Senior Investment Advisor

Profile

SCOPE OF WORK

Position Title:

Senior Investment Advisor

Contract Name:

INVEST Project

Contract No:

AID-OAA-C-17-00090

Period of Performance:

LTTA to end of contract

Place of Performance:

Washington, DC and Remote work

BACKGROUND:

The INVEST project is a flexible, rapid buy-in mechanism that allows USAID missions and operating units to quickly and efficiently access the specialized expertise required across industries and geographies to identify, develop, and execute on blended finance solutions. INVEST bolsters the ability of USAID missions and operating units to attract and leverage local and international capital to address development challenges at scale. This strategic engagement with private capital fosters a shift towards enterprise-led development that enhances the efficiency and sustainability of USAID programs.

The Senior Investment Advisor (SIA) will support the INVEST Chief of Party and Project team by leading a portfolio of large and complex buy-in activities to ensure that the INVEST project advances the institutionalization of mobilizing private investment throughout the Agency as part of the Private Sector Engagement (PSE) policy. The efforts of the SIA will be focused to ensure that INVEST is building, implementing and learning from an impactful and high-quality portfolio of activities covering a range of investment approaches and delivering development results. These efforts will position INVEST to be effectively marketed to internal USAID buy-in clients as well as potential external partners in addition to providing oversight as needed to ensure the technical excellence of all activities undertaken by INVEST. The SIA will also lead learning capture and develop knowledge products for the buy-ins they manage in order to make the case for private investment as a critical part of USAID’s Private Sector Engagement work.

TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

TECHNICAL EXCELLENCE

Serve as technical manager for a high-profile and complex portfolio of buy-in activities, including bilateral activities and continent-wide initiatives with multiple funding streams;

Manage large, high-profile Presidential Initiatives with multiple buy-ins and complicated multi-agency and multi-stakeholder relationships;

Lead institutional capacity building through direct engagement with USAID Missions rather than through implementing partners;

Draw upon their experience and technical expertise in finance and investment to help buy-in clients design impactful innovative blended finance activities that leverage the best skills from the partner network

Work closely with buy-in clients to design, implement, continuously assess, and adjust programs and activities that catalyze private capital for development outcomes;

Maintain high quality standards for technical outputs, including SOWs/SOOs, proposals, deliverables, and written publications and presentations;

Contribute to the growth of the INVEST portfolio with new and innovative approaches that push the boundaries of blended finance by identifying potential Agency buy-in opportunities and work with COP and COR to advance them;

Undertake field visits and other travel as needed to support INVEST securing buy-in approvals and oversight during implementation through directly engaging missions, consultants and subcontractors;

Draft strategic plans, concept notes, and partner engagement strategies for internal buy in clients, other partners, and donors including DFID, DFAT, World Bank, philanthropic organizations, foundations etc. that support PSE work;

Develop tools to profile INVEST buy-in activities across its far-reaching portfolio. Tools may include evaluation assessments, “checklists” and/or due diligence processes that support PSE;

Participate in planning and design meetings with INVEST core team and other parts of USAID as needed;

Provide support to PCM for advancing buy-in consultations including drafting proposals, concept notes, workplans and other documentation for getting buy-in approvals and launching activities;

Draft technical SOWs for sub-contractors, consultants and for buy-in implementation as needed;

Participate in technical reviews for INVEST procurements as needed;

Provide quick turn-around quality assurance by editing, reviewing, and checking compliance of reports and other deliverables submitted by subcontractors and consultants as needed;

Work with relevant INVEST team members to support subcontractors/consultants with implementation of buy-ins. Travel may be required, upon the direction of the COP and with COR approval; and,

As applicable, identify additional niche technical advisory support required, develop SOWs, and leverage the DAI network to source qualified candidates.

RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT

Participate in the development and implementation of an effective internal USAID and external communication strategy and outreach plan for blended finance that advances the implementation of PSE;

Establish, maintain, and strengthen positive and well-functioning relationships with key stakeholders and clients, including USAID buy-in clients, USAID stakeholders (PSE Hub, Mission staff), the COR, COP, INVEST partners, as well as other SIAs that lead to an overall appreciation of INVEST’s technical and managerial oversight and contributes to the securing of future buy-ins and adoption of learning at the end of the buy-in’s implementation;

Help build the INVEST partner network with non-traditional, niche actors that include commercial and local entities; and,

Establish, maintain and strengthen positive and well-functioning relationships for all Presidential Initiative buy-ins and other high profile, multi-USG agency buy-ins and engagements. Directly manage those relationships and ensure that all communications put out by INVEST promoting such initiatives advance the USG and USAID’s overall objectives so that buy-in clients view INVEST as a strong partner and implementer.

COMMUNICATION, LEARNING, AND THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

Contribute to USAID’s thought leadership and lead INVEST’s thought leadership, communication, and learning portfolio;

Lead INVEST’s research agenda, which is overseen by the project’s COR, including partnership management and development of key deliverables/reports for clients;

Generate content for communications media such as websites, social media, blogs and press and that promote the Agency’s leadership in integrating blended finance models into development programming;

Ensure that the PSE learning captured from each major intervention is effectively transmitted across INVEST Project partners, USAID Missions and other operating units, other USG agencies, and potential donor partners and investors;

Draw on INVEST Monitoring Evaluation and Learning (MEL) and other sources as necessary, to provide information for case studies and summaries that highlight innovative models or transactions for outreach materials and dissemination to USAID Missions and bureaus, other USG agencies, and potential donors and investors;

Participate in MEL coordination meetings with USAID, as needed;

Support data collection and quality assurance on buy ins for MEL and ensure that indicators for each activity you are responsible for are rolled into the project-level indicators, in accordance with the INVEST MEL plan;

Provide summary learning for periodic required reporting to the USAID PSE team and other stakeholders;

Exhibit leadership qualities in capturing, packaging and disseminating learning across the INVEST portfolio; and,

Represent INVEST on USAID internal and external events, panels, webinars, workshops and other high-profile engagements featuring INVEST learning content.

OPERATIONS, PROCUREMENT, AND SYSTEMS

In conjunction with the INVEST Operations Team, lead and direct activity team(s) to adhere to project-wide operational policy, business processes, and compliance;

Provide top-level financial management on all buy-in activities, oversight of budget forecasts, and activity-level strategy for appropriate burn-rates;

Ensure procurement process-compliant guidance on all activity procurement needs, work closely with members of the procurement/partnerships team to communicate project-level priorities, assist in developing RFP/SOO/RFI/etc. frameworks, and incorporate Operations Team review/feedback in activity-level programming; and,

Lead and ensure team-wide adoption and proper use of project systems, including Sharepoint, TAMIS, Oracle, and other operational tools/templates.

TEAM BUILDING, MENTORING, AND MANAGEMENT

Provide input on the development of training content for blended finance and participate in its delivery where needed including webinars, mentorship, and face-to-face workshops;

Support the implementation of USAID training and mentorship in blended finance as part of the broader PSE capacity building and other strategic engagements with Missions and other Operating Units for field visits, including travel, as needed;

Build capacity of partners to ensure high quality deliverables from organizations that may not have experience working with USAID; and,

Provide overall leadership and daily team management to build a supportive network of technical and operational experts through greater mentoring, communication, and work planning. Identify areas for improvement and troubleshoot issues, leveraging other perspectives, experience, and lessons learned from the wider INVEST team.

REPORTING:

The Senior Investment Advisor will report to the INVEST Chief of Party or her designee, who will be responsible for technical supervision and acceptance of all deliverables.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Master’s degree and 14 years’ experience/Bachelor’s degree and 18 years’ experience in relevant field;

Demonstrated experience designing and managing PSE strategies to facilitate investment for development impact;

High level of technical competency and analytical skills in investment and PSE;

Direct investment transaction experience in emerging markets preferred;

Experience working with both donors and investors;

Outstanding client relationship management skills and direct USAID experience;

Strong organizational and interpersonal skills, and the ability to multi-task;

Exhibited expertise in directly managing teams;

Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, and experience working with diverse stakeholders;

Ability to work independently with minimal supervision, and as a part of a complex team;

Ability to prioritize effectively in an environment where prudent judgement in essential;

Eligible to work in the United States;

Language proficiency in Spanish preferred.

ORGANIZATION AND VALUES

DAI and its employees are committed to confronting racism and holding ourselves accountable for positive change within the company and in the communities, cultures, and countries in which we live and work. DAI is committed to attracting and retaining the best employees from all races and backgrounds in our continued effort to become a better development partner.

DAI upholds the highest ethical standards. We are committed to the prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment as well as other ethical breaches. All of our positions are therefore subject to stringent vetting and reference checks.

Company info

Development Alternatives, Inc. (DAI)
Website : http://www.dai.com