g., Creative Associates International and CL. The staff member improves technical, programmatic, and operational capacity through thought leadership and the codification of best practices, promoting peer-to-peer knowledge sharing with Creative’s knowledge management (KM) colleagues. He/she enables learning through facilitation and training.

Staff Management/Supervision**

While the position does not envision a supervisory role for staff, the STA for Human Security may be called upon as required to supervise home office or field staff as acting Practice Area Director or lead project management of projects as Project Director. The STA for Human Security is expected to provide management oversight to research and evaluations leading for Creative publications and working papers.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Serves as an SME for Human/Citizen Security on policy issues at HQ, and globally, representing the company’s interests and technical leadership expertise.
• Provides thought leadership on an expansive view of Citizen Security – such as more in line with Human Security — in line with trends in USAID thinking; incorporates this new thinking into proposals and builds capacity of Creative staff in this area.
• As a representative of Creative, the STA exemplifies the company’s core values, mandate and approaches to external audiences.
• Forecasts trends, identifies and seizes discrete business opportunities in Citizen/Human Security, supports PAs on capture missions at HQ with travel to the field as needed.
• Provides supervisory duties for programs, research, evaluations and thought leadership on Citizen/Human Security to assure continued portfolio development.
• Represents Creative to clients in DC, e.g., USAID, DoS, and with non-USG stakeholders like the UN; represents Creative to USAID Missions with special attention to LAC while looking for way to expand the Practice’s geographic footprint, facilitates strategic alliances with centers of excellence, academic institutions and think tanks in the US and abroad and develops a network of technical experts.
• Maintains a strong client focus, cultivating professional relations as a point of contact on research, Citizen/Human Security issues with field staff, DCOPs and COPs.
• Works closely, and collegially with CIT PADs and colleagues across EG and Education building out technical program offerings.
• Coordinates with Creative’s DevLab and M&E colleagues to strengthen and expand knowledge, depth and approaches to Citizen/Human Security thematically.
• Provides technical and strategic input to company-wide initiatives leveraging his/her technical expertise in Citizen/Human Security to increase Creative’s share of market opportunities.
• Supports high-priority BD efforts through strategy formulation, contributing to ‘win themes’, proposal and partnership development for Citizen/Human Security.

Minimum Skills & Qualifications:

• Master’s degree related to international relations, international administration, or development studies and fifteen years of relevant experience.
• Experience serving in a technical advisory role and/or field research role as a Senior Technical Advisor, COP, Lead Field Researcher, or related function.
• Experience in working with senior leaders from government, CivMil actors, donors, and other stakeholders at HQ and the field in areas related to post crisis stabilization.
• Ability to collaborate with stakeholders and colleagues within Creative and with client representatives from USAID and DoS in a professional and collegial manner at all levels.
• Experience in leading innovative, state-of-the-art programmatic research, assessments and evaluation in Human/ Citizen Security.
• Capacity to deliver high quality, timely results against stated objectives. Ability to and innovate as a self-starter.
• Strong writing and editing skills; excellent communication, organizational, and analytical skills with a track record in research, evaluations including publications and public speaking with excellent facilitation and presentations skills.
• Demonstrating an entrepreneurial spirit by seizing opportunities in the local marketplace, creating and nurturing opportunities for new business generation, and visibly represents the company with stakeholders.
• Plans and executes new pursuits with technical insight and intellectual curiosity.
• Preferred Spanish or French language proficiency.

Only finalists will be contacted. No phone calls, please.

Creative Associates International Inc. is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer (gender/race/disability/veteran) and provides equal opportunity to all individuals regardless of their race, color, creed, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by state, federal, or local law.

Please view Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Posters provided by OFCCP here.

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