Project Background

Through the Malawi Governance for Solutions (GfS) Activity, USAID seeks to build on the incremental gains in decentralization and associated service delivery improvements, with the understanding that to make the significant leaps now required for Malawi to meet its own development goals—in the face of a fast-growing, young population—a bold, adaptive, and sustainable approach is required. To successfully remove critical bottlenecks and diffuse effective governance practices, DAI will deploy a locally driven approach—Facilitate, Catalyze, and Scale—drawing on Problem Driven Iterative Adaptation (PDIA) as a core methodology. Through the Facilitate, Catalyze, and Scale approach, DAI will help local stakeholders to tackle the root causes of service delivery failures through best-fit solutions and offer demonstrative models based on positive deviance. Through both process-oriented facilitation and the provisions of technical support and grants, GfS will foster stable, resilient, and more self-reliant partnerships that best position local communities to address their own challenges and contribute to the trajectory of Malawi Vision 2063.

Objectives of the Assignment

Reporting to the Deputy Chief of Party, the Decentralization Technical Advisor (TA) will be embedded in the Ministry of Local Government, Unity, and Culture (MoLGUC). The TA will provide technical support to the Director for Local Government Services in the planning and implementation of project activities related to strengthening coordination between the central and local levels; revising national policies, regulations, and programs to enable effective local service delivery; and facilitating learning on decentralization across central-level Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) and local councils. These activities will be implemented primarily through the Decentralization Lab created by the MLGUC with technical and financial assistance from GfS.

Tasks & Responsibilities

• Provide technical assistance to Directorate of Local Government Services in the MLGUC in designing and implementing activities of the Decentralisation Lab.
• Provide support in convening Decentralization Lab meetings with MDAs and partners, drafting papers and following up actions as required.
• Support specific activities, events, initiatives, and projects commissioned by the Director for Local Government Services, including by preparing agendas and papers and writing briefings.
• Take lead in drafting terms of reference for consultancies commissioned under the Decentralisation Lab
• Assist other experts – including consultants hired under the Decentralization Lab – as directed by GfS and MoLGUC
• Support efforts to forge strategic partnerships with MDAs, academia, private sector entities, and civil society.
• Contribute data and analysis to monthly, quarterly, annual, and ad hoc communications and reports, and to MEL reports.
• Other duties as assigned by the supervisor.

Qualifications

This role is contingent on donor funding.

• Bachelor’s degree in public administration, rural development, or a relevant field with minimum of five (5) years of practical knowledge of working on local governance/decentralization with governance and advocacy initiatives with international development programs. Experience with USAID-funded programs preferred.
• Expertise in public service, good governance and/or accountability and oversight.
• Proven effectiveness in managing relationships with central and/or local government institutions.
• Experience with civil society and government capacity building.
• Experience with providing technical assistance, including organizing and conducting workshops and trainings.
• Strong experience with coalition building and collaboration with multiple stakeholders. Able to work effectively and professionally with central and local government officials, civil society organizations (CSOs), the private sector, donors, project staff, and other beneficiaries.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and a demonstrated track record of effective teamwork; and
• Fluency in English.