Senior Technical Advisor, Local Capacity Strengthening

Overview

Global Communities works at the intersection of humanitarian assistance, sustainable development and financial inclusion to save lives, advance equity and secure strong futures. We support communities at the forefront of their own development in more than 35 countries, partnering with local leaders, governments, civil society and the private sector to achieve a shared vision of a more just, prosperous and equitable global community.

Global Communities is seeking a Senior Technical Advisor to join the Technical Excellence, Learning, Innovation, and Impact (TELII) team at the Silver Spring, Maryland, San Diego, California, or an international field location.

The Senior Technical Advisor (STA), Local Capacity Strengthening (LCS) at Global Communities is a member of Technical Excellence, Learning, Innovation, and Impact (TELII) and reports directly to the Senior Director, Health, Nutrition, WASH. The STA LCS provides strategic, technical, and management oversight of Global Communities LCS portfolio. The position provides leadership and vision to achieve Global Communities LCS and inclusive development goals. The STA, LCS provides technical and programmatic guidance to country offices, bringing knowledge and experience in a range of disciplines (i.e., organizational development and management, project and award management, system and process development and improvement, financial and operational management, resource mobilization, and donor compliance). S/he is responsible for growing Global Communities portfolio of LCS programs.

Responsibilities

Responsibility Area: Leadership and Management

• Provides overall technical leadership for Global Communities locally led development and LCS portfolio and global team, including the recruitment and supervision of LCS staff and when needed, project consultants.
• Provides organizational leadership by participating in cross-functional, organization-wide discussions, decisions, and actions.

Responsibility Area: Resource Development and External Engagement

• Leads business development for LCS activities and grows LCS portfolio.
• Ensures Global Communities visibility and strategic positioning in this area, including articulating, developing, packaging and marketing GC’s LCS approaches as “differentiators.”
• Represents Global Communities in relevant networks and positions Global Communities as a thought leader in LCS.
• Leads the design and customization of LCS and inclusive development strategies and development of content for proposal development processes.
• Provides advice and guidance to new proposals on LCS technical areas inkling input on project designs & budget as needed.
• Builds and strengthens strategic alliances with peer organizations related to local capacity strengthening for potential collaboration and resource mobilization that advance Global Communities programmatic and organizational interests in LCS.
• Writes, publishes/documents, and presents on Global Communities LCS experience, research and project outcomes in reports, conferences, workshops, and Global Communities website.
• Serves as the point of contact for Global Communities work on LCS with inter-agency groups and relevant development partners.

Responsibility Area: Technical and Operational Excellence and Applied Learning

• Develops and ensures the effective implementation of the organization’s LCS strategies as they relate to locally led development and organization development.
• Develops and adapts the delivery of best practices, ensuring relevance and alignment with donor priorities, requirements and definitions.
• Ensures alignment with USAID’s Local Capacity Strengthening Policy, and ensures GC stays current with evolving LCS trends.
• Provide technical assistance and backstopping support to programs with LCS activities. As such, s/he will lead the development, adaptation and promotion of evidence-based, contextually appropriate, state-of-the-art capacity strengthening strategies, approaches, interventions, and tools.
• Manage portfolio level program-to-program technical learning exchanges and oversee knowledge capture and management.
• Develop a roster of internal Local Capacity Strengthening technical specialists, especially within field offices, which can support program development and implementation.
• Document and verify through studies and data analysis successes in Global Communities’ innovations and approaches Local Capacity Strengthening.
• Ensure organization-wide access to technical resources, documents, and toolkits on Global Communities’ external website and intranet.
• Engages with project staff and local partners to understand highest priority needs and opportunities for local capacity development.
• LCS Ensures technical approaches are in alignment with organizational values and best practices.
• Collaborates with the monitoring, evaluation and learning team to develop appropriate measurement frameworks, performance indicators, and tools for monitoring performance improvement results within projects.

POSITION SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Domestic and International travel up to 25% time

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Extensive knowledge of current trends and policies related to local capacity strengthening and localization (i.e., USAID’s Local Capacity Strengthening Policy).
• Experience in transitioning local partners from sub-grantees to prime recipients.
• Exceptional strategy development, analytical and communication (written and verbal) skills.
• Extensive knowledge of USAID and USG donor environment, including experience managing and implementing USG assistance awards.
• Demonstrated experience writing, developing, and institutionalizing new policies, systems, processes, and practices across INGO or local organizations.
• Proven track record in securing significant program funding from a variety of funders, including program design, proposal writing, networking, partnership cultivation, and marketing, as well as proven experience in developing inter-institutional linkages.
• Experience working and networking with international donors, such as USAID, other bilateral development agencies, foundations, and corporate philanthropies, particularly in the international public health sector.
• Exceptional communication and representational skills, including oral and written forms, and public speaking formats.
• Experience in leading and working with multi-lingual and multi-cultural staff.
• Excellent skills in facilitation, team building and management, and coordination.
• Experience living and working in the developing world.
• A passion for the mission and values of Global Communities

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in a related discipline and a minimum of six years of related work experience or a minimum of 10 years of related work experience.
• Emphasis on local capacity strengthening, program operations, organizational development and management, and general knowledge in a range of technical areas within an international NGO preferred.

Global Communities is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment, without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

Global Communities holds strict safeguarding principles and has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct of sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment. In the process of recruitment, selection, and appointment, Global Communities will conduct robust reference and background screening checks, including international vetting as a signature of the Global Misconduct Disclosure Scheme to ensure children and vulnerable adults are safeguarded, and abuse is prevented.  The incumbent is required to carry out their duties in accordance with Global Communities Safeguarding policy and the Standards of Conduct.

NOTE:

As an organization working to advance public health, Global Communities has an obligation to model best practices and to do all we can to protect each other, our partners and the communities where we work.  To ensure the continuity and effectiveness of our business operations, Global Communities is adopting a policy to safeguard the health of our visitors, employees, families, and the larger global community from COVID-19.  Effective January 3, 2022, all U.S.-based Global Communities employees are required to provide proof of having received full dosage of COVID-19 vaccine that is FDA approved, approved for emergency use authorization, or have an approved medical or religious exemption on file with Global Communities, as a condition of employment.

Salary range: $94,480 to $141,720.  We take a number of factors into account when determining compensation including location, experience, internal equity, budget, and other job-related factors.