Political Transitions Surge Team

Political Transitions Surge Team

Communities in Transition Division

Background:

Creative Associates International is a dynamic and fast-growing professional services firm that specializes in international development in the areas of education, democratic transitions and stabilization in post-conflict environments. Based in Washington, DC, the firm has a field presence in 20 plus countries worldwide with a strong and diverse portfolio that includes global contracts with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and other clients including the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Defense. The firm has earned a solid reputation among its clients and missions worldwide and is well-regarded by competitors and partners alike.  Creative historically works in some of the toughest conflict and post-conflict environments that challenge practitioners of political transitions, such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Liberia, Colombia and Central America.  To do our work, we look not so much to a resume as to ‘a type.’  It is not work for the faint-hearted.  Often dangerous, it requires confident, independent self-starters willing to work in difficult, stressful environments.

Position Summary:

Creative Associates International (Creative) is excited to provide consulting opportunities to support our Political Transitions Practice Area and USAID’s Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI). These Transition Consultants will form a well-trained, flexible and technically diverse Surge Team that will be instrumental in building upon Creative’s past USAID/OTI successes to conduct political analysis, assessments, and provide technical assistance in countries undergoing significant shifts in conflict prevention, democratization, economic growth, or political stabilization. Consultants will be guaranteed a minimum number of work days for each 6 or 12-month commitment and will be expected to mobilize in a limited time frame. The Surge Team is intended to be an incubator to build Creative’s capacity, and may lead to full-time employment with Creative, which has a continuing need for:

• Chiefs of Party
• Deputy Chiefs of Party
• Operations Managers
• Grant Managers

Primary Responsibilities:

• Conduct political analysis and assessments in transitional countries that will influence exciting capture management opportunities;
• Provide short-term technical assistance to existing projects in the field, including start-up team leaders, acting Grants Managers, Senior Operations Managers, Program Managers, or Governance Advisors;
• Train and mentor junior staff on transition programming;
• Recruit host country national Program Development Officers for proposal development and project implementation.

Required Skills & Qualifications:

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree or higher in a relevant field ;
• Past leadership experience;
• At least four years of relevant work experience, including experience with a USAID Contractor or international NGO managing an office or program;
• Demonstrated capacity to support proposal development;
• Experience with management of grants under contract programs or sub-grants, preferably including in-kind and small grants;
• Evidence of experience as a “hands-on” manager;
• Experience with activity design, development, implementation and comprehensive monitoring and evaluation;
• Fluency in English;
• Excellent communication skills;
• Strong analytical capacity, especially as it relates to community development.

Desired Skills & Qualifications:

• Prior work experience with USAID/Office of Transition Initiatives;
• Master’s degree in relevant field;
• At least four years of experience supervising complex, high-speed, and challenging field operations in developing countries;
• Experience working in transition/fragile-state environments is highly desirable, particularly in highly unstable environments, including Central Asia and the Middle East/North Africa regions;
• Fluency in an additional language.

Creative Associates International is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Women and Minorities are encouraged to apply. AA/V/D .

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