Democracy Officer (Senior Media Advisor)

Job Description

USAID’s Bureau for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance/Center of Excellence on Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance (DCHA/DRG) seeks a Democracy Officer (Senior Media Advisor) to: advance USAID’s understanding and development of independent media strengthening programs; provide expert assistance to field missions on the latest media tools and technologies; to conduct media assessments in developing countries and assist USAID Missions in program design, monitoring, and evaluation; and to manage centralized media strengthening and information security programs.

This is a senior-level position requiring excellent program management skills, outstanding research and analysis skills, and superior communications skills and negotiation abilities to serve as a liaison between DCHA/DRG and other Officers within DCHA; USAID regional bureaus; USAID missions; the State Department; other USG agencies; the Congress; other donors; and partners.

Primary Responsibilities

• Serve as A/COR (Agreement/Contract Officer’s Representative), or Alternate for civil society and media -related DCHA/DRG/CSM programs, including digital media and Information Security programs, as well as media-related evaluations. Review workplans, reports, and budgets in accordance with all USAID policies and procedures.
• Provide technical leadership and expert advice in the areas of independent media development, including community radio, network broadcasting, print journalism, as well as information security to USAID/W and field Missions worldwide.
• Gather lessons learned and best practices on USAID media programming in a variety of political contexts including restrictive environments, fragile states and/or reconstruction and stabilization situations.
• Ensure that DCHA/DRG maintains state-of-the-art knowledge of media tools, new and traditional technologies, issues and trends. Advise DCHA senior management and USAID Field Missions on the implications of this analysis for development programming.
• Develop learning products such as programming toolkits, guides to new technologies, evaluations of media interventions, and other materials to advance USAID’s understanding of what works/what doesn’t in media sector assistance.
• Review, update and expand as appropriate DCHA/DRG’s analysis of media and ICT issues in key countries across all geographic regions.
• Serve as a lead representative to USG agencies, multilateral organizations and NGOs on media issues. Provide briefings as appropriate to Congress, State Department, and other donors on USAID programming in key countries.
• Provide technical support to USAID Field Missions and analyze and present recommendations to facilitate decisions on future program directions and budget levels.
• Advise and assist Field Missions with strategies, effective reporting, and activity design, including writing scopes of work, program descriptions, and results frameworks.
• Develop training modules and deliver training to the USAID/DCHA/DRG cadre. Participate in conferences and workshops, including those led by the State Department, as appropriate.
• Develop outreach and external communications materials on USAID independent media and information security programs.
• Prepare talking points, speeches, and other briefing materials for USAID senior staff and others as needed.
• Work with other USAID technical Bureaus to integrate best practices for developing independent media into other communications programming (for example, health, education, and water and sanitation).
• Support the work of the DRG Center including, but not limited to, backstopping specific country DRG programs, participating on intra-Center and intra-agency task forces and working groups, and performing other duties as required.
• Assist with DCHA/DRG projects and activities, as needed.
• Other duties as assigned.

About the Organization

USAID has supported democratic development around the globe for over twenty-five years, providing assistance to over 100 countries with a level of investment of more than $10 billion. USAID currently spends over $1 billion a year on a broad range of programs covering justice, human rights, and peace and security; the development of democratic institutions in civil society, media, labor, local governments, political parties, elections and legislatures; and good governance initiatives to fight corruption and improve government effectiveness and accountability. Given the importance of this development sector as a pillar of US foreign policy, DCHA/DRG has taken the lead in pressing for better democracy evaluations and measures of effectiveness. DCHA/DRG is structured into nine technical/functional Divisions: Civil Society and Media (CSM); Elections and Political Transitions; Inclusion and Empowerment; Governance and Rule of Law; Human Rights; Cross-Sectoral Programs; Global and Regional Policy; Learning; and Strategic Planning. This position reports to the CSM Division Chief.

The DCHA/DRG/CSM Division provides technical leadership, training, and support to international field missions and regional bureaus engaged in programs designed to strengthen the civil society and independent media sectors to promote USAID’s democracy and good governance goals. The Division also oversees central contracts and grants that provide millions of dollars of technical assistance in dozens of developing countries. DCHA/DRG/CSM supports USAID Missions, regional bureaus, and DCHA leadership with the design, implementation and evaluation of civil society and independent media strengthening programs. DCHA/DRG/CSM is also responsible for ensuring that the Agency is up to date on cutting-edge research and technologies being used by civil society and media globally to improve USAID assistance programming.

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