Private Sector Development Specialist, EMD/PSEMC

About the Project

Through the Private Sector Engagement Modernization Contract (PSEMC), Dexis supports the U.S. Agency for International Development's (USAID's) 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.

About the Position

The USAID Bureau for Inclusive Growth, Partnerships, and Innovation's Center for Economics and Market Development's (EMD) is the Agency's primary resource for knowledge and technical assistance on economic growth and trade. EMD is also leading USAID's implementation of the Economic Resilience Initiative (ERI), a whole of government effort to foster resilient, sustainable, and inclusive economic growth and prosperity amid the disruptions and pressures of today's global economy, with three major focuses: 1) Improve macroeconomic stability, including increased debt sustainability; 2) Mobilize targeted investment in job-creating and wage-boosting growth; 3) Strengthen productive capacity around and expand development benefits from investment in critical supply chains. As part of the ERI implementation team, core responsibilities will be the day-to-day oversight, coordination, management, tracking, and reporting on ERI activities and processes. Additionally, this position may be asked to coordinate guidance to Missions in one of USAIDs regional bureaus and a technical bureau such as the Latin American and Caribbean region via the LAC Bureau as well as the DRG Bureau and ensure smooth communication between the field and USAID/Washington.

The Private Sector Development Specialist position is located in the EMD Center's Entrepreneurial Team (EE). EMD/EE provides technical leadership, evidence, and programmatic support on private sector development (PSD) across USAID, to operating units in partner countries and headquarters alike. The Team's PSD focus areas include but are not limited to: macro-economic technical assistance to stabilize economies; market-based solutions to expand jobs and real wages; business and investment climate reform; entrepreneurship; small and medium-size firm development, growth, and productivity; access to finance; and market systems development.

Successful EMD/EE Team members work collaboratively, seek opportunities, demonstrate persistence, are risk-takers, set goals and see them through, systematically plan, and work with minimal direction and oversight.

This is a telework-eligible position requiring occasional travel (about 15% - 25%) to USAID partner countries.

Responsibilities

• Supports the Agency's policy development, programming, and evidence-based learning on private sector development topics/themes, including: small and medium-size enterprise development, entrepreneurship, business entry/start-up, business formalization, firm productivity, regulatory business environment reform, regulatory technology, good regulatory practices, investment facilitation, domestic and foreign-direct investment, private capital markets, market competitiveness and contestability, competition policy, integrating and upgrading global value chains, technology and innovation ecosystems, digital business and e-commerce, etc.
• Speaks toUSAID, IPI, and EMD interests and equities on private sector development topics/themes in the Interagency space and in the donor community.
• Conducts research and analysis to inform operating units' programming decisions.
• Supports USAID operating units to design, implement and evaluate activities that advance private sector development topics/themes.
• Provides guidance, advisory services, and technical assistance-to both working-level and senior staff-on private sector development.
• Provides strategies, plans, and approaches to support the management of EMD and Agency resources.
• Builds, maintains, manages relationships with key stakeholders, including clients, partners, government agencies, and industry groups, to further USAID's private sector development goals.
• Supports USAID agreements and contracts on private sector development topics and themes.

Performs other related duties as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree and 5 years of work experience (e.g. Business Administration, Economics, Finance, Law, etc.), or Master's degree with 3 or more years of work experience, or 9+ years equivalent relevant work experience in private sector engagement.
• Knowledge of private sector development topics/themes (listed under responsibilities).
• Experience conducting research and analyses and providing strategic guidance, advisory services, and technical assistance-to both working-level and senior staff.
• Project management skills and experience.
• Experience with resource and budget planning and management.
• Ability to build and sustain collaborative working relationships.
• Demonstrated strong communication skills, with a focus on translating technical materials into usable information for non-experts.
• Demonstrated evidence of excellent interpersonal, facilitation, and team building skills.
• Ability to attain and maintain a Secret-level clearance.

Preferred

• Experience with resource and budget planning and management.
• Current holder of an active Secret-level security clearance

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.