Technical Advisor Specialist

The Centers of Excellence (COE) activity was designed by USAID and the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MOHESR) to support Egypt’s economic development by establishing “partnerships for human and institutional capacity building between higher education institutions in the United States and developing countries.” The COEs will strengthen the capacity of Egyptian universities to respond to changing public and private sector needs for applied research and skilled graduates in the sectors of agriculture, water and energy. As the Government of Egypt (GOE) body responsible for funding, overseeing, regulating, and accrediting higher education efforts in Egypt and ensuring the quality of higher education nationwide, MOHESR seeks through this project to build upon ongoing USGsupported efforts to strengthen higher education access and quality in key technical fields. Specifically, USAID and MOHESR intend to create a sustainable model for market driven university education in an environment that fosters scholarship supported equitable access for women, persons with disabilities, and academically qualified, yet financially needy students

The Technical Advisor will complement the skills of the DD by serving as an advisor on a wide range of technical program components related to the academic functions of the COE. The candidate for this position should be strategically selected to provide the range of expertise required to best meet the needs of the proposed technical approach. An illustrative Technical Advisor skill set may include such areas as applied research in the COE specialty sector, policy dialogue and outreach to stakeholders, academic publication, improving instruction through ICT and experiential learning opportunities, updating curriculum content, expansion and modernization of learning resources including libraries and laboratories, the adoption of internship and exchange programs, or other relevant expertise as appropriate. The incumbent should have the skills and experience to serve as the principal technical advisor for at least one of the critical technical assistance needs identified by the Applicant. The Applicant will provide a detailed scope of work for this position and should justify the particular mix of skills held by the proposed candidate based upon its analysis of particular COE needs.

• Develop and implement the Center’s academic programs in Energy including curriculum, lab, library, and research programs.
• Serve as liaison between Egyptian University faculty and ASU faculty.
• Provide technical support to ASU faculty by assisting with the development and facilitation of technical seminars and workshops in Egypt.
• Draft short reports summarizing technical workshop and meetings with Egyptian University faculty, industry and stakeholders.
• Assist Egyptian University with curriculum development and identification of new courses.
• Interact with the stakeholders to develop a network with Egypt’s energy industry and government partners to support the Center.
• Assist with processes related to the selection, interview, training, and orientation of scholars participating in the Center’s exchange visitor program.
• Identify and organize internships with Egypt’s energy industry for students.
• Identify and organize joint research opportunities with Egypt’s energy industry.
• Support processes related to project management, operations, communications, and monitoring and evaluation.
• Draft reports and correspondence, as needed.

Technical Advisor is considered a full-time position which will report directly to the Chief of Party. The Chief of Party will be responsible managing the performance of the Technical Advisor and these responsibilities include job description, coaching, performance management and drafting annual evaluation. The Technical Advisor is required to travel to Egypt for 3-week visits every quarter throughout the project period.