Project Management Specialist (Climate Change Coordinator)

I. 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.: 22-26

2. ISSUANCE DATE: March 16, 2022**

3. CLOSING DATE AND TIME FOR RECEIPT OF OFFERS: March 29, 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 (Climate Change Coordinator)**

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. **

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

9. ELIGIBLE OFFERORS: Open to qualified Kenyan Citizens and current locally hired employees of the US Mission 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

The Project Management Specialist (Climate Change Coordinator) is a senior member of the USAID Kenya and East Africa (KEA) Environment Office (ENV). This position is USAID/KEA’s point of contact for the Mission’s climate change strategy, actions and programming. Primary responsibilities include coordinating the climate change effort for the Mission and the region that will include cross-sector, cross-Mission, cross-Agency, and cross-stakeholder efforts in climate finance, climate policy and negotiations, sustainable landscapes, climate adaptation, climate services, climate impacts mitigation, preparedness, agriculture, forestry and other land use (AFOLU) and clean energy. The Specialist will lead the climate finance mobilization effort for USAID/Kenya and East Africa, managing a program that finds innovative ways for East African countries to raise funds and provide sustainable climate finance for its people and the ecosystems they live in. This position will promote capacity building and coordinate with East African institutions to overcome the barriers to finance by developing partnerships and synergies between local, international and national sources of finance.

The Project Management Specialist (Climate Change Coordinator) is the climate technical lead for the USAID/KEA Mission and a climate finance expert for USAID Missions in East Africa. This position provides leadership, vision and professional guidance on climate change measures affecting the region. This position leads the Climate Change Team within the Environment Office providing supervision and guidance to the Climate Change and Biodiversity PMS, leads the climate change working group for the Mission and represents USAID at the interagency. This position manages technical programs as an AOR/COR and takes lead in policy dialogues with relevant stakeholders such as colleagues from foreign governments, multilateral development banks, donors, regional organizations and private sector organizations.**

Statement of Duties to be Performed

Coordination, Representation and Relationship Building – 50%

The Project Management Specialist (Climate Change Coordinator) will restart and deepen USAID’s government collaboration on climate change in the region. The Specialist will proactively develop, manage and strengthen USAID/KEAs network of climate and green finance contacts at all levels of seniority and in all sectors, to identify capacity building and policy influencing opportunities. The Specialist will publicly represent USAID/KEA as a credible interlocutor in climate related engagements as necessary which may include, but not limited to national climate funds, partnerships with private sector, civil society and local authorities, or international climate finance institutions such as the Green Climate Fund, Development Finance Corporation, Adaptation Fund etc. The PMS will be a relationship manager to one or more private sector firms that address carbon finance and/or other market-based mechanisms. The Specialist will have significant private sector relationships and must be able to make the ‘business case’ for addressing climate change.

The Specialist will lead the Mission’s climate working group, provide expert advice to Mission teams such as the Mission Private Sector integrated team and County Liaison Teams. The PMS could also represent the Mission on a CLT and coordinate with the Mission’s Resilience Team. The Specialist serves as one of ENVs Private Sector Engagement leads. The Specialist leads team members and Mission integrated teams to create and expand public-private sector partnerships to achieve and sustain greater developmental impacts on climate and resilience programming across local, sub-national, national and regional levels.

Technical Advisory and Project Management – 20%

The Project Management Specialist (Climate Change Coordinator) is a regional Mission thought leader on integrating climate change across all sectors, including into program descriptions, communications, monitoring, evaluation and learning opportunities. The Specialist will provide technical advice to USAIDs East African Missions, interagency and Washington technical leadership by identifying and analyzing developments and risks around climate collaboration. The Specialist will provide expert policy and technical guidance for project development and implementation for climate change and “net zero” development activities. The Specialist will analyze technical information and trends to provide succinct, technically sound advice to USAID senior staff and partners to deliver on technical programs for climate change and climate finance. The PMS will prepare relevant technical reports and documents for the US government on trends, issues, challenges and progress on climate change and when required other environmental sustainability issues. The PMS will lead and manage research, analysis and synthesis activities that promote climate and environmental resilience. The PMS may serve as an Agreement Officer’s Representative/ Contracting Officer’s Representative (AOR/COR) or Activity Manager for grants and agreements involved in climate change or resilience. Responsibilities are outlined in the AOR/COR designation letter- template located in the Automated Directive System (ADS) 300 Series (specifically ADS 302 & 303).**

Climate Finance Mobilization – 20%

The PMS will engage with stakeholders from multilateral development banks, donors, private sector organizations and others to mobilize finance, build coalitions, and drive capital to our local partners for climate action, sustainable development, and conservation. The PMS will foster domestic, regional, cross-border and multi-country cooperation between East African countries on climate change-related issues. The Specialist will be the technical expert on innovative climate finance approaches and lead internal and external discussions on advancing these approaches. The PMS will create opportunities to co-finance projects and leverage new and additional funding sources to achieve USAID/KEA’s climate finance targets. The Specialist will have the independence to bring forth innovative ideas from a multitude of sectors and climate finance stakeholders such as national and multilateral climate funds and think tanks.

Supervision – 10%

The Project Management Specialist (Climate Change Coordinator) leads the USAID/KEA Mission Climate team and provides direct supervision to one Project Management Specialist (Climate Change and Biodiversity).

Supervisory Relationship

The Project Management Specialist (Climate Change Coordinator) is supervised by the Environment Office Director.

Supervisory Controls

The Project Management Specialist (Climate Change Coordinator) supervises the Project Management Specialist (Climate) and a PMA.

12. PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The work requested does not involve undue physical demands.**

II. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION

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

1. Education: Bachelor’s degree in Climate Change, Environment, Natural Resource Management and/or related fields is required.
2. Prior Work Experience: At least seven (7) years of progressive experience in the field of climate change or related environment sectors. Specialized knowledge and demonstrable expertise in climate program implementation and management at International Development, Embassies, Donor Agencies, Non-Governmental Organizations, Finance Institutions and/or the private sector. Must have program management experience in at least one of the following technical climate change areas: climate finance, climate policy and negotiations, sustainable landscapes, climate adaptation, climate services, climate impacts mitigation, preparedness, agriculture, forestry and other land use (AFOLU) and/or clean energy.
3. Language Proficiency: Level IV (fluent proficiency) in English, and in Kiswahili, both written and spoken, are required. Language competence may be tested.

III. 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 (50 points)

Knowledge on national, regional and global climate finance schemes and climate governance frameworks is needed. Knowledge and experience in policy dialogue and cross-institutional collaboration is necessary. Must understand climate and green finance issues, challenges and practices relating to Africa. Broad understanding of critical issues in sustainable development and biodiversity conservation is required. Must have advanced knowledge of at least one of the following technical climate change areas: climate finance, climate policy and negotiations, sustainable landscapes, climate adaptation, climate services, climate impacts mitigation, preparedness, agriculture, forestry and other land use (AFOLU) and/or clean energy.

– Skills and abilities (50 points)

Due to frequent interaction with external stakeholders in high stakes environments, the jobholder must be able to perceive, use, understand, manage, and handle emotions and communicate effectively to ensure positive working relationships are maintained, in addition, sound judgement and the ability to effectively and diplomatically collaborate with a variety of customers. The PMS must be able to effectively represent the US Government during meetings, negotiations, conferences and other functions. Must have the ability to develop partnerships, make deals and advance USAIDs climate objectives. Must be able to develop and maintain an extensive range of contacts across the USG Agencies, USAID East Africa Missions, in the regional and bilateral governments, civil society, academia, development partners, local community and the private sector. The coordinator must be able to write syntheses and explain results in a fashion that is readily understandable to non-technical audiences. Skills in computer applications, teamwork (complex institutional and multi-cultural settings), policy analyses and institutional relations. Proven ability to work effectively with high level personnel from government, donor community, implementing partners, local partners and the private sector.

Total possible points: 100