LESOTHO MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT AGENCY (LMDA)
VACANCY
(COMPACT II DEVELOPMENT TEAM)
BACKGROUND
On December 10, 2013, MCC’s Board of Directors selected the Kingdom of Lesotho as eligible to develop a second compact under the Millennium Challenge Account. Lesotho’s eligibility reflects its success in implementing its first compact, which closed on September 17, 2013, and its strong commitment to just and democratic governance, investments in its people, and economic freedom, as measured by a variety of policy performance indicators.
The Kingdom of Lesotho has appointed a full-time Core Team Leader to lead a process of assessing economic development challenges; identifying potential projects that will address those challenges to promote poverty alleviation and raise economic growth; and further developing and designing those projects to lead to a negotiated and signed final compact program. The Government through the Lesotho Millennium Development Agency, is now recruiting a team of highly qualified professionals with specialized skills to support and assist the Core Team Leader through the compact development process..
Applications are therefore invited from suitably qualified candidates for the following positions:
POSITION DESCRIPTION: Economist
Required qualifications:
• Advanced degree in economics
• At least three (3) years of prior work experience in a senior economics positions, preferably including work with an international donor
• Demonstrated ability to analyze the economics of development projects, including conducting cost-benefit analysis and beneficiary analysis
• Experience with statistical analysis and strong ability to use quantitative data
• Good command of a statistical package or advanced user of Excel’s statistical capabilities
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills
• Deep, relevant knowledge of social, political and economic context – both formal and informal – in Lesotho and/or southern Africa as well as applicable sectors
• Familiarity with constraints analysis would be a plus
Description of main responsibilities:
• Oversee and complete the economic constraints to growth analysis in collaboration with the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC); this requires close collaboration with other members of the Compact Development team to integrate the constraints analysis with other preliminary analyses, including the initial social and gender assessment and investment opportunities process, which will complement the constraints analysis with social and enterprise-level context
• Build an economic justification for any potential projects, including a clear explanation of the ways in which projects will raise economic growth and alleviate poverty
• Work closely with the other Core Team members to develop a detailed logical framework for the proposed projects and for the overall compact program
• Conduct a detailed analysis of the economic characteristics of any proposed projects, including assessing in detail the likely costs and benefits associated with each.
• Develop an analytical framework, gather all required data, and calculate economic rates of return (ERRs) for proposed projects.
• Develop a detailed assessment of how proposed projects will impact intended beneficiaries, with a focus on poor households and disadvantaged groups.
• Communicate complex economic data and information both written and orally to a variety of stakeholder audiences
POSITION DESCRIPTION: Social and Gender Specialist
Required qualifications:
• An advanced degree in social sciences or a related discipline (anthropology, sociology, women’s studies, public policy, community development, etc.).
• Ten (10) or more years of experience working on social and gender issues in the international development context in Lesotho and/or southern Africa.
• Knowledge of gender-related policies, laws and regulations and the institutional environment in Lesotho.
• Background in conducting and managing complex social research activities including both quantitative and qualitative research.
• Background in conducting social and gender assessments to inform project design.
Knowledge of, and experience working with, key national and/or regional women’s organizations, NGOs, and relevant government institutions focusing on social and gender issues in Lesotho. Experience with major donor organizations, especially U.S. donors, is a plus.
• Ability to work with multidisciplinary teams and institutions and interact constructively with technical experts, government officials, people that could be affected by projects, and civil society.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
Description of responsibilities:
Working closely with members of the Lesotho Compact II Core Team and with the MCC, co-lead (with MCC) the development of the Initial Social and Gender Assessment (ISGA). This a legal, policy, institutional and socio-cultural analysis of gender and social inequalities, with a focus on those inequalities that have the greatest impact on poverty reduction for women and vulnerable groups.
Supporting the constraints analysis exercise by providing information on the context of inequalities in the country and on links between social and gender inequality, poverty reduction and growth.
POSITION DESCRIPTION: Private Sector Specialist.
Required qualifications:
• Advanced degree in economics, business, finance, law or a related field.
• Ten (10) years of prior work experience involving private sector concerns, preferably including work with an economic planning or development agency, trade or investment promotion agency, or international donor.
• Strong written and communication skills
• Deep and relevant knowledge of the business environment and private sector stakeholders in Lesotho and/or southern Africa as well as opportunities for and constraints to growth and development
Description of main responsibilities:
• Lead research and assessment for the Investment Opportunities Analysis, including identifying the main impediments to private investment and the expansion of private business opportunities in critical sectors of the domestic economy and analyzing their root causes.
• Review plans for public consultations to ensure that private businesses and private investors are taken into full account and that any policy or other relevant challenges are addressed.
• Assist the Core Team Leader and other members of the Compact Development Team in identifying and assessing potential projects to alleviate impediments to private investment or expand private business opportunities and incorporating the findings of the Investment Opportunities Analysis into the proposed projects.
• Assess potential projects to find opportunities for expanding private investment and/or private business activity by improving regulation or policy or otherwise enhancing the general business climate; involving private business in project implementation; sharing development or implementation costs with private investors; enhancing incentives for private investment through project investments; and/or promoting parallel investments by private business interests.
• Lead the structuring of one or more of the identified opportunities for expanding private investment and/or private business activity into the projects in the Government’s proposed compact.
• Hold ongoing consultations with relevant government officials, academics, business leaders and private investors throughout the compact development process.
POSITION DESCRIPTION: Public Outreach and Stakeholder Engagement Specialist
Required qualifications:
• Degree in communications, public relations, community development, social sciences, public policy or other relevant discipline.
• Eight (8) years of prior work experience leading, organizing and conducting participatory stakeholder consultations, targeted outreach events or public information campaigns, preferably in conjunction with an international donor or in a context related to economic development. Prior experience working for a relevant government agency or non-governmental organization (NGO) is an advantage.
• Demonstrated ability to identify, target and engage different categories of stakeholders, including potential beneficiaries, community leaders, business leaders, civil society organizations, media and political leaders. Familiarity with the IFC Stakeholder Engagement guidance (Stakeholder Engagement: A Good Practice Handbook for Companies Doing Business in Emerging Markets) is an advantage.
• Demonstrated ability to plan broad communication strategies, develop appropriate communications tools and tailor and deliver key messages.
• Ability to work with technical specialists such as economists and social and gender specialists to incorporate public feedback into program and project design.
• Strong oral and written communication skills, organization, and interpersonal skills, including proficiency in business English.
Duties and responsibilities:
• Review Lesotho’s prior experience with public consultation and stakeholder engagement, in particular with regards to the Poverty Reduction Strategy and other economic development strategies to ensure familiarity with good practices.
• Develop a written plan, including a budget, for public outreach and stakeholder engagement throughout the entire compact development process, working in close coordination with the Core Team and other members of the compact development team.
• Identify relevant stakeholders among national, regional and local political leaders; business and the private sector; civil society organizations; community leaders; and potential beneficiaries, based on the potential projects under consideration. Maintain a contact database.
• Design and implement participatory mechanisms for gathering and incorporating feedback from key stakeholders, in compliance with IFC guidance and MCC policies. Write detailed reports that capture stakeholder comments, suggestions and input, and engage technical counterparts to ensure stakeholder input is reflected in the final design of projects.
• Develop a public relations strategy to ensure broad public awareness of the compact development process. Lead the development of an informative public website and ensure it is maintained with relevant and timely content on a regular basis. Develop press materials and engage reporters as needed to ensure timely provision of public information.
Location
The positions are based in Maseru.
REMUNERATION
Competitive remuneration package.
SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS
Applications, including a covering letter, a CV, certified copies of educational certificates and 2 reference letters, should be addressed to Mrs. Sophia Mohapi, Chief Executive Officer, LMDA, P.O. Box 7014, MASERU 100, Lesotho.
Applications can be hand delivered to LMDA Office, Post Office Building, 5th Floor;
OR
E-mailed to info@lmda.org.ls or mapeselar@lmda.org.ls
CLOSING DATE: 30TH MAY 2014 on or before 16:30hrs.
Website: www.lmda.org.ls
Phone : 22317017
NB. 1. If you are applying through the e-mail please list the position you are applying for in the subject line.
2. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
VACANCY
(COMPACT II DEVELOPMENT TEAM)
BACKGROUND
On December 10, 2013, MCC’s Board of Directors selected the Kingdom of Lesotho as eligible to develop a second compact under the Millennium Challenge Account. Lesotho’s eligibility reflects its success in implementing its first compact, which closed on September 17, 2013, and its strong commitment to just and democratic governance, investments in its people, and economic freedom, as measured by a variety of policy performance indicators.
The Kingdom of Lesotho has appointed a full-time Core Team Leader to lead a process of assessing economic development challenges; identifying potential projects that will address those challenges to promote poverty alleviation and raise economic growth; and further developing and designing those projects to lead to a negotiated and signed final compact program. The Government through the Lesotho Millennium Development Agency, is now recruiting a team of highly qualified professionals with specialized skills to support and assist the Core Team Leader through the compact development process..
Applications are therefore invited from suitably qualified candidates for the following positions:
POSITION DESCRIPTION: Economist
Required qualifications:
• Advanced degree in economics
• At least three (3) years of prior work experience in a senior economics positions, preferably including work with an international donor
• Demonstrated ability to analyze the economics of development projects, including conducting cost-benefit analysis and beneficiary analysis
• Experience with statistical analysis and strong ability to use quantitative data
• Good command of a statistical package or advanced user of Excel’s statistical capabilities
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills
• Deep, relevant knowledge of social, political and economic context – both formal and informal – in Lesotho and/or southern Africa as well as applicable sectors
• Familiarity with constraints analysis would be a plus
Description of main responsibilities:
• Oversee and complete the economic constraints to growth analysis in collaboration with the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC); this requires close collaboration with other members of the Compact Development team to integrate the constraints analysis with other preliminary analyses, including the initial social and gender assessment and investment opportunities process, which will complement the constraints analysis with social and enterprise-level context
• Build an economic justification for any potential projects, including a clear explanation of the ways in which projects will raise economic growth and alleviate poverty
• Work closely with the other Core Team members to develop a detailed logical framework for the proposed projects and for the overall compact program
• Conduct a detailed analysis of the economic characteristics of any proposed projects, including assessing in detail the likely costs and benefits associated with each.
• Develop an analytical framework, gather all required data, and calculate economic rates of return (ERRs) for proposed projects.
• Develop a detailed assessment of how proposed projects will impact intended beneficiaries, with a focus on poor households and disadvantaged groups.
• Communicate complex economic data and information both written and orally to a variety of stakeholder audiences
POSITION DESCRIPTION: Social and Gender Specialist
Required qualifications:
• An advanced degree in social sciences or a related discipline (anthropology, sociology, women’s studies, public policy, community development, etc.).
• Ten (10) or more years of experience working on social and gender issues in the international development context in Lesotho and/or southern Africa.
• Knowledge of gender-related policies, laws and regulations and the institutional environment in Lesotho.
• Background in conducting and managing complex social research activities including both quantitative and qualitative research.
• Background in conducting social and gender assessments to inform project design.
Knowledge of, and experience working with, key national and/or regional women’s organizations, NGOs, and relevant government institutions focusing on social and gender issues in Lesotho. Experience with major donor organizations, especially U.S. donors, is a plus.
• Ability to work with multidisciplinary teams and institutions and interact constructively with technical experts, government officials, people that could be affected by projects, and civil society.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
Description of responsibilities:
Working closely with members of the Lesotho Compact II Core Team and with the MCC, co-lead (with MCC) the development of the Initial Social and Gender Assessment (ISGA). This a legal, policy, institutional and socio-cultural analysis of gender and social inequalities, with a focus on those inequalities that have the greatest impact on poverty reduction for women and vulnerable groups.
Supporting the constraints analysis exercise by providing information on the context of inequalities in the country and on links between social and gender inequality, poverty reduction and growth.
POSITION DESCRIPTION: Private Sector Specialist.
Required qualifications:
• Advanced degree in economics, business, finance, law or a related field.
• Ten (10) years of prior work experience involving private sector concerns, preferably including work with an economic planning or development agency, trade or investment promotion agency, or international donor.
• Strong written and communication skills
• Deep and relevant knowledge of the business environment and private sector stakeholders in Lesotho and/or southern Africa as well as opportunities for and constraints to growth and development
Description of main responsibilities:
• Lead research and assessment for the Investment Opportunities Analysis, including identifying the main impediments to private investment and the expansion of private business opportunities in critical sectors of the domestic economy and analyzing their root causes.
• Review plans for public consultations to ensure that private businesses and private investors are taken into full account and that any policy or other relevant challenges are addressed.
• Assist the Core Team Leader and other members of the Compact Development Team in identifying and assessing potential projects to alleviate impediments to private investment or expand private business opportunities and incorporating the findings of the Investment Opportunities Analysis into the proposed projects.
• Assess potential projects to find opportunities for expanding private investment and/or private business activity by improving regulation or policy or otherwise enhancing the general business climate; involving private business in project implementation; sharing development or implementation costs with private investors; enhancing incentives for private investment through project investments; and/or promoting parallel investments by private business interests.
• Lead the structuring of one or more of the identified opportunities for expanding private investment and/or private business activity into the projects in the Government’s proposed compact.
• Hold ongoing consultations with relevant government officials, academics, business leaders and private investors throughout the compact development process.
POSITION DESCRIPTION: Public Outreach and Stakeholder Engagement Specialist
Required qualifications:
• Degree in communications, public relations, community development, social sciences, public policy or other relevant discipline.
• Eight (8) years of prior work experience leading, organizing and conducting participatory stakeholder consultations, targeted outreach events or public information campaigns, preferably in conjunction with an international donor or in a context related to economic development. Prior experience working for a relevant government agency or non-governmental organization (NGO) is an advantage.
• Demonstrated ability to identify, target and engage different categories of stakeholders, including potential beneficiaries, community leaders, business leaders, civil society organizations, media and political leaders. Familiarity with the IFC Stakeholder Engagement guidance (Stakeholder Engagement: A Good Practice Handbook for Companies Doing Business in Emerging Markets) is an advantage.
• Demonstrated ability to plan broad communication strategies, develop appropriate communications tools and tailor and deliver key messages.
• Ability to work with technical specialists such as economists and social and gender specialists to incorporate public feedback into program and project design.
• Strong oral and written communication skills, organization, and interpersonal skills, including proficiency in business English.
Duties and responsibilities:
• Review Lesotho’s prior experience with public consultation and stakeholder engagement, in particular with regards to the Poverty Reduction Strategy and other economic development strategies to ensure familiarity with good practices.
• Develop a written plan, including a budget, for public outreach and stakeholder engagement throughout the entire compact development process, working in close coordination with the Core Team and other members of the compact development team.
• Identify relevant stakeholders among national, regional and local political leaders; business and the private sector; civil society organizations; community leaders; and potential beneficiaries, based on the potential projects under consideration. Maintain a contact database.
• Design and implement participatory mechanisms for gathering and incorporating feedback from key stakeholders, in compliance with IFC guidance and MCC policies. Write detailed reports that capture stakeholder comments, suggestions and input, and engage technical counterparts to ensure stakeholder input is reflected in the final design of projects.
• Develop a public relations strategy to ensure broad public awareness of the compact development process. Lead the development of an informative public website and ensure it is maintained with relevant and timely content on a regular basis. Develop press materials and engage reporters as needed to ensure timely provision of public information.
Location
The positions are based in Maseru.
REMUNERATION
Competitive remuneration package.
SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS
Applications, including a covering letter, a CV, certified copies of educational certificates and 2 reference letters, should be addressed to Mrs. Sophia Mohapi, Chief Executive Officer, LMDA, P.O. Box 7014, MASERU 100, Lesotho.
Applications can be hand delivered to LMDA Office, Post Office Building, 5th Floor;
OR
E-mailed to info@lmda.org.ls or mapeselar@lmda.org.ls
CLOSING DATE: 30TH MAY 2014 on or before 16:30hrs.
Website: www.lmda.org.ls
Phone : 22317017
NB. 1. If you are applying through the e-mail please list the position you are applying for in the subject line.
2. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
