About the job
BACKGROUND: The Bureau for Africa (AFR) is the USAID/Washington operating unit managing USAID development and trade programs in Africa. The AFR Office of Sustainable Development (AFR/SD) provides strategic guidance and intellectual leadership to the Africa Bureau and Africa missions, conducts economic, social, and political analyses critical to the development of AFR policies, strategies, budgets, and activities, and supports coordinates, and facilitates technical and budgetary priorities and personnel considerations for the field. AFR/SD’s Vision is to support an inclusive, resilient, and prosperous Africa with robust and locally-led systems, institutions, and partners. AFR/SD’s Mission is to deliver technical assistance to African Operating Units to apply policy, shape multisectoral and inclusive programming, and bring technical and regional perspectives to shape U.S. Government strategies, policies, and programs related to Africa. The Office’s work falls into four main components: providing technical assistance to African missions; operationalizing Presidential Initiatives and global strategies; undertaking research and pilot activities to improve development programs in Africa; and supporting USAID leadership and other USG departments and agencies, including developing policy. AFR/SD’s Division of Economic Growth, Environment, and Agriculture (EGEA) works across multiple sectors of economic growth, trade, investment, agriculture, climate change, biodiversity, water, and environmental compliance. The Division directly manages activities supporting African regional institutions’ capacity development and providing analysis and data to assess regional needs, identify trends, and inform project designs. The EGEA Division collaborates closely with other USAID Bureaus to integrate programs and coordinate strategic and technical support to staff and programs in USAID Missions in Africa. Among its technical implementation responsibilities, AFR/SD is tasked with providing technical support to USAID/Africa Missions and USAID/Washington on water-related issues related to health, agriculture, and natural resource management activities and ensuring that the Africa Bureau complies with the U.S. Global Water Strategy and the Agency’s Plan under the strategy. EGEA works to achieve these objectives in collaboration with various partners across Washington, Missions, other USAID bureaus, and other U.S. government agencies. AFR/SD/EGEA seeks a Water Security and Sanitation Advisor to provide research and analysis and technical, program planning, and design support to AFR/SD/EGEA on water-related issues, particularly water supply and sanitation services and integrated water resources management. The incumbent will report to the EGEA Deputy Division Chief and join the Africa Bureau’s current Water team. This position is based in Washington, D.C., but it is eligible to be a remote assignment. Applicants should be able/willing to travel to destinations in sub-Saharan Africa.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include but are not limited to:
● Coordinate Africa Bureau integrated water supply and sanitation services efforts within the more extensive Agency portfolio.
● Provide technical support and advice to USAID Missions in sub-Saharan Africa (current Missions include Côte D’Ivoire, DRC, Ethiopia, Ghana, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Sudan, and West Africa Regional) and USAID/Washington on the strategic planning, development, implementation, evaluation, and reporting of water-related activities, particularly those that contribute to the strategic objectives of the USG Global Water Strategy and Agency Plan.
● Increase Mission awareness of USAID water programs and staff resources and facilitate these programs and staff resources by Missions.
● Provide direct training and other capacity-building assistance to USAID staff and partners, particularly Missions.
● Forge strong institutional linkages within USAID and between USAID/AFR programs and other relevant U.S. Government institutions and development partners in water-related activities.
● Assist in defining and analyzing Agency practices and priorities and identifying opportunities for integration and synergies within other sectors such as nutrition, education, and governance.
● Serve as a backstop to the water team and other AFR/SD/EGEA team members, supporting all of the Africa Bureau’s economic growth, agriculture, and environment sector activities and responsibilities necessary.
KEY DELIVERABLES:
1. Create and maintain a framework that tracks integrated water supply and sanitation supply services within the Agency portfolio.
2. Provide a monthly summary of water and sanitation technical support for Missions and Bureau for Resilience, Environment, and Food Security (REFS) / Bureau for Global Health (GH) Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) POCs
3. Monthly summary of support provided to the Water and Sanitation Advisor on front office requests, including but not limited to taskers, data calls, congressional briefings, incoming Mission leadership briefings, and other briefers (e.g., leadership country visit briefers, Water Leadership Council participation briefers, World Water Week and other conference briefers)
4. Documentation of improvements to and submission of critical products developed with the Water and Sanitation Advisor, including annual and routine Agency processes, including but not limited to Operational Plans (OPs), Performance Plans and Reports (PPRs), change notices, Technical Budget Recommendations (TBRs), activity sheets, and updating documents related to the water and sanitation portfolio.
5. Communication materials to be used to increase Mission awareness of USAID water programs and to increase staff resources.
6. Deliver any training materials developed for direct training and capacity-building assistance with USAID staff and partners, particularly in Missions.
KNOWLEDGE SKILLS, EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:
Required
● Bachelor’s Degree plus ten (10) years of relevant experience;
● Technical experience in international development and project implementation related to water.
● Demonstrated expertise and ability to investigate and provide consultative services on various technical questions and policy issues, including natural resource management, sustainable WASH service delivery, and policy reform.
● Demonstrable familiarity with sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in WASH and integrated water resources management.
● Working knowledge of USAID’s program cycle as well as acquisition and assistance processes
● Proficient analytical skills that demonstrate an understanding of the current concepts, priorities, and issues in program monitoring, data collection, and evaluation.
● Highly developed written and oral communication skills, as well as strong interpersonal communication and team-building skills to ensure effective coordination within USAID and advocacy of Agency positions externally with specialists and non-specialist audiences.
● Ability to serve as technical advisor for USG at international fora and provide thought leadership.
Preferred
● Advanced degree, preferably in water-related and/or development-related fields such as engineering, hydrology, water management, or public administration, plus seven (7) years of relevant experience.
