Background

Nathan is a leading provider of analytic and economic consultancy services worldwide. In the past decade, we have implemented more than 120 projects in more than 50 countries leveraging our global presence in Washington DC, London, and India. From improved transparency and deeper stakeholder engagement to more effective policies and more resilient businesses, we deliver results that impact economic growth, human development, and poverty reduction.

Nathan is implementing the USAID Revenue for Growth Project (R4G). R4G supports the Government of the Republic of Zambia (GRZ) in its efforts to improve domestic revenue mobilization and expand the fiscal space for public spending and investments in service delivery and poverty reduction. R4G engages both government and non-government stakeholders to build capacity in tax policy analysis, improve tax compliance and administration, and strengthen the tax culture in a manner that facilitates private sector growth and accountability relationships between taxpayers and the GRZ.

PPD Lead Position Summary

R4G is comprised of the following four Objectives:

• Objective 1: Improve Tax and Non-Tax Revenue Administration and Compliance;
• Objective 2: Strengthen Tax Policy;
• Objective 3: Enhance Public-Private Dialogue; and
• Objective 4: Enhance the GRZ’s capacity to address other emerging strategic issues.

Nathan is seeking a qualified Public-Private Dialogue (PPD) Lead to design and implement R4G’s PPD activities under Objective 3 that are intended to build private sector and civil society capacity to contribute to an informed dialogue on taxation and ensure that public input informs decision-making on the mobilization and use of public resources. Key responsibilities of the PPD Lead are described below.

This is a full-time Key Personnel position that is open to Zambian residents. The PPE Lead reports directly to the R4G Chief of Party (COP).

Key Responsibilities

1. Design and operationalize R4G’s PPD Strategy in consultation with R4G staff and USAID.
2. Design and implement activities that strengthen and enhance interaction among the GRZ, the private sector, civil society, donor organizations and other stakeholders.
3. Design and implement activities that increase the capacity of organizations to conduct economic analyses of fiscal issues and develop proposals.
4. Conduct workshops to solicit input on tax priorities and build the capacity of the private sector to address fiscal issues and develop policy recommendations.
5. Develop or support a platform that provides the private sector with an opportunity to discuss common tax issues, interact with GRZ officials (including the Ministry of Finance and Planning and the Zambia Revenue Authority), develop proposals, and advocate for the adoption of the proposals.
6. In coordination with R4G’s Communications Specialist, engage with media organizations to design and implement activities that increase tax information and awareness and enhance the capacity of media organizations to report on fiscal issues.
7. Design, evaluate, issue and manage grants dedicated to capacity-building, advocacy, tax awareness, and other areas in order to enhance public-private dialogue on taxation.
8. Identify and manage short-term technical assistance needed to conduct activities under Objective 3.
9. Engage with R4G technical staff and advisors to incorporate PPD activities into other R4G Objectives.
10. Engage with R4G’s Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Specialist to ensure that R4G’s PPD indicators and targets are appropriate and that PPD activities are accurately recorded.
11. Draft reports describing PPD activities conducted by R4G and their impact on targeted stakeholders.
12. If requested, contribute to fiscal policy and political economy analysis.
13. Provide input to weekly, monthly, quarterly, annual and final R4G progress reports.
14. Perform other tasks as requested by R4G’s COP.

Qualifications & Skills

• Bachelor’s Degree (Master’s preferred) in economics, international affairs/development, public policy or a related discipline.
• 5+ years’ work experience conducting PPD activities, preferably in tax and related areas.
• Demonstrated ability to interact with senior government officials and representatives of donor organizations, CSOs, businesses and other entities to enhance public private dialogue on tax issues.
• Experience in planning and conducting workshops attended by GRZ officials and representatives of the private sector, CSOs, media and academia, preferably in tax and related areas.
• Experience in organizing and/or providing training and capacity-building for both government and non-government institutions, preferably in tax and related areas.
• Experience in engaging media and developing communications strategies to promote PPD activities.
• Thorough knowledge of grant mechanisms and experience in designing and managing grants.
• Excellent oral and written English communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Ability to work in a demanding environment under tight deadlines.
• Experience managing PPD activities of donor-funded development projects, preferably in tax and related areas, is preferred.
• Knowledge of current tax issues and key tax stakeholders is preferred.