SoCha Special Advisor (Strategy Development and Implementation) Job in Kenya

SoCha Special Advisor (Strategy Development and Implementation) Job in Kenya

Statement of Work

Position: Special Advisor for Strategy Development and Implementation

Activity: USAID Kenya / East Africa Mission Support for Journey to Self-Reliance Pivot (MSP)

Implementer: SoCha LLC

Company Background:

SoCha (a portmanteau of Social and Change) is an independent Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (ME&L) firm that provides bespoke solutions to social challenges.

Since our inception in 2010, we have grown into a fully-fledged ME&L services firm that specializes in advancing innovative methodologies and changing the way donors find solutions to social problems.

Activity Background:

USAID Kenya and East Africa (KEA) seeks to advance the journey to self-reliance (J2SR) for Kenya and the broader region. To support the J2SR, SoCha LLC will implement a two-year (optional third year) mission support pivot (MSP). MSP will support USAID/KEA to understand context, align programs, collect data, understand complexity, and apply learning to program adaptation.

MSP is both a support contract and a core learning mechanism for the USAID/KEA Mission. MSP will support USAID/KEA across all technical areas, with travel across Kenya and the East Africa region.

MSP will partner with local organizations and firms, and build local capacity to drive an ambitious development agenda throughout the region.

Position background: In October 2018, USAID/Kenya and East Africa (KEA) initiated the design and development of a new Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS), which is expected to be approved and enacted in May 2020.

The CDCS will be a five-year strategy that will define USAID/KEA’s chosen approach to its assistance efforts in Kenya.

The CDCS will be codesigned with and represent Government of Kenya and County Government development priorities, as well as represent the interests and concerns of the private sector, other stakeholders, and the Kenyan people.

The CDCS will align with and may incorporate components of USAID/KEA’s East Africa Regional Development Cooperation Strategy (RDCS)–specifically with regard to Kenya’s role in achieving regional objectives.

MSP is seeking an experienced professional to facilitate and provide ongoing support for the development and implementation of both USAID/KEA’s five-year CDCS for Kenya and RDCS for the East Africa region.

The Special Advisor must have demonstrated experience and expertise in strategic planning, possess in-depth knowledge about USAID policies and procedures, and be conversant on Kenyan development priorities.

The successful applicant will also be knowledgeable about Kenya’s political, social, and economic context. The Special Advisor will support the USAID/KEA Strategic Planning and Analysis Office (SPA).

The Special Advisor will have extensive engagement with USAID Leadership, U.S. Government interagency colleagues, American and Kenyan Senior Staff, senior Government of Kenya officials, development partners, and a broad array of civil society, private sector, and academic stakeholders.

The successful candidate is expected to perform his/her responsibilities in close collaboration with MSP, the SPA office and its teams, and other mission staff assigned to work on the CDCS or RDCS. However, a high-degree of independent work and ability to self-direct and lead a mission-wide process is expected.

Responsibilities: