Job Description
POSITION MANDATE
The Communications and Knowledge Management Partnerships Specialist will work on the USAID-funded Private Sector Engagement Modernization Institutional Support Contract (PSEMC) under the Communications and Knowledge Management team within USAID’s Private Sector Engagement Hub.
The specialist is responsible for establishing the Agency strategy and vision for promoting partnership to private sector audiences. This position will be responsible for facilitating institutional reform around scaling and enhancing USAID’s engagements with the private sector through implementing new language models, technology solutions, and content resources. More specifically, the specialist will:
- Consult Agency representatives on their initial engagements with the private sector by ensuring collateral is written in a commercially-oriented manner, determining and articulating the value proposition of collaboration, and mapping opportunity criteria to specific company profiles for optimal matching.
- Establish new Agency standards, practices, and operating procedures related to enhancing a recently launched public site (USAID’s Corporate Partnering Portal) dedicated to enhancing direct communications between the Agency and potential private sector partners.
- Leading efforts related to developing key messaging frameworks and associated content, knowledge products, evidence repositories, and communications plans.
The work products developed through this role are new, highly visible, and will require a change in approach for USAID staff given the emphasis on commercially oriented language and partnership promotion. This workstream requires careful coordination and change management applications amongst stakeholders within the PSE Hub and Agency at large.
This position is remote eligible, but presence and ability to work in the USA is required, as is the ability to work on Eastern Time Zone standard business hours.
OUTCOMES / ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
- Lead the development and implementation of a communications strategy, including content development, for the USAID Corporate Partnering Portal in coordination with USAID’s Management Bureau’s Office of Acquisition and Assistance (M/OAA) and Chief Information Officer (M/CIO).
- Counsel Agency staff on how to write and use commercially oriented language and knowledge products to advance private sector engagement objectives, in both internal- and partner- facing capacities.
- Lead change management efforts to promote uptake of consistent commercial messaging, geared toward the promotion of private sector partnerships, throughout the Agency at large and the use of commercial-oriented resources (i.e. Corporate Partnering Portal).
- Lead in the design and development of knowledge products intended for all Agency staff (Mission, Bureaus, and Independent Offices) to use in their initial interactions with potential private sector partners.
- Establish a compelling messaging framework, and related collateral, that articulates the business case for collaborating with USAID using secondary data such as engagement results and outcomes as well as primary data such as focus groups and targeted interviews. Leads focus groups and targeted interviews with stakeholders.
- Lead the development and creation of external facing products with consistent and concise commercial messaging, based on conversations, focus groups and feedback from private sector partners.
- Maintain and manage the centrally managed Partnerships Evidence Index, a communications tool that will help support Agency staff in exploring, finding, and utilizing best-of case studies.
- Represent USAID and interests with the private sector at industry and networking events to engage business leaders that may have an interest in working with USAID to achieve their business objectives.
- Provide expertise in knowledge management and communications for programming and operations in accordance with the Agency policies and procedures.
- Lead and manage a team of User Experience (UX) designer(s) and developers to identify, prioritize, and establish website enhancements to improve the UX for private sector audiences. Enhancements may include – but are not limited to – an interactive partnership opportunities and evidence map for the USAID Corporate Partnering Portal that communicates specific details to potential partners that are interested in partnering with the Agency. The specialist shall lead stakeholders and the UX team in developing the enhancement vision, audience benefit, internal back-end processes, data management protocol, and more needed to effectively create, develop, test, and launch the enhancements on USAID’s Corporate Partnering Portal. This involves overseeing the development of deliverables to ensure they are submitted on time and to the degree of quality standards expected of the PSE Hub, internal stakeholders in M/OAA and M/CIO, and target audience members.
REQUIRED EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE
- A Master’s degree in communications, international relations, political science, business administration, public policy, or other related field.
- Minimum of eight (8) years of experience working in communications and knowledge management and/or private sector-focused activities and programs.
- Experience in project management, such as a technical activity manager responsible for ensuring quality, on-time submission of deliverables.
- Demonstrated proficiency with communication resource development (newsletters, technical reports, marketing materials etc.)
- Experience developing polished communications products for high level client and public facing audiences.
- Experience managing web and other communication channel vendors.
- Experience working with technical staff and familiarity with clearance and approval processes.
- Demonstrated success in leading, coordinating, and contributing to the timely delivery of quality and technically sound communications and knowledge management products;
- Experience coordinating and facilitating virtual meetings - inclusive of small, participatory workshops to large-scale webinars;
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively and keep to tight timelines;
- Proven experience understanding and managing multiple internal and external stakeholder demands, negotiating conflict, and proactively problem solving to gain alignment and action-taking.
- Ability to attain and maintain at least a Facilities Access Clearance (FAC).
PREFERRED EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE
- Active FAC or secret-level clearance is strongly preferred
- Prior USAID or USAID-adjacent experience preferred.
- Prior experience with communications on USG-funded projects and activities
- Prior experience with UX and human-centered design;
- Private sector experience.
TRAVEL EXPECTATIONS
The employee must be able to travel on short notice domestically and/or internationally and up to 10% for work assignments.
WORK ENVIRONMENT & PHYSICAL DEMANDS
This position operates in a professional office environment, and routinely requires the use of standard office equipment such as computers, phones, printers, photocopiers, and filing cabinets.
The physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
As a part of the responsibilities for this job, the employee is required to communicate, detect, converse with, discern, convey, express oneself, and exchange information orally and in writing with others. The employee must be able to remain in a stationary position, sitting at a desk for prolonged periods, move or traverse inside the office and facilities; operate, activate, use, prepare, inspect, place, detect, or position computers and other office equipment, such as a calculator, copy machine, furniture, and computer printer. The employee must be able to make substantial repetitive motions of the wrists, hands and fingers. The employee must be able to lift and move up to 15lbs at times.
WORK AUTHORIZATION / SECURITY CLEARANCE
Active FAC or secret-level clearance is strongly preferred.
SALARY RANGE
USD $105,000- 115,000
AAP/EEO STATEMENT
The Equal Employment Opportunity Policy of Resonance is to provide a fair and equal employment opportunity for all associates and job applicants regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity or expression, and sexual orientation) parental status, genetic information (including family medical history) political affiliation, military service, age, veteran status, disability, or marital status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. These protections extend to all management practices and decisions, including recruitment and hiring, appraisal systems, promotions, training, and career development programs. Consistent with these obligations, Resonance also provides reasonable accommodations to employees and applicants with disabilities and for sincerely held religious beliefs, observances, and practices.
Resonance believes that employees should be provided with a working environment which enables each associate to be productive and to work to the best of his or her ability. We do not condone or tolerate an atmosphere of intimidation or harassment based on any of the above-mentioned characteristics.
We expect and require the cooperation of all employees in maintaining a discrimination and harassment-free atmosphere.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Only candidates selected for interviews will be contacted. No phone calls or emails please.
Pay Range: $105,000 - $120,000 per year
