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.: 72064924R10006
2. ISSUANCE DATE: March 22, 2024
3. CLOSING DATE AND TIME FOR RECEIPT OF OFFERS: April 08, 2024 (4:30 PM East Africa Time).
4. POINT OF CONTACT: USAID Kenya and East Africa and Somalia Human Resources, e-mail at [email protected]
5. POSITION TITLE: Project Management Specialist (Education)
6. MARKET VALUE: Equivalent FSN-11 Step 1 (5,435,381 KSH per annum) to Step 13 (9,069,687.00 KSH per annum). In accordance with AIDAR Appendix J and the Local Compensation Plan of USAID/Kenya and East Africa. The salary range provided is inclusive of all allowances and annual bonus.  All applicable taxes will be deducted from the stated gross market rate. 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, Third Country Nationals and Current locally hired employees of the US Mission in Kenya. Employees presently on probation are ineligible to apply.

Third Country Nationals will be hired under the U.S. Embassy Nairobi Local Compensation Pay Plan and paid in Kenyan Shillings. This position offers medical benefits to the employee and his/her immediate family - spouse and children only. Third country nationals will not receive a pension plan. Relocation to Kenya (including Entry Visa/Pass) is at the employee’s expense and will not be reimbursed by the U.S. Government.

10. SECURITY LEVEL REQUIRED: Security certification issued by the US Embassy RSO.

STATEMENT OF DUTIES

General Statement of Purpose of the Contract

The USAID Project Management Specialist – Education position is located in USAID/Somalia's Social Services Team. The primary purpose of the position is to carry out a full range of project management responsibilities in the area of basic education. S/he has practical knowledge of program and project design, planning, administration, monitoring and evaluation, data analysis and performance reporting. S/he supports the implementation of assigned activities through contractors and grantees; develops and monitors budgets for activities for which s/he is responsible; and participates actively in the planning of comprehensive programs in assigned areas.

The Specialist has a high degree of competence and maturity to manage productive relationships with the Embassy, the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS), other donors, the private sector, non-governmental and civil society organizations, and private voluntary organizations (PVOs) from the local, regional, and international arenas. The position requires effective and continuous communication with FGS officials at appropriate levels, ensuring that USAID/Somalia is fully engaged in the education sector reform agenda. The Specialist will incorporate science, technology, innovation and partnerships, as well as Collaborative Learning and Adaptation (CLA) into all activity design, implementation and evaluation duties. The Specialist functions under the supervision of the USAID/Somalia Office of Social Services Office Director, unless otherwise directed by USAID/Somalia Mission Director.

The work includes serving as Contracting/Agreement Officer Representative (COR/AOR) for projects/activities; participating in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of projects/activities; advising on best practices/evidence; and participating in coordination and technical meetings/working groups. The Specialist keeps abreast of current trends, publications, and evidence in order to advise USAID/Somalia on strategic planning and programming. The Specialist is responsible for building relationships with Somali and other stakeholders and representing USAID/Somalia.

The assignment requires regular site visits and other travel to select locations in Somalia in adherence to Mission standard operating procedures.

Statement of Duties to be Performed

1. Project Management and Related Duties – 50%

The Specialist serves as COR/AOR, alternate and/or activity manager for selected implementing partners (IPs); coordinates projects/activities in order to facilitate implementation; and ensures efficient, effective, and meaningful results are being provided in accordance with Mission standards, best practices, and procedures, as part of USAID/Somalia's education team.

The Specialist monitors and evaluates managed projects/activities, including project expenditures, through site visits, reporting, and trends analysis with an eye towards learning and constant improvement; works in close collaboration with the other Specialists in the Mission to avoid overlap with other projects/activities; and facilitates the development of IP work plans and Project Management Plans (PMP), reviewing and proposing modifications to activity approaches, work plans and monitoring and evaluation plans when necessary to better achieve results.

The Specialist reviews annual and quarterly IP reports and weekly updates, requesting or participating in the preparation of other reports as needed, and coordinates preparations for IP portfolio reviews, in collaboration with USAID/Somalia's education team. The Specialist prepares or contributes to high quality internal and external reporting and communications related to education and youth activities, such as weekly reports, success stories, and USAID and inter-agency planning and programmatic documents.

As AOR/COR, the Specialist is responsible for the development and tracking of quarterly and annual work plans, schedules for budget allocation, obligation, and expenditure, portfolio reviews, evaluation planning and implementation, audits, development and outreach communications, and closeouts, in collaboration with USAID/Somalia's education team. The incumbent is responsible for drafting narratives and providing other inputs into USAID documents throughout the USAID performance cycle, including planning (e.g. Operational Plan), monitoring and reporting (Performance Plan and Report; Mission Resource Request, Congressional Budget Justification, etc.), and learning (alignment with USAID's CLA Strategy, evaluations).

It is anticipated that the Specialist will manage, as either the AOR or alternate AOR, the new education activity focused on expanding education access and quality for out-of-school children and youth, in addition to supporting management of other activities as needed. Adaptability and flexibility will be required as the Specialist's primary responsibilities may change over time as new USAID strategies and FGS priorities emerge.

2. Technical Specialist, Representational and Other Duties - 50%

The Specialist actively participates in strategic planning and all facets of project design, including drafting and amending documents and ensuring necessary clearances are in place. The Specialist gathers information, analyzes data, drafts concept papers, scopes of work and other project documents, prepares independent government cost estimates (IGCE), and evaluates proposals for all education and youth activities. The Specialist works with colleagues in the Team and the Office, and with other Technical Offices, to strengthen USAID strategic and programmatic directions, and the Team's ability to address managed projects/activities, with special emphasis on implementing best practices in social services activities. The Specialist assists senior USG, Mission, and Office staff in representing USAID to implementing partners (IPs), NGOs, Somali government counterparts, donors, and other national and international groups and bodies, in order to develop effective and sustainable strategies for implementing education and youth programs, and the scaling up of activities to meet national and international standards and to achieve national and USAID goals. The Specialist collaborates with other office members and inter-agency processes in the preparation and presentation of deliverables and assists in monitoring progress toward meeting overall Mission and broader USG objectives.

The Specialist plays a leading role in fostering and managing relationships with Somali government counterparts, private sector, donor partners, and other stakeholders, leading or supporting coordination and negotiation efforts in education and youth activities, and for providing technical guidance and leadership as appropriate, participating in partners and coordination meetings. The Specialist represents USAID at official meetings and events and provides written reporting as appropriate. The Specialist coordinates VIP and other TDYs related to personally managed and Office-wide activities, as required. The Specialist participates in budgeting and financial analysis with other Team and Office staff, and with other Offices in areas related to social services activities. The Specialist backstops other Team members, as needed.

The Specialist will serve as a technical advisor to USAID/Somalia, and the US Mission to Somalia on basic education and other sector reforms, particularly as related to basic education. The Specialist will keep abreast of and analyze economic, political and other trends affecting education development, and will keep the Mission informed of these trends. S/he will be considered an expert resource on education quality and improving learning outcomes, and other areas related to basic education, and will be expected to participate actively in internal and external strategy discussions, including active engagement across sectors at the Mission. The Education Project Management Specialist 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.

Prior Work Experience

Minimum five years of progressively responsible, professional-level experience in education and youth development required. Three (3) or more years of prior professional work experience should have been in development-related work for US foreign affairs, a bilateral or multilateral donor agency, INGO, UN agency, government ministry or private-sector institution that implements international development activities. Experience should also include performance monitoring, and/or the analysis and interpretation of large amounts of data.

Supervision Received

The Specialist will work under the supervision of the Education Office Director or their designate in USAID/Somalia. The incumbent's immediate supervisor will: 1) establish annual work objectives and performance measures; 2) review work outputs and accomplishments to ensure compliance with agency policies, and implementation of best practices; 3) provide regular feedback to incumbent throughout the performance evaluation period; 4) prepare the annual Evaluation Report(s) as/when required. As the incumbent is expected to work with a high degree of independence, they must be able to establish priorities, adhere to and meet established deadlines, and perform responsibilities and duties with minimal guidance. The incumbent must be proactive as well as self-motivated. As the incumbent is expected to work with a high degree of independence, s/he must be able to establish priorities, adhere to and meet established deadlines, and perform responsibilities and duties.

Supervision Exercised

The incumbent will not have direct supervision responsibilities.

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 will serve as a technical advisor to USAID/Somalia, and the US Mission to Somalia on basic education and other sector reforms, particularly as related to basic education challenges of access, quality and improving learning outcomes. The Specialist will keep abreast of and analyze economic, political and other trends affecting education development, and will keep the Mission informed of these trends. The Specialist must have in-depth professional-level knowledge of development principles, concepts, and practices, especially in fragile states. The Specialist is required to have a sophisticated knowledge, or potential to develop this knowledge, of education in crisis or conflict contexts, particularly in Somalia. S/he will be expected to participate actively in internal and external strategy discussions, including active engagement across sectors at the Mission.

Skills and Abilities (40 points)

The Specialist must have: managerial skills, especially of complex portfolios; excellent interpersonal skills in order to establish relationships with key host-country counterparts, donors, and other stakeholders; and strong coordination and negotiation skills to ensure activities are carried out efficiently, effectively, and meaningfully. Above average written and oral communication skills is required in order to represent USAID, speak publicly and give presentations, and develop original reports and other communications products for a variety of audiences and a variety of pm-poses. The Specialist must have the ability to prioritize among a considerable range of differing tasks and the ability to use critical thinking and innovation to solve problems as well as to develop new approaches. The Specialist must be able to function both independently and as part of a team with a high degree of proactivity, responsiveness, and motivation in order to meet established deadlines. The Specialist must have strong analytical skills to analyze information and evaluate data to inform program and project decisions. Advanced IT skills in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Access and PowerPoint) and adherence to USAID's Core Values and Ethical Code of Conduct is required. Given the nature of the position, effective communications (written/spoken/reading) are absolutely critical to perform successfully in this position and must be exceptional. The incumbent must be able to communicate clearly and effectively with: 1) all categories of USG employees at post and in Washington, D.C.; 2) Somali government officials; 3) International Organizations, Donors, and Embassies; and 4) the general public. The incumbent is required to be able to prepare concise/thorough documents and reports including but not limited to: concept papers; scopes of work; reports; budgets; a range of other project documents for internal and external purposes; human interest stories; and correspondence, all of which must be done in a professional and competent manner requiring little or no editorial changes.

Total possible points: 100

SUBMITTING AN OFFER

Step 1: Register in MyJobsInKenya at www.myjobsinkenya.com

Step 2: Complete the job application at www.myjobsinkenya.com

Step 3: Internal Offerors/Current USG Employees: Attach an 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 and upload them to MyJobsInKenya.

                        OR

External Offerors/Not Current USG Employees: Attach an updated curriculum vitae/resume (no more than five pages) and copies of all relevant certificates. Scan and attach all the documents and upload them to MyJobsInKenya.

Offerors must provide a list of minimum three (3) professional references who are not family members or relatives, with complete name, title, organization where he/she works, description of relationship, with working/accurate telephone numbers and email addresses. The offeror’s references must be able to provide substantive information about his/her past performance and abilities.

Note to Applicants

1. Offers must be received by the closing date and time specified in Section I, item 3, and submitted through myjobsinkenya.com.
2. Submissions will only be accepted through myjobsinkenya.com. Late and incomplete applications (those that do not contain the applicant’s most current and up to date detailed CV and relevant education certificates) will not be considered for the position.
3. All Applicants must provide at least three professional references, who are not family members or relatives, with working telephone and e-mail contacts. The references must be able to provide substantive information about your past performance and abilities. USAID reserves the right to contact your previous employers for relevant information concerning your performance and may consider such information in its evaluation of the application.

LIST OF REQUIRED FORMS PRIOR TO AWARD

The CO will provide instructions about how to complete and submit any required forms after an offeror is selected for the contract award.

BENEFITS AND ALLOWANCES 

Benefits and allowances are offered in accordance with the Local Compensation Plan (LCP).

TAXES

The Contractor must observe Kenyan laws including those concerning income and related tax obligations.

USAID REGULATIONS, POLICIES AND CONTRACT CLAUSES PERTAINING TO PSCs

USAID regulations and policies governing CCN and TCN PSC awards are available at these sources:

1. USAID Acquisition Regulation (AIDAR), Appendix J, “Direct USAID Contracts With a Cooperating Country National and with a Third Country National for Personal Services Abroad,” including contract clause “General Provisions,” available at https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1868/aidar_0.pdf.
2. Contract Cover Page form AID 309-1 available at https://www.usaid.gov/forms. Pricing by line item is to be determined upon contract
3. Acquisition & Assistance Policy Directives/Contract Information Bulletins (AAPDs/CIBs) for Personal Services Contracts with Individuals available at http://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/aapds-cibs.
4. Ethical Conduct. By the acceptance of a USAID personal services contract as an individual, the contractor will be acknowledging receipt of the “Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch,” available from the U.S. Office of Government Ethics, in accordance with General Provision 2 and 5 CFR 2635.  See https://www.oge.gov/web/oge.nsf/OGE%20Regulations.
5. PSC Ombudsman: The PSC Ombudsman serves as a resource for any Personal Services Contractor who has entered into a contract with the United States Agency for International Development and is available to provide clarity on their specific contract with the agency. Please visit our page for additional information: https://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/personal-service-contracts-ombudsman.
   

The PSC Ombudsman may be contacted via: [email protected]