Local Governance Advisor Volunteer Expert

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Local Governance Advisor Volunteer Expert

Location: Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

Proposed Level of Effort: 90 days

Anticipated Start Date: Mid-January 2017

Objective: The International Executive Service Corps (IESC) and the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) seek a Local Governance Advisor Volunteer Expert for the USAID-funded Feed the Future Tanzania Enabling Growth through Investment and Enterprise (ENGINE) Program. The ideal volunteer will have the experience base necessary to put together interventions to strengthen the ability of local governments to better engage with the private sector to respond to their concerns and work with the private sector more effectively to reform policy create more business-friendly policies.

The Local Governance Advisor Volunteer Expert will be responsible for implementing a series of interventions which will strengthen the ability of local governments to translate engagement with the private sector into effectively implemented policies that respond to their concerns, while also assisting private sector actors to organize and advocate more effectively as they engage with government and comply with the reformed policy. Given the current business environment and investment climate in Tanzania, the program will reduce constraints to private sector growth and investment by concurrently operationalizing the following three objectives: 1. Predictability, coherency and transparency of policies impacting private sector investment increased; 2. Pro-economic growth and investment policies fully and effectively implemented; and 3. Effective policy reform frameworks sustained.

Background: The 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 the southern agricultural regions of Mbeya, Morogoro, and Iringa, and in Zanzibar.

ENGINE will focus 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:

1. Implement policies for growth. Build the capacity of the private sector to effectively dialogue with the government to set the policy agenda and improve the capacity of the public sector to implement policies.
2. Equip businesses for growth. Strengthen small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) capacity and foster the growth and capacity of a sustainable market for business development services (BDS) in Tanzania.
3. Access to finance for growth. Broaden access to finance for SMEs, specifically women and youth entrepreneurs and those working within agricultural value chains, to facilitate increased investment and growth.

Relevance: The Local Governance Advisor will be working within ENGINE Component 1 - Implementing Policies for Growth to ensure that predictable coherent policies promoting private sector investment are implemented. The driving principle supporting this purpose is that the public and private sectors must engage constructively to identify and implement the policies needed to effect growth and investment goals.

Tasks to be performed:

• Assist in the implementation of a regulatory streamlining approach to identify and adopt a way to simplify: policies, by-laws and regulations.
• Provide organizational strengthening and capacity building assistance in the design and improvement of LGA local business council chapter structures and functions, including the development of a list of policy and regulatory reform priorities.
• Identify a think tank or university grant recipient that will help analyze and develop recommendations concerning policy and regulatory needs.
• Lead the development of LGA Action Plans to review policies, regulations, and administrative procedures with local government authorities.
• Provide technical assistance through the organization of four competiveness roundtable meetings, specifically:
• Seek full anchor institution concurrence to support and sponsor these roundtables following successful proof of concept.
• Develop a comprehensive plan for anchor institution that estimates necessary resources, defines roles and responsibilities, and outlines a production calendar for annual roundtables.
• Facilitate an inter-regional forum for LGA policy reform and implementation actors to discuss lessons learned, identify challenges, consolidate knowledge, and build peer relationships.
• End of Assignment Report and Other Deliverables.

The following are expected to be provided by the volunteer expert:

• Monthly activity/progress reports.
• Volunteer trip report (at end of the assignment).
• Facilitation notes from one of the competitiveness roundtable meetings with constructive feedback.
• An evaluation report that describes the result of the first three months of the assignment and makes recommendations for implementing the remaining nine-month period.

Qualifications:

• Degree in International Development, International Relations/Affairs, Public Administration, Business, Economics, Agriculture, or a related field.
• Experience facilitating local government business enabling environments with a strong background in agricultural development.
• Demonstrated success in implementing programs aimed at Feed the Future/agro-business initiatives, driving policy reform, and/or involving women and youth.
• Experience with national and local government law and 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.
• Works well in a multi-cultural setting.