Senior Government Liaison(STTA)

USAID Tayar Nepal - Improved Disaster Risk Management Project

Scope of Work

Senior Government Liaison

Position:  Senior Government Liaison (STTA)

Level of Effort:  120 days over the time of 12 months 

Period of Performance:  On/about 15 April 2021 – 14 April 2022

Base of Operations:  Kathmandu, Nepal

Project Background:

USAID/Nepal’s Tayar Nepal– Improved Disaster Risk Management Project (Tayar Nepal) strengthens the capacity of Nepal’s national and sub-national institutions responsible for disaster risk reduction, preparedness, and response.  Nationally, Tayar Nepal works with the newly created National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) and other disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) entities to improve how national-level systems and institutions respond to all types of natural hazards. Locally, Tayar Nepal works in target municipalities to enhance local DRRM capacity by working with existing and new local bodies and communities to identify and implement successful DRRM initiatives which are consistent with national level policies and guidelines.  In the event of a disaster, USAID/Nepal may engage the project’s rapid emergency response mechanism. The program will apply lessons learned from disaster response efforts to improve national-level DRRM systems and municipal-level risk-reduction activities.  

Tayar Nepal works closely with Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA), Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration (MoFAGA), NDRRMA and other relevant ministries and departments at national level and with partner municipalities at local levels to enhance local DRRM capacity, identify and implement activities consistent to federal/local laws and legislations. Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) and the NDRRMA, which is recently established under the federal system is organized under the MoHA, are mandated to lead DRRM coordination among government at all levels (federal, provincial and local) and oversee implementation of the Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) National Strategic Action Plan 2018-2030.  

Similarly, MoFAGA is mandated to coordinate and oversee the 10 different functions of local governments on DRRM which have been mentioned in Local Government Operation Act 2017 in the clause 11 (20) – under role, responsibility, and authority section. For higher-level coordination with ministries, NDRRMA and departments, Tayar Nepal needs a senior government liaison experienced with the Government of Nepal and national-level DRRM stakeholders to facilitate smooth communications and negotiations for collaboration and partnership. The Senior Government Liaison will work for Tayar Nepal on troubleshooting for the collaboration with MoHA, MoFAGA, NDRRMA and national and municipal stakeholders to implement the activities. 

Position Overview:  

The Senior Government Liaison will be a resource to Tayar Nepal to provide discrete support for communications, negotiations and navigate bureaucratic functions within GoN on strategic recommendations in resolving roadblocks for partnership.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Support Tayar Nepal to navigate the bureaucratic function and relation with MOHA, MoFAGA, NDRRMA, National Planning Commission (NPC) and other key ministries, departments, chief administration officers of municipalities for smooth communication, coordination, and negotiation.
2. Hold discussions with Tayar Nepal senior management on the bottlenecks encountered with GoN agencies, recommend appropriate strategies to resolve the issues for partnership and collaboration.
3. Hold meetings with Tayar Nepal counterparts (ministries and departments) to understand the expectation and needs on policy and institutional development, advise Tayar Nepal technical team to adopt effective strategies for effective collaboration and on planning and implementation of the activities at the national level engagement.
4. Support organizing Project Advisory Committee (PAC) meetings and participate in them as a representative of Tayar Nepal.
5. Support Tayar Nepal counterparts on financial management of programmatic, administrative & operational needs for DRRM and transfer skill to navigate on the budget allocation process.
6. Support Tayar Nepal to collaborate across GoNDRRM institutions to make sure outputs achieved are institutionalized, sustained and continued.
7. Support Tayar Nepal to identify champions within GoN and private sector to advocate for collaboration and public funding for DRRM priorities. 
8. Prepare and submit brief monthly update reports which summarize key activities, meetings, and functions.  
9. Support Tayar Nepal to liaison with Ministry of Finance (MoF) on administrative relation functions 
10. Support Tayar Nepal project municipalities in coordination and liaison with federal government as needed. 

Deliverables:

1. Submit monthly report highlighting activities implemented and meetings held during the month, no later than 10th of the following month.
2. Organized all scheduled PAC meetings and provide report within 1 week after the meeting.
3. Final Consultant Report at the end of the assignment that includes a high-level summary of accomplishments and recommendations.

Reporting Relationships, Level of Effort, and Location:

The Senior Government Liaison will be on Short Term Technical Assistance (STTA) basis for a period of twelve (12) months, with the possibility that the position may be extended.  The advisor will work, on average, 3– 4 days per week with a maximum of 120 working days in 12 months period. The position will be based in Kathmandu and located at Tayar Nepal Office. The Senior Government Liaison will work under supervision of Chief of Party and in close coordination with Deputy Chief of Party and DRM Governance Specialist.

Qualifications and Experiences:

• At least 15 years of experience, including relevant work in disaster risk reduction and management, law, public policy, or public administration.
• Strong knowledge, familiarity, and experience with political, governance, social, economic and cultural context of Nepal
• Experience in assessing organizational capability and implementing associated capacity building programming.
• Knowledge of Nepal’s current federal &governance system and management of disaster preparation, mitigation, and response activities 
• Work experience with national-level DRRM institutions or donors, preferably directly with the Government of Nepal, retired from senior position of GoNand through this engagement with a wider group of DRRM stakeholders.
• Masters's degree in relevant field required.
• Excellent communication skills in English and Nepali

Application Instructions:

Interested applicants should submit an updated CV to TayarRecruitment@dai.com  by April 9, 2021. 

Women and persons with disabilities, marginalized and disadvantaged communities are encouraged to apply.