Senior Policy Advisor, USAID, Local, Faith-based, and Transformative Partnerships Hub

LFT/LLDI manages several flagship initiatives: Local Works, the Cooperative Development Program (CDP), the Small Project Assistance Program (SPA, in collaboration with Peace Corps), a number of co-created research and development initiatives, the Locally Led Development Annual Program Statement (APS), and the Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for Locally Led Development Innovation. The Hub also uses its resources to provide thought leadership, policy guidance, communications, research, training, piloting, and other technical services for the benefit of the wider Agency, with the ultimate goal of mainstreaming locally led development principles and approaches across USAID programs. To facilitate these efforts, the Hub operates as the Secretariat for the Locally Led Development Leadership Council. For more information, visit the Hub online.

Responsibilities

Locally Led Development (LLD) Policy Expert:

• Informed by the Hub’s Local Works program and other LLD initiatives, develop and implement a LFT/LLDI strategic plan for developing, shaping, and influencing Agency policy and guidance to integrate LLD principles and practices.
• Assess Agency gaps, challenges, and opportunities to influence, shape, and develop Agency-wide policy to reflect LLD principles and practices.
• Develop a system for tracking ongoing policy efforts in order to identify opportunities for supporting, shaping, and informing these policies.
• Support the LFT Hub’s LLD Initiative Lead in coordinating USAID’s LLD Leadership Council and Technical Working Group — a cross-Agency body of senior leaders that provides guidance and coordination on high-level issues related to LLD. Tasks may include assisting in the development and oversight of the Council’s workplan, providing strategic direction and input to senior leadership on Council priorities, developing agendas for and helping to chair meetings, and liaising with members to coordinate the Council’s workflow.

LFT/LLD Policy Representation

• Informed by the Hub’s Local Works program and other LLD initiatives, support the LFT Hub’s LLDI Lead to develop and implement a strategy for engaging with internal (USAID) and external stakeholders (Congress, U.S. Government interagency, partners, think-tanks, academia, wider development community) to advance LFT/LLDI. goals.
• Represent LFT/LLDI in high-level internal and external policy discussions that are relevant to advancing the Hub’s goals to shape and improve Agency policy and practice as it relates to LLD.
• Liaise with Bureaus, programs, and other internal Agency stakeholders in order to advocate for and identify opportunities to develop, shape, or influence USAID policy and guidance as it pertains to LLD.

Local Capacity Development Coordinator

• Coordinate relevant Agency stakeholders to launch and implement a new Agency-wide policy on local capacity development, including the development and dissemination of supporting resources, guidance, tools, and other associated mission support.
• Coordinate relevant Agency communities of practice and working groups aimed at implementing the Agency’s local capacity development policy, including the cross-Agency local capacity development community of practice and the “CBLD-9” (capacity development indicator) working group.
• Collaborate with staff in the LFT Hub focused on training to support development and distribution of training that supports the Local Capacity Development Policy.

USAID Field Engagement

• Conduct outreach to USAID Missions and across USAID/Washington Operating Units (OUs) to identify opportunities for improving, informing, or developing Agency-wide policy to integrate LLD.
• Liaise with Local Works and other LFT/LLDI-supported Missions, LFT/LLDI staff, and Agency-wide experts to ensure that LLD evidence and lessons inform Agency policy.

Qualifications

Minimum Requirements:

• Master’s degree or equivalent from an accredited college or university in a relevant field with eight years of professional experience and at least five years of experience relevant to the position.
• Experience developing, coordinating, shaping, influencing, and implementing high-level policy initiatives related to international development, foreign policy, and/or LLD.
• Experience supporting and liaising with senior government officials to provide technical advice and guidance on high-level policy matters.
• Demonstrated experience developing and implementing engagement strategies with diverse development stakeholders to advance foreign policy or foreign assistance goals.
• Experience and knowledge related to U.S. Congressional procedures and processes a plus.
• Knowledge of partnering and procurement processes in the international development space and/or local capacity development theory and practice a plus.
• Facilitation experience a plus
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to perform tasks independently with limited direction.
• Experience living and/or working in developing countries and resource poor settings.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and Google G Suite.
• Sumbission of cover letter strongly encouraged.
• Ability to obtain a Facility Access.