DAI
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, DAI 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, DAI 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. DAI will also support local and national government institutions to address systemic challenges related to human resource management, public financial management, and policy implementation that inhibit bottom-up solutions. Through both process-oriented facilitation and the provision 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.
Objectives
The Chief of Party (COP) will provide overall technical and management direction to the project and is responsible for achieving program results on time and on budget. S/He will serve as the lead interlocutor between USAID and the GfS team to develop and implement GfS activities and will oversee the Activity’s geographic and technical expansion upon award of an anticipated $10 million in additional funding. S/He will support the integration of GfS components, the formation of a collaborative and productive project team, and ensure a county-led development process. S/He also will lead the technical direction of GfS, as well as facilitate communication and coordination with all Program stakeholders, working directly with USAID, local government, civil society, the private sector, and others.
Tasks & Responsibilities
Her/His specific responsibilities, conducted with the support of DAI home office, consultant, grantees, subcontractors and the GfS team:
- Provide overall management and technical leadership to GfS and ensure the achievement of project objectives and expected results.
- Lead the integration of an anticipated $10m add-on into the activity, which includes but is not limited to:
o Participation in the recruitment process of new staff members;
o In consultation with USAID, the Government of Malawi, and other stakeholders, finalizing selection of seven councils for expansion;
o Supervise procurement of additional equipment in the field, including project vehicles; and,
o Lead the expansion current activities and new activities
- Serve as the primary point of contact for USAID.
- Manage GfS cooperative agreement and operating budget.
- Responsible for delivering contractual results.
- Lead engagement with national and local government organizations, development partners, grantees and sub-awardees, civil society, and the private sector, including but not limited to:
o Supervising selection, oversight, and capacity building of local grantees;
o Building relationships with private sector stakeholders and facilitate public-private collaboration to address problems of mutual interest;
o Leading engagement with central government institutions to address barriers and institutionalize good practices identified through local-level implementation;
o Coordinating GfS activities with those of other USAID projects and donors; and,
o Planning and participating in constituency-building exercises and capacity building sessions.
- Contribute to, and participate in, development community events and learning activities representing GfS.
- Ensure internal collaboration and integration of GfS activities, including coalition-led interventions, complementary institutional capacity strengthening for local and national institutions, and technical assistance in support of Government-to-Government (G2G) agreements between USAID and the Government of Malawi
- Provide overall technical oversight of DAI’s Facilitate, Catalyze, and Scale approach, which:
o Applies the PDIA methodology to help locally led, multi-stakeholder coalitions identify and prioritize problems and actions, provide platforms for engagement, and leverage USAID and other donor-funded sector initiatives;
o Provides timely, on-demand technical assistance (TA), research, and other resources for coalitions and target institutions to iterate solutions;
o Creates opportunities for coalitions to share learning and effective practices, supporting sustainable geographic or technical diffusion of successful models, promoting the development of peer networks, and helping to shift local stakeholder mindsets toward adaptation.
- Manage environmental compliance of GfS
- Directly supervise Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP), Senior PDIA Advisor, Director of Finance and Operations, and the Senior Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) Director and provide coaching, mentorship, and technical guidance to the GfS team.
- Mobilize resources, including DAI home office STTA, national and international consultants, and local grantees, to support implementation of GfS initiatives and ensure the quality and timely production and submission of deliverables to USAID.
- Ensure all GfS interventions consider and integrate the distinct needs of women, youth, people with disabilities, and other marginalized groups.
Qualifications
- A post graduate degree in social sciences, international development, and/or other related fields.
- Proven professional experience in the development field, including working in developing countries.
- Demonstrated ability to create and maintain effective working relations with diverse stakeholders including government personnel, stakeholders, non-governmental organizations, and private sector partners, and international donor agencies, academia, and local communities.
- Effectively conveys information and expresses thoughts professionally orally and in writing, demonstrates effective use of listening skills and displays openness to other people’s ideas and thoughts.
- Demonstrated successful working experience in adaptive management.
- Demonstrated work experience in public sector management, public service delivery, stakeholder mobilization and engagement, policy advocacy, citizen engagement, and organizational systems strengthening.
- Relevant professional experience managing and implementing successful, multi year development projects of similar scope and size of GfS.
- In depth understanding of and ability to effectively function in southern Africa’s political, cultural, and social landscape, as well as a proven track record of working effectively with host country governments are various levels.
- Demonstrated experience using Problem-Driven Iterative Adaptation or similar approaches.