This position is located in the Office of Economic Growth (EG), USAID/Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine. The EG Project Management Specialist (PMS) for State Owned Enterprise (SOE) Reform has the primary responsibility to support the FSN-12 Senior PMS for SOE Reform in their provision of technical direction on corporate governance, privatization, public asset management, SOE accountability and reform, and managing related projects. The PMS will contribute to the revitalization and reconstruction of the Ukrainian economy and SOE restructuring and reform following Russia’s illegal invasion. The PMS will support technical assistance and training and institutional strengthening activities to achieve program objectives and provide administrative approval for payments. He/she will support the implementation of assigned activities through contractors and grantees; provide input and monitoring for activity budgets; participate actively in planning of comprehensive programs in assigned areas; draft or provide input in developing technically advanced and politically sensitive topics; and build and sustain productive relationships with mid-level, technical counterparts in the Government of Ukraine, other donors, the private sector and civil society organizations, as well as high-level U.S. Government officials. Under the guidance of the incumbent Senior PMS for SOE Reform, the employee’s professional acumen and judgment may be sought at times and on topics related to their subject matter expertise.
MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
The duties and responsibilities of the Economic Growth Project Management Specialist for SOE Reform will include, but are not limited to the following:
ACTIVITY MANAGEMENT AND STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE ATTAINMENT RESPONSIBILITIES: 60%
Program and Project Activities:
COR/AOR or alternate Roles – Implements and manages assigned contracts, cooperative agreements and/or grants to achieve USAID/Ukraine economic growth objectives.
With respect to contracts, monitors implementation progress in achieving tasks described in statements of work, assesses impact and issues written directives to contractors that:
With respect to cooperative agreements, monitors progress in achieving the objectives of program descriptions and being substantially involved in areas delegated by the Agreement Officer, including:
With respect to grants, monitors progress in achieving the objectives of program descriptions. Reviewing the recipient’s request for payments or financial reports and providing or denying administrative approval.
Reviews and analyzes implementing partners’ reports, and conducts site visits and evaluations to ensure benchmarks, objectives and goals are met on time. Coordinates assigned projects with other USG and donor activities and advises the FSN12 PMS for SOE Reform, Office Director and Mission Director on assigned matters related to project implementation and performance. As necessary, contributes to, proposes, and/or drafts memorandums of understanding at the level of Mission Director to Minister, to solidify government-to-government understandings and agreements to ensure further accomplishment of intended project results.
Applied Technical Expertise – The PMS maintains and applies his/her technical expertise on the specific areas of his/her responsibilities within the EG office. The PMS is responsible for supporting the Senior PMS for SOE Reform in providing guidance on new project designs and overseeing technical implementation of on-going projects. The latter includes monitoring, evaluating, and measuring the performance of USAID EG’s implementing partners’ workplans; providing written and oral direction to ensure effective project implementation; and providing technical direction to improve or resolve unanticipated problems or challenges that arise during project implementation. The PMS, in consultation with the Senior PMS for SOE Reform, recommends and/or directs implementing actions to partners regarding program activities and follows up on these recommendations to ensure that they are carried out fully and accurately. The PMS coordinates activities assigned to him/her as appropriate with host country parliamentary, ministerial, and agency counterparts and other implementing partners programming activities on behalf of USAID or the U.S. Government, as well as with other international donors and their partners working in related areas. The PMS participates in conferences and forums and tracks advances made in Ukrainian policies, legislation, regulations, administration, and institutions.
Monitoring and Evaluation – The PMS, in coordination with the Senior PMS for SOE Reform, undertakes monitoring and evaluation of assigned activities described in approved workplans. During startup of new EG office programs and activities, he/she will advise on the development of monitoring and evaluation plans, and the inclusion of appropriate indicators in work plans. The PMS reviews and validates quarterly and annual program and financial reports submitted by implementing partners consistent with USAID regulations, paying particular attention to activity and financial indicators (e.g., expenditures, burn rate/pipeline analysis and congruity of expenditures against activities, and needs for incremental funding). The PMS will work closely with the Office of Financial Management and will review and approve monthly vouchers and quarterly accruals.
Project Design – Drawing on his/her technical expertise, the PMS builds on the Senior PMS for SOE Reform’s initial concepts for projects supporting SOE reform and restructuring, corporate governance, privatization, public asset management, and government fiscal accountability. They may draft and/or modify statements of work as directed by the Senior PMS for SOE Reform. The PMS applies technical expertise to ensure the application of sound development hypotheses, the use of appropriate and applicable technologies, market-based principles, long-term sustainability and leverage of other USG or other donor-funded development activities.
Mission Performance Monitoring Plan: The PMS will ensure data is collected and synthesized for USAID/Ukraine’s Performance Monitoring Plan (PMP). To fulfill this task, the PMS is responsible for: 1) tracking the collection of performance data; this data will come from numerous sources such as USAID/Ukraine’s cooperating agencies, local partners, and other international organizations; 2) preparing inventories of current indicators, information collected, and information still needed; 3) devising more efficient methods for collecting information, 4) verifying that the data is verifiable and accurate; and 5) determining that the information gathered is in accordance with the indicators of the PMP. The PMS will use partner reports to contribute quantitative and qualitative input into Mission’s plans, strategies, and reports, as well as, track performance against the Development Objective. Evaluates activities focusing on impact, lessons learned, and areas of problems and how these problems have been overcome.
Economic Growth Technical Support: As COR/AOR and or alternate, the PMS provides technical expertise and exercises organizational and diplomatic skills and judgment in managing activities. To fulfill this responsibility, he/she exercises independent discretion, and relies extensively on the PMS’ specialized knowledge and informed judgment, while also collecting input from the host country government, NGO counterparts, the business community, the diplomatic community, the donor community, the national and international legal communities, and the Economic Growth team.
Partner Communications and Liaison: At times, the PMS will liaise with partners on behalf of USAID/Ukraine Economic Growth Office. These communications, either in person, by phone or written communications will be carried out in English and/or Ukrainian, as the situation requires.
Official Interaction and Association: The PMS will be required to build and maintain productive professional working relationship with personnel and officials representing USAID/Ukraine; the U.S. Embassy; the Government of Ukraine, the broader diplomatic and donor communities; the USAID bureaus of Europe and Eurasia (E&E) and Resilience and Food Security (RFS); the business community; NGOs; and other development stakeholders.
B. PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION SUPPORT: 40%
Under the direction of the Economic Growth (EG) Office’s Senior PMS for SOE Reform, the PMS provides support to USAID/Ukraine on a wide variety of assigned tasks. As requested, he/she serves as a member of Mission technical teams responsible for guiding the development, award, implementation, and evaluation of USAID acquisition and assistance. This can include but is not limited to: (1) monitoring other than assigned components of Economic Growth assistance activities and providing recommendations; (2) serving on selected Mission working groups; (3) preparing initial drafts of activity documents (such as concept papers, scopes of work, briefing papers); (4) drafting and finalizing activity-related correspondence and documents for signature by appropriate USAID staff; (5) contributing to the USAID/Ukraine’s annual and semi-annual performance reviews on activity objectives and methodology, paying particular attention to the necessary inputs and expected results covering economic, social, cultural, and technical factors; (6) drafting technical justifications for new activities and for changes to on-going programs, objectives, activities or indicators; (7) organizing donor coordination meetings in support of project activities; (8) participating in project midterm and final evaluations; (9) conducting assessments within area of expertise; (10) drafting event materials, talking points, speeches, and organizing VIP visits and events; and (11) developing the knowledge of other Project Management Specialists in the EG office to ensure broad sector capacity in the office.
The contractor is eligible for temporary duty (TDY) travel to the U.S., or to other Missions abroad, to participate in the “Foreign Service National” Fellowship Program, in accordance with USAID policy.
Supervisory Relationship: The EG Project Management Specialist will work under the general supervision of the FSN-12 Senior PMS for SOE Reform, within the USAID/Ukraine Economic Growth Office.
Supervisory Controls: No supervision of other staff is anticipated.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The work requested does not involve undue physical demand.
QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR EFFECTIVE PERFORMANCE:
Education: This position requires at least a bachelor’s degree (BA, BS, etc.) with a degree in business, management, economics, energy, public administration, or a related field.
Prior Work Experience: This position requires at least three years of progressively responsible professional experience related to energy sector reform, particularly in municipal heating and/or energy efficiency, and/or financial (public or private) sector reform is required. Previous work experience with leading international development institutions, government, international NGOs and private sector organizations, as well as experience in project design and management is required. Seven or more years of project development and/or management experience is also required.
Language Proficiency: Level IV (fluent) English ability for reading, speaking, and writing is required; native facility in Ukrainian (Level IV).
26 Oct 2023
