The CLA Lead is a Team Lead and Key Personnel position on the USAID Ethiopia DFSA project. The CLA Lead is responsible for the overall management of collaboration, learning and adaptation on the project. In addition, the CLA Lead will lead his/her team and provide overall supervision of their work during implementation. The CLA Lead will serve as the primary liaison with field-based staff, local learning partner(s), as well as with counterparts and stakeholders on CLA matters and will ensure exceptional quality and timeliness of project deliverables within budget and compliance parameters.
The CLA Lead will work closely with all staff to ensure collaboration and learning with other activities in the applicant’s selected implementation area. The Lead will ensure the activity includes active, intentional and adaptive learning into implementation. This includes but is not limited to U.S. Government, host country government, international donors, multilateral organizations, and private sector investments. Additionally, the CLA Lead will improve peer-to-peer learning, knowledge sharing and application, activity-based capacity strengthening, and evidence and data utilization in support of adaptive management both within and beyond initial refinement. The CLA Lead will also be expected to ensure appropriate and continued coordination and joint-planning with other USAID and other donor activities (specifically the USAID food security and resilience portfolio), host-government initiatives, and private sector engagement. Given the significant number of humanitarian and development activities planned and ongoing in the targeted geographic area, USAID expects significant time and expertise to be dedicated to coordination of activities.

Collaboration
- Work closely with all staff to ensure collaboration and learning with other activities in the implementation area. S/he will ensure the activity includes active, intentional and adaptive learning within and across interventions, and will play a critical role in incorporating refinement activities and learning into implementation, including (but not limited to) the U.S. Government, host country government, international donors, multilateral organizations, and private sector investments.
- Ensure appropriate and continued coordination and joint planning with other USAID and other donor activities (specifically the USAID food security and resilience portfolio), host-government initiatives, and private sector engagement. Includes contributing to a joint learning agenda and events, and adapting to PSNP5 design.
- Represent project in various research and networking forums.

Learning
- Help develop and manage a shared learning agenda for the program that addresses evidence and knowledge gaps as well as strengthen understanding of local context; formative and implementation research (e.g., pilots) of innovative and participatory approaches and implementation strategies. The CLA Lead will manage the learning agenda which will be implemented in partnership with local learning partner(s). S/he will coordinate learning activities with the M&E Lead to ensure synergistic activities, assessments and approaches.
- Improve peer-to-peer learning, knowledge sharing and application, knowledge management, activity-based capacity strengthening, and evidence and data utilization in support of adaptive management both within and beyond initial refinement.
- Develop and implement a research dissemination strategy, feedback adaptation and advocacy initiatives.
- Provide technical support to project teams in the development and distribution of research tools, materials, and reports.

Adaptation
- Ensure that Phase 1 Research and pilot findings are incorporated into sound, evidence-based programmatic design for the Phase 2 Implementation Plan. Consolidate research results/outcomes to facilitate program decision making and integration of learning in project.
- Coordinate CLA monitoring processes with the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Lead to ensure learning and knowledge application is on course through-out project life.
- Define program quality standards and accountability systems and ensure they are adhered to.

Management
- Responsible for overseeing the overall day-to-day management and operations of the RTI CLA work and monitor CLA-specific financials.
- Ensure that all activities conform to the terms and conditions of project requirements, including cost, schedule and quality parameters.
- Participate in regular senior management meetings and provide insights to inform technical and operational decisions.
- Contribute to the development of program strategies, planning, and implementation of program activities, while ensuring cohesion among the program components.
- Responsible for delivering high quality learning products.
- Contribute to the development of reports including quarterly reports, annual results reports, pipeline and resource estimates.
- Work closely with COP, technical staff, pertinent RTI Regional Office staff when necessary to ensure project resources are effectively and efficiently budgeted, analyzed, disbursed, monitored and reported in achieving project objectives and results;

Other responsibilities as jointly agreed upon by the Project Manager and COP.