The Program Office in USAID’s Bureau for Conflict Prevention and Stabilization (CPS/PO) manages and facilitates Bureau-level planning, policy coordination, budgeting, communication, monitoring and evaluation, knowledge management, partnerships and reporting.

BUREAU SUPPORT

The CPS/PO facilitates core budget formulation, operational planning, performance management, policy and regulatory interpretation and compliance, and coordinates communications and public affairs for the Bureau. The CPS/PO ensures coherence between Bureau and Agency strategic priorities and preserves flexibility required to carry out core CPS operational mandates.

POLICY LEADERSHIP

The CPS/PO aims to ensure that peace and security-related U.S. government policy is informed by CPS technical expertise and on-the-ground experience, and that CPS efforts are aligned with policy priorities. The CPS/PO supports Agency priorities, coordinates with interagency stakeholders and the National Security Council (NSC), and collaborates with CPS offices to integrate, implement, and evaluate each policy across the Agency. CPS/PO hosts the Agency’s Peace and Security Sector Council, and provides leadership on Women, Peace and Security (WPS); the Global Fragility Act; atrocity prevention; countering violent extremism; and climate security.

CPS serves as the Agency’s policy lead for the implementation of the Women, Peace, and Security Act, the U.S. Strategy on Women, Peace, and Security and USAID’s WPS Implementation Plan. CPS supports the WPS Strategy through concrete, effective action and policy coordination across the inter- and -intra agency and USAID’s development and humanitarian-assistance efforts.

CPS serves as the atrocity prevention lead for the Agency, working closely with the Center of Excellence for Democracy, Rights and Governance, and the Bureau for Policy, Planning and Learning (PPL) to manage USAID’s interagency engagement, prioritization, and planning related to the Atrocity Prevention Task Force (APTF), and to support technical guidance, training, and civilian-military coordination to advance Agency-wide atrocity prevention efforts.

CPS and PPL co-lead day-to-day Global Fragility Act (GFA) policy implementation, informing and coordinating with the rest of USAID, the NSC, interagency, and Congress on GFA requirements and execution of the U.S. Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability. The GFA is focused in Libya, Haiti, Mozambique, Papua New Guinea, and Coastal West Africa (Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, and Togo).

The CPS PO leads inter- and intra-agency policy coordination around countering violent extremism (CVE) programming, serving U.S. national security interests by supporting peace, prosperity, and stability overseas while reducing threats to Americans at home and abroad. The CPS Assistant to the Administrator serves as the interagency CVE Coordinator for USAID, representing USAID on the Counterterrorism Board of Directors.

BUDGETING

The CPS/PO leads program budget formulation for the Bureau. This includes coordinating a variety of program budget processes. The PO assists CPS operating units with analysis of needs and the development of the annual program budgets and supports the allocation and allowance of funds, and along with the Office of Administrative Management Services tracks obligations of the Bureau’s program funds. CPS/PO staff are the Bureau lead on responding to issues and relevant taskers related to program budgets and are primarily responsible for formulating, in close coordination with CPS operating units, budget responses and reclamas on overall program funds to the Office of Budget and Resource Management (BRM), State Department’s Office of Foreign Assistance (F), and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS

The CPS/PO leads internal and external communications, messaging, and content creation for CPS leadership and offices. CPS/PO develops and executes a Bureau-wide communications strategy and works with CPS leadership and offices to coordinate internal and external outreach, including briefing and communications materials for key audiences. CPS/PO is the liaison with the Legislative and Public Affairs for press and congressional engagement.

MONITORING, EVALUATION, AND LEARNING

Within CPS, PO liaises with OTI, CVP, CMC monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) teams and personnel to synthesize data and provide technical expertise to inform bureau budget, policy, and programmatic discussions and decisions. CPS/PO utilizes evidence to help understand the impact of CPS interventions and supports bureau-wide and inter-agency initiatives relating to measuring, analyzing and articulating the impact of the Bureau’s work.

KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING (KMOL)

CPS/PO knowledge management and organizational learning (KMOL) builds staff capacity  to create, manage and share knowledge and information leading to improved evidence and decision making. KMOL enhances programmatic and operational workflows by identifying and introducing good practices that increase efficiencies. KMOL promotes a culture of learning that prioritizes collaboration and the review of previous projects, products and experiences in order to produce better outcomes moving forward.

PARTNERSHIPS

CPS/PO coordinates and manages Bureau bilateral and multilateral partnerships through a Bureau partnership strategy with a focus on the U.S. Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability and the U.S. Strategy on Women, Peace, and Security. Additionally, CPS/PO supports CPS leadership engagement with the peacebuilding communities of practice. The CPS/PO coordinates touchpoints with partners to facilitate expert to expert interaction, exchange lessons, and improve field-based practices.

COMPLIANCE

The CPS/PO includes the Bureau Environmental Officer (BEO) and Climate Integration Lead. The BEO provides Bureau-wide customer service to ensure adherence to environment- and climate-related regulatory and policy requirements, including tailored environmental safeguards for crisis contexts. The CPS/PO Gender Advisor develops policies, procedures and tools to ensure CPS compliance with ADS 205, including conducting gender analyses, incorporating findings, and providing technical assistance.

Contact

For more information on the Program Office write to cps-pocomms@usaid.gov.