Biodiversity and Natural Resource Management Specialist.

The United States Agency for International Development’s Kenya Mission (USAID/Kenya) seeks to fill the position ofBiodiversity and Natural Resource Management Specialist.

The position is based in Nairobi and is open to qualified Kenyan citizens.

The incumbent will advise officers at all levels in the USA Mission on NRM/Biodiversity and will serve as an expert on policy, law and regulations.

He/she will suggest opportunities and approaches in negotiating Program Agreements, and resolving sensitive policy and programming issues with the GoK and their impact on USAID’s program.

The incumbent will perform a full range of professional consultative, advisory, monitoring, information gathering, analytical and evaluative services on the broad scope and complexity of the portfolio.

Substantial reliance will be placed upon the incumbent’s professional judgment and acumen in the development, management, and evaluation of major programs and projects.

He/she will serve as Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) officer for the ENRM team and update and maintain program portfolio Performance Monitoring Plan (PMP), advise and mentors project/activity managers in developing and managing their PMPs.

Compiles quantitative data for the annual report.

The incumbent will perform the following program management duties as manager of major grants:

• Draft all relevant project/program/contract implementation documents;
  
• Review work plans, monitor disbursements, provide administrative approval of expenditures and prepare accruals;
  
• Monitor implementation, identify delays/problems, and resolve them accordingly;
  
• Continually evaluate contractor/ grantee performance and make authoritative recommendations to relevant authorities in the Mission;
  
• Review project reports and ensure timely reporting as per the agreements/contract;
  
• Ensure projects contribute to the achievement of results;
  
• Draft reports, correspondence.
  

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.

Education: Masters degree in ENRM and/or related fields.

Experience (40%): Eight (8) years progressive experience in the field of natural resource management/biodiversity conservation.

This will include at least:

• 4 years of project management experience, performing administrative tasks.
  
• Prior experience managing projects in a donor Mission is preferred but not required;
  
• 4 years working in a “cross-cultural” setting on work teams of mixed ethnic backgrounds;
  
• 4-year experience working with rural communities developing/advising on NRM plans, practical experience in participatory natural resource management, practical experience in nature-based enterprise development;
• 3- year experience in field-based, NRM surveys and/or inventories;
  
• 2 years experience in Environmental/NRM/Biodiversity policy and law review, analyses, development in the Kenya context.
  
• Plus, a working knowledge of the important international conventions in these areas.
  

Knowledge (30%):

• Must have a thorough knowledge and understanding of GoK policies, legislation, processes, strategies, past experience and development approaches in the ENRM sector;
  
• Experience in managing for results in a developing country;
  
• Thorough understanding of ENRM issues in East Africa and the ability to conceptualize, analyze and design natural resources activities;
  
• Advanced training in natural resource management and related fields; and,
  
• Understanding of USG policies, strategic planning and regulations an added benefit.
  

Skills and Abilities (50%):

• Ability to develop and maintain an extensive range of high-level contacts in the GoK and nongovernmental circles;
  
• Strong written, verbal and analytical skills – able to write syntheses and explain results in a fashion that is readily understandable to non-NRM/Biodiversity specialists and audiences;
  
• Skills in computer applications, team work (complex institutional and multicultural settings), policy analyses and institutional relations.
  
• Must be able to obtain, analyze and evaluate complex information and prepare precise, accurate, factual and analytically sound reports.
  
• The ability to quickly and objectively render advice is required.

Short listed candidates will be requested to submit a writing sample demonstrating technical writing skills.

For a detailed position description visit:http://kenya.usaid.gov/employment-opportunities.

Note: Incomplete application packages will not be considered.

Those fulfilling the requirements of the position should submit their application together with detailed Curriculum Vitae and all relevant attachments to the following address:

The Human Resource Office
United States Agency for International Development
P.O. Box 629, Village Market, 00621, Nairobi, Kenya

Re: Biodiversity and Natural Resource Management Specialist, ABEO/USAID/Kenya

Applications must reach USAID HR office by COB February 16, 2012