Program Specialist (USAID/Syria)

Job Description

Requesting Office: USAID/Syria

Position Location: Remote with on-site or in-country support as needed

TDYs: 2-3 regional and 2-3 in-country TDYs per year

Clearance: Facility Access Clearance

USAID/Syria requires the full-time services of a mid-to-senior program specialist who will support the USAID/Syria Democracy and Governance team’s technical and program staff planning, design, implementation, coordination, reporting, financial management, and monitoring/evaluation of the entire Local Works portfolio in Syria. Furthermore, the program specialist will manage, support and assist with implementation of other USAID/Syria, or Syria Regional Platform or Middle Eastern Regional Platform activities. The position will also include time dedicated to supporting the global efforts of the USAID/DDI/LFT as appropriate.

The USAID/Syria Democracy and Governance team (DRG) team housed in Istanbul, Turkey and is part of the Syria Regional Program based out of multiple locations including Istanbul, Amman, Gaziantep, Adana, Berlin, and Washington D.C. The program specialist will work remotely for but frequent meetings with the USAID/Syria team in Istanbul will be required.

USAID/Syria Local Works Overview
With $10 million in Local Works funding, USAID partnered directly with the Syria Civil Defense (White Helmets) and will partner with other local organizations in northwest Syria to identify and lead solutions to their development challenges in the ongoing complex humanitarian crisis. Activities will also increase the resilience of communities in northwest Syria by strengthening local organizations to provide citizen-centric service delivery and collaborate with local actors on planning and resourcing long-term community needs. The program will support analysis of the landscape of organizations in northwest Syria and listening to local actors, including women, youth, and other marginalized groups, before co-designing solutions. It will also resource fundraising and local capacity strengthening support for partners to enable them to identify sustainable funding streams and reduce their dependence on humanitarian or other types of aid.

The Consultant should perform the following activities:

• Lead in managing the Local Works portfolio in USAID/Syria including managing the design process for all Local Works activities and supporting the management of other Local Works activities.
• Participate in every step of USAID’s program cycle, from strategy development and project design to evaluations and project closeout. This includes assisting in financial reporting, accruals, budget and pipeline analysis, and in annual programmatic reporting in the performance plan and report, operating plan, and other budget and reporting documents
• Support monitoring and evaluation of the Local Works portfolio in USAID/Syria, providing regular updates to USAID/Syria and AID/Washington as requested
• Lead USAID/Syria to strengthen intra- and inter-agency linkages in NWS, including relationships with USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Affairs (BHA) and U.S. Department of State Syria Regional Program offices that support stabilization efforts.
• Draft briefing materials, programmatic updates, weekly cable inputs and other internal communications materials.
• Serve as the Activity Manager on the Local Works Syria activities reporting to each activity AOR/COR
• Provide management and technical oversight for local organizations which have or will receive direct funding from USAID under the Local Works activities
• Coordinate with AORs/CORs and other Activity Managers supporting the Local Works activities or activities that collaborate with Local Works.
• Meet regularly with all Implementing Partners on the development and implementation of Annual Work Plans and in monitoring implementation progress.
• Provide regular reports to the AORs on the progress made and challenges encountered by the selected local partners.
• Maintain official files for AORs/CORs
• Provide technical leadership for the selected local partners in capacity building, fundraising, third party monitoring, and grants under grants.
• Ensure that the selected local partners are fulfilling their obligations under the terms and conditions of the grants they receive from USAID in a timely manner.
• Liaise with key external partners including donors, private sector, etc.to develop fundraising strategies and pursue a collaborative approach to enhance attainment of results.
• Increase the visibility of the Local Works Syria portfolio, in particular the work of the White Helmets and the local partner networks.
• Serve as an Agency resource for localization and local engagement.
• Provide remote and in-person technical support to USAID missions and local partners in program design, implementation, and adaptive management, in cooperation with USAID/DDI/LFT
• Provide technical assistance and support to USAID mission staff and local partners in relevant analytical approaches, which may include systems/network analysis, program design, asset-based community development, and constituent feedback, among others.
• As necessary, travel to USAID missions to work with field staff and grantees, which may include capacity strengthening, supporting monitoring efforts, tracking progress, and providing technical support.
• Identify Mission needs and work with the LW MEL team to support program monitoring and learning.
• Support DDI/LFT and Agency-wide learning efforts in support of local ownership and self-reliance as it pertains to PSE.
• Specific Deliverables: Discussed regularly between the COR and the consultant to meet planned work objectives.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent from an accredited college or university in a relevant field with at least four years of experience relevant to international development.
• Successful experience working directly with complex international development matters, which may include analysis, program design/implementation, technical/advisory support, and/or training.
• Demonstrated understanding and experience applying locally-led development approaches to program design and implementation.
• Experience working with local partners in program design, implementation, and adaptive management and building capacity to apply relevant analytical approaches, which may include systems/network analysis, program design, asset-based community development, and constituent feedback, among others.
• Experience with project management, administration, reporting, monitoring, evaluation and learning, procurement and financial operations (preferably in international development).
• Demonstrated interpersonal, customer-service, and problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with cross-cultural teams.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to perform tasks independently with limited direction.
• Experience living and/or working in developing countries and resource poor settings.
• Active, or ability to obtain, a Facilities Access Clearance.
• Willingness and ability to travel globally on a determined basis.
• Familiarity with the USAID program cycle and regulations
• Experience supporting USAID missions.

Core values:

• Experiment, Learn, and Share. Trying new approaches, testing old assumptions, and taking smart risks to make development more empowering for those on the receiving end of assistance. Facilitating shared learning so USAID, other donors, partner organizations, and local constituents all benefit.
• Take the Long View. Understanding local systems, challenges, and opportunities takes time; building relationships takes time; and supporting enduring change takes time. Creating new opportunities for USAID to focus on long-term outcomes that last.
• Look Locally. Seeking to build upon existing local initiatives, ideas, resources, and capacity to solve local problems. Engaging in ways that respect existing networks and relationships, valuing new and nontraditional partners who understand the local context.
• Listen to the End-User. Listening to local voices every step of the way to shift the power of development priority-setting and decision-making to local actors. Seeking to prioritize local voices and values in defining and measuring success; strengthening accountability to local communities and constituents; and creating research and learning that is valued by and accessible to members of the communities served.
• Champion Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility. USAID is committed to ensuring the Agency and programs advance diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility throughout all aspects of the work.

Applicants selected are subject to a background investigation and must meet suitability requirements for eligibility.

About the Organization

PM Consulting Group (PMCG), a Maryland-based firm that specializes in international development, advanced healthcare solutions, and mission support services supports USAID programs globally with in-country surge support to address political, developmental, and reconstruction needs through a five-year Middle East North Africa (MENA) blanket purchase agreement (BPA) to provide administrative, technical, and programmatic staff support services to field-based programs managed by USAID in the MENA region.