project management specialist
DATE: Immediately
CLOSING DATE: May 5, 2015
OFFICE: Somalia Office
TITLE: USAID Project Management Specialist (Education and Youth)
GRADE: FSN-(PSC)–4005-11
WHO MAY APPLY:
1. Qualified Kenyan Citizens and Current Employees of the U.S. Mission. Employees currently on probation are ineligible to apply.
2. Third Country Nationals (who are neither Kenyan nor U.S. Citizens), who are eligible and have both the Somali language capability and the requisite technical skills; (to be hired under the Local Compensation Plan for a temporary period).
*People with disabilities are encouraged to apply*
BASIC FUNCTIONS
The USAID Project Management Specialist (Education and Youth) position is located in the Somalia Office’s Social Services Team. The primary purpose of the position is to carry out a full range of project management responsibilities in the area of social services, including education and youth development.
The work includes serving as Contracting/Agreement Officer Representative (COR/AOR) for
projects/activities, participating in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of projects/activities, advising on best practices, and participating in coordination and technical
meetings/working groups. The Specialist keeps abreast of current trends, publications, and information in order to advise the Mission on strategic planning and programming. The Specialist is responsible for building relationships with Somali and other stakeholders, and representing USAID/Somalia.
The assignment requires regular site visits and other travel to select locations in Somalia in adherence to Mission standard operating procedures.
MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Project Management and Related Duties – 50%
The Specialist for education and youth activities serves as COR/AOR and/or alternate for selected
implementing partners (IPs), coordinates projects/activities in order to facilitate implementation, and ensures efficient, effective, and meaningful results are being provided in accordance with Mission standards, best practices, and procedures. The Specialist: monitors and evaluates managed projects/activities, including project expenditures, through site visits, reporting, and trends analysis with an eye towards learning and constant improvement; works in close collaboration with the other Specialists in the Mission to avoid overlap with other projects/activities; and facilitates the development of IP work plans and PMPs, reviewing and proposing modifications to activity approaches and work plans when necessary to better achieve results. The Specialist participates in the review of annual and quarterly IP reports and weekly updates, requesting or participating in the preparation of other reports as needed, and coordinates preparations for IP portfolio reviews. The Specialist prepares or contributes to high quality internal and external reporting and communications related to education and youth activities, such as weekly reports, success stories, and USAID and inter-agency planning and programming documents.
As AOR/COR, the Project Management Specialist (Education and Youth) is responsible for the development and implementation of annual work plans, schedules for budget allocation, obligation, and expenditure, portfolio reviews, evaluation planning and implementation, audits, development and outreach communications, and closeouts. The incumbent is responsible for drafting narratives and providing other inputs into planning (Operational Plan) and Reporting (Performance Plan and Report; Mission Resource Request, Congressional Budget Justification, etc.)
Technical Specialist, Representational and Other Duties – 50%
The Specialist actively participates in strategic planning and all facets of project design, including drafting and amending documents and ensuring necessary clearances are in place. The Specialist gathers information, analyzes data, drafts concept papers, scopes of work and other project documents, prepares independent government cost estimates, and evaluates proposals for all education and youth activities.
The Specialist works with colleagues in the Team and the Office, and with other Technical Offices, to strengthen USAID strategic and programmatic directions, and the Team’s ability to address managed projects/activities, with special emphasis on implementing best practices in social services activities. The Specialist assists senior USG, Mission, and Office staff in representing USAID to IPs, NGOs, Somali government counterparts, donors, and other national and international groups and bodies, in order to develop effective and sustainable strategies for implementing education and youth programs, and the scaling up of activities to meet national and international standards and to achieve national and USAID goals.
The Specialist collaborates with other Office members and inter-agency processes in the preparation and presentation of deliverables, and assists in monitoring progress toward meeting overall Mission and broader USG objectives.
The Specialist plays a leading role in fostering and managing relationships with Somali government counterparts, private sector, donor partners, and other stakeholders, leading or supporting coordination and negotiation efforts in education and youth activities, and for providing technical guidance and leadership as appropriate, participating in partners and coordination meetings. The Specialist represents USAID at official meetings and events and provides written reporting as appropriate.
The Specialist coordinates VIP and other TDYs related to personally managed and Office-wide activities, as required. The Specialist participates in budgeting and financial analysis with other Team and Office staff, and with other Offices in areas related to social services activities. The Specialist mentors Project Management Assistants and other administrative personnel, and backstops other Team members. The Specialist performs other duties as assigned or required.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Any application that does not meet the minimum requirements stated below will not be evaluated. Only short listed applicants will be contacted. If you have not been contacted within one month from the closing date of this advertisement, please consider your application unsuccessful.
a. Education: Master’s degree in Education, Social Policy and Planning, Social Work, Gender Studies
Public Administration, or Political Science.
b. Prior Work Experience: Eight to ten years of progressively responsible work experience in education and youth development is required. At least three years of experience should be in project design and management with a U.S. foreign affairs agency, international organization, or non-governmental organization.
c. Post Entry Training: The incumbent is expected to possess the necessary technical, program management and information technology (IT) expertise required of the position. Post entry training will, therefore, be focused on Agency-specific trainings, such as Programming for Foreign Assistance, COR/AOR certification, Automated Directive Systems, and USAID Inter/Intranet. Courses, seminars, conferences, and other activities in fields related to the sector needed to maintain and update professional qualifications may be provided, subject to offerings and the availability of funds.
d. Language Proficiency (List both English and host country language(s) proficiency requirements by level (II, III) and specialization (sp/read): Complete Level IV fluency (written/spoken/reading) in English; Level IV fluency (written/spoken/reading) in Somali is required.
Language ability will be tested. The incumbent will also be required to be able to speak publically in
English and in Somali representing USAID effectively and competently.
e. Job Knowledge: The Specialist must have in-depth professional-level knowledge of development principles, concepts, and practices, especially in fragile states. The incumbent is expected to possess a comprehensive technical knowledge of basic education, including knowledge on a full range of issues relating to access and quality, as well as youth development. The Specialist is required to have a sophisticated knowledge of economic, social, and political characteristics in fragile states.
Knowledge of development in the East African region, particularly in Somalia, is desired.
The incumbent will be required to have competency on cross-cultural work and gender in development.
f. Skills and Abilities: The Specialist is required to have: managerial skills, especially of complex portfolios; excellent interpersonal skills in order to establish relationships with key host-country counterparts, donors, and other stakeholders; and strong coordination and negotiation skills to ensure activities are carried out efficiently, effectively, and meaningfully. Above average written and oral communication skills is required in order to represent USAID, speak publically and give presentations, and develop original reports and other communications products for a variety of audiences and a variety of purposes.
The Specialist must have the ability to prioritize among a considerable range of differing tasks and the ability to use critical thinking and innovation to solve problems as well as to develop new approaches. The Specialist must be able to function both independently and as part of a team with a high degree of proactivity, responsiveness, and motivation in order to meet established deadlines. The Specialist must have strong analytical skills to analyze information and evaluate data to inform program and project decisions. Advanced IT skills in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Access and PowerPoint) and adherence to USAID’s Core Values and Ethical Code of Conduct is required. Given the nature of the position, effective communications (written/spoken/reading) are absolutely critical to perform successfully in this position and must be exceptional. The incumbent must be able to communicate clearly and effectively with: 1) all categories of USG employees at post and in Washington, D.C.; 2) Somali government officials; 3) International Organizations, Donors, and Embassies; and 4) the general public. The incumbent is required to be able to prepare concise/thorough documents and reports including but not limited to: concept papers; scopes of work; reports; budgets; a range of other project documents for internal and external purposes; human interest stories; and correspondence, all of which must be done in a professional and competent manner requiring little or no editorial changes.
POSITION ELEMENTS
a. Supervision Received: The Specialist will work under the supervision of the Direct Hire/USPSC
Social Services Team Leader or their designate in the Somalia Office at USAID. The incumbent’s immediate supervisor will: 1) establish annual work objectives and performance measures; 2) review work outputs and accomplishments to ensure compliance with agency policies, and implementation of best practices; 3) provide regular feedback to incumbent throughout the performance evaluation period; 4) prepare the annual Evaluation Report(s) as/when required. As the incumbent is expected to work with a high degree of independence, they must be able to establish priorities, adhere to and meet established deadlines, and perform responsibilities and duties with minimal guidance and little or no follow up. The incumbent must be proactive as well as self-motivated.
b. Available Guidelines: The incumbent is required to understand USAID Automated Directives
System and USAID Agency-specific policies and procedures on program activity management and implementation. Oral guidance from the immediate supervisor and specific detailed instructions will be given (when necessary) for carrying out unique assignments. The incumbentwill be required to be proactive in keeping abreast of evolving guidelines and policies which affect overall USAID/EA/Somalia program activities within the regional office, including but not limited to Automated Directives System (ADS), Mission Orders, Mission Notices, USG procurement regulations, and USAID program strategy and Policy Documents. In addition, team members, other Mission technical support staff and counterparts in USAID/Washington are available as resources to provide advice and guidance.
c. Exercise of Judgment: Independent judgment is required to establish cooperative relationships with Somali stakeholders and beneficiaries and to assess with sensitivity the needs and concerns of other USG staff, donors, implementing partners and these groups. The incumbent must judge the soundness of the implementation of programs, monitoring, research, and evaluation tools of USAID’s programs.
d. Authority to Make Commitments: Within the assigned scope of work and the level of responsibility. The incumbent will have no independent authority to make any resource commitments or commit U.S Government (USG) or USAID/ Somalia Office funds on behalf of the U.S Government (USG) or USAID/ Somalia Office.
e. Nature, Level, and Purpose of Contacts: The incumbent will communicate on a daily basis with
1) all categories of USG employees at post and in Washington, D.C.; 2) Somali government officials; 3) International Organizations, Donors, and Embassies; and 4) the general public.; and will be required to act as a liaison with a broad range of Somali and international stakeholders at the project level, including government authorities, private sector firms, civil society, and public and private organizations and institutions. The incumbent will also establish and maintains regular contact with UN, donors, and NGO partners, and staff within USAID and the broader interagency.
f. Supervision Exercised: The incumbent will be assigned to be a COR/AOR or alternate, following receipt of appropriate certification. Continuing supervision of other USAID staff is not contemplated.
g. Time Expected to Reach Full Performance Level: 12 months.
HOW TO APPLY:
Step 1: Register in MyJobsInKenya at www.myjobsinkenya.com
Step 2: Complete the job application questionnaire at www.myjobsinkenya.com/usaid. The applicant must answer all the questions in the Questionnaire.
Step 3: Internal Applicants/Current USG Employees: Attach a memo explaining your qualifications for the position, updated curriculum vitae/resume (no more than five pages), and copy of your most recent certificate. Scan and attach all the documents as one attachment.
OR External Applicants/Not Current USG Employees: Attach a letter explaining your qualifications for the position, updated curriculum vitae/resume (no more than five pages), and copy of your most recent certificate. Scan and attach all the documents as one attachment.
Note: Please ensure you have followed Step 1 and 2 and allow yourself at least five days before the deadline date. ONLY if you have any difficulties attaching documents in My Jobs in Kenya, please send an email to [email protected] with the Job title and Reference Number as the subject.
* Please ensure you apply in accordance with all three steps detailed above. Failure to do so will result in your application not being considered. All applications MUST be submitted online. The closing date for receipt of applications is Tuesday, May 5, 2015 at 4:30pm East Africa Time.
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