Project Management Specialist – WASH (Water, Sanitation, Hygiene)

CLOSING DATE OF THE POSITION: April 25, 2016

OPEN TO: All Interested Candidates/ All sources

Vacancy Announcement Number: 16/070

WORK HOURS: Full-time; 40 hours/week

SALARY: Ordinarily Resident (OR): FSN- 11 (Step 1- TZS 67,309,405 through Step 13- TZS100,964,101 per annum)

Not-Ordinarily Resident (NOR): FP- 4*
*Final grade/step for NORs will be determined by Washington.

The “Open To” category listed above refers to candidates who are eligible to apply for this position. The “Open To” category should notbe confused with a “hiring preference” which is explained later in this vacancy announcement.

ALL ORDINARILY RESIDENT (OR) APPLICANTS (See Appendix A for definition) 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 Project Management Specialist - WASH at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). 

BASIC FUNCTION OF POSITION 

The Project Management Specialist (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)) manages projects and activities in support of Economic Growth (EG) in Tanzania and is responsible for overseeing the implementation of USAID/Tanzania’s high visibility integrated programing by supporting and contributing to Tanzania’s priority agenda of the development and application of harmonized WASH sector wide guidelines, in keeping with USAID/Tanzania’s Country Development and Cooperation Strategy (CDCS), the Tanzania National Poverty Reduction Strategy (MKUKUTA), Big Results Now (BRN) and other relevant initiatives under the water sector development frameworks. The incumbent provides a full range of expert WASH and Water Resources Management (WRM) advice and analytical and technical support to the EG Office; promotes knowledge management by exchange of knowledge, information, situation analysis, experience or lessons learned; promote knowledge sharing and technical input or recommendations on major program directions and on introduction of new initiatives in the country; and liaises with other Mission programs to identify linkages and synergies in programs. S/he develops internal Mission documentation supporting project planning and implementation, such as Action Memoranda, Operational Plan, Performance Reports, and others. S/he also monitors, manages, and ensures that deliverables are received from project contractors.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Program Coordination Management
(50% of time)

1. The Specialist manages an array USAID supported WASH / Water resources management projects in support of Tanzania’s WASH/ Water sector development programming and related cross-cutting policy and legal framework in relation to USAID’s Environment and natural resources management programming; S/He interacts with mission, other development partners international and local NGOs, community based organizations/civil society organizations and other stakeholders to advance program objectives. The specialist undertakes field visits, monitors implementation, prepares status reports and recommends remedial measures to any identified issues. Tracks and assesses activities for their progress toward results by reviewing, analyzing and commenting upon reports, and by periodic inspections at activity sites. Evaluates content of reports submitted with determinations and findings from site visits. Determines the corrective action to be taken to achieve results, and ensures grantees/contractors take the necessary steps. The position holder serves as the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) or Agreement Officer’s Representative (AOR) for specific activities’ Cooperative Agreements, Contracts, Grants and other activities within the NRM-EG portfolio. Participates as a USAID/Tanzania representative in technical and programmatic meetings with in-country and international activity coordinators and examines the robustness of development hypothesis and impact of projects on results. Provides technical direction to grantees and contractors, and instructs and authorizes grantees to undertake courses of action related to their activities.
2. Incumbent is responsible for project design and management; develops results framework during project design through identification of outputs needed to achieve purpose and goal level results. Develops performance standards; organizes outputs into projects and identifies financial needs and tracks expenditures. Maintains close contact with grantee, contractor personnel and home offices and provides administrative oversight of grantees and contractors to ensure compliance with the terms of agreements. This includes approval of work plans, reports and commodity procurement and disposition plans.
3. S/He formulates program evaluations, sector specific project analysis/assessment, and proposes adjustments to programs in order to satisfy both host government environment and natural resources community based development agenda and USAID/Tanzania objectives. Undertakes systematic analysis of program progress through identification of the key purposes of and issues covered on the program level semi-annual Portfolio Reviews focusing on program-level, project-level and operational issues and determine if the program is “on-track” and recommend appropriate actions. Using the program Results Framework as an important tool for conceptualizing and testing the validity of the transformational development hypothesis, the incumbent conducts periodic assessment to shows how results are being achieved.
4. Provides financial oversight of grantees and contractor including: monitoring budgetary provisions and ensuring the timely disbursement of funds for planned activities, reviewing expenditure reports and vouchers for legitimacy of expenses claimed, tracking expenditures against availability of funds, providing administrative approval of advance and liquidation reports; ensuring consistency of expenses with the terms of grant agreements; liaising with Controllers Office on audit requirements and follow-up. The incumbent is a signatory to authorization of requests for advance and liquidation, and is responsible for ensuring that activities progress according to established work plans. Coordinate and communicate regularly on technical and programmatic issues salient to the Specialist’s activity management needs as well as the overall NRM-EG Program. Provides technical advisory services on WASH and WRM to USAID leadership and other partners. Identifies and submits projects due for audit, and remains fully engaged in the audit process, ensuring that grantees/contractors take recommended actions to rectify audit discrepancies.
5. S/He has the overall responsibility for management of the program’s Performance Management Plan (PMP) to obtain systematic feedback as part of assessing and learning, and eventually planning how and when information will be obtained. The incumbent develops and puts in place the appropriate systems to ensure adequate information flow between projects and the program to enable ongoing decision-making to meet annual performance reporting. Works with grantees and contractors to develop effective performance monitoring plans to measure progress toward results and provides technical oversight and instructions for performance monitoring systems for tracking of performance indicators at program area, program elements and sub-elements levels. Supervises and participates in periodic evaluations of activities, provides direction to evaluation teams, drafts and/or approves Scopes of Work for evaluations.
6. The incumbent takes the lead in interacting with senior and mid-level host government officials from the sector line ministries of water, natural resources and environment to solicit GoT buy in and support of USAID Program and approach; builds and maintains relationships with government and private sector officials, and works to build consensus on critical policy and/or programmatic issues, and resolve conflicts or problem areas.
7. Drafts and circulates implementation letters and action memoranda, and processes other contractual and grant funding documents. S/He works with Mission Agreements & Contracts Office and other appropriate offices to ensure effective processing of documents to expedite program implementation.
8. Ensures completed activities are appropriately closed-out including submission of final reports, liquidation of outstanding advances and disposition of commodities.

Program Management
(35% of time)

1. Participates on mission’s working groups and committees formed from to time to time and charged with responsibilities including but not limited to: Activity Selection (responsible for contributing to preparation of the necessary project documentation leading to soliciting, evaluating and recommending activities for funding); Performance Monitoring (development of activity performance indicators and providing oversight for tracking progress based on these indicators; preparation of performance monitoring reports); Activity Design (design of new and/or follow-on activities).
2. The Specialist requires and applies in-depth WASH / water resources management knowledge and analytical skills to ensure technically sound and effective implementation of USAID/Tanzania WASH Program. Maintains and implements Program information sharing strategy. Serves as point person and Provides technical inputs into mission’s sound and effective implementation of USWASH / WRM programing by managing various publicity tools for the program.
3. Specialist is well versed with both the local and international context of Tanzania water sector development and planning.
4. Works with Government authorities and partners to identify capacity development needs and objectives and to design, plan and organize capacity development strategies and interventions for the purpose of program strengthening, ownership and sustainability.

Contacts and Representation
(15% of time)

1. As may be required from time to time, maintain contact and collaborative relationships with: mid- to senior-level officials of Tanzanian institutions; local and locally-based environmental Public Voluntary Organizations (PVOs) and Non-Government Organizations (NGO); and donor organizations involved in WASH and water resources management. Coordinates and communicates regularly on technical and programmatic issues salient to the Specialist activity management needs as well as the overall EG Program. 
   Remains current on the activities of partner organizations, briefs partners on Program activities, and ensures that all relevant information is shared among partners and other stakeholders. Reports to Office and USAID/Tanzania on the progress of activities and represents EG Team to other Mission Programs to ensure effective linkages and coordination is maximized and program linkages and synergies are explored and captured. The incumbent represents EG Program in workshops, conferences and other forum.

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: 
   The multidisciplinary nature of the position requires a Minimum of a graduate Master’s Degree/ MSc in one or more of the following fields: Water resources management, Water Hydraulics Engineering, Public Health Engineering, Environmental management, Natural resources management, rural development, or closely related field is required.
2. Experience: 
   Minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible professional-level experience in an area (s) related to strategy and policy development, program design, coordination and management in WASH and WRM related natural resource management fields. Experience in USG project management precepts 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: 
   Ability to use a personal computer for word processing and document presentation is required. (This will be tested).
5. Job Knowledge: 
   Must have a thorough professional knowledge of WASH and Water sector programs, policies and trends in Tanzania is 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

* IMPORTANT:  Applicants who claim status as a preference-eligible U.S. Veteran must submit a copy of the most recent Member Copy Four (4) of the DD-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, and, if applicable, a letter from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.  If claiming conditional eligibility for U.S. Veterans’ preference, applicants must submit proof of conditional eligibility.  If the written documentation confirming eligibility is not received in the HR office by the closing date of the vacancy announcement, the U.S. Veterans’ preference will not be considered in the application process.  Mission HR’s decision on eligibility for U.S. Veterans’ preference after reviewing all required documentation is final.

** This level of preference applies to all Foreign Service employees 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