Djibouti Learning Advisor

Headlight Organization Overview

Founded in 2018, Headlight Consulting Services, LLP delivers data-driven decision-making to its partners through robust strategy design support, in-depth monitoring, evaluation, and learning technical services, and facilitated organizational change processes. Headlight brings extensive experience in international development and expertise in qualitative methods; systems-thinking; utilization-focused Collaborating, Learning, Adapting, Monitoring, and Evaluation (CLAME); emergent methods such as developmental evaluation; evaluation policy design; organizational development; and much more. Headlight offers fit-for-purpose, agile solutions to improve the efficiency and efficacy of development programs around the globe, focusing on the structures and systems that enable sustainable solutions.

Summary of Position

Headlight seeks a skilled local Learning Advisor to support and facilitate collaboration, learning, and programmatic adaptation activities as part of the anticipated Learning Analytics platform with the USAID Djibouti Country Program. Expected to start in March-April 2023, the platform will provide support to stakeholders through developing and answering learning questions, building capacities, and facilitating evidence to action with colleagues at the USAID Country Program office and their implementing partners. The Learning Advisor will help facilitate active learning, iterative program design, and adaptive management of an expansive, integrated portfolio to clarify and refine USAID/Djibouti’s approaches towards the aim of sustainable, locally-owned responses across Djibouti. Learning support will help stakeholders identify and prioritize learning questions based on unknowns in their strategic plans and capture that learning into use-focused, actionable deliverables and discussions about the effectiveness of their efforts and what refinements are necessary. This will guide both current and future programming priorities and contribute useful information to the broader USAID/Djibouti portfolio.

The activity is scheduled to begin in March-April 2023 and is slated to last through early 2028. The Learning Advisor will engage remotely and in-person with the teams at the USAID/Djibouti Country Program in Djibouti, as well as remotely with the CLA Advising and Capacity Building teams in the U.S. and Ethiopia, throughout the life of the activity. Travel within Djibouti to work with partners or other stakeholders may be required, but all pertinent safety considerations will be taken into account before any travel is approved. The Learning Advisor will have additional technical and strategic communications support from Headlight headquarters staff throughout the implementation of the activity.

The Learning Advisor will report to the COP for the Activity in Addis Ababa, with support from the CLA Senior Technical Advisor and CLA Advisors (from the U.S.) on the portfolio as well.

Responsibilities

The Learning Advisor will have responsibility for the design and implementation of Learning Agendas and subsequent efforts for the Djibouti Country Program and for ensuring its quality.  Responsibilities will include: 

• Lead the convening and organizing of partners for evidence-based continuous improvement action plans, pause-and-reflect sessions, and learning events
• Foster strong, collaborative relationships with key client stakeholders; serve as a convener for dialogue and learning around emerging issues; assist in identifying and responding to key learning issues; and coordinate efforts amongst stakeholders working in common objectives
• Lead facilitation to collaboratively conceptualize and develop the Learning Agenda/Learning Question design and approach (learning framework, methodology, work plans, reporting, etc.), including onboarding new stakeholders in the Mission’s related portfolio
• Develop, track, and communicate high-quality information, including strategies and materials to communicate program impact to systems-level decision makers, to inform timely and data-driven decision-making; regularly record decision-making, program changes, and/or changes in the environment in a report log
• Attend and collaborate through regular meetings with program leadership, relevant stakeholders at all levels, and monitoring and evaluation staff as needed to collect data and facilitate adaptation
• Manage and contribute to a living work plan for the activity, including an agreed set of deliverables (which may change over time, depending on the needs of the program)
• Potential manage staff and/or consultants, providing learning, technical guidance, quality assurance, and opportunities for collaboration and connection with other resources
• Identify and manage learning or data collection needs and associated teams as they arise
• Provide quality assurance of relevant deliverables
• Conduct analysis of the data collected and present engaging, use-focused feedback regularly to program staff and key partners and facilitate uptake of recommendations and associated adaption tracking
• Develop and test learning and adaptive management tools; and, identify and manage contributing or new learning or data collection needs and associated teams as they arise
• Contribute to creating a culture that values openness, curiosity, and flexibility

Qualifications

• Minimum 10+ years of professional experience in international development, adult learning, capacity building, and/or Learning Advisory-related roles
• Multifaceted facilitation skills, including with multicultural audiences, particularly related to programmatic and organizational learning
• Experience designing learning agendas and learning questions and strategic approaches to answer them for continuous improvement
• Experience working with clients at different levels, virtually, and across different time zones. Excellent client management track record. Experience supporting organizational development/change processes will be considered a significant advantage
• Strong analytical skills to support both qualitative and quantitative research
• Understanding of and experience with Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting approaches
• Strong management, coordination, teamwork, and planning skills and demonstrated ability to work well with multiple in-country counterparts
• Excellent oral/written communication skills in English
• High standards of integrity, professionalism, and creative problem solving
• (Preferred) Understanding of USAID processes and experience with leading training for USAID audiences

Qualified Female applicants are encouraged to apply

Please note that this vacancy is only for Nationals of Djibouti.

Benefits

Headlight offers full-time employees a competitive salary package, vacation, holiday, and sick leave, health insurance coverage, and much more. 

How to Apply

Interested persons should send a CV and Cover Letter that highlights experience aligned with the requirements above to info@headlightconsultingservices.com. Please include in the subject line of your email “Djibouti Learning Advisor.” 

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis so apply as soon as possible! Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Headlight Consulting Services, LLP follows all state and federal laws and is an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer. Headlight provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.