OFFICE: USAID Environment Office
TITLE: Project Management Specialist (Environment Specialist)
GRADE: FSN - (PSC) – 4005-11
BACKGROUND
The Project Management Specialist (PMS) (Environment Specialist) will provide critical mid-level technical support to the Environment (ENV) Office’s objectives, primarily in biodiversity conservation and secondarily with climate adaptation, with a focus on Kenya activities. The PMS for Environment will be tasked with assuming an Agreement Officer’s Representative (AOR) for several cooperative agreements, serving as Task Manager for priority USAID conservation programming, and supporting USAID as a leader in countering wildlife trafficking. This position requires sound critical thinking and analysis skills, a solid understanding of project management, and the ability to juggle a variety of tasks leading to the achievement of overall project or activity goals.
The USAID/Kenya & East Africa Environment Office is responsible for implementing a number of high-level US Government initiatives including the implementation of the US National Strategy to Combat Wildlife Crime. Kenya is a Tier 1 Country under the USAID Biodiversity Policy and East Africa is a Tier 2 Country, meaning that mission resources and staff must align activities to achieve positive outcomes to protect biologically significant ecosystems. Both the Kenya and East Africa operating units have specific Counter Wildlife Trafficking (CWT) funds beginning with FY14 which is likely to continue, if not grow, in the coming years given Kenya’s importance as the number one transit point for the illegal wildlife trade in Africa. The mission’s biodiversity earmark remains strong, with significant expectations for advancing cutting-edge conservation programming with high-impact. The new, five-year Integrated Environment and Climate Change (IECC) Program support’s the USAID Country Development and Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) from 2014-2018.
USAID is a leader in donor coordination in Kenya for wildlife conservation, and prioritizes significant staff engagement on donor coordination and host-country engagement. USAID currently chairs the Development Partner Wildlife Issues Group (DPWIG). These expectations require appropriate human capital resources to support the operational objectives. The PMS – Environment Specialist will play a critical support function to increase and maintain these efforts as a mid-level technical specialist.
MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The position responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following:
Project Management: 70%
Serve as Agreement Officer’s Representative (AOR), and/or Task Manager for a number of USAID Kenya biodiversity activities which may include the following: for the Seed Grant Community Conservancy program with the Nature Conservancy in the Mara region $4.1; the Policy Support program with the Nature Conservancy, $2million; the Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT) program, $20million; Partnership for Enhanced Research (PEER) Wildlife Conservation research grants, $2.5million , including participating in mission level coordination on US Development Lab PEER program review and reporting, as well as Science, Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (STIP) mission coordination; and serve as activity manager for the US Department of Interior partnership to combat wildlife trafficking for Kenya-level planning and technical assistance implementation. He/she will participate in activity design and procurement selections as needed.
In his/her role as AOR, the PMS will:
a) Provide activity management oversight including conducting regular field monitoring, data quality assessments, review of partner progress reports, review and analysis of financial expenditure data and project budget tracking, preparing annual activity incremental funding actions and or technical amendments as necessary.
b) Manage opportunities for effectively communicating activity progress, in cooperation with mission communications staff, for highlighting activity events, and accomplishments,
c) Ensure that activity performance and planning is properly analyzed and captured for regular planning and reporting exercises such as the Performance Plan and Report, the Operational Plan, and Portfolio Reviews, among others.
ENV Office Events support: 20%
Support planning, organization and logistics requirements for the ENV Office in support of high-level visitors, donor coordination meetings, partner meetings, and communities of practice learning events among other. In this role, the PMS will:
a) Plan, organize and support field visits for high-level visitors, Inspector General audits, Government Accountability Office assessments, etc.
b) Support the ENV Office Chief in donor coordination efforts, specifically serving in a secretariat function for any donor coordination groups which USAID might chair.
c) Support partner and community of practice meetings through planning, logistics, implementation and follow up.
Communication & outreach: 10%
Support preparation of various taskers, outreach communications, and analytical reports.
a) Prepare background and briefing documents/packages for USAID and/or Embassy high-level engagement in ENV Office activity events, including field visits, launches, meetings, etc.
b) Participate in program and activity design as required to achieve the objectives of the Kenya and East Africa strategies.
c) Participate in activity-level procurement panels as necessary in support of Kenya and EA activities.
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 (15%): Bachelor’s degree in environmental policy/management, biodiversity conservation, or international sustainable development.
B. Prior Work Experience (25%): Minimum of five (5) years’ experience working in international development with at least three (3) years on biodiversity conservation programming in a development context.
C. Post Entry Training: Rapid familiarization with a wide range of USAID policies, procedures and regulations; Programming Foreign Assistance; Agreement/Contracting Officers’ Technical Representations (A/COR) certification; Program Performance Monitoring.
D. Language Proficiency (5%): English proficiency (Level IV), outstanding verbal and written communication skills. Knowledge of Kiswahili language, culture, and work environment is required.
E. Job Knowledge (25%): The applicant must have a solid understanding of the nature of the goals of development programs and be familiar with U.S. development assistance in the areas of biodiversity conservation (USAID Biodiversity Policy and the US National Strategy to Combat Wildlife Trafficking). S/He must have basic knowledge of donor programming policies and regulations, procedures, and practices. S/he must be familiar with principles of international sustainable development and have experience completing analytical or project activities to a high-standard of quality.
F. Skills and Abilities (30%): The individual must have demonstrated ability in dealing effectively and diplomatically with customers from a variety of organizations. The individual must be able to effectively identify, mobilize, and draw upon the expertise of USAID personnel and other resources in order to effectively complete deliverables.
Candidates should have the ability to work independently to develop completed work with limited technical review. Proven written and oral English communication skills, as well as strong organizational, teamwork, and interpersonal skills are required to perform successfully in this position. Skills to analyze and resolve a wide range of problems arising in program structuring and project development are necessary.
POSITION ELEMENTS
A. Supervision Received: The PMS – Environment Specialist will perform his/her duties under the direct supervision of the USAID/Kenya & East Africa, Biodiversity/Policy PMS for Kenya. S/he, may report directly to various senior technical staff with regards to the completion of specific project or activity deliverables. The individual must exercise independent judgment in planning and carrying out tasks, resolving problems and conflicts, and taking steps necessary to meet deadlines.
B. Supervision Exercised: The PMS will not have supervisory responsibilities.
C. Available Guidelines: Guidelines include USAID’s ADS Series, Africa Bureau procedural guidance, Mission Orders, the Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM), Federal Acquisitions Regulations (FAR), and professional development literature. All of these are options and approaches rather than blueprints. Therefore, the individual must be able to assess alternatives and interpret the guidelines accordingly. Excellent judgment and the ability to deal with ambiguity are essential.
D. Exercise of Judgment: Work assigned to the PMS include a variety of duties and processes requiring excellent judgment, working under tight timelines and on subjects receiving a high-level of interest by USAID headquarters and the US Congress. The use of initiative, discretion, and patience is expected from the individual in working with USG office personnel as well as representatives from other organizations/partners to resolve challenges that arise during the course of work for which there is often no clear or immediate solution. The PMS will be required to follow and adhere to USAID’s Code of Ethics and Conduct.
The individual must ensure that his/her input into official U.S. Government documents is consistent with the goals of the Environment Office and reflects its strategic thinking. Good judgment will be required in organizing and maintaining complete program documentation which allows easy retrieval of information. The individual will require sound reasoning to work closely with program managers, other USG offices, and other partners.
E. Authority to Make Commitments: The PMS cannot make financial commitments on behalf of the U.S. Government. The individual's recommendations, however, may be the basis for making commitments.
F. Nature, Level, and Purpose of Contacts: Contacts will generally be with senior technical staff and the Chief of the Environment Office, as well as occasionally with staff from the US Embassy Economics Section. The PMS will interface with implementing partners, Kenyan officials, and donors, often initiating correspondence with little to no guidance.
G. Time Expected to Reach Full Performance Level: One year.
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.
Note: This is strictly a local hire position without relocation or offshore hire benefits.
