Job Description
Statement of Duties to be Performed
A. Program/Activity Design (70% of time)
- Serves as the subject matter expert in project and activity design.
- Provides Mission-wide leadership, advice, assistance, and training to staff in the planning, development, and preparation of design documents for USAID Projects from their inception to final approval.
- Supports Technical Teams and Mission to integrate cross-cutting issues, including gender and youth, into the design, implementation, and evaluation of projects.
- Ensures the integration of gender into program design and implementation.
- Serves as a subject matter expert in the formulation and review of USAID development strategies as they apply to the host country and context.
- Keeps abreast of development issues and changes in Government of the host country policy and regulations and conceptualizes approaches USAID might adopt to address identified problems.
- Assists Technical Teams in updating existing country and Agency-wide strategies or developing new strategies.
- Advises and guides Technical Teams and Program Office staff to ensure integration of priority cross-cutting issues across Mission programs.
- Designs and participates in technical, economic, financial, administrative, and social feasibility analyses of new activities for assigned sector(s).
- Leads, trains, and mentors the Program Office team technical office backstops to design activities and support technical teams in the full suite of Program Office functions.
- Recommends acceptance, postponement, or rejection of activity proposals citing findings/results of the analytical studies.
- Manages the project development process and ensures compliance with USAID Project Design Guidance and pre-obligation requirements.
- Assists in formulating project design strategies, prepares project documents, outlines and schedules, and reviews and revises project documents, etc.
- Reviews and ensures that design documents produced by Technical Teams meet procurement and mission requirements.
- Designs and executes training in innovative project design to new and existing Mission staff in all aspects of the project development process.
- Prepares statements of work for designing activities, working closely with Technical Teams.
- Oversees the procurement of technical services for design activities and reviews of scopes of work, technical proposals, and related tasks.
- Supports Technical Teams in preparing bilateral agreements and amendments to agreements to ensure timely obligation of funds.
- Recommends changes and makes revisions to agreement annexes, and suggests language for the terms and conditions of said agreements.
- Assists Mission’s Procurement Specialists and Technical Teams in developing procurement plans and ensures relevant procurement documents are submitted to the Contracting Office in a timely manner.
- Communicates and advances donor coordination and activity design implementation with international partners, local partners, and Government of the host country.
- Oversees the management of the unsolicited proposal process at USAID/host country.
B. Activity Implementation and Monitoring (30% of time)
- Supports Technical Teams in activity implementation and monitoring, providing advice and guidance on a broad range of implementation issues.
- Advises and negotiates with Technical Teams in developing implementation plans and on the procurement of commodities and services.
- Participates in the monitoring and evaluation of ongoing projects, identifying and proposing solutions to obstacles to project implementation.
- Assists technical staff in developing Performance Management Plans (PMPs), collecting and assessing data, conducting data quality assessments, and using PMPs as a tool for measuring program performance and effectiveness.
- Assists Technical Teams and the Financial Management Office in preparing relevant documentation and analyses for portfolio reviews in accordance with Agency policy and the Mission’s PMP.
- Mentors and trains Technical Team members in USAID policy and procedures to build their capacity to design, implement, and monitor programs.
- Serves as a key resource to Technical Teams on USAID procedures and business practices for project implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and close-out.
- Communicates with the Policy, Planning, and Learning Bureau at USAID/Washington on cross-cutting issues and policies related to Mission programs, activity planning, implementation, monitoring, and reporting.
- Coordinates with the Government of the host country on activity implementation and related matters.
- Ensures gender is integrated into all technical programs, as required.
- The contractor is eligible for temporary duty (TDY) travel to the United States or other Missions abroad to participate in the “Foreign Service National” Fellowship Program, in accordance with USAID policy.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION
a. Education:
Bachelor’s degree in International Development, Social Sciences, Public/Business Administration, or Monitoring and Evaluation is required.
b. Prior Work Experience:
A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible professional, managerial, and/or senior-level technical experience in program design, implementation, monitoring, analysis, research, and reporting (both written and oral) on economic or social development activities and/or development assistance is required. Experience must include serving in a leading role with demonstrated conceptual and analytical capacity. Experience in the public or private sector is required, with similar experience involving the Government of the host country, USG, or other international agencies. Proven ability to work on multiple projects in a fast-paced environment while delivering quality products in a timely manner is essential.
c. Language Proficiency:
Fluent (Level IV) in both spoken and written English and Kiswahili is required.
d. Job Knowledge:
Recognized expertise in project development and implementation is required. A thorough understanding of international development principles and approaches, as well as the host country development context, economy, and institutions, is essential. Familiarity with the host country political framework is critical. A thorough knowledge of USAID’s strategy, program policies, internal reporting requirements, budget processes, and program evaluation systems is mandatory.
e. Skills and Abilities:
- Extremely flexible in adapting to changing operations and working relationships.
- Ability to conceptualize and analyze multi-sectoral development strategies; manage and coordinate diverse project design activities and data under tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
- Mature judgment, demonstrated leadership skills, and excellent conceptual abilities are required.
- Strong analytical, negotiation, management, and writing skills.
- Excellent teamwork, interpersonal, and communication skills to foster effective working relationships with technical staff and support office counterparts.
- Capacity to use judgment in planning and designing complex programs, guiding internal technical teams, and liaising with external government counterparts for USAID/host country funded programs.
- Proven ability to work collaboratively in a team environment and proactively build consensus.
- Ability to guide others in project design, implementation, and/or evaluation.
- Excellent writing skills to produce high-quality written products for diverse audiences under tight deadlines.
- Proficiency in word processing, spreadsheet manipulation, PDF conversion, and Google Drive online software suite is required.
DEADLINE: OCTOBER 2, 2024
