Position Summary:

The Government and Policy Specialist will work as part of a team under the guidance of the Senior Government Lead liaising with line ministries such as the Ministry of Labor (MoL), the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (MoTA), and the Ministry of Culture(MoC) and following up on implementation of technical interventions.

The Government and Policy Specialist will be also responsible for providing technical assistance to identify key entry points to address policy impediments to women’s participation in the labor force, specifically in the private sector. This will include the revision of policy developed by STTAs and planning and implementing policy dialogues and events that help advance shared goals. The Government and Policy Specialist will also be responsible for conducting policy research, analysis, and writing. To ensure smooth implementation of USAID Makanati interventions, the Government and Policy Specialist will work closely and coordinate with USAID Makanati team members who work on different activity implementation and ensure engagement with key partner organizations from both the private and public sectors.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Laise and support follow-up communications and interaction with line ministries.
• Advance implementation of memorandums of understanding and action plans with government counterparts by tracking outstanding activities and providing technical support as needed.
• Draft concept notes, memorandums of understanding, or other documents to form or progress partnerships.
• Review, provide technical inputs/revisions, and finalize written policy products delivered by consultants. This will include the technical and legal reports of the creative and cultural industries STTAs, finalizing the policy brief on women's affairs Tourism Council, and the policy draft of the Jordan Equal Opportunity Act.
• Research and write policy documents with a high level of technical expertise and limited editing needed
• Attend and derive insights from meetings and events with Makanati’s Sr. Government and Policy Component Lead.
• Present or support other team members to present policy papers, studies, and reports, including preparing presentation slides and talking points.

• Design events, workshops, and conferences around technical policy priorities. This can include agenda design, preparing or facilitating relevant technical papers and presentations, and writing workshop/conference reports.
• Contribute to and/or lead activity tracking for the government component, including regularly updating and maintaining planning and tracking tools.
• Provide reporting and work plan inputs as needed.

Qualifications & SKILLS:

• A bachelor’s degree in law, economics, social science, or any related field with a minimum of 7 years of experience or an advanced degree with a minimum of 5 years of professional experience
• Proven experience working with the government of Jordan and strategic understanding of, and commitment to, relationship building with government and policymakers
• Proven experience working with international development projects preferably USAID-funded projects on areas related to gender equality and women’s economic empowerment
• Strong analytical skills associated with technical experience in writing policy briefs
• Demonstrated understanding of key policy issues about women’s workforce participation preferred
• Strong and proven facilitation skills during consultation and dialogue sessions with government, private sector, and community partners
• Strong organizational skills with proven experience in event planning including developing agendas and technical writing and reporting associated with events.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills and ability to coordinate across stakeholders and team members
• Fluency in Arabic and excellent English required with strong writing skills in both languages