Sri Lanka: Seeking Senior Governance Specialists - multiple positions

Senior Governance Specialists – Multiple Positions

Sri Lanka Strengthening Democratic Governance and Accountability Project (SDGAP)

Development Alternatives, Inc. (DAI) works at the cutting edge of international development, combining technical excellence and professional project management to solve complex problems. Since 1970, DAI has worked in 150 developing and transition countries, providing comprehensive development solutions in areas including crisis mitigation and stability operations, democratic governance and public sector management, agriculture and agribusiness, private sector development and financial services, economics and trade, water and natural resources management, and energy and climate change. Clients include international development agencies, international lending institutions, private corporations and philanthropies, and host-country governments. DAI has worked in Sri Lanka for nearly a decade including on issues of governance and conflict mitigation, and currently manages the USAID Support to Sri Lankan Parliament Project (SLPP).

DAI recently has been short-listed for the SDGAP - a USAID funded governance program to increase the transparency and accountability of the Government of Sri Lanka through more effective and participatory planning and policy making processes, and strengthened government oversight. Major Tasks include (1) Strengthening the Public Accountability System, including budget and fiscal oversight; (2) Strategic Planning and Communication, Policy Reform and Implementation Processes; and (3) Increasing Political Participation of Women and Underrepresented Groups in Democratic Governance.

DAI seeks full-time Senior Governance Specialists with prior USAID experience to be part of the SDGAP leadership team. Interested candidates must have expertise in two or more of the following areas:

• Strategic planning, including developing and institutionalizing standardized processes and procedures for strategic planning with Parliament and Ministries;

• Parliamentary committee strengthening, with focus on improving Parliament’s budget and fiscal oversight

• Policy analysis and research, with focus on improving review of draft legislation and impact assessment of current policies and laws

• Policy coordination mechanisms, with focus on improving collaboration of ministry staff and parliament in policy development process

• Policy drafting and implementation support, with focus on open and accountable government laws and regulations such as Right to Information

• Public outreach mechanisms, including building Parliamentary capacity for managing public hearings and engaging with civil society and media

• Public administration reform

• Build capacity in research and evidenced-based policy-making with ministries, parliament and think tanks;

Qualifications:

• At least 10 years of experience in working within or around government and/or parliament on issues of policy government development planning, policy reform and/or legal reform, fiscal accountability, and oversight.

• Advanced degree or higher in law, political science, international development, economics or related.

• Demonstrated expertise in at least one of the following areas: public administration/ civil service reform; right to information or citizen participation laws or policies; anti-corruption or transparency initiatives including sunshine laws, asset disclosure, anti-money laundering; and laws or policies related to women and minority rights.

• Demonstrated ability to effectively collaborate with senior host-government counterparts, local implementing partners, and other USG- and other donor-funded programs.

• Strong communications skills with fluency in English language required; proficiency in Sinhala and/or Tamil required.

Interested and qualified candidates should e-mail CV and expression of interest todairecruitasia@dai.com, with the words "DAI SDGAP" in the subject line.**