Local Empowerment for Accountability and Decentralization (LEAD)

Project Background

The USAID Liberia Local Empowerment for Accountability and Decentralization (LEAD) Activity was awarded to DAI Global LLC for a period of five year, from May 19, 2023 to May 18, 2028.The goal of this Activity is to improve the capacities of targeted ministries, agencies, and commissions (MACs), and local government to formulate and administer sound tax policies, improve budget transparency, deepen decentralization, and deliver much-needed quality services at the sub-national level through the following objectives:

1. Objective 1: Domestic Resource Mobilization (DRM) Improved,
2. Objective 2: Budget Transparency Improved, which comprises of three sub-objectives
3. Objective 3: Local Development and Service Delivery Improved

Purpose

The overall purpose of the position is to assist the Local Governance Expert to implement the following activities for Objective 3:

• Improve capacities for administration, planning, budgeting, and contract management
• Support counties to formulate county development plans and incorporate water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services
• Improve transparency, accountability, and public participation mechanisms
• Build counties’ systems and capacities to undertake tax and fee administration functions
• Establish and improve sub-national PFM systems in partner counties and cities
• Improve partner city corporations’ service delivery capacity, including in solid waste management (SWM)
• Improve capacities of city corporations to increase fee collection

The Senior Local Government Capacity Building Officer (CBO) will work closely with county administration officials and County Council members, city corporations and city councils, and senior civil servants to support the implementation of the Government of Liberia’s decentralization strategy through: improved capacity for planning and budgeting; effective and transparent financial management; capacity for revenue mobilization; effective oversight of local government functions; and efficient and equitable service delivery. Responsibilities for this position will include managing in-kind grants and targeted training, along with coaching and mentoring staff on the implementation of standard operating procedures and other tools developed with project support.

• Tasks and Responsibilities

• Coordinate LEAD interventions in the County of assignment, including representing LEAD to local authorities and other counterparts.
• Support relevant local government officials and civil servants in implementing standard operating procedures and other tools related to local government administration and financial management
• Work with the LEAD grants team to manage in-kind grants to improve capacities of partner county administrations and city corporations to support service delivery and strengthen engagement with local citizens in the county
• Identify and support opportunities to enhance engagement between county administration officials and county councils, city corporations and local citizens around issues related to good governance and improved service delivery
• Assist Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, Liberia Revenue Authority and other GOL stakeholders to implement the Local Government Act, Revenue Sharing Act and other national policies on decentralization
• Assist monitoring, evaluation and learning activities through dissemination and retrieval M&E information among counties, cities and CSOs where applicable
• Support civic educational and community outreach campaigns in partner counties and cities
• Work with Monrovia-based LEAD grants, monitoring evaluation and learning, operations, and technical teams to:
  • Document and report on LEAD activities
  • Provide technical input, deliver and manage logistics for trainings and other project events
  • Host and coordinate visits by USAID and LEAD staff, project consultants and GOL and CSO partners

• Reporting and Supervision

• Directly reports to the Local Governance Expert, the lead on Local Development and Service Delivery
• Indirectly reports to Chief of Party and other technical leads
• Qualifications
• At least five years of experience in Liberia on building the capacity of public sector institutions, preferably at the subnational level
• Demonstrated understanding of decentralization and the deconcentration of service delivery in Liberia
• University degree in the social sciences
• Excellent oral and written communications and organizational skills

All interested candidates are encouraged to send their resume and cover letter to (insert recruitment email address)

Please indicate in the subject line of your mail, application for the position of (Senior Local Government Capacity Building Officer, followed by preferred county of assignment). However, the LEAD technical team reserves the discretion to assign a successful candidate to a different county other than their stated preference.

Deadline for the submission of applications is November 21, 2023 at 5:00 PM.

Women and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.

The job advertisements are now live for Liberia LEAD. Interested candidates are invited to apply via this link:LiberiaLEADRecruitment@dai.com