Summary
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.
- SOLICITATION NO.: 72061524R10023
- ISSUANCE DATE: February 23, 2024
- CLOSING DATE AND TIME FOR RECEIPT OF OFFERS: March 10, 2024 (4:30 PM East Africa Time).
- POINT OF CONTACT: USAID Kenya and East Africa Human Resources, e-mail at [email protected]
- POSITION TITLE: USAID Project Management Specialist (BHA Resilience) - Multiple Positions
- MARKET VALUE: Equivalent to FSN-11 Step 1 (5,435,381.00 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. All applicable taxes will be deducted from the stated gross market rate. Final compensation will be negotiated within the listed market value.
- 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 sixmonth
period from the closing date of this solicitation. - PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Nairobi, Kenya; with possible travel as stated in the Statement of Duties.
- 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.
- SECURITY LEVEL REQUIRED: Security certification issued by the US Embassy RSO.
STATEMENT OF DUTIES
General Statement of Purpose of the Contract
The USAID Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) Somalia Program Management Specialist for resilience is responsible for ensuring the effective management of USAID/BHA’s humanitarian-resilience programs and is the focal point on resilience and integration in Somalia. Working under the guidance and supervision of the USAID/BHA Somalia Humanitarian Team Lead, this specialist is responsible for planning, assessing, reporting and documenting program activities and making informed
recommendations on strategy and operational priorities as well as providing technical input on development program designs from the humanitarian perspective. The Specialist will manage the new Somalia Resilience and Food Security Activity (RFSA), valued at $150,000,000 over a five year period of performance. The Specialist will lead on the integration of emergency response activities, resilience programming, and development efforts across the USAID/Somalia mission. The Specialist will maintain
close relationships with USAID partners on the ground to ensure USG resources are effectively and efficiently managed, are oriented toward the most immediate, lifesaving needs and layered with development programs. The job may be expected to perform work-related travel.
Description
Statement of Duties to be Performed
- Manage USAID/BHA’s Resilience Program in Somalia (50%)
- Oversee the successful implementation and management of the USAID/BHA Resilience Program in Somalia.
- Serve as Activity Manager or Agreement Officer's Representative (AOR) for the USAID/BHA Somalia Resilience and Food Security Activity (RFSA).
- Coordinate closely with the USAID/BHA Somalia Team in Washington, as well as the Agreement Officer (AO), Technical and Program Quality (TPQ) team, and other internal activity management stakeholders.
- Establish clear performance indicators and closely monitor program and activity progress.
- Monitor and manage multi-sectoral resilience activities, ensuring compliance with BHA and USAID regulations as well as specific RFSA award provisions.
- Regularly meet with and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, including implementing partners, government officials, local partners, UN agencies, other donors, USAID offices, and others.
- Provide guidance to partners in the preparation of USAID reporting, workplans, call-forwards, accruals, communications products, and other award requirements.
- Prepare regular reports; manage internal and external communications; respond to requests for information; prepare annual budgets and workplans; provide input for award modifications.
- Recommend adjustments and improvements in USAID partner humanitarian assistance activities to promote efficiency, effectiveness, and cost savings.
- Review concept papers and proposals and provide recommendations/comments to BHA on funding determinations.
- Carry out other duties and tasks specific in the Activity Manager or AOR letter.
- May serve as Activity Manager, AOR, Alternate Activity Manager or Alternate AOR on other BHA awards.
2. Lead the Integration of USAID's humanitarian, resilience, and development programming in Somalia (20%)
- Spearhead the layering, sequencing, and integration of emergency response activities, resilience programs, and development efforts within the USAID/Somalia mission.
- Offer technical input on program designs from a humanitarian-resilience perspective; review other offices’ strategies, plans, partner proposals to ensure resilience is integrated across the USAID mission.
- Collaborate with various stakeholders to ensure coordination and alignment of USAID's efforts for maximum impact.
- Develop and maintain knowledge of USAID and USG humanitarian priorities and strategies within Somalia and how BHA Somalia can best contribute to advancing those priorities.
3. Provide USAID and Embassy Mogadishu expert advice on resilience programming in Somalia (20%)
- Serve as a subject matter expert on resilience programming for USAID and the wider U.S. Embassy Somalia interagency in Mogadishu, Nairobi and Washington, D.C., including strategic planning processes, program designs, activity designs, assessments, evaluations, presentations, technical reports, cables, briefing papers, and other processes that require technical input.
- Analyze the humanitarian and food security situation in Somalia, offering recommendations for appropriate responses.
- Maintain contextual awareness, historical understanding, and a wide network of contacts to ensure resilience assistance is contextually appropriate and effective.
- Liaise with NGOs, UN agencies, and host country officials to assess needs, trends, and opportunities for humanitarian assistance.
4. Coordinate USAID/BHA's resilience programming with other donors, partners, government counterparts, and other stakeholders (10%)
- Organize and participate in regular stakeholder meetings and establish strong relationships with USAID partners on the ground.
- Collaborate with the donor community and other stakeholders to ensure effective coordination of humanitarian resilience efforts.
- Represent USAID/BHA in interactions with relevant stakeholders, including host governments, donors, and international organizations.
- Prepare and deliver presentations to government officials, other donors, and various stakeholders on USAID’s humanitarian-resilience programs and activities at local, regional and international workshops and conferences.
- Provide analysis and reports on the humanitarian-resilience context, including political, economic, and social factors.
Travel to Somalia is required.
Education
Education
Bachelor’s degree in International Development, Agriculture, Social Protection, Food Security, Public Health/Nutrition or a related field is required.
Post Entry Training
The incumbent is expected to possess the necessary technical skills/abilities required to perform the duties and responsibilities required of the position. Post entry training will, therefore, be focused primarily on the Agency-specific established policies, procedures and regulations.
CCN PSCs may participate in temporary duty (TDY) travel to USAID/Washington and other Missions in order to participate in the Foreign Service National Fellowship Program described in ADS 495maa.
Language Proficiency
Written and spoken level IV (Fluent) English is required and will be tested.
More Details on Experience
Prior Work Experience
A minimum of five years of relevant, progressively responsible and professional work experience in designing, managing, evaluating, or providing technical assistance to resilience, food security, food assistance, social protection, humanitarian program
management or international development program management is required. At least three years of specialized experience in resilience or multi-sectoral food security and nutrition program management.
More Details on Skills
Supervision Received
This position reports to the Somalia Team Leader or his/her designee.
Supervision Exercised
None.
Physical Demand
The work requested does not involve undue physical demands.
Terms And Conditions
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
The incumbent must have strong knowledge of resilience, food insecurity, and vulnerability factors in Somalia. S/he must have specialized knowledge and demonstrated expertise in resilience programs, social protection, or community-based nutrition program management. S/he must have a proven ability to work effectively with high-level personnel from government, donors, implementing partners and other
resilience organizations. S/he should have an understanding of USAID/Somalia-specific processes, programs and strategies relevant to his/her portfolio. S/he requires a high degree of political savvy to effectively coordinate resilience reforms among a wide range of stakeholders from the Somali government, local governments, communities, implementing partners, other donors and the wider U.S. government interagency.
Skills and Abilities
This position requires excellent communication skills - including strong writing skills - and an ability to exercise sound and independent judgment, discretion and patience on a daily basis. This position requires flexibility and the ability to accept and react to changing policy direction with sound analyses, professionalism and poise. More specifically, the incumbent is required to: identify issues and proactively seek solutions to complex problems; conduct research, including evaluating and integrating information
from multiple sources, in order to assess the impact of potential activities on resilience; and work underextreme pressure. This position requires very good diplomatic and interpersonal skills to effectively manage relationships, facilitate negotiations and play a technical advisory role on resilience, food security, nutrition, and social protection. S/he must have negotiation skills and must demonstrate the ability to discuss difficult topics while maintaining and strengthening positive working relationships with the counterparts.
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 as one attachment 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 as one attachment 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
- Offers must be received by the closing date and time specified in Section I, item 3, and submitted through myjobsinkenya.com.
- Submissions will only be accepted through www.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.
- 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:
- 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. - Contract Cover Page form AID 309-1 available at https://www.usaid.gov/forms. Pricing by line item is to be determined upon contract award.
- Acquisition & Assistance Policy Directives/Contract Information Bulletins (AAPDs/CIBs) for Personal Services Contracts with Individuals available at http://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/aapdscibs.
- 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. - 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].