Partnership Advisor, IPI/EMD/Trade PSEMC

Dexis is a professional services firm that solves the most pressing social challenges in complex environments, paving the way for a more secure and prosperous world.

Dexis embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion and strives to build and maintain a safe environment where we celebrate diverse backgrounds, treat everyone with respect, and value the unique lived experiences each person brings based on their race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, military or veteran status, national origin, age, marital status or family status and related conditions.

At Dexis, you will experience a corporate culture of inclusiveness, fairness, and trust. You will be given the means and mentorship needed to succeed, and your creativity will be rewarded.

About the Project

Through the Private Sector Engagement Modernization Contract (PSEMC), Dexis supports the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID’s) Private Sector Engagement (PSE) Hub to expand and deepen collaboration with the private sector to achieve greater development outcomes. The PSE Hub’s mission is to create the institutional conditions, operating infrastructure, and capacity necessary to expand engagement with the private sector in the United States and partner countries. The PSE Hub works to transform and modernize how USAID does development by institutionalizing USAID’s PSE policy and delivering capacity- and systems-building support for PSE across all sectors, operating units, and countries where USAID operates. PSEMC provides technical assistance and capacity building to USAID Missions, Bureaus, and Independent Offices in support of PSE.

About the Position

In May 2023, the White House launched the U.S. Government National Standards Strategy for Critical and Emerging Technology (the “Strategy”). The Strategy recognizes that the United States faces challenges to its global leadership on international standardization and that the core principles of the international standardization system are under threat by strategic competitors that seek to influence it. Competitors’ efforts are mainly focused on critical and emerging technologies (CETs) and are aimed at advancing their military-industrial policies and autocratic objectives. The Strategy sets four strategic objectives that the U.S. Government should pursue under which eight Lines of Effort (LOE) flow down. Under LOE #8, USAID has been called to support the development of a diverse and inclusive workforce of standards professionals:

We will support the development of a diverse and inclusive generation of emerging economy standards professionals who can effectively participate in international standards development and promote the adoption of international standards. In partnership with the U.S. academic and private sectors, we will look to engage with influential emerging economy academic institutions or other related organizations to ensure longer-term sustainability and identify opportunities for additional training on coalition building, including through programming from the U.S. Agency for International Development. (Emphasis added.) We will foster participation of small and medium enterprises, including from like-minded countries, and further advance the design and implementation of technical assistance programs to enable broad and inclusive participation in international standards organizations.

The USAID/EMD/Trade team supports a multiyear effort (the Project) to strengthen partner countries' understanding of the core principles applicable to international standards development. 

In addition, the IPI/EMD/Trade team manages a number of mechanisms that support economic growth world wide, including the Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation and the Alliance for eTrade Development.

The Center for Economics and Market Development (EMD) is seeking an Partnership Advisor who would support the Trade Team to implement it’s portfolio. The position would advise in USG, private sector, and USAID operations, public policy to help EMD navigate complex challenges, make informed decisions, achieve its strategic goals, and map the Project’s next steps. The AM may also consult with USG interagency partners under the AOR’s direction as it relates to the project implementation. 

Successful team members work collaboratively, seek opportunities, demonstrate persistence, are risk-takers, set goals and see them through, systematically plan, and work under the direction and oversight of the AOR.

This is a telework-eligible position requiring occasional international travel (about 15%). Washington DC is the duty station. 

Responsibilities

Strategic Advice and Planning

• Provides strategic guidance, approaches, and tactics fo