ROLE’S PURPOSE

• The Senior Implementation Specialist will provide targeted support to the project by contributing to improve the quality of outputs, facilitate and coordinate the interaction between the project’s technical team, regional teams, and local partners, and significantly contribute to the project’s communications.
• The Specialist will work with the Chief of Party, Deputy Chiefs of Party, and key team members to coordinate tasks between the operations and technical teams, prioritizing activities, and working to produce a wide range of communications products as well as engaging in social media on behalf of the project, as appropriate.

DUTIES

Partnership:

• Work with regional teams in managing partnerships and agreements with local firms, reviewing agreements and contributing to budgetary planning.
• Facilitate consistent collaboration and communication with internal teams including Technical, Procurement, Finance, M&E, regional teams, and external partners on the progress of technical activities against partnership agreements.
• Identify areas of improvement in internal processes and communication between functional teams to optimize implementation of activities and provide COP and management on process improvement suggestions.
• Support the Market Systems Unit (MSU) team in the development of MAPAs and DNs, moving partnerships through the Partnership Engagement Process flow with specific attention to the Deal Review Committee.
• Support the technical and operations team to process payments under agreements, ensuring deliverables and tasks under partnerships are achieved within the period of performance.
• Lead ad hoc technical and partnerships activities as assigned by the COP and/or his/her designee.

Communications:

• Work with the MEL & Communications Director and communications team on the development of weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual reports on the project’s progress.
• Review and prepare any external communications and materials to ensure quality control and consistency.
• Direct regular production of project marketing materials such as success stories, presentations, social media presence (as appropriate) and briefers, in collaboration with technical and M&E teams.
• In consultation with the Communications Team, develop and implement a Strategic Communications Calendar to capture significant events and time-bound communications submissions to USAID.
• Build a strong relationship with the USAID/Afghanistan DOC office and provide guidance to the project team on communications, branding, marking, and other relevant matters.
• Prepare any ad-hoc requests from DAI home office, USAID, and other relevant stakeholders.
• Other duties as assigned by COP

Qualifications

• A minimum of six years of relevant project experience, preferably in USAID or USG-funded international development programming.
• Experience working in agriculture, firm-level support or communications required.
• Experience in working in Afghanistan is highly desirable; work in the region and/or conflict/post-conflict regions preferred.
• Ability to work well in a team environment and to work and communicate effectively with various stakeholders.
• Ability to maintain effective working relationships with all levels of staff and local partners.
• Strong communications and presentation skills with fluency in English required. Very strong English writing, editing and proof-reading required.
• Ability to synthesize information and produce deliverables for different audiences.
• Strong ability to coordinate and collaborate with multiple teams and stakeholders.
• Master’s degree in a related field preferable.