Learning Advisor, Labor Neighbor Initiative, PSEMC

About the Project

Through the Private Sector Engagement Modernization Contract (PSEMC), Dexis supports the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID’s) Private Sector Engagement (PSE) Hub to expand and deepen collaboration with the private sector to achieve greater development outcomes. The PSE Hub’s mission is to create the institutional conditions, operating infrastructure, and capacity necessary to expand engagement with the private sector in the United States and partner countries. The PSE Hub works to transform and modernize how USAID does development by institutionalizing USAID’s PSE policy and delivering capacity- and systems-building support for PSE across all sectors, operating units, and countries where USAID operates. PSEMC provides technical assistance and capacity building to USAID Missions, Bureaus, and Independent Offices in support of PSE.

About the Position

Since FY 2019, USAID has invested more than $14 million to provide ongoing technical assistance to the governments of Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador to expand access for their citizens to temporary work abroad opportunities in the United States and beyond. USAID partners with teams within the Ministries of Labor in Guatemala and Honduras and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in El Salvador to build their capacity to ethically recruit, vet, and support their citizens’ access to temporary work abroad opportunities. USAID’s work has primarily focused on the Ministries’ capacity to connect workers with temporary labor opportunities to the U.S. via the H-2A and H-2B visa programs.

Recognizing the impact that USAID’s support has had on the lives of northern Central American workers by connecting them with work abroad opportunities, LAC, in coordination with the interagency, is designing a regional labor mobility initiative, “Alianza de Movilidad Laboral para las Américas,” commonly known as the “Labor Neighbors Initiative”.  This Initiative will build on existing and new work of USAID, the Department of Labor, the Department of State, and the Department of Homeland Security’s efforts to expand access to lawful and protective labor pathways for eligible workers from Latin America and the Caribbean.  This interagency initiative will build a regional labor mobility network under Pillar 2 of the Los Angeles Declaration. This will be achieved through regional engagements and exchanges to share best practices and lessons learned, as well as through limited technical assistance to help countries enable circular temporary labor migration that benefits and protects workers and addresses growth-inhibiting labor shortages.

The Learning Advisor will develop and oversee the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) aspects of the Labor Neighbors Initiative, to be implemented by a small team of technical advisors deployed across various lines of effort in the U.S. and in Latin America under the Initiative.

This is a part-time, remote-eligible position not to exceed 960 hours. Dexis anticipates occasional need for full-time support, primarily related to initial MEL plan development, and during data collection and reporting. The Consultant should be flexible and able to provide occasional surge support. No travel is anticipated. 

Responsibilities

• Prepare a MEL plan with annual updates that includes short-, medium- and long-term goals, and key performance indicators for the Labor Neighbors Initiative. The MEL Plan will include, as appropriate, the LAC region wide migration indicators, and in particular the indicators associated with Learning Priority #4: Labor Pathways
• Support Labor Neighbors Initiative team members to identify, collect, and report data and information required in the MEL Plan
• Contribute to and manage the knowledge base of good practices associated with labor pathways by researching and summarizing how pathways can be scaled up and made safer and more accessible, among other priorities identified through the Labor Neighbors Initiative
• Develop internal and external knowledge products and related materials, such as reports, fact sheets, talking points, presentations, and briefing materials, which highlight achievements, good practices, and and advancements 
• Provide input and knowledge to assist with meetings and events related to the Labor Neighbors Initiative
• Organize regular meetings to facilitate collaboration, learning, and adapting (CLA) among Labor Neighbors Initiative team members and other stakeholders, as appropriate, including pause & reflect sessions and after action reviews 
• Exchange information and discuss best practices and lessons learned with key stakeholders, including but not limited to USAID

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Master’s degree (or higher) with eight (8) or more years of work experience, or a Bachelor’s degree and 10 years of work experience or 15+ years equivalent relevant work experience 
• A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in program monitoring and evaluation, and CLA; a basic understanding of international development MEL principles and approaches is required
• Experience in virtual facilitation approaches and collaboration with teams across multiple time zones and geographic contexts
• Excellent analytical and conceptual skills to interpret data from various sources; to prepare reports and analyses; and to assess the effects of USAID programs/projects on socioeconomic development in the country are required
• Ability to plan and execute multiple MEL activities simultaneously is a must 
• Ability to synthesize complex program data and Agency MEL policies to translate it into simple, succinct information
• Excellent interpersonal skills to develop and maintain effective working relationships. 
• Excellent communication, presentation, and report writing skills are required
• Experience as a user of common data management programs (e.g., Excel)
• Ability to work in an unstructured environment, creating and driving lines of effort
• Ability to travel as required
• Language Proficiency: English (IV) & Spanish (III)

Preferred

• Current holder of an active U.S. government security clearance strong preferred
• Experience with labor pathways programming is strongly desired

All applicants are measured on how they foster a climate of respect in interactions with others, value differing perspectives, and treat others in a fair, equitable, and culturally sensitive manner.  All employees and consultants are expected to value diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in performing everyday duties and responsibilities.