Issa Zerbo

Executive Profile

ACSD Co-Founder (in 2018) and ACSD Co-Director with 32+ years of experience supporting the design, execution, and evaluation of government, private-sector, NGO, and donor-funded programs in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Chad. Extensive experience strengthening the technical and managerial capacity of local government, private-sector, and civil society partners to co-design and implement humanitarian assistance, stabilization, land tenure, transitional, and development programs. Skilled in team leadership and large-scale capacity OCAs and surveys to inform donor investment decisions and land use planning.

Core Competencies

Partnership Localization Advisor • Organizational Capacity Assessment Tools and Surveys • Local Partner Training and Capacity Strengthening Strategies • Local Partner Management Systems • Land Tenure & Land Use Surveys for Planning and IDP Resettlement • Project, Grant & Loan Due Diligence (Financial, Tax, Legal, Commercial, Technical, Environmental, Social, and Resettlement)

Selected Achievements

• Director, Associated Consultants for Sustainable Development (Burkina Faso) (2015–Present): Chief of Party for USAID/SRO LCapS Activity, conducting national partner census of 647 households and OCAT of 219 organizations (2024–2025); led an evaluation of population and institutional resilience in 12 implementation communes under the USAID/Burkina Faso–funded ASTER Project (Mercy Corps) (2023–2025); Co-Team Leader of long-term impact study of the resettlement planning and mining in two river basins (near the present-day settlements of Mogtedo and Kompienga) and the settlers’ home area near Kaya, collecting data from 209 households in 23 villages (2019–2024); led USAID IGR Project startup (2021–2022); coordinated baseline and mapping for Women’s Voice and Leadership Program (2019); co-coordinated USAID DRG Assessment (2016); co-facilitated USAID regional EFSP workshop (2016).
• Administrative and Financial Director, Africare (N’Djamena, Chad) (2013–2015): Oversaw USAID FFP-funded BOFSI Program valued at $22M with 111 field staff; managed three UNHCR refugee camps with $1M budget; directed ExxonMobil-funded IEEWEP II ($2M).
• Director of Administration and Finance, Tetra Tech ARD/MCA Burkina Faso (Burkina Faso) (2009–2012): Managed four subcontractors for $15M land governance project delivering 66 outputs across legal reform, institutional strengthening, and land interventions; supervised 28 staff; oversaw issuance of more than 15,000 Certificates of Land Ownership to 9,000 households in Mogtedo, Boudry, and Zam.
• Deputy Due Diligence Subject Matter Expert, MCC/MCA Burkina Faso (Burkina Faso) (2006–2009): Contributed to financial, social, and resettlement oversight for rural land governance, agriculture development, and roads projects; developed financial framework documentation for MCC compliance.
• Contract Consultant, HORINFO (Burkina Faso) (2004–2006): Managed contracts for ONEA, CNSS, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Infrastructure, and others ($23,000–$88,900); developed solicitations, drafted contracts, maintained documentation, and managed budgets and staff.
• Auditor, Department of Management Control and Internal Audit, CNSS (Burkina Faso) (1993–2004): Managed approximately 40 contracts with national and international institutions; drafted SOWs and procurement documents, supervised contract execution, prepared financial statements, and supported installation of budget-tracking systems.

Education & Certifications

M.S., Sustainable Development and the Environment, Université de Ouagadougou Joseph Ki-Zerbo, Burkina Faso

M.S., Accounting and Financial Sciences and Techniques, IAPM, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

Certifications: UEMOA, World Bank, EU Procurement Systems; USAID Sub-Recipient and Sub-Grant Management and Audit; USAID Resource Management, Finance, Audit, Administration, Grants, and Procurement; Audit & Budget Management

Languages & Tools

Fluent: French, Dioula, Mooré, Marka; Advanced Professional: English

Tools: MS Windows, MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint, MS Outlook, MS Project, Sage Compta, QuickBooks, TOMPRO Compta and Pay, Internet applications