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Technical Advisor, Economic Strengthening for Child Protection, Care and Well-being

FHI 360 is a nonprofit human development organization dedicated to improving lives in lasting ways by advancing integrated, locally driven solutions. Our staff includes experts in Health, Education, Nutrition, Environment, Economic Development, Civil Society, Gender, Youth, Research and Technology– creating a unique mix of capabilities to address today's interrelated development challenges. FHI 360 serves more than 60 countries, all 50 U.S. states and all U.S. territories. We seek qualified candidates for the position of Technical Advisor.
FHI 360’s Accelerating Strategies for Practical Innovation and Research in Economic Strengthening (ASPIRES) project supports evidence-based, gender-sensitive programming to improve the economic security and health outcomes of vulnerable families and children. Under ASPIRES, FHI 360 provides technical assistance and research to improve and scale up interventions in household economic strengthening. Through ASPIRES, FHI 360 and its partners also help strengthen the capacity of governments and national stakeholders to implement and evaluate evidence-based programming that advances the economic security of target populations.
Under an agreement with USAID’s Displaced Children and Orphans Fund, ASPIRES seeks to develop programming guidance for matching contextually appropriate economic interventions with specifically targeted households, with a particular focus on reintegrating separated children into families and preventing unnecessary separation of children from their families. This process will be informed by the development and launch of two multi-component pilot interventions to be implemented in different countries. These will encompass related evaluation/operational research, designed specifically to test the efficacy and costs of economic strengthening interventions targeting households reintegrating children or households where children are at risk of separation due to social and economic vulnerability.
The Technical Advisor will be expected to take a leading role in the design and assessment of the two field projects, as well as in carrying out research to develop guidance on household-targeted economic strengthening. The ideal candidate will have technical and programmatic expertise in the areas of household-level economic strengthening and the reintegration of separated children into families (e.g. street children, institutionalized children, children separated during an emergency, former child soldiers), and experience in research management and providing technical assistance, capacity building, and training to donors, practitioners and other organizations. Strong analytical, writing, and representational skills are critical for this position. Experience in project management in accordance with USAID rules and regulations is desirable.
  • Provide technical and research leadership to develop the knowledge base around household-targeted economic strengthening and effective relationships between economic strengthening and other social protection needs for households with separated children or children at risk of separation by capturing learning, results and technical lessons from ASPIRES field projects and other similar projects.
  • Expand the evidence base around effectively targeting specific households for economic strengthening assistance and effective relationships between such economic strengthening and social interventions for households with separated children or children at risk of separation by overseeing and/or implementing research efforts on these topics.
  • Produce written guidance to enable an agency or organization to select and provide economic interventions relevant to a particular household’s structure, social and economic characteristics, context, capacities, and vulnerabilities with the aim of enabling the household to provide ongoing care for children being reintegrated or who are at risk of separation.
  • Coordinate with relevant knowledge management units at FHI 360 to identify opportunities to disseminate results/products as well as support application and uptake by practitioners and partners.
  • Respond to requests for programmatic and technical information to support ASPIRES programming, strategies and reporting. Provide guidance and technical assistance.
  • In collaboration with the Project Director and other ASPIRES team members, support the development of contractual deliverables (quarterly reports, annual work plans, etc.) and work with other ASPIRES and Economic Development and Livelihoods Department team members and partners to write reports (academic and grey literature) for wider dissemination through academic journals and other channels.
  • Travel internationally up to 30% of time to gather information from and provide assistance to field projects.
Qualifications:
  • Successful candidates in this role typically have 12+ years of total experience. Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in economic strengthening (e.g., microfinance, savings groups, cash transfers), including experience in working at the household level.
  • Significant programmatic experience with household-level interventions to address social protection and/or child protection. Experience with child reintegration into households desired.
  • Demonstrated understanding of issues and programming approaches related to strengthening household capacities to provide adequate care and protection for vulnerable children.
  • PhD or Master’s degree in international development, economics, social sciences, or a related field.
  • Ability to manage projects, set realistic priorities and plan for the successful implementation of activities.
  • Must have excellent written and verbal communication skills in English, and strong intercultural communication skills. Fluency in French is a plus.
  • Strong analytical skills and demonstrated expertise in the preparation of written guidance for programming.
  • Strong leadership skills and ability to coordinate diverse consortia of organizations to achieve common objectives.
  • Experience working in developing countries, especially in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa
  • Direct experience with the design, implementation, and evaluation of projects in lower income countries that have targeted economic strengthening at household level highly desired.
FHI 360 has a competitive compensation package. Interested candidates may register online through FHI 360's Career Center at http://www.fhi360.org/careers or through the Employment section at www.fhi360.org. Please submit CV/resume and cover letter including salary requirements. Please specify source in your application.
FHI 360 is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. FHI 360 is committed to providing equal employment opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, age, disability or status as a veteran with respect to policies, programs, or activities.