22-122 USAID Project Management Specialist (Food & Nutrition Security Team Leader) – Readvertisement

General Statement of Purpose of the Contract

The position serves as a senior Cooperating Country National Project Management Specialist working for USAID/Kenya and East Africa (USAID/KEA) as the Food and Nutrition Security (F&NS) Team Leader within the Resilience and Food Security Center of Excellence in the Office of Economic Growth and Integration (OEGI). OEGI implements a portfolio aiming to reduce hunger and poverty through agricultural interventions; increase resilience of households and communities; enable affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy; increase sustainable delivery of water and sanitation service; and catalyzes finance, trade and investment to bolster development. Serving as the F&NS Team Leader, this position requires senior-level supervisory skills; technical acumen around a whole of food and market systems approach; knowledge management and analytics; and in the execution of Activity-level design, management, and monitoring and evaluation.

The incumbent is required to possess a high degree of competence and experience and will manage productive relationships within the Center and across OEGI and other Mission technical and support offices, and external factors such as private sector, non-governmental and civil society organizations, Public International Organizations, and voluntary organizations from the local, regional, and international arenas. The incumbent will be the technical lead in assisting the Center Director for Resilience and Food Security (RFS) in the coordination of FTF communications, knowledge management and analytics for evidence-based decision making and accountable for FTF results within food security and nutrition sensitive programming. The incumbent will also help foster Collaborative Learning and Adaptation across the FTF program, and ensure it is woven into all activity design, implementation, and evaluation.

The incumbent will also serve as the principal FTF liaison between the agricultural-led growth and recurring crises initiatives, as well as maintaining effective and continuous communication with regional FTF. The position functions under the supervision of the RFS Center of Excellence Director and is responsible for oversight and management of the F&NS Team consisting of three team professional staff members.

GENERAL INFORMATION

USAID DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING) AND DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANT’S BANK ACCOUNTS.

1. SOLICITATION NO.: 22-122

2. ISSUANCE DATE: October 18, 2022

3. CLOSING DATE AND TIME FOR RECEIPT OF OFFERS: November 1, 2022 (4:30 PM East Africa Time).

4. POINT OF CONTACT: USAID Kenya and East Africa Human Resources, e-mail at [email protected]

5. POSITION TITLE: Project Management Specialist (Food & Nutrition Security Team Leader) – Readvertisement.

6. MARKET VALUE: Equivalent to FSN-12 Step 1 (6,834,442.00 KSH per annum) to Step 13 (11,618,566.00 KSH per annum). In accordance with AIDAR Appendix J and the Local Compensation Plan of USAID/Kenya and East Africa. Final compensation will be negotiated within the listed market value.

7. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: The services provided under this contract are expected to be of a continuing nature that will be executed by USAID through a series of sequential contracts, subject to the availability of funds, the continued need for services and successful performance. It is anticipated that the selection of the successful candidate will be completed within an estimated six-month period from the closing date of this solicitation. The base period will be for one year with the commencement date based upon successful medical clearance and security certification. Contingent on Agency needs, the Contracting Officer may exercise four additional option periods from the contract commencement date.

8. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Nairobi, Kenya; with possible travel as stated in the Statement of Duties.

9. ELIGIBLE OFFERORS: Open to qualified Kenyan Citizens, including current locally hired employees of the US Government in Kenya. Employees presently on probation are ineligible to apply.

10. SECURITY LEVEL REQUIRED: Security certification issued by the US Embassy RSO.

STATEMENT OF DUTIES TO BE PERFORMED

1. Strategic and Technical Leadership 30%

The Project Management Specialist (F&NS Team Leader) is the senior technical specialist in planning, designing, developing, and managing new and existing economic growth programs and activities within OEGI. Currently, the FTF Kenya bilateral is a top-tier focal country, and combined with the regional budget, constitutes a project annual budget of nearly $45 million. The Specialist will ensure 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; this will include activity design, procurement processes, activity/project implementation, and concertedly leading in reporting, monitoring and evaluation processes.

The F&NS Team Leader is the principal strategic advisor providing technical assistance and thought leadership across the FTF portfolio around food security and nutrition-sensitive programming, as well as providing FTF oversight on key planning issues and making decisions and recommendations on agriculture growth, poverty reduction, and alleviating malnutrition as a contributor to Kenya’s economic transformation. S/he provides technical assistance and support to the Center of Excellence Director on FTF strategy and implementation. The incumbent develops long-term operational and performance goals for the portfolio, monitors portfolio performance, and develops plans for programmatic shifts when necessary. S/he will create a supportive work environment within the FTF bilateral program that values diversity and elicits the highest possible level of performance from all team members, and coaching team members to ascend to greater roles and responsibilities.

The incumbent leads and participates actively in internal and external strategy discussions, including active engagement across sectors at the Mission as required. The Specialist provides pivotal technical direction for the F&NS Team targeted activities and assists in the monitoring of performance of contractors and grantees by the terms and conditions of grants or awards by undertaking, with other Contracting/Agreement Officer’s Representatives (AOR/COR) and Activity Managers, informational and site visits to monitor project implementation, reviewing progress reports, and spearheading FTF evaluations. The incumbent will frequently interact with implementing partners and A/CORs to resolve outstanding issues, provide critical F&NS technical mentoring to team members and provide recommendations for enhanced relationships and learning. It will be also imperative that the incumbent align and integrate these technical duties with targeted national and county government counterparts, as well as with private sector and civil society partners. S/he will work jointly across other RFS Center of Excellence Teams (Resilience and WASH), as well as across other Mission technical and support offices to ensure critical technical integration and synergies for F&NS interventions and learning.

2. Program/Activity Development, Management, and Reporting 25%

The Food and Nutrition Security Team Leader plans, designs, develops, and manages new and existing economic growth programs and activities as a technical expert in food and nutrition security, agriculture growth, and poverty reduction. These duties include activity design, leading procurement processes, and 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 Contracting/Agreement Officer’s Representative or activity manager for programs and activities that include food and nutrition security, agriculture growth, poverty reduction, alleviating malnutrition, local capacity development, and other areas relevant to the FtF objectives of USAID/Kenya and East Africa and the Agency. The Specialist will support OEGI, Mission, and USG efforts to ensure effective, cost-effective, and responsible programming and reporting in compliance with USG and USAID regulations and ethics standards, including environmental compliance, and ultimately help USAID achieve its FtF objectives in Kenya and/or the region.

The F&NS Team Leader will oversee and manage the F&NS portfolio activities; this will entail reviewing performance and financial reports, managing the assigned portfolio, ensuring that funding is available when required, targets/milestones are set/being met (or that remedial action is taken) and are properly documented, and that the overall goals of the activity(s) are being achieved. S/he will take measures to maximize learning from the assigned portfolio, including planning and procuring assessments, studies, and evaluations. For activity level management, s/he is responsible for development and implementation of annual work plans, schedules for budget allocation, obligation, expenditure, portfolio reviews, evaluation planning and implementation, audits, development and outreach communication, and closeout. Finally, s/he will support OEGI, Mission and USG efforts to ensure efficient, cost-effective, and responsible programming and reporting in compliance with USG and USAID regulations and ethics standards, including environmental compliance to help USAID achieve its economic growth objectives in Kenya and in the region.

In addition to activity reporting and FTF team knowledge management processes, the incumbent will contribute to Mission/Agency newsletters and other communications related to agricultural-led growth, as well as being responsible for drafting narratives and providing other inputs into the planning (Operational Plan, CDCS, etc.) and reporting (Performance Plan and Report; Mission Resource Request, CBJ, CBN, etc.) processes, as well as responding to Washington taskers, event coordination, supporting VIP visits by being a site or control officer, and drafting briefing and outreach materials.

3. Representation and Coordination 25%

The F&NS Team Leader will serve as the principal FTF technical representative and liaison to senior GOK national and county officials to ensure effective and timely communication, joint planning and participation, advancing the Agency’s locally led approach to development. The F&NS Team Leader represents OEGI and USAID/KEA at public events and in meetings with senior leaders in the Kenyan, East African and American private sector; in the Kenyan government; and with implementing partners and other stakeholders. Representational responsibilities will be to ensure that FTF technical frameworks in each FTF county are monitored, budgeted annually, and aligned accordingly in order to improve productivity, income and resilience for those involved in the Kenyan agricultural sector. S/he will be a key FTF staff member within the Mission County liaison structure and lead for the CDCS Project Designs DO4 team. In a wider context, s/he will be the Mission Point of Contact to the multi-donor Agriculture and Rural Development Working Group. The Specialist will coordinate with Mission and OEGI staff, as well as and implementing partners (IPs), to identify project specific needs or opportunities and facilitate information sharing with potential resource partners, and will lead the South Eastern Kenya integration platform. The Team Leader facilitates knowledge management through exchange of technical information and ideas, collaborates on cross-cutting issues, provides effective collaboration among actors in FTF program portfolio, development innovation, and impact, and promotes program/project synergies.

4. Supervision and Management of the F&NS Team 20%

As the F&NS Team Leader, the Specialist will directly supervise three CCN staff. S/he will work with team members to develop and execute work objectives and quarterly conversations to assess progress and adjustments, address and performance issues, as well as conducting timely annual Performance Evaluation Reviews. The incumbent will also develop Individual Learning and Training Plans and identify professional growth opportunities for team staff to augment the F&NS acumen. As supervisor, s/he will be expected to keep abreast of leadership and supervisory training opportunities for continual individual Team Leader growth. Thus, s/he will create a supportive work environment within the FTF bilateral program that values diversity and elicits the highest possible level of performance from all team members, and coaching team members to ascend to greater roles and responsibilities. The F&NS Team Leader will serve as Acting RFS Center of Excellence Director for short periods of time in which s/he will supervise at least 12 staff.

Supervisory Relationship

The incumbent will receive general supervision from the OEGI RFS Center for Excellence Director while having a wide latitude for independently planning, organizing, and executing assigned responsibilities. The Specialist is a recognized authority in the analysis and valuation of program and issues. S/he will handle work assignments independently, and across teams, 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.

Supervisory Controls

The incumbent will supervise the Food and Nutrition Security (F&NS) team, composed of three CCNs including an FSN-11 Project Management Specialist and two FSN-10 Project Management Specialists, and is responsible for the F&NS portfolio management. S/he will also incur Acting RFS Center of Excellence Director responsibilities for short periods of time when needed.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The work requested does not involve undue physical demands.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION

Any application that does not meet the minimum requirements stated below will not be evaluated.

1. Education: A Bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics or agricultural science is required.

2. Prior Work Experience: At least seven (7) years of professional level directly related experience in project management and market systems development, with substantive experience focusing on analytics and knowledge management approaches. Experience working on large donor projects, with government in the developing world, and/or institutional structures in agribusiness, monitoring and evaluation, a closely related sector is required.

3. Language Proficiency: Fluent (Level IV) English language and Kiswahili proficiency in speaking and writing is the minimum requirement.

EVALUATION AND SELECTION FACTORS

The Government may award a contract without discussions with offerors in accordance with FAR 52.215-1. The CO reserves the right at any point in the evaluation process to establish a competitive range of offerors with whom negotiations will be conducted pursuant to FAR 15.306(c). In accordance with FAR 52.215-1, if the CO determines that the number of offers that would otherwise be in the competitive range exceeds the number at which an efficient competition can be conducted, the CO may limit the number of offerors in the competitive range to the greatest number that will permit an efficient competition among the most highly rated offers. The FAR provisions referenced above are available at //www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far.

• Job Knowledge (55 points)

Advanced knowledge in market systems and production development approaches and programming best practices, and how they affect stakeholders along agriculture value chains. In addition, experience in the development of key analytic and knowledge management around agricultural initiatives and institutional integration is required. Expertise in strategic planning and program management; this includes in-depth knowledge of practices, policies, and procedures governing the performance monitoring and learning within development programs and projects, and the practical knowledge of and/or experience integrating national and county-led strategies into development action plans in agriculture value chains and food security is required. Must have a thorough understanding of development policies, strategic planning, operational systems, and regulations. Demonstrated understanding of the socio-cultural issues and nuances of working in communities and with vulnerable populations is required.

• Skills and abilities (45 points)

Proven technical acumen in planning and goal setting, and in the design, development and use of evidence-based programming through strategic analytics and metrics. The incumbent will work with minimal supervision and work in a fast-paced environment, with strong organizational skills. Must have a strong work ethic and an entrepreneurial spirit to accommodate high level of responsibility and multiple priorities and creates a culture of mutual accountability. S/he must possess solid relationship-building and interpersonal skills to develop diverse teams. The position requires excellent listening skills and continuous learning and seeking advice and feedback from others. Must have proven skills to mentor and supervise staff, developing performance plans and objectives. The Specialist must be able to provide solid analytic and problem solving at a highly developed level, as well as outstanding communication skills and high attention to detail are critical to success. The incumbent must have the ability to adapt in the face of change, synthesize new information, and then provide sound advice to Mission management and the ability to develop sound solutions such as planning for and administering funds to best serve agricultural program oversight objectives. The position requires the ability to prepare reports and technical and policy briefs sometimes with short deadlines. S/he must be able to communicate passionately, effectively, and persuasively across a diverse set of stakeholders. The incumbent must also be able to create processes and structures to facilitate effective communication both internally and externally. Advanced competency in MS Office applications, such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, is required. Excellent English writing and editing skills, as well as an excellent ability to process information from a wide variety of sources into cohesive, polished documents.

Total possible points: 100