Kivu was asked by the DFID Head of Development to advise the Myanmar office on developing a cross-office approach to engaging with subnational government. This work took place in a challenging context, marked by significant security risks and an ongoing, contested process of federalisation. Within DFID, two broad approaches existed: one that actively supported the federalism process, and another that worked more pragmatically with the central government, framing subnational engagement primarily as decentralisation. Using a politically informed approach and careful listening across the office, Kivu developed a framework that bridged these perspectives.