JOB ADVERT
USAID MALAWI GOVERNANCE FOR SOLUTIONS (GfS)

RESULT AREA 3 LEAD

POSITION: Result Area 3 Lead
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: Sept 2024 – August 2027
BASE OF OPERATIONS: Lilongwe, Malawi
GRADE: 11
POSITION REPORTS TO: Deputy Chief of Party

I. Project Background
Through the Malawi Governance for Solutions (GfS) Activity, USAID seeks to build on the incremental gains in decentralization and associated service delivery improvements, with the understanding that to make the significant leaps now required for Malawi to meet its own development goals— in the face of a fast-growing, young population—a bold, adaptive, and sustainable approach is required. To successfully remove critical bottlenecks and diffuse effective governance practices, DAl will deploy a locally driven approach-Facilitate, Catalyze, and Scale drawing on Problem Driven Iterative Adaptation (PDIA) as a core methodology. Through the Facilitate, Catalyze, and Scale approach, DAl will help local stakeholders to tackle the root causes of service delivery failures through best-fit solutions and offer demonstrative models based on positive deviance. Through both process-oriented facilitation and the provisions of technical support and grants, GfS will foster stable, resilient, and more self-reliant partnerships that best position local communities to address their own challenges and contribute to the trajectory of Malawi Vision 2063.

2. Objectives of the assignment
Reporting to the Deputy Chief of Party, the Result Area 3 will lead Policy and Regulation activities ensuring contractual results. He/She, under the supervision of the DCOP and as required, will facilitate/lead engagement and coordination with key functional government ministries, departments, and agencies (e.g., Ministry of Local Government, National Unity, and Culture (MoLGUC); Ministries of Finance, Health, Education, Agriculture; the Department of Human Resource Management and Development (DHRMD)); Local Government Service Commission (LGSC);National Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC) to keep them generally informed of GfS activities and prevent bottlenecks and maximize opportunity to diffuse learning about successful approaches to encourage wide adoption and replication.

3. Tasks & Responsibilities

• Provide guidance and policy advisory across all GfS thematic areas to ensure consistency and cross-fertilization of different strands of policy work under the programme as related to the decentralisation process in Malawi.
• Provide policy and regulatory advice and support to GfS Result Area Leads, District Liaison Officers, Urban Coordination Officers, G2G TAs and partners as they engage Coalitions, Thematic Teams and Technical Working Groups/ Sector Working Groups to secure/strengthen buy-in and diffuse learning about successful approaches gleaned under PDIA.
• Strengthen collaboration and coordination mechanisms for actors both at national and local level focusing on decentralisation policy and local development planning, budgeting, and implementation.
• Provide support in convening Decentralization Lab meetings with MDAs and partners, drafting papers and following up actions as required.
• Take lead in drafting terms of reference for consultancies commissioned under the Decentralisation Lab
• Assist other experts – including consultants hired under the Decentralization Lab – as directed by GfS and MOLGUC
• Support efforts to forge strategic partnerships with MDAs, academia, private sector entities, and civil society.
• Contribute data and analysis to monthly, quarterly, annual, and ad hoc communications and reports, and to MEL reports.
• Work under the direct supervision of the DCOP.
• Provide written reports that are identified as project deliverables (weekly, monthly quarterly, annual, work  plan, program budget, M&E reports) and other ad-hoc reports as needed.
• Provide communications narratives such as briefers, fact sheets for the project and for the client
• Provide guidance and mentorship to project colleagues to ensure linkage between results areas 1,2 and 3
• Adopt cross collaboration approach in implementing Results area 3.
• As requested, work in the MoLGUC
• Be prepared to travel through the country to support field based staff.

4. Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in Public Administration, Rural Development, or a relevant field with minimum of five (5) years of practical knowledge of working on local governance/decentralization with governance and advocacy initiatives with international development programs. Experience with USAID-funded programs preferred.
• Expertise in public service, good governance and/or accountability and oversight.
• Proven effectiveness in managing relationships with central and/or local government institutions.
• Experience with civil society and government capacity building.
• Experience with providing technical assistance, including organizing and conducting workshops and trainings.
• Strong experience with coalition building and collaboration with multiple stakeholders. Able to work effectively and professionally with central and local government officials, civil society organizations (CSOs), the private sector, donors, project staff, and other beneficiaries.
• Demonstrable skills in working in a complex environment
• Demonstrable skills in managing multiple streams of work
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and a demonstrated track record of effective teamwork; and
• Fluency in English

5. Method of Application
Eligible candidates meeting the above requirements should submit their application with up-to-date detailed CV indicating names of three traceable referees through the link:

https://fs23.formsite.com/OLJTgx/4l4uzxc0ob/index

And should be received not later than 13th September, 2024.

Only shortlisted applicants will be acknowledged and invited for interviews.

DAI is an equal opportunities employer