Investment Advisor – Ghana

BACKGROUND

The USAID Africa Trade and Investment (ATI) Activity is designed to bolster the U.S. Government’s ability to boost trade and investment to, from, and within the African continent. The continent-wide program is USAID’s flagship effort in support of the Prosper Africa initiative and will expand and accelerate two-way trade and investment between African nations and the United States.

Driven by market demand, ATI embraces innovative approaches to achieve its goals. ATI is designed as a small, core set of centrally coordinated technical and institutional support activities, and a large, flexible performance-based subcontracting and grants under contract facility designed to support the needs and opportunities that USAID Missions and the private sector identify.

OBJECTIVES AND DUTIES

The Investment Advisor will support the Senior Technical Director – US and the Project team to ensure the activity advances the institutionalization of blended finance approaches throughout the Agency. Work will be focused to ensure that ATI is effectively implementing high-quality technical work and providing strategic guidance to USAID buy-in clients on how to effectively deploy blended finance approaches in support of trade and investment in Africa. Additionally, the Investment Advisor will play a role in developing knowledge products and supporting learning capture across the program thereby supporting communications as a critical part of USAID’s Private Sector Engagement work.

TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Technical Execution

• Serve as technical manager for a portfolio of buy-ins from a wide range of USAID Missions, Bureaus and Independent Offices.
• Provide input into technical scopes of work for sub-contractors, and consultants and for buy-in implementation as needed.
• Participate in technical reviews for ATI procurements as needed.
• Provide quick turn-around quality assurance by editing, reviewing, and compliance checking of reports and other deliverables submitted by subcontractors and consultants as needed.
• Support the Activity team with subcontractors/consultants with the implementation of buy-ins. Travel may be required, upon the direction of the COP.
• As applicable, identify additional niche technical advisory support required, develop SOWs, and leverage the DAI network to source qualified candidates.
• Provide support for advancing buy-in consultations including drafting proposals, concept notes, work plans and other documentation for getting buy-in approvals and launching activities.

Communications and Outreach

• Participate in the development and implementation of an effective internal USAID and external communication strategy and outreach plan for blended finance.
• Identify and foster relationships with key stakeholders including “Private Sector Engagement Champions”, and potential donor and implementing partners that share the approach of mobilizing private capital to support development objectives through conducting or facilitating meetings, interviews, and discussions.
• Work with ATI MEL team, 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, Congressional stakeholders, and potential donors and investors.

Strategy

• Support ATI with drafting strategic plans and concept note strategies.
• Plan and conduct strategy/co-creation sessions with “PSE Champions” and advisors to serve as a strategic platform to consolidate input and guidance.
• Participate in planning and visioning meetings with the ATI core team and other parts of USAID as needed.

Training

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

Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL)

• Participate in MEL coordination meetings with USAID, as needed.
• Support data collection and quality assurance for MEL and ensure that indicators for each activity are rolled into the project-level indicators, in accordance with the ATI MEL plan.
• Provide summary learning for periodic and requested reporting to USAID and other stakeholders.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 10 years of relevant professional work experience; or a master’s degree and 8 years of relevant professional work experience.
• Demonstrated experience designing and managing private sector engagement strategies to facilitate investment for development impact including experience working with both donors and investors.
• Proven project management, communications, writing, and interpersonal skills with excellent judgment, sound problem solving and decision-making skills.
• Ability to work in a fast-moving, fluid team setting with multiple stakeholders.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision, and as a part of a complex team.
• Fluency in spoken and written English required, French language skills preferred.

Preferred:

• Direct investment transaction experience in emerging markets.
• Experience working with USAID.

REPORTING

The Investment Advisor will report to the Senior Technical Director – US.