DevTech Systems, Inc. (DevTech) is an international consulting firm dedicated to development, with 40 years of experience providing advisory services and technical assistance to government, private sector, and civil society stakeholders in more than 100 countries. DevTech core practice areas include: Monitoring Evaluation, Research and Learning; Data Solutions; Public Financial Management and Fiscal Sustainability; and Education, Gender, and Youth.

At DevTech, we care deeply about doing work that leads to positive change in the world. We value diverse perspectives and are committed to an inclusive work environment. We encourage each person to learn, develop, and meet their professional potential. We rethink and evolve how we do things to grow and improve our company.

FAST seeks an expert short term technical assistance (STTA) consultant who will support the implementation of the Activity including through desk research, stakeholder consultations, conducting focus group discussions, developing training materials, and delivering quality trainings to CSOs and youth groups. The Consultant will be working closely with a team of another expat STTA as well as a cooperative country national (CCN) STTA.

More specifically, the consultant will do the following;

• Desk Research: Conduct desk research on the publicly available documents and publications to better understand the current landscape of the citizens engagement in the national budget formulation, execution and appraisal.
• Conduct FGDs: Lead FGDs with CSOs and other non-government stakeholders in Juba to gather insights and feedback on their engagement in budget processes.
• Develop Training Materials: Create comprehensive training materials based on inputs from FGDs and stakeholder consultations, ensuring they are tailored to the needs of South Sudanese CSOs. These training materials shall be in line with the international best standards including those that the International Budget Partnership and Open Budget Index uses to measure transparency and accountability.
• Deliver Trainings: Conduct multiple training sessions for CSOs to enhance their understanding of budget processes and their role in civic engagement.
• Provide Technical Assistance: Offer targeted training sessions to CSOs on interpreting Annual Audit Statements and understanding public budgets.
• Reporting: Draft a final comprehensive report detailing the outcomes of the training sessions, FGDs, and provide actionable recommendations.

*** All training materials and reports shall follow standard USAID format.

The Fiscal Accountability and Sustainable Trade (FAST) task order supports rapid, sustainable, and equitable economic growth in USAID-assisted countries by bringing a systems approach to addressing public financial management (PFM) (public revenue, budget, expenditure, and debt), trade capacity building (TCB), macroeconomic planning and policies, and other economic governance issues, such as regulatory reform. FAST also supports missions to improve the following: 1) host-country capacity to mobilize revenue and provide public services; 2) policy climate for investment that generates more productive employment and inclusive growth, including issues specific to women and other disadvantaged populations; 3) host-country ability to recover from, prevent, and mitigate the impact of conflict, natural disasters, or fiscal crises; and 4) host-country institutional capacity to identify, design, advocate for, and implement better economic policies to enhance inclusive growth and gender equity. The FAST team includes a dedicated core staff with expertise in PFM, trade, macroeconomic planning and policies, and other areas of economic governance.

FAST provides assistance to Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and youth groups in South Sudan to increase fiscal and budget transparency and strength accountability in the management of public funds. Through targeted technical assistance and capacity building support, FAST strives to increase civic engagement in the budget cycle including in budget formulation, appraisal, execution and reporting.   

The project aims to achieve the following objectives:

• Enhance Capacity: Build the skills and knowledge of CSOs to engage in the national budget process actively and effectively through targeted training.
• Promote Transparency and Accountability: Equip CSOs with the knowledge needed to scrutinize budget documents and advocate for greater transparency and accountability from the government.
• Support Interpretation of Annual Audit Statements: Help CSOs understand and interpret Annual Audit Statements, enabling them to raise concerns about the use of public funds and advocate for responsible financial management by the government.

Project Description

 Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in South Sudan are pivotal in promoting peace, stability, human rights, and public policy development. Despite their significant role, the Government of South Sudan has historically provided limited opportunities for CSOs and the public to participate in the national budget formulation process, leading to low transparency and minimal public engagement. Recognized under the 2016 Non-Governmental Organizations Act, CSOs are non-profit entities that contribute to public life by representing the interests and values of their members.

The project aims to address these challenges by building the capacity of local CSOs and underrepresented communities, equipping them with best international practices for civic engagement in national budget formulation, execution, appraisal, and other related areas. In addition, the project seeks to empower CSOs to advocate effectively for increased civic engagement creative ways to work directly with the National Legislature of South Sudan, ensuring active participation in national budget hearings.

• An advanced degree with a minimum of 12 years of experience; or a BA/BS with 15 years of experience.
• Prior experience designing and delivering similar trainings with the International Budget partnership (IBP)
• Extensive knowledge of the Open Budget Index and International Budget Partnership methodologies.
• Proven experience in designing and implementing large-scale civic engagement initiatives.

Preferred Qualifications:

• D. in a relevant field.
• Experience working in fragile or conflict-affected settings.
• Familiarity with USAID regulations and compliance requirements.
• Proficiency in local languages spoken in South Sudan.

Deliverables:

Duration of Assignment

The assignment duration in 30 working days, between August 15, and November 30, 2024, including the days a consultant will be required to travel.

Payment Terms:

Payments for this assignment are tied to the deliverables expected as an outcome of this assignment. Payment for the consultant's services will be made in three installments as follows:

• First Installment (40%): The initial payment will be made following the successful completion of travel to South Sudan and conducting a Focus Group Discussion. The consultant will submit a draft report (up to 8 pages) summarizing the findings of desk research, FGDs and interviews that would inform the design and delivery of trainings.

• Second Installment (20%): The second payment will be made after the training materials for trainings are developed and approved by the client.

• Third installment (40%): The final payment will be made upon successful delivery of training(s) and drafting of the final report.

Home Office Reporting

The selected consultant for this project must adhere to the reporting structure, which includes reporting to both the Team Leader/DCOP/COP, and the Home Office Program Manager.

The primary reporting responsibility is to the Team Leader, who oversees project management and execution.

Additionally, as part of our contractual obligations, the consultant is required to report periodically to the Home Office Program Manager, ensuring contractual commitments, payments and other obligations are met.

International Travel

The consultant will be required to travel to Juba (South Sudan) to conduct a Focus Group Discussion and deliver targeted trainings to the representatives of CSOs and youth in the country.

NOTE: This job posting should not be construed to imply that the requirements are the exclusive standards of the position nor will it be the sole basis for any subsequent employee evaluations. Incumbents will follow any other instructions and perform any other related duties as may be required by their supervisor. 
 
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), age (40 and older), physical and mental disability, genetic information (including family medical history) or characteristics, military status, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, citizenship or alienage, or any other protected status as established by applicable federal, state, or local law.