Project Management Specialist (Monitoring and Evaluation)

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.: 22-49

2. ISSUANCE DATE: May 13, 2022

3. CLOSING DATE AND TIME FOR RECEIPT OF OFFERS: May 26, 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 (Monitoring and Evaluation).

6.MARKET VALUE: Equivalent to FSN-10 Step 1 (3,341,686.00 KSH per annum) to Step 13 (5,680,858.00 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, including 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 USAID Strategic Planning and Analysis (SPA) Office is responsible for broad program support, coordination, and project management functions for the combined USAID platform in Nairobi which manages two operating units (OUs)-the bilateral Kenya and the East Africa Regional OUs. SPA provides leadership and serves as principal advisor to the Mission Director on strategic planning and programming; project and activity development; monitoring and evaluation and learning of the platform’s portfolio; within the Development Objectives under the $2 billion Kenya Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) and $300 million East Africa Regional Cooperation Development Strategy (RDCS).

The USAID/Kenya and East Africa Project Management Specialist, Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) position is established within the Nairobi Strategic Planning and Analysis (SPA) Office (Program Office). SPA provides leadership and support for the USAID/Kenya and East Africa (EA) Mission on: social, economic and developmental issues; strategic planning; programming and budgeting; program and project activity development. The position will focus on supporting the MEL team through monitoring and evaluation (M&E) needs and data capturing approaches across the Mission’s portfolio for programmatic improvements and success. The Specialist supports core SPA functions through engagement across the Mission and technical sectors and with M&E staff, implementing partners, Government of Kenya (GOK) officials and other relevant stakeholders.

The Specialist serves as the MEL POC for the Mission and is the principal coordinator for approximately 90 implementing partners, which accounts for approximately $450 million in U.S. Foreign Assistance funding in the Mission’s portfolio. The specialist will ensure collaboration on results reporting to increase transparency, accountability and locally owned/led development solutions. As a key member of the MEL team, s/he is responsible for building, developing and providing support to technical offices on MEL capacity development and on the implementation of evaluation and learning of programs, projects and activities in the USAID/KEA bilateral and regional portfolio.

The Project Management Specialist (M&E) will support the Mission’s MEL needs and in the capacity as a Contracting and Agreement Officer’s Representative (COR/AOR) as necessary for MEL mechanisms. S/he participates in and provides leadership in the Mission’s MEL Working Group, such as supporting the agenda creation and follow-up actions. The Specialist also works with USAID/Washington (USAID/W) Evaluation Working Group as necessary and shares responsibility on Collaboration, Learning & Adapting (CLA) – to improve MEL approaches, and to promote adaptive organizational learning and evaluation practices. The specialist also provides technical expertise on the design, review, implementation, and administration of programs, projects and activities, as well as the modification of MEL information management systems, such as the agency’s new Development Information System (DIS) and supports the annual data call for the Performance Plan and Report (PPR).

Statement of Duties to be Performed

Serve as the Mission’s MEL and Data Specialist 60%

● Support the maintenance and data integrity of performance management and reporting database systems and tracking tools that enable the Mission to fulfill performance monitoring, open data, evaluation, reporting, and dissemination requirements as mandated in the Agency’s Automated Directed System (ADS).

● Supports other team members on reports and to summarize data policies and guidance to USAID staff. Socializes these to Mission staff and takes the lead in developing presentations and schedules to implement the Agency’s Data agenda.

● The specialist will ensure the delivery of systematic and consistent technical assistance to USAID staff and implementing partners, as applicable in the areas of data analysis and learning, as well as other tools and systems.

● Support the tracking of M&E lessons and findings and ensure that they are utilized in new Mission procurements and inform ongoing decision-making at both tactical and strategic levels within Kenya and the region. Support incorporation of recommendations from evaluations into new activity, project designs and portfolio reviews. Support a learning culture to improve collaboration, learning and adapting (CLA) surrounding Mission evaluations.

● Manage requisite contracts and other duties to potentially include approving key personnel, managing task order work plans, selecting peer reviewers and organizing peer reviews of evaluation documents, ensuring high quality and cost-effective products, and completing all other relevant Contracting Officer’s Representatives (COR) duties. Manage the contract budget as well as budget contributions from various technical offices.

● As COR/AOR, the Specialist is responsible for the development and implementation of annual work plans, schedules for budget allocation, obligation, and expenditure, portfolio reviews, audits, and closeouts. These responsibilities are defined in the COR letter issued by the Nairobi Office of Acquisition and Assistance. The Specialist will support SPA, Mission, and USG efforts to ensure effective, cost-effective, and responsible programming and reporting in compliance with USG and USAID.

● Serve as the Mission’s M&E and Data Point of Contact (POC); s/he will perform analyses of the Mission’s programs and performance management needs, including external reporting requirements.

● The Specialist has a key role to support the Mission’s efforts to strengthen evidence-based programming.

● S/he requires experience in the development of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) data management systems, statistical and related quantitative analyses, as well as knowledge of management systems design.

● S/he will require a strong functional knowledge of IT systems and the user experience, including development of comprehensive data management solutions, especially as applied to development programs.

● The Specialist works with the Mission’s Geographic Information Systems (GIS) unit to design maps and analyses to better inform programmatic and policy decision making.

● Maintain performance management and reporting database systems and tracking tools that enable the Mission to fulfill performance monitoring, open data, evaluation, reporting, and dissemination requirements as mandated in the Agency’s Automated Directed System (ADS).

● Ensure report generation, system integrity, and information flow from activity and project implementers, where applicable.

● Serve as one of the Mission’s Data POCs providing guidance to the Mission to ensure that USAID-funded data is made open to the public and machine readable by default, in accordance with relevant Executive Orders and USG policies on Open Data. This includes providing periodic reports to requisite operating units and USAID leadership on data inventoried and cleared for public release.

● Summarizes and presents data policies and guidance to USAID staff. Socializes these to Mission staff and takes the lead in developing presentations and schedules to implement the Agency’s Data agenda.

● The specialist will ensure the delivery of systematic and consistent technical assistance to USAID staff and implementing partners, as applicable in the areas of data analysis and learning, as well as other tools and systems.

● The Specialist will work with USAID’s Chief Information Officer (CIO) and Bureau for Policy, Planning and Learning (PPL) teams to customize, adopt, and implement the USAID Data Management System to meet those needs. S/he will guide and coordinate any other new or existing systems at the Mission, to meet the Mission’s program and performance management needs.

● Track M&E lessons and findings and ensure that they are utilized in new Mission procurements and inform ongoing decision-making at both tactical and strategic levels within Kenya and the region. Support incorporation of recommendations from evaluations into new activity, project designs and portfolio reviews. Support a learning culture to improve collaboration, learning and adapting (CLA) surrounding Mission evaluations.

● Manage requisite contracts and other duties to potentially include approving key personnel, managing task order work plans, selecting peer reviewers and organizing peer reviews of evaluation documents, ensuring high quality and cost-effective products, and completing all other relevant Contracting Officer’s Representatives (COR) duties. Manage the contract budget as well as budget contributions from various technical offices.

Lead/Support MEL Tasks and Mission Capacity Building Needs 30%

● Manage the development and implementation of capacity building programs, workshops, and other participatory activities that will broaden knowledge and practice of effective Mission evaluation, including Presidential and other special initiatives, and related activities at regional, national, sub national (e.g. county), and partner levels.

● Track relevant budget data and work closely with the Program Office Budget Team to ensure evaluations are funded appropriately and according to agency guidelines for M&E funding levels.

● Participate in relevant working groups and teams to provide technical expertise on performance and knowledge management and other related tools, systems, and issues, and lead such teams as necessary.

● Liaise and coordinate with key partners to build and strengthen relationships with key relevant partner institutions, to encourage optimal coordination, harmonization, and alignment of MEL processes.

● The Specialist will support the Mission’s Collaboration, Learning and Adapting Strategy (CLA) to ensure more effective and efficient programs and processes. Establish a working relationship with counterparts in the region to enhance CLA at the regional level. Collaborate with other Performance Management Team members in the development and implementation of learning management and dissemination systems for use by all Mission staff.

Interagency Duties 10%

● Support the Mission’s annual Performance Plan and Report (PPR) and portfolio review processes.

● Lead the MEL components of strategic planning, assessments of proposed programs, changes in the development environment, and other sector-specific and cross-sectorial assessments.

● Build and strengthen relationships with key relevant partner institutions, and other key national, regional, and non-governmental institutions to encourage optimal coordination, harmonization and alignment of M&E processes, data dissemination tools and other developed knowledge management systems.

● Regular coordination with other donors and/or ME&L officers in Kenya and the East Africa region.

Supervisory Relationship

The specialist will report to the Mission’s MEL Team Lead. The supervisor will provide overall supervision to the specialist; however, the specialist will exercise independent judgment in planning and carrying out tasks, resolving problems and conflicts, and taking steps necessary to meet deadlines.

Supervisory Controls

Supervision of other employees is not anticipated at this time.**

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 Statistics, Development Studies, Research Methodology/or Social Sciences related degree.

1. Prior Work Experience: Minimum of three years’ work experience in program design and implementation with a focus on performance management and/or monitoring and evaluating projects with an International Development organization, non-governmental organization, Donor Agency or Embassy.
2. Language Proficiency: Level IV English and Kiswahili is required. Ability to develop and write comprehensive reports.**

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 (60 points)

The specialist must have a solid understanding of monitoring, evaluation, and learning systems, regulations, and objectives. The specialist should be well versed in data analysis, monitoring performance and their respective tools, including evaluations. The specialist will also be conversant in and familiar with strategic data designs and third-party monitoring tools. The specialist should have an understanding of the nature of development program goals and be familiar with U.S. foreign policy. Sound knowledge of the main technical and substantive issues related to program/project development is required.

– Skills and abilities (40 points)

The specialist should have initiative, responsibility, strong presentation skills and creativity, as well as past experience in performing successfully at high levels, with minimal supervision and daily direction. 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. Specialist should be able to work independently and collaboratively in a team and know how to build consensus; demonstrate strong research and interpersonal skills. Skills to analyze and resolve a wide range of challenges in project and program M&E are necessary. Good coordination and organizational skills within a multicultural work environment is required along with the ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously and work effectively under pressure. The specialist will handle many different overlapping tasks and projects characterized by shifting priorities. The specialist must therefore apply the highest analytical skills and judgment to determine the best solution from the range of possible alternatives. S/he should have demonstrated computer skills, including intermediate to advanced level mastery of Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint, as well as statistical software. Monitoring and evaluation system development and maintenance skills, including data management, are required.**

Total possible points: 100