USAID Program Management Specialist (Integration Economist)

Job Description

WHO MAY APPLY: Qualified Kenyan Citizens and Current Employees of the U.S. Mission. Employees currently on probation are ineligible to apply.

*People with disabilities are encouraged to apply*

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

This position operates under the direction of the REI Deputy Office Director for IPI, but with flexibility for planning, organizing, and executing assigned responsibilities. S/he must understand and apply a highly technical body of knowledge and analysis in regional policy development, applicable regional and national laws and regulations, and programmatic strategies for assisting in advancing the regional agenda for deepening integration. S/he must understand and apply Agency regulations and instructions. The incumbent plans and undertakes important projects and carries them to completion with minimal supervision. Demands are heavy on the demonstration of initiative, resourcefulness, and sound judgment. S/he will work independently, while informing and consulting within REI as necessary.

The Specialist will support USAID’s engagement with the policy agendas of Regional Economic Community (REC) partners and other regional intergovernmental organizations (RIGO). Guidance received from REI management will be focused on strategy, program objectives, and priorities. Within such guidelines, the incumbent supports the strategic implementation of the Agency’s regional policy agenda and activities, including conducting analysis on progress on all policy harmonization efforts, working closely with national and regional government counterparts, private sector leaders, and other key stakeholders to enable regional development and bilateral uptake of the integration policy agenda.

The Specialist will work to advance regional trade policy reform and the integration agenda in East Africa in particular, critical to its economic growth and food security. The incumbent is responsible for providing technical leadership to ensure that the programs supported by REI and its bilateral client Missions are evidence-based and data-driven, informed by current analysis and research of key trade policy and integration issues, and take into account best practices and lessons learned. The incumbent will manage assistance that responds RECs, their Partner States, and private sector requests for technical assistance to undertake policy reform and implementation. Lastly, the incumbent will undertake policy research and engage in informed policy debate with stakeholders.

The Program Management Specialist – Senior Integration Economist will provide support to REI in the following ways:

Program Management and Related Duties (50%)

The incumbent will produce applicable research and analysis to inform the design, management and implementation of USAID’s regional policy activities, USG policy priorities facilitated by REI program assistance, and the partnerships that work to advance the integration agenda in the region.

The incumbent will develop and manage new and existing policy programs and activities as a member of the REI team. These duties include activity or project implementation, identifying and resolving program issues, assuring that all activities are carried out in a technically sound and cost-effective manner, and in accordance with all applicable Mission and Agency directives and requirements. S/he will serve as the Agreement/Contracting Officer’s Representative (AOR/COR), Alternate, AOR/COR, or activity manager for programs and activities included in REI’s Trade Africa and regional Feed the Future portfolio, and may also be responsible for activity management in collaboration with other technical offices. The incumbent will fulfill the responsibilities defined in the AOR/COR letter issued by the Nairobi Office of Acquisition and Assistance.

The incumbent will be responsible for the monitoring and evaluation of implementing partners and other trade and agriculture sector activities with policy and economic growth objectives, for obtaining and reporting on results and possible setbacks, and for initiating programmatic adjustments, when necessary. This will include analyzing and quantifying the impact of investments in policy development and implementation to ensure USAID programs have a positive effect on deepening regional integration and advancing commitments of regional economic communities and economic growth. The Specialist is responsible for assessment and recommendations to REI and the Mission at the strategic level, and monitoring and evaluation at the project/activity levels, including development of M&E plans and Data Quality Assessments. The incumbent is responsible for analysis, drafting narratives and providing other inputs into Agency reporting and strategies (Trade Africa, Feed the Future), and Mission planning (Operational Plan) and reporting (Performance Plan and Report; Mission Resource Request, CBJ, CBN, etc.) The Specialist will support REI, Mission, and USG efforts to ensure effective, efficient, cost-effective, and responsible programming and reporting in compliance with USG and USAID regulations and ethics standards, and, ultimately, help the USG and USAID achieve its Trade Africa and Feed the Future goals in East Africa.

Technical Specialist, Representational and Other Duties (50%)

The Specialist will serve as the Mission’s lead technical advisor on integration, specifically regional trade and agriculture sector policy and reforms. The Specialist will possess the most up to date capacities for and knowledge of economic, political, and global trends analysis affecting regional and national economic and trade policy development, and will keep the Mission informed of these trends. The Specialist will be considered an expert resource on policy development and implementation, and will be expected to participate actively in internal and external strategy discussions with private sector and government leaders at the level of Minister and Permanent Secretary. The Specialist will also actively engage across sectors at the Mission related to policy development and implementation.

The Specialist will identify ways to further meet both USG foreign policy and USAID policy objectives in East Africa. This includes liaising closely with USAID’s Global Development Lab on technical solutions, and the development of new, innovative concepts and program designs which engage both traditional and non-traditional partners, with a focus on local solutions. S/he will contribute to monitoring, evaluation, analysis and learning at the Project and DO level. S/he will synthesize trends at the regional/national levels, and incorporate learning from all analysis into current and future programming and share extensively across all stakeholders.

The Specialist will be responsible for ensuring that USAID development assistance programming in East Africa is informed by the latest analysis and research in designing and implementing programs that support enabling trade and integration policy agenda. S/he will engage in regular technical exchanges with regional institutions and key government and private stakeholders as necessary to stay abreast of issues, trends, risks, and market dynamics that create constraints and opportunities for trade and integration. The Specialist is expected to develop and strengthen networks with business associations, national trade support institutions, and international organizations concerned with free trade and regional market integration, especially the regional economic communities of EAC and COMESA. S/he will further maintain close relations with private industry and a wide network of professional colleagues to build knowledge and expand contacts within a portfolio of targeted sectors and value chains.

The Specialist will be required by REI to maintain relationships and convene stakeholder meetings with a wide range of stakeholders in regional and bilateral governments, private sector and civil society organizations, donor agencies, implementing partners, EAC and COMESA, and other stakeholders as related to policy efforts advancing regional integration. Policy formation and implementation relies on strong relationships across broad stakeholders; the incumbent’s ability to develop sector wide relationships is critical to the successful achievement of position goals. S/he will represent USAID and the USG at high levels with internal and external audiences as required. S/he will work to facilitate knowledge management through exchange of technical information and ideas, to collaborate on cross-cutting issues, to provide effective collaboration among actors in the sector, and to promote program/project synergies. As the USG often serves as an interlocutor, the incumbent will be looked upon to actively engage a broad spectrum of stakeholders to advance USG and USAID priorities.

Adaptability will be required as the Specialist’s primary responsibilities may change over time as the USAID’s Mission’s strategy is developed, partnerships with RECs evolve, and joint agendas develop. The incumbent is expected to respond flexibly and capably to a wide range of work-related requirements. This includes, but is not limited to, responding to U.S. Congressional inquiries and other Washington policy and operational requests, supporting VIP visits, and carrying out ad-hoc assignments as dictated by unforeseen operational requirements at the discretion of the Mission Director, Deputy Director, or REI’s Office Director. S/he will be required to assist in creating a supportive work environment that values diversity, and elicits the highest possible level of performance from all team members, including accomplishment of all other duties as assigned.

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.

1. Education: Master’s degree in Applied Economics, Business, Finance, Public Policy, Public Administration or other directly related field is required.
2. Prior Work Experience (40%): Seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in trade and agricultural policy research, implementation, and program management. Experience working with East African governments and donor institutional structures in agriculture is required. Demonstrated experience working collaboratively with institutional and private sector partners and stakeholders in a multinational setting.
3. Post Entry Training: Certification to work as an Agreements/Contracts Officer’s Representative (A/COR), and qualification to administer obligated funds under USAID contracting instruments, such as grants and contracts will be provided.
4. Language Proficiency: Level IV (Fluent) English in speaking and writing is required. The applicant must demonstrate ability to communicate expertly and prepare well-written reports in English.
5. Job Knowledge (30%): A thorough understanding of US foreign policy interests and objectives in East Africa and how the USAID Mission portfolio as a whole is designed to address these objectives. Broad knowledge of East African culture, politics, and major issues in which the USAID/EA Mission operates. An expert understanding of the mandates and working procedures of the Regional Economic Communities and other regional organizations. A comprehensive knowledge of the African regional integration agenda, RIGOs, agriculture and trade policy, and best practices in policy development, harmonization and implementation in the sub-Saharan African context is required. Detailed knowledge of East Africa’s institutions, policies and programs and an understanding of the nature of East Africa’s development needs and the socio-cultural contexts in which the development needs can be addressed are required. Because this position is technical, detailed/expert knowledge is required in several areas, including regional integration, economic communities and the policies which enable them, and agriculture and trade policy.
6. Skills and Abilities (30%):

• Ability to work effectively with high-level personnel from government, donor community, implementing partners and other development organizations.
• Exceptional analytical skills and ability to develop, synthesize, and advise on institutional positions and strategies within the context of advancing regional integration.
• Ability to prepare reports and technical and policy briefs with short deadlines.
• Strong writing skills and ability to process information from a wide variety of sources into cohesive, polished documents.
• Ability to adapt in the face of change, synthesize new information, and then provide sound advice to Mission management and others.
• Ability to assess problems and develop sound solutions, such as planning for and administering funds, personnel and equipment to best serve program oversight objectives.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision in a fast paced environment.
• Strong communications and interpersonal skills.
• Advanced competency in MS Office applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

POSITION ELEMENTS:

1. Supervision Received: The incumbent will receive minimal general supervision in the day-to-day performance of assigned duties from the Deputy Office Director for IPI, unless otherwise directed by the Office Director of REI,. S/he will handle work assignments independently according to established policies, previous training, and accepted practices. S/he will be expected to develop her/his own work schedule and procedures for accomplishing tasks, and to independently resolve problems that may arise during execution of objectives.
2. Supervision Exercised:
3. Available Guidelines: USAID and State Department regulations (ADS, AIDAR, FAM, Standardized Regulations), and where appropriate, USAID Mission Orders, and relevant USAID directives, policies, and strategies.
4. Exercise of Judgment: The incumbent will exercise professional judgment to make decisions and recommendations on the USAID agriculture portfolio. S/he will apply appropriate Agency and Federal regulations and policies to a broad spectrum of technical and program support matters and in communications with Mission employees, East Africa private sector individuals, and counterparts at other donor organizations. The Mission may make policy based on her/his recommendations.
5. Authority to Make Commitments: The incumbent will speak with authority on USAID project implementation requirements and regulations acting as both a specialist and an information resource to contacts in both public and private sectors. S/he is expected to represent USAID/East Africa with mid and high level government and other counterparts; however, s/he cannot commit USG funds.
6. Nature, Level, and Purpose of Contacts: The incumbent will interact regularly with high-ranking government/management officials, officials in donor agencies (including other USG agencies), and staff of local and international private sector and civil society organizations. Most contacts will be in the sectors most impacted and prioritized by regional intergovernmental organizations (RIGO) and partner state integration and related to policy, planning and budgeting, program implementation, and monitoring and evaluation.
7. Time Expected to Reach Full Performance Level: One year.

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 nairobihr@usaid.gov 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 Friday, October 30, 2015 at 4:30pm East African Time.

About the Organization

BACKGROUND

The United States Agency for International Development seeks a qualified Kenyan for the position of Program Management Specialist – Senior Integration Economist for the Regional Integration, Policy and Investment (IPI) team of the Office of Regional Economic Integration (REI). This position requires technical expertise in the areas of economic research and analysis on regional economic integration, trade and agriculture policy development and implementation, along with practical knowledge of program and project design, management, and monitoring and evaluation. The incumbent provides technical support and leadership to USAID’s regional integration portfolio focused on regional investment, export competitiveness, trade and agriculture policy development, harmonization and implementation in assistance to regional economic communities, partner states, and the private sector. The candidate chosen for this position will be expected to participate actively and fully in the REI Office. S/he is required to possess a high degree of competence and entrepreneurship and will develop and manage productive relationships with national and regional government partners, fellow donor organizations, development banks, the private sector, non-governmental and civil society organizations, and private voluntary organizations (PVOs) from the local, bi-lateral, and multi-lateral arenas. The incumbent is expected to provide REI and the USAID Mission with analysis to guide regional strategy and program development and implementation, and serve as key resource to the Mission and the Agency guiding USAID’s vision for economic growth and deepening integration in East Africa. The position functions under the supervision of the REI Deputy Office Director for IPI, unless otherwise directed by the REI Office Director.

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