Job Opportunity at International Executive Service Corps, Local Governance Analyst

Position: Local Governance Analyst

Component 1: Implementing Policies for Growth

The Local Government Analyst is embedded within ENGINE Program Component 1 and provides support and liaison related to a strengthened business enabling environment resulting from district-level Local Government Authorities’ (LGA) policy, management and administrative review and reform.

Background: The Tanzania Enabling Growth through Investment and Enterprise (ENGINE) Program is a four-year USAID-funded Feed the Future program awarded through the Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliance (VEGA) that aims to streamline and enhance many of the regulatory, informational, and financial channels that encourage domestic and foreign investment in Zanzibar and the southern agricultural regions of Mbeya, Morogoro, and Iringa. ENGINE is a four-year, $20 million activity.

ENGINE focuses at the district level, using a broad-based approach that works with district councils, private sector associations, business development service providers, financial institutions, and micro, small and medium enterprises. The program’s activities are divided into three main components:

Implement policies for growth. Build the capacity of the private sector to effectively engage with LGAs through public/private dialogue (PPD) to set the policy reform agenda and improve the capacity of the public sector to implement policies that strengthen the business enabling environment, leading to business viability, growth and investment.
Equip businesses for growth. Strengthen SME capacity and foster the growth and capacity of a sustainable market for business development services (BDS) in Tanzania.
Access to finance for growth. Broaden access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), particularly women and youth entrepreneurs and those working within agricultural value chains, to facilitate increased investment and growth.

Objective of the Assignment

To provide evidence based advice and guidance to the Component 1 team and others on the ongoing Local Government Authority policy reforms with the view of enhance the effectiveness of ENGINE support to the competitiveness of the private sector in business.

Tasks

Support the Policy Analyst and Regional Representatives to advise ENGINE on Tanzania mainland and Zanzibar government policies regarding decentralization, devolution and democratization.
Liaise between ENGINE and PORALG to ensure that management/administrative procedures, processes, systems, etc. at district LGA level are capable of supporting an alignment with national policies to enhance the business enabling environment.
Communicate LGA policy and management/administrative reform experience between Morogoro, Iringa, Mbeya and Zanzibar.
Serve as an internal liaison within the ENGINE Program to coordinate the alignment of Components 1, 2 & 3, linking a strengthened business enabling environment to the expansion of BDS provision and SME access to finance.
Synchronize, aggregate and document work products and lessons learned from volunteer assignments.
In collaboration with the Policy Analyst, liaise with research and advocacy partners to develop policy reform lessons learned and transfer the same to district-level LGAs, business councils and apex private sector organizations in order to strengthen the local business enabling environment.

The LG Analyst reports to the Component 1 Lead and shall:

Undertake the annual planning and execution of relevant LGA activities.
Follow-up and report on indicators as outlined in the annual Work Plan.
Prepare reports for his/her section at required intervals.

Required Qualifications

Degree in International Development, International Relations/Affairs, Public Administration, Business, Law, Sociology, Anthropology, Economics, Agriculture, or a related field.
Experience facilitating and strengthening local government business enabling environments, with a strong background in agricultural and SME development.
Demonstrated success in implementing programs aimed at driving policy reform, and/or involving women and youth.
Experience with national and LGA business policy, and an understanding of the local context.
Self-motivated, proactive, detail-oriented, mature, easy-going, professional team player, who is a strong people person and communicator, with good inter-personal skills.
Ability to address issues, questions, concerns, and problems in a professional, accurate and timely manner.
Fluent in both English and Kiswahili.
Works well in a multi-cultural setting.