Solicitation for a Development Outreach and Communications (DOC) Advisor (GS-14) - USAID/Senegal

Basic Function of the Position Senegal is a strong regional leader and important U.S. ally in a troubled region. While it is politically stable, gains made since the 2012 presidential election seem increasingly fragile, and there is an increasing concentration of power in the executive branch. Civil society largely lacks the technical capacity and leadership to constructively engage with the Government of Senegal (GOS) and provide oversight. Media generally has broad freedom, however, media outlets usually have a strong bias toward a particular political view and there is little independent coverage of major events. Finally, growing insecurity fed by violent extremism in bordering countries, coupled with a still-simmering, low level conflict in the southern Casamance region continues to be of concern. The GOS has placed the goal of reaching “emerging market” status by 2035 at the heart of its Plan Sénégal Emergent. Continued growth in the agriculture and food sector, including agro-processing, has the potential to underpin sustained growth, potentially with contributions from oil and gas reserves. However, a combination of social, political, economic, and environmental challenges to inclusive and sustained development remain. Senegal’s demographics present a mixed picture, with a growing urban population, huge youth bulge, and sharp divide between the rich and the poor. Despite strong economic growth in recent years, poverty reduction and job creation has been limited, with the COVID-19 pandemic responsible for a decline in growth from pre-pandemic projections. Even before the pandemic, World Bank projections indicated that a third of the population was living in absolute poverty (i.e., less than $1.90 a day). More than two thirds of the population is under the age of 29, which presents both challenges and opportunities. In this context, USAID/Senegal manages one of the Agency’s largest development assistance portfolios in the world, tackling some of the most pervasive, complex and intractable development challenges on the continent. The Mission manages multiple Presidential Initiatives, including Feed the Future (FtF), the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA), Power Africa, the President's Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), and the Presidential Malaria Initiative (PMI). USAID/Senegal’s 2020-2025 Country Development and Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) addresses development challenges in the areas of economic growth, human capital, and democracy and governance at the institutional and local levels. The CDCS supports the Plan Sénégal Emergent and U.S. government (USG) priorities in the country. Because of the strategic importance of this region and Dakar’s status as a regional hub and leader, USAID/Senegal is a high-profile environment, frequently visited by high-level visitors, including visits made in recent years by the Secretary of State, the Director of Foreign Assistance, the USAID Administrator, and Congressional delegations. For the U.S. to achieve its important foreign policy and development objectives in Senegal and in the region, it is critical that USAID effectively communicate its objectives, its impact, and the Mission’s enduring partnership with the people of Senegal. Toward that end, the Mission seeks to improve the quality and availability of information about U.S. foreign assistance and the benefits of this assistance to a broader audience in Senegal and beyond. Stronger communication efforts and more strategic outreach are essential to leverage USAID’s work more effectively in building foreign relations that better support U.S. national interests. With this in mind, USAID established a U.S. Personal Services Contract position of Development Outreach and Communications (DOC) Advisor. This position will be located in the Program Office of USAID/Senegal and the incumbent will report directly to the Program Office Director of USAID/Senegal.