Political Economy Analysis Advisor, TAG

Management Systems International (MSI), a Tetra Tech Company, is a Washington, D.C. metro area management consultancy with a 40-year history of delivering results for our clients. Our expertise is in the fields of monitoring and evaluation; democracy and governance; peace and stability; rule of law and accountability; education; gender and inclusion; strategic communications; and leadership and organizational development. MSI has implemented projects in 90 countries around the world such as Colombia, Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Syria and Ukraine, and works domestically. We support clients ranging from the U.S. Government (e.g., the U.S. Agency for International Development, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Departments of State and Labor, and the Millennium Challenge Corporation) to large bilateral and multilateral donors (e.g., the World Bank and the United Nations Development Program). We also work with national and local governments, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), think tanks, foundations and universities. For more information, please visit our website at www.msiworldwide.com.

Project Summary:

The USAID/Sri Lanka Transparent and Accountable Governance (TAG) is a project designed to support Government of Sri Lanka’s efforts to reduce corruption vulnerabilities in Sri Lanka. It aims to strengthen and improve oversight by Parliament, work with relevant Independent Commissions, select public institutions and civil society organizations to improve transparency, inclusivity and strengthen implementation of anti-corruption measures. As a part of its objective to improve accountability and oversight by the Parliament of Sri Lanka TAG will work with Women Parliamentarians Caucus and support them in their initiatives aimed at greater inclusivity and better integration of gender considerations in parliamentary legislative and oversight processes including on annual budgeting exercise.

**Please note: Only U.S. citizens are eligible for this position**

Position Summary:

The Political Economy Analysis (PEA) Advisor will guide and oversee the development of the framework/conceptional approach, research methodology, and dissemination strategy for TAG’s PEA activities. Throughout the assignment, the PEA Advisor will work in close consultation with TAG partner Social Scientists Association (SSA), under the direction of TAG Chief of Party (COP), with support from MSI Technical Director. The level of effort for the assignment will be 16 days, including days for travel to and from the country, taking place between January 20 and February 28, 2025, based on a 6-day workweek. 

Responsibilities:

• Assess selected sector-specific policies and laws that are relevant to inclusive budgeting and are a government priority.
• Provide an impact assessment report of the most recent budget that will highlight the pros and cons and lacunae from a gender and inclusion perspective, with a view to inform the next budget and budget process.
• Conduct discussions, with identified civil society groups and parliamentarians, to ensure their engagement in the budget analysis and budget process that will lend well to a citizen’s budget.
• Develop a series of quick reference 1–2-page technical papers on selected priority issues in response to requests by partner/s.
• Draw on USAID’s Applied PEA Framework guidelines and other materials, advise and assist the development of an approach to conducting PEA research tailored to TAG Activity objectives and Sri Lanka’s current context, as well as to the budget for this initial study.
• Support SSA to produce a detailed inception report /work plan for conducting an initial, macro-level PEA study to provide an overview of the prospects for Sri Lanka’s reform agenda and IMF recovery, early indications of inclination and potential within the Parliament and the Executive for advancing anti-corruption agenda and subsequent, more targeted PEA studies on select themes. 
• Collaborate with SSA to develop a TAG approach to PEA that provides both broad context analysis, and specific examination of anticorruption and governance reform issues and includes dedicated attention to women’s empowerment and social inclusion, and conflict sensitivity.
• Assist SSA to produce terms of reference for engaging a politically diverse set of stakeholders in providing input to TAG’s PEA, such that their views are reflected in final versions of PEA reports and for organizing and convening roundtables, forum events to share PEA findings and recommendations with policy makers, civil society, and the broader public.
• Advise TAG and SSA on a dissemination strategy and plan to optimize value and contribution of PEA findings and recommendations.