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Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Consultant
USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) is undertaking a strategic approach to advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in operations, programming and engagements within the global humanitarian system. To date, these efforts have included staff listening sessions, with assistance from USAID’s Office of Civil Rights and Diversity (OCRD) and developing an overarching vision statement and set of objectives. As a next step, BHA plans to undertake a consultative process to draft a DEI action plan and develop an internal architecture that adds coherence to BHA staff engagement, as it works to finalize and implement the bureau’s DEI strategic framework. A coherent bureau-level DEI architecture will seek to reconcile and leverage multiple, official office-level DEI working groups across the Bureau, as well as staff-led anti-racism groups, ensuring DEI efforts continue to be both staff-led and management-supported (to include office level management and Front Office leadership). In March 2021, BHA conducted a voluntary demographic survey to develop a baseline for diversity in BHA and has taken initial steps, and is considering a range of other actions, to address DEI in HR practices and to identify DEI-related training (to include mandatory training as well as other resources).
Purpose
The purpose of this Scope of Work is to procure the services of a consultant to further define and support BHA’s DEI goals. The consultant will work under the direction of the BHA senior leadership DEI Champion (a Deputy Assistant to the Administrator-level official) or their designee to realize key objectives identified below.
Overall Objectives
The overarching objective of this Statement of Work is to support BHA in advancing and institutionalizing DEI efforts through: 1) the development and implementation of a bureau-wide DEI strategic framework and action plan, inclusive of a well-defined bureau level structure to carry these out, 2) Enhanced communications and leadership accountability tools for the bureau’s DEI efforts, and 3) the coordination, facilitation, and documentation of best practices for DEI initiatives at the office level.
Tasks and Deliverables
The consultant will undertake all tasks through a consultative and iterative approach to obtain input from across the Bureau and to understand best practices both external to USAID as well as within the Agency, utilizing OCRD and other Mission, Bureau, and Independent Office efforts as a resource. Consultations will collaborate with BHA’s office-level DEI working groups, anti-racism groups, office directors, and BHA senior leadership in fulfilling the terms of this SOW. The DEI consultant will take stock and build on ongoing bureau-wide efforts to define a process and timeline to achieve the various tasks and deliverables outlined below.
Development and Implementation of a Strategic Framework and Action Plan
Using a consultative process, develop a Bureau-level DEI strategy, building on the already-finalized vision statement and objectives. Facilitate the development of a Bureau-level DEI action plan to support the Bureau-level DEI strategy, drawing on office-level action plans where available, and sequenced as appropriate, with a clear articulation of action “leads” and timeframes for completion of key actions items. Recommend a Bureau-wide structure for staff engagement on DEI issues, with clear delineation of roles and responsibilities for various groups. Support BHA senior leadership to establish a representative DEI advisory council through an inclusive consultative process, including the terms of reference (TOR) and criteria on membership. Develop and/or refine TORs for the various official DEI-focused groups that clearly outline roles and responsibilities vis-à-vis the bureau’s vision for a DEI engagement structure.
Transparent Communications, Feedback and Accountability Tools
Advise on feedback and accountability tools that can be undertaken to ensure results against the DEI action plan. Develop an M&E plan in coordination with the BHA Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) technical experts with benchmarks and metrics (targets) to enable BHA to track progress toward implementation of its DEI action plan and desired outcomes. Conduct baseline analysis to inform the M&E plan, including a possible bureau-level survey. Advise on leadership methods for transparent communication for information sharing purposes and to advance overall DEI objectives. Support the BHA Front Office’s bureau-wide engagement efforts as it socializes the various deliverables under this SOW across the Bureau, ensuring those engagements are conducive to staff feedback.
Office Level DEI Efforts
Support offices in the Bureau as they advance DEI efforts consistent with the Bureau’s DEI strategy and action plan. This might include serving as an advisor or providing facilitation for discussions and trainings, as requested by offices leadership and DEI working groups. Develop a formal, sustainable coordination mechanism for keeping track of office-level DEI action plans, leveraging best practices, ensuring coherence and complementarity of effort, and sharing information and best practices across offices.
Timeline
The period of performance for this consultancy is six months, with a six-month option period as required.
Required Skills/Experience
The selected consultant will be an expert in diversity, equity, and inclusion issues in the workplace (at least five years), ideally to include an application of DEI in HR practices and operations as well as in programming. They will also have experience in managing organizational change as related to DEI outcomes and in the development of strategic approaches and institutional structures to achieve organizational goals and drive impact. Moreover, they will have demonstrated success in leading highly collaborative and transparent processes to maximize Bureau-wide support for the deliverables noted above. Additional qualifications will include: ability to handle confidential and highly sensitive information discreetly; excellent oral and written communication skills; ability to exercise good judgment and work well under pressure; ability to juggle multiple tasks simultaneously and meet deadlines; ability to work across multiple levels of the organization by developing and maintaining effective working relationships and reconciling differing viewpoints; and analytical skills to understand and report statistical data and establish tools to measure progress. Familiarity with USAID is preferred, but not required.
Macfadden is now part of PAE. Founded over 30 years ago, Macfadden has provided federal agencies with critical on-the-ground support to U.S. government humanitarian missions around the world as well as financial and IT system support. Through program management, human resources services, financial management systems support, information technology solutions, knowledge management, travel coordination and communications support, Macfadden enables effective U.S. government humanitarian response to international disasters. Macfadden’s workforce includes approximately 300 employees primarily located in the Washington, D.C. area.
