Senior Technical Advisor, Shelters and Settlements

Making Cents International is recruiting a Senior Technical Advisor, Shelters and Settlements to support a study focused on disability and older adult inclusion being conducted under the USAID Inclusive Development Activity for Mission Support (IDAMS). The study will help USAID’s Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) better understand how to advance and coordinate disability- and older adult-inclusive programming in two priority humanitarian sectors – water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) and shelter & settlements (S&S). 

Working as part of the study team, the Senior Technical Advisor, S&S will conduct desk research, advise on data collection activities, contribute to data interpretation and reporting, and participate in a validation workshop. They will also lead the development of a practical guidance document intended for USAID on how to engage with implementing partners on the planning, implementation, and monitoring/ evaluation of disability- and older adult-inclusive programming in the S&S sector. 

Role and Tasks 

The Senior Technical Advisor, S&S will: 

• Work with the study Team Lead and data analysts to conduct an analysis primarily through desk review on approaches to disability and older adult inclusion in S&S programming.
• Review the completed desk review and participate in data analysis and interpretation sessions.
• Review a summary analysis of the desk review and provide comments. 
• Identify stand-out activities (if any) that merit additional exploration of disability and older adult-inclusion approaches.
• Develop a list of USAID staff, implementing partners, representatives of associations of persons with disabilities and older adults, and others to serve as key informants on effective disability and older adults inclusion approaches in humanitarian assistance programming.
• Contribute to a key informant interview (KII) guide in collaboration with the Team Lead and as requested by Team Lead, lead KIIs with selected key informants. 
• Develop recommendations of best practices in S&S to incorporate in the study report and assist in the review and finalization of the report. 
• As requested, participate in a 5-day site visit to test study findings.
• Lead the development of an S&S guidance document based on best practices and study and site visit findings.
• Participate in a workshop with USAID BHA and implementing partner staff to present the study report and guidance document and seek feedback.

Proposed Level of Effort and Work Schedule 

Maximum Level of Effort (LOE) will be 25 days, from late December 2024 through May 2025. The maximum LOE would be adjusted to 32 days if a site visit is required. 

Qualifications and Requirements 

• Bachelor's degree with at least 10 years of experience, OR a Master's degree with at least 8 years of experience, OR a PhD with at least 4 years of experience 
• Experience in S&S research or implementation 
• Experience in disability, older adult, and inclusive development
• Experience developing technical guidance documents preferred
• Experience working on assessment teams, conducting analyses, and writing reports preferred 
• Experience with international donor-funded projects, especially those funded by USAID preferred