BACKGROUND:
A DEI Strategy was developed and delivered in the first contract with the Consultant (2022) that consisted of six pillars through which DEI initiatives should be embedded across ID: Pillar I: Organizational Commitment to DEI (Agency Level), Pillar II: ID Commitment to DEI (More Internal Facing), Pillar II: Equity Fluent, Accountable Leadership, Pillar IV: Learning and Training, Pillar V: Thought Leadership (More External Facing), Pillar VI: Inclusive Culture.
General GH/ID Support - GH/ID is looking for a Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion consultant who can/will:
- Utilize their skills and demonstrated experience in anti-racist strategy and organizational strategy development to facilitate difficult conversations, training, and conflict resolution.
- Facilitate conversations with ID Senior Staff and General Staff regarding pulse check survey feedback, which contain specific inclusion, DEIA, respectful workplace behavior and transparency comments.
- Work specifically with Division Chiefs and deputies to build their DEI equity fluency, tailoring engagement around norm setting and following the GH/ID DEI culture code.
- Share data on all current Division-focused surveys and conduct one additional office-wide survey to evaluate Racial Equity Diversity and Inclusion progress.
- Meet with Divisions, including attending staff meetings, to engage on DEI topics - and move from listening to practical, action-oriented steps that the Division can take forward to keep DEI at the forefront of GH/ID’s agenda.
- Support GH/ID’s organizational transformation into a more diverse, inclusive, and just workplace for all.
Support to the TB Team - The consultant will continue the partnership with the TB team senior leadership and staff to finalize their phased approach and,
- Conduct a 90-minute workshop on an Inclusive Charter for TB Division and send the Division draft charter for finalization.
- Continuing with in person DEI training during the TB NTW/Retreat designed to build more equity fluency for TB team members. Capture, document, and share lessons learned/ next steps for TB team. The next planned NTW DEI session is June 2024.
- Consultant role to include facilitation, participation, and/or identification of other participants, as well as advising on session design and session evaluation. Consultant to provide ongoing support as needed, including advising, troubleshooting, and program iteration, throughout the program implementation phase.
Support to the Emerging Threats Division (ETD) - Based on the results of DEI surveys the consultant previously conducted as well as consultations with ETD leadership and ETD DEI Working Group, the consultant will partner with the ETD team to continue implementing the following phases to address identified issues, priorities, and gaps with the aim of improving individual and operating unit practices.
- Phase 1: Building Trust - collect perspectives, knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs on status of DEI (implementation and climate) within the ETD team, building on the survey and focus group results, develop targeted workshops to improve or build upon opportunities to strengthen trust within the team. (Complete)
- Phase II: Moving Forward and Managing Change; Develop a Mission Statement defining ETD’s approach to embedding diversity, equity, and inclusion into the team; Develop a time bound strategy with clearly defined roles/responsibilities for leadership to implement best practices in DEI principles based on gaps and opportunities identified through team-wide feedback exercises.
- Phase III: Accountability Measures of Embedded DEI into ETD. Final exit survey to assess progress and revisit the ETD DEI strategy; targeted workshop with leadership to discuss accountability and building lessons learned and critical progress into team norms, structures, and practices.
Support to Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) Division:
- Gather DEIA survey results to identify team needs and perspectives on DEI issues within the team. (Complete)
- Share results with the team, assist in identifying specific DEIA priorities for the team in the near future. (Complete)
- Provide assistance as needed to NTD leadership to develop an inclusive and engaging onboarding process for new team members.
- Draft and pilot a DEIA-integrated NTD language guide for the Division; incorporate said guide into program management practices and communication with implementing partners.
- Integrate DEIA into hiring practices, particularly through increased efforts in diversifying the applicant pool by disseminating open positions through new avenues.
- Develop an index of academic and professional groups/networks/organizations that serve candidates of various affinity groups.
Support to Malaria Division:
- With Division leadership and Division DEIA POCs, develop and complete 2-3 activities to address the priorities that were identified through previous engagements (the Division survey and feedback sessions that were completed earlier in 2024), as well as updated inputs.
NOTE: The consultant will not perform other inherently governmental functions or duties (e.g. will not serve as AOR/COR or supervise staff), but rather will advise, mentor, and facilitate as appropriate on the performance of inherently governmental functions on the part of the Office or Mission.
MAJOR TASKS AND ACTIVITIES:
GH/ID Office-wide Support
- Report on milestones, noting where we have progressed, what requires more attention and how we should align our future REDI commitments. Present milestones and recommend the next steps to ID Senior Staff.
- Formally Socialize the 6 pillars of the strategy with GH/ID staff, including providing recommendations on accomplishments thus far, identify gaps remaining and timeline for addressing priority pillars and activities.
- Develop guidance on assessments, tools or methods that should be collected to monitor implementation and accountability of the strategy/action plan and progress made against its goals.
- Detail bridges,gaps, and opportunities to accelerate optimal implementation of the ID DEI Strategy and define and document what is necessary - in terms of resources, bureaucratic processes and otherwise - to sustain this work.
- Facilitate ID Senior Staff and General staff discussions on data collected via the pulse survey and Division DEIA surveys and provide recommendations for concrete actions to address staff feedback and for Division- and office improvement.
- Provide concrete, actionable recommendations on next steps (that include accountability mechanisms) for external-facing DEI engagement and skill sets in GH/ID with a focus on programming and activity implementation, using what was started in GH/ID/TB as a model.
- As detailed above by Division, conduct and/or facilitate events, meetings, training, expert panel discussions, and other communications pieces to raise awareness about Anti-Racism themes and topics of interest relevant to GH/ID. Non-traditional and innovative approaches are welcome. Possible thematic areas to address include, but are not limited to: establishing trust in leadership; anti-racism; cultivating allies; history of racism and racist policies in America; modern/current-day impacts of racist systems; developing an understanding of concepts and language around racial equity (including equity, inclusion, racial privilege, institutional racism, internalized racism, unconscious bias and other terms); intersectionality of gender and sexuality and race; the ongoing legacy of colonialism in foreign assistance.
- As described above, survey design, data collection (qualitative and quantitative methods), action planning and development, awareness raising, facilitation, coordination with other DEI colleagues, as determined, to streamline ID efforts and align with broader USAID efforts, training to promote a more just, anti-racist, wholistically inclusive GH/ID.
- Create a repository of all tools, resources, and materials developed or used to conduct these activities.
KEY DELIVERABLES: (SMART - tangible outcomes)
- Assignment Launch meeting with steering committee (Within 30 days)
- Objectives and Key Results – Key Results and sub-Key Results to track and define GH/ID DEI activities, commitment, and achievement (Within 30 days)
- Facilitation of GH/ID Senior Staff or General Staff sessions, as requested by the GH/ID Front Office (Ongoing)
- Reports/Presentations of findings and recommendations linked to organizational transformation approaches that foster a more inclusive, power-balanced, anti-racist GH/ID, including a specific report on ETD phased approach process and conclusions/recommendations and a specific TB, NTD and MAL reports as requested by Division chiefs with a summary, recommendations, and actionable next steps. (Ongoing – and at end of consultancy)
- Sessions with the ETD, TB, NTD and Malaria Divisions - including 1 90-minute Inclusive Charter (or other as defined by team needs and consultant recommendation) session with each Division (Ongoing)
- Ongoing TA and training to Managers - Tailored, expert training and facilitated discussions for leadership and staff to address assessment results/findings (Ongoing – Monthly ID leadership DC engagement)
- Standing participation on the GH/DEIA Council (Ongoing)
- GH Bureau DEI Speaker Series (Two by end of consultancy)
- Final Report with suggestions for next steps and sustainable change (End of Consultancy)
KNOWLEDGE SKILLS, EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:
Required:
- Master’s degree plus 10 years relevant work experience or or bachelor's degree and sufficient specialized experience.
- Demonstrated experience in advancing DEI principles in USG and/or private sector organizations
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Strong facilitation skills
- Demonstrated in depth knowledge of DEI principles for complex organizations
Highly Preferred
- Knowledge of USAID policies, procedures, and reporting requirements.
