BACKGROUND
The United States Agency for International Development Mission in Kenya seeks a qualified Kenyan for the position of Project Management Specialist (PMS) - Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in the Office of Economic Growth (OEG). OEG implements a portfolio that reduces hunger and poverty through agriculture; increases resilience of arid and semi-arid land communities; enables affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy; increases sustainable delivery of water and sanitation services; and catalyzes finance, trade, investment and innovation to bolster development. This position requires technical expertise in the fields of water and sanitation and practical knowledge of program and project design, management, and monitoring and evaluation. As a key member of OEG, the candidate chosen for this position will be expected to participate actively and fully to support the management of the Office. S/he is required to possess a high degree of competence and maturity, and will manage productive relationships with the Embassy, other donors, the private sector, non-governmental and civil society organizations, and private voluntary organizations (PVOs) from the local, regional, and international arenas. The incumbent is expected to incorporate science, technology, innovation and partnerships, as well as Collaborative Learning and Adaptation into all activity design, implementation and evaluation duties. The position entails effective and continuous communication with Government of Kenya (GOK) and/or regional officials on all levels, ensuring that USAID/Kenya and East Africa is fully engaged in the sector reform agenda. The position functions under the supervision of the Senior Program Management Specialist (SPMS) - WASH (also known as WASH Team Leader), unless otherwise directed by the OEG Office Chief.
MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
This position operates under the direction of the WASH Team Lead, but with wide latitude for planning, organizing, and executing assigned responsibilities. The incumbent supervises the accomplishment of, or personally performs, challenging and complex work involved in the economic growth program. S/he must understand and apply a highly technical body of knowledge, as well as applicable laws and agency regulations and instructions. Guidance received from the WASH Team Lead is almost wholly related to policy, program objectives, and priorities. Within such guidelines, the holder of this position plans and undertakes important projects and carries them to completion without significant supervision. Demands are heavy on initiative, resourcefulness, and sound judgment. S/he will work independently, while informing and consulting within OEG, USAID/Kenya and East Africa, and the U.S. Embassy, as necessary.
The Project Management Specialist (WASH) will provide support to OEG in the following ways:
Program Management and Related Duties (65%)
The incumbent plans, designs, develops, and manages new and existing economic growth programs and activities as a team member in OEG. 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 WASH, policy reform, and local capacity development, and other areas relevant to the economic growth objectives of USAID/KEA and the Agency writ large. Specifically, it is anticipated that the Project Management Specialist (WASH) will manage the WASH activities and WASH components of broader activities, in addition to supporting management of other activities as needed.
As a key team member of the WASH Team within OEG, the Project Management Specialist (WASH) leads USAID’s effort to increase access to WASH services in Kenya. The incumbent is responsible for providing technical and strategic leadership at all levels from policy analysis to program design in developing sound approaches for Mission WASH activities contributing toward the objectives of the Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act and its associated directive. Working with USAID/Kenya’s Office of Health, Population, and Nutrition (HPN) and USAID partners in the public, private, and civil society sectors, s/he is responsible for compiling experiences and tools on WASH outcomes, designing programs, supporting design and implementation of strategies, undertaking relevant policy analysis, and developing advocacy efforts based on these with aim to increase access to WASH services. Adaptability and flexibility will be required as the Project Management Specialist (WASH)'s primary responsibilities may change over time as new USAID strategies and GOK priorities emerge.
S/he will be responsible for the monitoring and evaluation of implementing partners and other economic growth sector activities, for obtaining and reporting on results and possible setbacks, and for initiating programmatic adjustments, when necessary. The incumbent is responsible for monitoring and evaluation at the Project/Activity levels, including development of Project and activity-level M&E plans, Data Quality Assessments, design technical evaluations and provide input into high quality evaluations conducted by the Program Office, and analyze data and information sources to inform programming decisions, including supporting the use of Geographical Information System (GIS) data.
The incumbent is 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 ad-hoc reporting requirements, such as responding to Washington taskers, event coordination, supporting VIP visits, and drafting outreach materials.
As AOR/COR, the Project Management Specialist (WASH) is responsible for the development and implementation of annual work plans, schedules for budget allocation, obligation, and expenditure, portfolio reviews, evaluation planning and implementation, audits, development and outreach communications, and closeouts. These responsibilities are defined in the AOR/COR letter issued by the Nairobi Office of Acquisition and Assistance. The Specialist will support OEG, 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 economic growth objectives in Kenya and/or the region.
As AOR/COR, the Project Management Specialist (WASH) is responsible for the development and implementation of annual work plans, schedules for budget allocation, obligation, and expenditure, portfolio reviews, evaluation planning and implementation, audits, development and outreach communications, and closeouts. These responsibilities are defined in the AOR/COR letter issued by the Nairobi Office of Acquisition and Assistance. The Specialist will support OEG, 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 economic growth objectives in Kenya and/or the region.
Technical Specialist and Representational Duties (25%)
The incumbent will serve as a senior technical advisor to OEG, USAID/Kenya and East Africa, the US Mission to Kenya, and/or regional entities on WASH, particularly as related to economic growth. The Project Management Specialist (WASH) will keep abreast of and analyze economic, political, and other trends affecting WASH and will keep the Mission informed of these trends. S/he will be considered an expert resource on WASH issues, and will be expected to participate actively in internal and external strategy discussions, including active engagement across sectors at the Mission, and produce analyses in the area of expertise as required.
The Project Management Specialist (WASH) will identify ways to further meet both USG foreign policy and GOK WASH sector policy objectives in Kenya. 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. The incumbent will lead and/or actively participate in Platform Local Solutions and STIP Teams, as well as engage in Collaborative Learning and Adapting (CLA) communities of practice. The incumbent will actively 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.
S/he will be required to maintain relationships with a wide range of contacts in government and semi-autonomous government agencies, private sector and civil society organizations, donor agencies, implementing partners, and other stakeholders as related to the WASH sector, and to represent USAID and the USG with internal and external audiences as required. S/he will work to best facilitate knowledge management through exchange of technical information and ideas, to collaborate on cross-cutting issues, to provide effective collaboration among actors in the WASH sector, and to promote program/project synergies.
Other Duties (10%)
The Project Management Specialist (WASH) will work closely with the Team Leader, other OEG team members, the HPN Office, the Program Office, the Mission Director's Office, and the U.S. Embassy on day-to-day FTF activities and reporting requirements. The incumbent will work closely with the WASH Coordinator/Team Leader, the HPN Office, and OEG M&E team to ensure WASH reporting is cohesive, comprehensive, and compliant with the Agency’s requirements. The incumbent will provide input to responses to U.S. Congressional inquiries and other Washington policy and operation requests; draft briefing materials, speeches/talking points for high-level USG officials, press releases, and presentations; and contributing to Mission/Agency newsletters and other communications related to WASH activities. The incumbent may be called upon to support VIP visits and carry out ad-hoc assignments, as dictated by unforeseen operational requirements at the discretion of the USAID/Kenya Mission Director, USAID/Kenya Deputy Director, OEG Office Chief, OEG Deputy Office Chief, or FTF Coordinator.
The Project Management Specialist (WASH) 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.
A. Education 10%: Bachelor’s degree in environmental management, engineering, public health, economics or related field is required.
B. Prior Work Experience 15%: Minimum requirement of at least five (5) years of progressively more responsible experience in urban and rural water supply, sanitation, and hygiene improvement, including experience in a leadership role. Experience working with the GOK, donor, and/or regional institutional structures in Kenya is required. Direct hands-on experience in improving WASH services and hygiene promotion in rural areas and/or informal urban settlements, and experience in strengthening policy frameworks and capacity of local governments, utilities, regulatory agencies, etc. is also required. Membership in a professional association and experience in the management of USAID or other donor-funded projects is highly desired.
C. Post Entry Training: Certification to work as an Agreement/Contracting Officer's Representative (A/COR), and qualification to administer obligated funds under USAID instruments, such as grants and contracts, will be provided. Other trainings that may be provided include USAID WASH; ENRM; Regulation 216 and Infrastructure trainings.
D. Language Proficiency 10%: The position requires strong communications, mentoring, interpersonal, teamwork, and leadership skills, as well as the ability to prepare reports and technical and policy briefs sometimes with short deadlines. 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 is highly desirable. Fluent (Level IV) English language proficiency in speaking and writing is the minimum requirement and Kiswahili Level IV. Demonstrated ability in developing and maintaining counterpart contacts and relationships at senior levels is strongly preferred.
E. Knowledge 30%: Expert knowledge in water and sanitation issues, approaches, best practices, policies, host government priorities, initiatives, and institutions is required. Expertise in strategic planning and program management, including in-depth knowledge of the theory, practice, policies, procedures and regulations governing the performance M&E of development programs and projects is required. Practical knowledge of and experience integrating GOK policies, strategies, institutions and procedures into development activities and action plans in water, sanitation, hygiene, integrated water resources management and/or other development assistance is required. Understanding of USAID policies, strategic planning, operational systems and regulations would be an added advantage. Demonstrated understanding of the socio-cultural issues and nuances of working in communities and with vulnerable populations is preferred. Solid understanding of issues and practical approaches to advancing gender equity and mainstreaming youth empowerment in economic development programs is preferred.
F. Skills and Abilities 35%: Proven 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 water and sanitation program oversight objectives; ability to work with minimal supervision and work in a fast paced environment; and strong organizational skills.
POSITION ELEMENTS
A. Supervision Received: The incumbent will receive minimal supervision from the WASH Team Leader, unless otherwise directed by the OEG Office Chief, in the day-to-day performance of assigned duties. 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.
B. Available Guidelines: USAID and State department regulations (ADS, AIDAR, FAM, Standardized Regulations), and where appropriate, USAID Nairobi Platform Mission Orders, and relevant USAID directives, policies and strategies.
C. Exercise of Judgment: The incumbent will exercise professional judgment to make decisions and recommendations on the OEG 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 Embassy and Mission employees, GOK counterparts, Kenya private sector individuals, and counterparts at other donor organizations. The Mission may make policy based on her/his recommendations.
D. 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 Nairobi Platform with high level government and other counter-parts; however, s/he cannot commit USG funds.
E. Nature, Level, and Purpose of Contacts: The incumbent will interact regularly with senior government officials (e.g. the Principal Secretary, Departmental Directors and other staff in the Ministries of Environment, Water and Natural Resources; and Health, high level officials in donor agencies (including other USG agencies), and senior staff of local and international private sector and civil society organizations. S/he will provide input for issues related to program implementation and USG policy. Most contacts will be in the economic growth sector, related to policy, planning and budgeting, program implementation and monitoring and evaluation.
F. Supervision Exercised: None
G. Time Required to Perform the Full Range of Duties: 12 months
NOTE
Current USG employees must meet the "time-in-grade" requirement of 52 weeks in the previous lower grade to qualify for the position at the level in this vacancy announcement or be at the same grade for which the position is being recruited.
Current USG employees must meet the "time-in-grade" requirement of 52 weeks in the previous lower grade to qualify for the position at the level in this vacancy announcement or be at the same grade for which the position is being recruited.
HOW TO APPLY:
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), a copy of your most recent Performance Evaluation Report, and copies of all relevant certificates. 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 copies of all relevant certificates. Scan and attach all the documents as one attachment.
Note: All applications MUST be submitted WITH a COVER SHEET online. Incomplete application packages will not be considered. The closing date for receipt of applications is Tuesday, April 26, 2016 at 4:30pm East Africa Time.
