CLA Advisor, USAID/Rwanda Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) Activity, Rwanda At Social Impact

Social Impact is a global development management consulting firm. We provide monitoring, evaluation, strategic planning, and capacity building services to advance development effectiveness. We work across all development sectors including democracy and governance, health and education, the environment, and economic growth. Since 1997 we have worked in over 100 countries for clients such as US government agencies, bilateral donors, multilateral development banks, foundations, and nonprofits.

Proposal Objective:

Social Impact is responding to a Request for Task Order Proposals (RFTOP) for the USAID/Rwanda Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) Activity. Through this mechanism, USAID/Rwanda seeks to improve its application of MEL and CLA to achieve the development outcomes articulated in the CDCS. The CLA Activity will support the following high-level performance and management results:

1. Capacity of USAID/Rwanda Mission staff to apply strategic learning and adapt as needed while implementing the CDCS 2020-2025 enhanced.
2. Utility of USAID/Rwanda’s data and evidence base to guide adaptation and implementation of the CDCS 2020-2025 improved.
3. Strategic collaboration and facilitation among USAID/Rwanda staff, development partners, and external stakeholders expanded and improved. Hubs Approach reinforced through strategic collaboration and facilitation in up to five Hub districts.
4. USAID/Rwanda’s use of and support for local monitoring, evaluation, learning, and adaptation expertise expanded and strengthened.

Position Description:

The CLA Advisor serves as the activity’s knowledge management and organizational learning advisor. S/he will work closely with the COP and Senior MEL Advisor and is a member of the core advisory team. S/he will develop and champion practices that support knowledge capture and transfer, collaboration, learning, sharing, and adaptive management. These efforts will contribute to the activity’s broader efforts to utilize evidence produced from USAID/Rwanda programs to adapt current Mission programming and inform future activity designs.

The CLA Advisor will also serve in a capacity building role with USAID activity managers, implementing partners, project staff, and Rwandan firms. The advisor will work collaboratively with these stakeholders to develop high quality products and processes, while training them to lead future work. This position will be based full-time for the five-year period of performance in Kigali, Rwanda, contingent upon contract award.

Responsibilities:

• Foster strong, collaborative relationships with key Mission stakeholders; serve as a convener for dialogue and learning around emerging issues; assist in identifying and responding to key learning issues; and coordinate learning efforts among USAID and IPs.
• Facilitate the development and implementation of USAID’s CLA plan that outlines key learning questions, stakeholders and their roles, and broad stakeholder engagement at multiple levels.
• Provide training to ensure USAID staff and IPs have the most up-to-date knowledge and capacity to fulfill all aspects of the program cycle
• Support facilitation, including learning events and workshops; facilitate learning, collaboration, and adaptive management at the Mission; produce reflections on the implications of new learning; establishing a network of key stakeholders and organize periodic, appropriate opportunities for USAID to interact with them based on strategy implementation and evidence-based experience.
• Assist in negotiating change management around MEL issues.
• Support strategic communications, including producing publications and organizing public events with partners and other stakeholders.
• Assist with USAID knowledge management efforts.
• Work with Chief of Party (COP) and the Senior MEL Advisor to ensure monitoring and evaluation information is shared and fully utilized through knowledge sharing and strategic learning processes to speed innovation and improve upon and bring new innovations to the Mission’s programmatic work in-country.
• Other duties as determined necessary by USAID/Rwanda.

Qualifications:

• A bachelor’s degree in a relevant field such as international development, quantitative research, statistics, or other areas clearly relevant to data analysis and impact analysis.
• At least five years of experience in knowledge management, organizational learning, and/or strategic learning, preferably in an international development context.
• Demonstrated skill and experience in facilitating groups, meetings, and events (both online and in-person), resulting in collaborative decision-making, agreed upon action items/priorities, and strong outcomes.
• Experience in strategic planning and project design.
• Experience working in a multi-cultural environment with a diverse staff.
• Excellent English language writing, editing, and oral communication skills.
• Background in capacity-building, adult learning and/or learning facilitation or related experience preferred.