USAID Project Management Assistant (Governance and Stabilization)

BACKGROUND

The Project Management Assistant will provide project management support USAID/Somalia's $130 million stabilization and governance portfolios. The incumbent will support the Stabilization and Governance Teams' Contracting/Agreement Officer Representatives (CORs/AORs) on day-to-day project management duties, including performance monitoring; maintaining the official and working files; drafting project documents , meeting minutes , letters and other necessary documentation ; and will perform other programmatic and administrative functions as required. The incumbent must have: a thorough understanding of performance monitoring, administrative skills, work planning processes, superior organizational skills, excellent interpersonal skills, superior communication skills (oral and written), and able to make independent decisions and take action as required without supervision.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The incumbent is responsible for a full range of project management support responsibilities for the
Stabilization and Governance Teams:

Project Management Support - 50%
The Project Management Assistant shall serve as the primary administrative liaison with other USAID/KEA staff and external partners, including international NGOs, international donor organizations, implementing partners, and visiting government delegations. The incumbent shall, in consultation with the CORs/AORs, ensure that performance monitoring systems are in place, and that measures and indicators of portfolio impact are established. The incumbent shall contact implementing partners to collect and monitor performance data, prepare status reports and program/project reports for use within Office, and provide information on partner's progress in achieving outputs and results for selected activities, as needed. The incumbent shall draft documents related to program planning, implementation and management including memoranda , letters, performance reports, trip reports, analyses, etc., and follow up on the process of clearance of program documents from relevant offices until action has been taken.

The incumbent shall, in consultation with AOR/CORs , undertake all administrative actions related to program management of activities including preparation of action memorandums , justifications for less than full and open competition, modifications and budgets, and routine implementation letters (including those activities for which the incumbent acts as AOR/COR) . The incumbent manages the data and financial information required for Operational Plan and FACTS submissions. S/He ensures that indicator data, data quality assessment and budget information is obtained in a timely manner and is accurate, prior to submission to RFMO for input into FACTS database.

The incumbent shall, in consultation with AOR/CORs, consolidate, document, and track programmatic, procurement planning and financial information including budgets, pipelines, accruals, evaluations, and audit requirements. Assists in the correction of any problems noted, such as information recorded in the PHOENIX financial tracking system. Creates and disseminates weekly and/or monthly reports on procurement and pipeline of social services and economic growth activities.

Project Administrative Support - 50%

The incumbent shall develop and maintain permanent filing systems, including an electronic and central, hard copy filing system that is up-to-date and easy to retrieve in accordance with agency regulations on records management. The incumbent shall maintain orderly records of USAID reference materials, regularly used forms, and update various office publications. The incumbent shall contribute to office strategy development, specifically support related to program monitoring and tracking, as well as to drafting of communications products, such as success stories and fact sheets, briefing materials, and annual reporting. The incumbent shall assist the office with production of technical PowerPoint presentations and, where necessary assist in presentations.

The incumbent shall be responsible for tracking, documentation, and priority setting for closeouts of all social services and economic growth agreements, programs, grants, and contracts including those for personnel. Incumbent shall assist in securing the approval of equipment disposition plans and closeouts by obtaining inventories of equipment purchased with USAID funds and final vouchers, reports, and any other documentation required for close-outs. The incumbent shall participate in office team meetings and conferences, takes notes/minutes and assure that obligations and commitments are upheld and deadlines are met. The incumbent shall maintain up-to-date contact details for office contacts and ensure that the Mission contact list is regularly. The incumbent shall make travel and logistical arrangements for staff and high-level visitors on international travel and field sites visits and facilitate their contact with our partners as well as for other international other NGO officials. The incumbent shall prepare travel vouchers, work orders, purchase orders, and other documentation for office staff, and coordinate events held outside the U.S. Embassy.
Other duties as required or assigned.

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.

A. Education: A two-year College Diploma in business management, social sciences, public administration or a related field is required.

B. Prior Work Experience: Three to five years of professional experience as a program manager or technical support officer for a public or private organization is required, preferably including time as a project assistant with USAID or a similar U.S. Government or donor agency. Experience in Somalia or the Horn of Africa is preferred. Previous experience on development, economic development, conflict resolution, democracy and governance, international law, human rights activities, and/or political analysis is desirable.

C. Post Entry Training: This position requires the following USAID trainings - PDA and PDM.

D. Language Proficiency: Complete Level IV fluency (written/spoken/reading) in English and Level Ill fluency (written/spoken/reading) in Somali is required.

E. Knowledge: Broad knowledge of Somalia's political, security, and social environment is required.

F. Skills and Abilities: Advanced competency in using Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint) is a requirement. Must be proficient in the use of e-mail and internet. Good interpersonal skills and personal maturity is critical. The incumbent must be able to relate well to a variety of professionals and to prioritize efforts to serve all interests. The ability to maintain clear and open office communication is essential and to work with minimal supervision in a fast paced environment.

POSITION ELEMENTS

A. Supervision Received: Incumbent is directly supervised by the Governance Team Leader. The incumbent's progress against objectives is evaluated by the Governance Team Leader with 360 degree input from other Mission colleagues.

B. Available Guidelines: The incumbent is required to understand Mission and Agency-specific policies and procedures which govern project activity management in addition to USAID/East Africa-established administrative and operating procedures, policies and formats. Oral guidance from the immediate supervisor and specific detailed instructions will be given when necessary for carrying out unique assignments.

C. Exercise of Judgment: Exercise independent judgment in task prioritization, completing tasks, bringing program and administrative issues to the attention of leaders.

D. Authority to Make Commitments: None.

E. Nature, Level, and Purpose of Contacts: Contacts will be maintained in person, by phone, or by written or electronic communication with Office and Mission staff, and with relevant Somalia Government officials, private-sector representatives, and staffs of other foreign donor institutions. The nature of these contacts will be principally administrative.

F. Supervision Exercised: It is not expected that the incumbent will supervise any staff.

G. Time Required to Perform the Full Range of Duties: One year.

NOTE
Current USG employees must meet the "time-in-grade" requirement of 52 weeks in the previous lower grade to qualify for the position at the level in this vacancy announcement or be at the same grade for which the position is being recruited.

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.

HOW TO APPLY:

HOW TO APPLY

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

Step 2: Complete the job application questionnaire at www.myjobsinkenya.com/usaid. The applicant must answer all the questions in the Questionnaire.

Step 3: Internal Applicants/Current USG Employees: Attach a memo explaining your qualifications for the position, 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.

OR

External Applicants/Not Current USG Employees: Attach a letter explaining your qualifications for the position, updated curriculum vitae/resume (no more than five pages), and copies of all relevant certificates. Scan and attach all the documents as one attachment.

Note: All applications MUST be submitted online With a COVER SHEET. Incomplete application packages will not be considered. The closing date for receipt of applications is Thursday, April 14, 2016at 4:30pm East Africa Time.