RE ADVERTIZED: Senior Learning Advisor

1. Position Title: READVERTIZED Senior Learning Advisor 2. Market Value: GS-14 - $87,263 to $113,444. Final compensation will be based upon the candidate past salary and work history, experience, and educational background of the successful candidate. 3. Place of Performance: Kampala, Uganda 4. Period of Performance: Two year contract. 5. The U.S. Agency for International Development Mission in Uganda seeks to employ a U.S. (U.S. and Resident Aliens) offshore or resident in Uganda or Third Country National Personal Services Contractor to lead the Mission to transform itself into a true learning organization - one that captures, disseminates, and effectively utilizes knowledge gained from experience; generates data through research and evaluations to determine what does and does not work in development assistance; and uses evidence-based program management decision-making. 6. Education: A Master's Degree in the field of organizational learning or development assistance such as public, business or development administration, knowledge management, political science, economics, development studies or closely related, inter-disciplinary fields and comparable educational credentials is required. 7. Work Experience: A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible, professional-level experience in organizational or action learning, development, consulting, and/or knowledge management is expected; A strong background in monitoring and evaluation of development programs, experience in the application of statistical methods, impact evaluations and field research experience; Strong professional relations with East African organizational learning, leadership and development colleagues is highly desirable. 8. Knowledge: Understanding of the economic, social, cultural and political characteristics of development dynamics required; Ability to quickly acquire a thorough understanding of USAID's current CDCS programming objectives, results expected, planning and reporting systems and the key lines of sector investigation and learning agendas; Understanding and experience in developing and leading knowledge management programs, facilitating communities of practice and social networking; Knowledge of the objectives and operations of the USG, or the program activities of other international donor organizations in East Africa, highly desirable. 9 Skills and abilities: Demonstrated passion for facilitating and creating organizational learning, change and advancing foreign aid effectiveness opportunities; Demonstrated conversation and presentation skills that can influence decision makers, foster organizational change strategies and implementing them within a complex organizational setting; Demonstrated abilities and track record in strategic, systems and holistic thinking, managing resistance to change and understanding of organizational culture, learning and change management; Ability to serve as an effective USAID representative with a wide array of individuals and institutions essential; Strong writing skills and ability to prepare clear, substantive reports and briefing papers in English, in a timely manner; Familiarity with a wide range of issues, such as program evaluation, gender-constraints to development, agriculture, community development, economic and democracy and governance. 10. Language Proficiency: Level IV (fluent) English language proficiency, speaking and writing required; Superior writing skills highly desirable.11. Security Clearance: Employment Authorization. Medical Clearance: STATE MED. 12. Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will be evaluated and ranked based on the selection criteria and obtained through reference checks. USAID reserves the right to conduct telephonic interviews with the most highly ranked applicants and make the interview a deciding factor in selection. Applicants are strongly encouraged to address each of the criteria on a separate sheet describing specifically and accurately what experience, training, education, and/or awards that are relevant to each factor. 13. Notice to Applicants: USAID reserves the right to obtain from previous employers relevant information concerning the applicant's past performance, technical knowledge, required skills, including teamwork and team-building experience and may consider such information in its evaluation. Shortlisted candidates may be required to submit writing samples and/or do a written test. USAID/Uganda shall not pay for any expenses associated with the interviews. Introduction: The primary purpose of this position is to provide leadership, guidance, and overall direction to USAID/Uganda's Organizational Development and Learning efforts, including strengthened monitoring and evaluation. B. MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES (1) Develop, Manage and Coordinate Program Learning Opportunities (35%) Plan, establish, and direct a wide range of organizational interventions (special studies, after action reviews, Partners meetings, organizational learning surveys, on-line engagements) for advancing USAID's Collaborating, Learning and Adapting component to facilitate overall CDCS implementation. Develop guidance and make contributions towards: --Language for funding agreements that emphasizes collaborating, learning and adapting. --Development of "influence plans" as part of project design to leverage the resources and actions of other development actors. --Implementation of the learning aspects of new Program Cycle guidance (CDCS, project design, program performance management, M&E). --Implementation of the forthcoming Agency Knowledge Management (KM)/Learning Strategy. --Improved M&E approaches to track results at IR and presidential initiative levels and to supplement common and established key indicators with outcome mapping and other approaches that support continuous review and iterative course correction/adaptation. Coordinate with key Program Office, M&E, and GIS staff to provide guidance to USAID technical teams on research design and methodologies, applied research studies, impact assessment, evaluation, knowledge capture and sharing, stakeholder engagement, and application of learning to program and project design and management. Work closely with Program Development Officer and technical teams to articulate development hypotheses, plan for testing those hypotheses, and contribute to advancing USAID's Project Design Guidance. Based on implementation results, new learning and stakeholder feedback, work across Mission with Program Office and Technical teams to guide iterative course corrections and ensure ongoing and evolving alignment of portfolio with strategy. Refine and implement the Mission's learning agenda and CLA strategy, including developing and managing a CLA budget as articulated in the CDCS. Provide valuable learning leadership to USAID staff, implementing partners and other stakeholders. Ensure that USAID is learning from implementation of District Operational Plans. Identify ways to reduce knowledge sharing barriers, e.g. through application of e-sharing and learning tools, creation of Communities of Practice and USAID's Council of Advisors, re-orientation of key staff's current orientation to program management, more peer and cross-learning and other contemporary, effective learning techniques and opportunities. Oversee identification and implementation of opportunities to link USAID's contributions to Uganda's development to the activities of other bilateral and multilateral donors, private sector and non-government organizations, and government counterparts and civil society actors. Seek opportunities to advance USAID knowledge management and learning activities to ensure rapid, effective sharing and application of learning in topics of keen interest to USAID/Uganda (i.e. methods for realizing effective local governance, increasing women's influence in households, nutrition and agriculture, private-sector led approaches to social services and development). Track developments in evolving KM and adult learning fields to incorporate promising practice and new or improved learning tools and approaches into CLA program. (2) Stakeholder Engagement, Communication and Information Dissemination (35%): Improve outreach to and reception by USAID technical teams, implementing partners, civil society, academic and research institutions, other donor agencies, and GOU. Establish professional relations with key, in-country development - savants' who can serve as KM and organizational learning advisors to learn from USAID's execution of the CDCS. Ensure activity design and program development documents engage a wide range of stakeholders, facilitate strategic collaboration and knowledge exchange, and promote learning opportunities that improve USAID's understanding of the Ugandan development context and thus more purposeful application of experiential, codified learning to strengthen USAID's development interventions. Develop guidance, processes and practices to support USAID staff in engaging with implementing partners and other stakeholders collaboratively as knowledge peers. (3) Research Design and Analysis (30%) Conceive, plan, and conduct pioneering analyses, evaluations, or investigations/after action reviews in program areas of key learning importance to USAID. Foster relations with Makerere Institute of Social Research as well as other Ugandan institutions and intellectuals to have them assist on and periodically participate in such studies or serve as participants in "Big Picture" and other reflective exercises. In collaboration with USAID Senior M&E staff and Program Office team members, serve as a key leader in USAID's evaluation efforts, defining areas of study and considering evaluation approaches, managing evaluation plans, reviewing approaches and co-evaluating study results with others for determining conclusions and organizational implications. Determine feasibility, timing, technical approach, resources required and management of specific study proposals. Drawing on study and evaluation results, and implementation experience, ensure that project indicators and targets are grounded in evidence, while also working to expand USAID's and partners' ability to capture and measure types of evidence that typically elude traditional M&E approaches. Originate and establish new study designs or techniques that are regarded as major advances that contribute substantially to further developments, or that solve problems of great importance to the field, USAID or the public. Serve as a top technical expert and recognized authority in the field and advise and consult on a national level. Supervision: The Senior Learning Advisor works under the guidance of the OPPD Director (US Direct Hire Supervisory Program Officer or designate. For detailed scope of work and evaluation criteria, please send email to gnakaddu@usaid.gov and copy aocen@usaid.gov