22-198 USAID Project Management Specialist (Resilience Team Leader)

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.: 22-198

2. ISSUANCE DATE: November 16, 2022

3. CLOSING DATE AND TIME FOR RECEIPT OF OFFERS: November 30, 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: USAID Project Management Specialist (Resilience Team Leader).

6. MARKET VALUE: Equivalent to FSN-12 Step 1 (6,834,442 KSH per annum) to Step 13 (11,618,566 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.

11. STATEMENT OF DUTIES:

General Statement of Purpose of the Contract

USAID Kenya and East Africa’s Office of Economic Growth and Integration (OEGI) manages and implements a portfolio aiming to reduce hunger and poverty through agricultural interventions; increase the 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. The office is currently comprised of three Centers of Excellence – Resilience and Food Security, Private Sector Solutions, and Analytics, Partnerships, Policy, and Systems, comprising of the following teams: Food and Nutrition Security, Resilience; Energy; Trade, Investment; Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH); Analytics and Operations, Partnerships, Policy, and Systems. OEGI’s Resilience Team manages a USAID portfolio of activities that aim to reduce chronic vulnerability and facilitate the localization efforts through building the ability of people, households, communities, private sector, and institutions in the arid and semi-arid areas of Kenya to mitigate, adapt to, and recover from recurrent shocks and stresses. Building resilience is a high priority for USAID, the Government of Kenya (GOK), and the Horn of Africa region. As a tier top-tier funded FTF and resilience focal country, the Kenya FTF Resilience program represents one of the most complex portfolios globally and constitutes nearly 70% of the overall OEGI budget that is implemented in over 80% of Kenya’s land mass.

Reporting directly to the Resilience and Food Security Center of Excellence Director, the Specialist serves as USAID’s lead for the OEGI’s Resilience Team responsible for providing strategic planning, leadership, management, and technical expertise to ensure the well-coordinated and effective program implementation of the resilience portfolio in USAID/KEA and the OEGI Office. This is an essential leadership position with wide latitude for planning, organizing, and executing assigned responsibilities. The Specialist provides strategic vision and technical leadership to OEGI and the broader USAID/KEA Mission in agriculture policy, livestock, and resilience sectors. The incumbent will utilize practical knowledge of program and project design, management, and monitoring and evaluation to guide and direct a diverse portfolio that includes a broad range of activities including livestock, pastoralism, agriculture, rural livelihoods, poverty eradication, and climate change impact in the Kenya and the East Africa region. The Specialist participates actively and fully in the organizational management of OEGI. S/he is required to possess a high degree of competence and maturity and will manage productive relationships with senior officials of the Embassy, other donors, the agriculture sector, regional communities and government entities, non-governmental and civil society organizations, and private voluntary organizations from the local, regional, and international arenas.

Statement of Duties to be Performed

A. Strategic Planning and Program Design – 40%

The Specialist provides substantive technical and managerial leadership for conceptualization, planning, implementation, and monitoring of USAID Kenya and East Africa’s strategy and the US Embassy team on resilience, livelihoods, livestock sector development, and poverty eradication in Kenya and East Africa. The incumbent works closely with other offices of USAID Kenya and East Africa and Washington to coordinate the involvement of all relevant stakeholders that including Kenyan and other Governments, the private sector, regional economic communities, and other USAID Missions in the Horn of Africa to identify effective strategies to advance the livestock sector development, resilience and poverty eradication agenda in Kenya and Horn of Africa region. The Specialist provides technical expertise and leadership in the development of Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS), and Annual Program Statements (APS); and serves as a leader of technical review teams for resilience, livestock, and livelihoods-related concept papers solicited or unsolicited proposals, and proposed awards in Kenya and Horn of Africa Region. The incumbent provides leadership on the initiation of new activities during the implementation of CDCS and implementing changes to existing activities. Serves as a thought leader in specialization and serves as a reference focal point in technical, policy, economic, and budgetary analyses in Kenya and the region for multiple Missions in relationship to livestock, pastoralism, agriculture, and rural livelihoods.

B. Technical Leadership and Representation – 30%

The Project Management Specialist (Resilience Team Leader) serves as a recognized technical expert in rural livelihoods and livestock sector, with a strong knowledge of agriculture policy and pastoral livelihoods. The incumbent keeps abreast of trends and issues in the agriculture/livestock/resilience sectors; reviews and analyzes developments and advises Mission leadership and USG officials on specialized and complex issues contributing to severe climatic and other disaster occurrences within Kenya and the region. The Specialist provides technical leadership and direction ensuring that USAID Kenya and East Africa’s development assistance programming reflects best practices and state-of-the-art knowledge on shock responsive programing, livestock, pastoralism, rural livelihoods, and poverty eradication, particularly in Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs), prone to cyclic shocks (droughts, floods, conflict, diseases, famine). The incumbent guides USG officials, USAID staff, and visiting officials in various aspects involved in preparing for and participating in field monitoring and verification missions, public meetings, and conferences with senior Government of Kenya and private sector representatives. The Specialist is the technical lead for USAID Kenya and East Africa Mission in the development of shock responsive efforts, livestock sector development and livelihoods programs, and technical assistance from initial screening through due diligence, negotiations, approval, documentation, and funding as a critical responsibility. The incumbent liaises with USAID Kenya and East Africa management to provide strategic and timely information, advice, and feedback, on shock responsive programming, rural livelihoods, and the livestock sector as required. The Specialist provides a senior level representation at the regional, national, and county level, where he/she represents the USAID Mission and management, in technical and policy meetings on agriculture, livestock, and rural livelihoods. The incumbent leads and directs private and public sector partners dealing with agriculture and livestock sector development in Kenya. The Specialist represents USAID in Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) counties in Kenya in all forums.

C. Program Management and Monitoring – 20%

The Specialist directs, coordinates, and monitors aspects of activities necessary to attain policy reforms in agriculture and livestock sectors in Kenya and the East Africa region, in line with the US Government and USAID Kenya and East Africa’s objectives and provides advice and constructive feedback to inform Mission’s policy and development positions. The Specialist plans, designs, develops, and provides strategic leadership and technical assistance in managing new and existing resilience – livestock, pastoralism, agriculture, and rural livelihoods, programs, and activities. These duties include activity design, leading procurement processes, and activity or project implementation, identifying and resolving program issues, and 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 requirements. S/he will serve as the Agreement/Contracting Officer’s Representative (AOR/COR) or activity manager for programs and activities that include resilience, livelihoods, livestock sector development and poverty eradication, and other areas relevant to the focus areas in OEGI. The Specialist has a regular interface with Implementing Partners (IPs) and ensures that IPs receive needed information on USAID regulations and policies, including audit regulations, and assistance with country issues. The incumbent monitors and evaluates the progress of IPs towards the achievement of results and facilitates corrective measures in cases of deviation from expected results and impact. Provides technical leadership in establishing performance monitoring systems and ensures appropriate accounting of resources by tracking quarterly accruals, maintaining project pipeline information, and providing leadership in meeting audit recommendations.

The Specialist is accountable for high performance in all program management functions including design, planning, budgeting, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and managing for results. The incumbent provides technical and programmatic input to inform the Mission’s efforts regarding submissions such as Congressional Budget Justifications (CBJ), Congressional Notifications (CN), Operational Plans (OP), Annual Performance Plan and Reports (PPR), and other standard reporting documents and special briefing materials and high-level presentations used in Washington to inform Administrator, Office of Budget and Management and Congress.

D. Staff Supervision and Team Management – 10%

The Team Leader ensures fluid office operations and provides program leadership within the Resilience Team. Supervises three Cooperating Country Nationals—including Project Management Specialist (FSN 11), Project Management Specialist (FSN 10), and Project Management Assistant (FSN 9), developing annual work objectives, and identifying appropriate training opportunities, mentoring, and coaching them in the facilitation of professional development. Conducts regular performance reviews and addresses any performance challenges that may arise. The Specialist is a vital member of the Resilience and Food Security Center of Excellence leadership team and will work with the overall leadership team to develop and implement OEGI’s strategy. 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 the accomplishment of all other duties as assigned.

Supervisory Relationship

The incumbent is supervised by the OEGI Resilience and Food Security Center of Excellence Director within USAID Kenya and East Africa, who establishes broad outlines of tasks to be performed. The incumbent handles work assignments independently with limited supervision. The incumbent develops his/her own work schedule, and procedures for accomplishing tasks and independently resolves problems that may arise during the accomplishment of those objectives.

Supervisory Controls

The incumbent will supervise three Cooperating Country Nationals—including a Project Management Specialist (FSN 11), Project Management Specialist (FSN 10), and Project Management Assistant (FSN 9).

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 veterinary sciences, agriculture, agriculture economics/policy, business management discipline, or a closely related field is required.

2. Prior Work Experience: At least seven (7) years of directly related professional responsibility in the field of veterinary sciences and livestock sector development or rural development and policy analysis and development. Must have demonstrated experience working collaboratively with public institutions and private sector partners that support livestock sector and policy development activities and interface with implementing and governmental partners. Substantive experience with program/project development, management, and performance monitoring, is required. Experience with pastoralist systems and/or arid and semi-arid lands development, or closely related issues, is essential.

3. Language Proficiency: Must be fluent (Level IV) in reading, writing, and speaking English and Kiswahili.

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 https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far.

• Job Knowledge (60 points)

An in-depth knowledge and demonstrated experience with the theory, practice, policies, procedures, and regulations governing the performance, monitoring, and evaluation of development programs and projects is required. In addition, the specialist must have in-depth knowledge and understanding of issues, stakeholders, policies, strategies, and best practices in the areas of resilience, livelihoods, livestock, and food security in Kenya and the East Africa region. A thorough understanding of global development policies, strategic planning, operational systems, and regulations is required. This position requires senior-level technical expertise in, knowledge, and understanding of the provisions and principles of resilience, rural livelihoods, and livestock sector, with a strong knowledge of agriculture policy and pastoral livelihoods. Thorough understanding of the key logistical challenges faced in the East Africa region and a proven ability to develop and implement innovative solutions to such challenges, either in the region or in a similar development context.

• Skills and abilities (40 points)

Strong oral presentation and writing skills with demonstrated capacity to turn out high-quality written work and effectively communicate complicated policy, strategy, and program issues orally and in writing are required. Program design, budgeting, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation skills are essential. Strong organizational and management skills, disciplined work habits, and the capacity to get tasks done on time with a minimum of oversight in a high-pressure environment are a must. The ability to summarize complex quantitative information from multiple sources in graphs and tables and combine it with text to explain the underlying reality clearly and unambiguously is required. Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain strong working relationships across cultures, on teams, and with a broad range of institutional partners is required. Strong skills in negotiations and influencing policy positions in line with USG priorities is required. A proven track record of working effectively in teams is required. The ability to handle sensitive issues diplomatically and use good judgment in speaking on behalf of USG in high-level meetings and in conferences, seminars, and workshops is required. Must have an excellent written and verbal presentation in English, including strong presentation skills and the ability to prepare professional quality reports and presentations for both technical and general audiences including senior USAID and other government officials. Proficiency in computer applications, including MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint is a must.

Total possible points: 100