AID Project Management Specialist (Policy)

CLOSING DATE OF THE POSITION: February 29, 2016

Vacancy Announcement Number: 16/0

ALL ORDINARILY RESIDENT (OR) APPLICANTS MUST HAVE THE REQUIRED WORK AND/OR RESIDENCY PERMITS TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR CONSIDERATION.

The US Mission in Dar es Salaam is seeking eligible and qualified applicants for the position of AID Project Management Specialist (Policy) at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

BASIC FUNCTION OF POSITION

The Project Management Specialist (Policy) is located in the Office of Economic Growth, USAID/Tanzania. The Economic Growth Office is responsible for planning; managing and evaluating projects and activities to achieve USAID/Tanzania’s Development Objective (DO) 2, Inclusive Broad-Based Economic Growth Sustained, as well as implementing Feed the Future, Power Africa and other Presidential Initiatives in Tanzania and coordinating with regional and global programs. As a key member of the Policy Team of the Economic Growth Office, the Policy Project Management Specialist serves as an advisor for economic growth activities in agriculture, economic policy and private sector development and is responsible for carrying out a variety of activity planning, coordination and management functions in support of USAID projects.

This position requires technical leadership, results-oriented analysis, advocacy, and constant and clear communication with U.S. Government leadership, implementing partners, non-governmental and civil society organizations (NGOs/CSOs), the private sector, bi-lateral donor partners and host country ministries (including the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and the Ministry of Lands, Housing, and Human Settlements Development, among others), as well as local government authorities where USAID/Tanzania activities are implemented. The Specialist communicates USAID/Tanzania’s position on policy issues at technical, policy and strategic planning meetings, including meetings with collaborators and donor agencies and receives documents and communicates complex policy issues in concise and actionable fashion to USAID leadership, colleagues and Policy Team Lead.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Project Management Specialist (Policy) will provide sound economic and policy advice and expertise to the Economic Growth team, its contractors and grantees, and Government of Tanzania (GOT) counterparts. The Specialist will facilitate the transfer of skills and best practices among targeted implementing partners and host country programs or institutions. The incumbent will report to the USAID/Tanzania Economic Growth Policy Team Leader who may assign other duties as necessary in addition to those detailed below.

a. Project Management:
45%

The Specialist provides technical direction within their designated authorities and monitors performance of contractors and grantees by the terms and conditions of grants or awards by undertaking site visits to monitor project implementation, preparing and reviewing progress reports and by frequently interacting with implementing partners to resolve outstanding issues. With the support of the Mission, the Specialist obtains and maintains certification as Contracting/Agreement Officers representative (COR/AOR) and exercises initiative and independent judgment in advising and supporting activities. S/he reviews performance and financial reports, manages the assigned portfolio, assures that funding is available when required, maintains the Performance Monitoring Plan (PMP) for each project managed, and assures targets/milestones are set, being met (or that remedial action is taken), properly documented and reported, and that the overall goals of the program/project/activity are being achieved. Working with the EG Performance Management, Evaluation and Learning Specialist, s/he will take measures to maximize learning from the assigned portfolio, including planning and procuring assessments, studies, and evaluations to achieve USAID Forward Quality Evaluation standards.

b. Outreach:
30%

The Specialist builds and strengthens relationships with key relevant partner institutions, including the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Lands, Housing, and Human Settlements Development, and other key national, sub-national and non-governmental institutions in Tanzania to encourage optimal coordination, harmonization, and alignment of USG policy programs. S/he coordinates USAID participation in technical meetings and fora and ensures USAID policy activities are coordinated with other donors and well connected with international organizations, local NGOs, business associations and private companies. When required, s/he represents USAID in policy partnerships such as the Donor Partner Agriculture, Land and/or Private Sector Working Groups, the Policy Analysis Group, the Agricultural Sector Consultative Group and others to better understand the complex political and policy landscape of Tanzania and to build strong coalitions and unified support for progressive policy reforms. S/he seeks opportunities to increase recognition of agriculture and economic growth needs and activities within the Mission, USAID/Washington, other USG agencies, and with other stakeholders in Tanzania and the U.S., and uses public outreach and diplomacy resources to promote policy reforms that will liberalize and stimulate agriculture and private investment in Tanzania.

c. Strategic Planning and Project Development:
25%

The Specialist monitors performance and new developments in the Tanzanian economy and identifies priority USAID interventions, especially for improving investment and agribusiness in Tanzania. S/he supports country-wide economic analysis, economic policy research, policy analysis and reform, host-government budget analysis, and sector-specific economic analysis. In addition, s/he provides technical support for strategic planning and project development for the Economic Growth Office, especially for analytical work, strategy development and project planning for new activities related to economic, private sector, agriculture, land, and trade policies. S/he contributes to the design of innovative economic growth activities in keeping with the Country Development Cooperation Strategy by preparing annual program plans, making recommendations for activities to achieve program objectives, drafting descriptions of proposed activities, including statements of work, specifications, and activity descriptions, drafting pre-solicitation documents, making recommendations on evaluation criteria, indicators, proposed contracting mechanisms and any other required terms and conditions, and serving as a member of Technical Evaluation Committees.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED

All applicants must address each required qualification listed below with specific and comprehensive information supporting each item. Failure to do so may result in a determination that the applicant is not qualified.

1. Education: 
   Graduate degree (Master’s or above) in economics, agricultural economics, agriculture, business, global affairs or global management. is required.
2. Experience: 
   Five years of progressively responsible experience in agricultural or economic policy, agricultural or economic development assistance, or a closely related field is required. One year of this experience must have been gained working in a position equivalent to no less than the next lower level of responsibility in this or a related occupation, within a USG organization the Host Government, the private sector, or within an international or donor organization, in an English-language work environment is required.
3. Language:
   Level IV (fluent) in English and Kiswahili (writing, reading and speaking) is required. (This will be tested)
4. Skills and Abilities: 
   Must be able to assume initiative and work independently in managing USG financed projects and provide adequate support for agency programs and projects in a timely manner. Skill in the use of most elements of the Microsoft Business suite is required. Good analytical, negotiating, and time management skills, along with attention to detail, are required. The ability to work calmly, tactfully, and effectively under pressure is essential, as well as the ability to maintain strict confidentiality and meet all ethical standards in accordance with U.S. law throughout all phases of program processes is required.
5. Job Knowledge: 
   Specialist must have knowledge of procedures, regulations and poli¬cies pertaining to policy and private sector investment reflective of the duties and responsibilities described above. Also, s/he should have expert level professional experience and/or educa¬tional experience in project management and/or information management. Further, the Specialist must have a detailed and broad knowledge of the host country's operational environment. The Specialist will be the Economic Growth team’s resource person for policy, and must be able to provide technical guidance to technical program managers and implementing partners. Computer skills and familiarity with data bases and statistical packages are also required.

SELECTION PROCESS: When qualified, applicants who are U.S. Citizen Eligible family Members (USEFMs) and/or preference-eligible U.S. Veterans are given a preference in hiring. Therefore, it is essential that these applicants make themselves known as having a hiring preference and specially address the required applications above in their application.

HIRING PREFERENCE ORDER: 
1. USEFM who is ALSO a preference-eligible U.S. Veteran
2. USEFM OR a preference-eligible U.S. Veteran
3. FS on LWOP

ADDITIONAL SELECTION CRITERIA:

1. Management will consider when determining successful candidacy: nepotism, conflicts of interest, budget, and residency status.
2. Current OR employees serving a probationary period are not eligible to apply. Current OR employees with an Overall Summary rating of Needs Improvement or Unsatisfactory on their most recent Employee Performance report (EPR) are not eligible to apply.
3. Current NOR employees hired on a Family Member Employment (FMA) or a Personal Service Agreement (PSA) are not eligible to apply within the first 90 calendar days of their employment, unless they have a When Actually Employed (WAE) work schedule.

HOW TO APPLY: applicants must submit the following documents to be considered:

1. Universal Application for Employment (UAE)(Form Ds-174), which is available on our website or by contacting Human resources, (see “For Further Information” above); and
2. Any additional documentation that supports or addresses the requirements listed above (e.g. transcripts, degrees, etc.)
3. Copy of Passport, or, National ID, Resident/Work Permit.

IMPORTANT: Applicants claiming a U.S. Veteran’s preference must submit written documentation confirming eligibility (e.g., Member Copy 4 of Form DD-214, Letter from the Veteran’s Administration, or certification documenting eligibility under the VOW Act with an expected discharge no later than 120 days after the certification is submitted) by the closing date of the vacancy announcement. If the written documentation confirming eligibility is not received in the HR office by the closing date of the vacancy announcement, the U.S. Veteran’s preference will not be considered in the application process. Specific criteria for receiving a U.S. Veteran’s preference may be found in HR/OE’s Family Member Employment Policy (FMEP).

WHERE TO APPLY: 

American Embassy
Human Resources Office
P.O. Box 9123
Dar es Salaam