Reference No.: AID-17-01
Position/Salary Range: Project Management Specialist (Economic Growth); FSN-10
Additional benefits include allowances for Housing, Transportation,
Meals, Family, and Miscellaneous; 13th and 14th month bonuses;
annual and sick leave and medical coverage
Open To: All DRC citizens
Location: USAID/Democratic Republic of Congo Kinshasa, DRC
Opening: January 5, 2017
Closing: February 4, 2017
Work Hours: Full-Time; 40 hours/week
USAID/Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), an equal opportunity employer, seeks applicants for the above position.
Completion a Bachelor degree in Economics, Statistics, or Business Administration or in a related area and Level V in English and French, both in oral and written communication are requirements for this position.
Basic Function of Position:
The Project Management Specialist (Specialist) is an integral member of the Economic Growth (EG) office of USAID/Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The Specialist plays a central role to the EG office and, in addition to managing development activities assigned to him/her, s/he provides assistance to the entire EG office team, including monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of activities; maintaining applicable EG office reporting data bases; tracking results and performance management plans (PMPs); initiating GLAAS actions; tracking budgets, obligations, expenditures, accruals, and pipelines; planning, preparing and/or providing technical input to procurement actions, including but not limited to statements of work (SOW), program descriptions (PDs), global development alliances (GDAs); and supporting EG office management and technical staff. Additionally, the Specialist will serve as a Contracts Officer Representative (COR), and/or an Agreement Officer Representative (AOR), and/or as an Alternate to a COR or an AOR.
The Specialist works under the EG office Director, and/or his/her designee. The Specialist closely liaises with all appropriate USAID/DRC technical and support offices to ensure applicable work activities move forward timely and effectively. The Specialist keeps regular and frequent contact with the wide range of implementing partners (IPs) and collaborating donors.
The Specialist has a thorough understanding of development program management functions; possess well-developed organizational and interpersonal skills; makes independent decisions in his/her capacity as a COR or Alternate or as an AOR or Alternate; directs actions, inquiries, and information requests to appropriate EG colleagues; and works with minimal supervision.
Major Duties and Responsibilities:
The Project Management Specialist supports program planning, documentation, and reporting, which requires knowledge and understanding of USAID and USG guidance and directives, development principles and approaches, principles of acquisition and assistance, regional development priorities and requirements, as well as timely decision making, judgment in planning and carrying out tasks, and strong interpersonal, organizational, and teamwork skills.
Program Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting, the Specialist: (35%)
• Assists in drafting EG contributions to USAID internal and external reports, including the annual Program Performance Report (PPR), Congressional Budget Justification (CBJ), the Operational Plan (OP), the Performance Plan Review (PPR), the Feed the Future Monitoring System (FTFMS) and other reports as requested. Manages database updating and document submission as needed.
• Serves as the overall technical lead for EG Office monitoring and evaluation, participating in the Mission’s M&E Team, assisting AOR/CORs with development and review of implementing-mechanism and project level PMPs, participating in or leading Data Quality Assessments (DQAs), and helping design and manage evaluations and assessments.
• Responds to information requests and tasks regarding EG programs from within and outside the USAID.
Budget Tracking and Analysis, the Specialist: (25%)
• Coordinates with the USAID/DRC Program Office on program budget issues, (e.g. budget allowances, Phoenix commitments, quarterly pipeline analyses, and their related reports), attends relevant meetings, and reports out to the office.
Supports EG Office Program Budget processes by managing and maintaining accurate reports and planning documents for OU budgeting allocation decisions.
• Prepares OU annual budgets for all Program Administration and Program Design and Learning (Objective 6) actions. Provides advice to the EG office on budgeting issues, obligations, and incremental funding actions.
• Manages, supports, or conducts EG Office financial analyses, including quarterly pipelines, partner matching funds, ad-hoc activity-level expenditures, and quarterly accruals.
• Assists in the creation and tracking of the EG office procurement plan.
• Assists in the preparation of Acquisition and Assistance (GLAAS) Requests and other support documentation for the management and administration of specific procurements (i.e., initiates GLASS requisitions and tracks them through approval).
Activity Design and Implementation, the Specialist: (40%)
• Serves as activity manager and/or COR/AOR or Alternate COR/AOR for designated EG contracts, cooperative agreements, or grants.
In addition to COR/AOR monitoring, conducts field compliance monitoring visits as directed.
• Participates in activity planning and provides technical input into new designs, including but not limited to SOWs, PDs, and GDAs.
Coordinates and conducts EG Office outreach to local organizations and is the Office POC for Local Solutions.
Required Qualifications at the Full Performance Level:
Education: Bachelor degree in Economics, Statistics, or Business Administration is preferred but not required.
Prior Work Experience: Minimum of five years administrative experience with an international development organization, with the Government of the DRC, or elsewhere in the public or private sector.
Language Proficiency: High level of proficiency in both French and English (Level IV is required). This position will have a strong component for original writing and the Specialist must be able to prepare complex papers documenting program activities and/or individual and/or team conceptualization processes, and other correspondence and materials in English. The Specialist must be able to fully participate in meetings and discussions conducted in English.
Knowledge:
The incumbent must be thoroughly knowledgeable in basic administrative procedures and computer applications, including but not limited to MS Word, Access, Excel, PowerPoint, email systems, and Internet searches. It is highly desirable if the incumbent has prior knowledge of M&E and performance reporting. It is preferred, but not required, that the incumbent have a basic knowledge of USAID programs, policies, and procedures, particularly with respect to M&E and performance reporting
Evaluation Criteria and Weights:
Education/Weighted 20% based on initial application review;
English Language Skills/Weighted 15% based on application review, written assessment and interview;
Prior Work Experience/Weighted 20% based on application review and interview;
Knowledge/Weighted 25% based on written assessment and interview; and
Skills and Abilities/Weighted 20% based on written assessment and interview.
How the selection will be made:
The successful candidate will be selected based upon
A preliminary review of the applicant's submitted package to establish that minimum educational and English writing fluency requirements are met.
Tests to include an English writing skills test, a Microsoft Office proficiency test that might include any of the following: Word, Excel, PowerPoint; and any technical skill test that might be deemed appropriate.
A personal or telephone interview.
Reference checks.
USAID/DRC’s Technical Evaluation Committee (TEC) and Human Resources Section will perform the preliminary review (Step 1 above) to eliminate those applications that do not meet the minimum educational and written English language requirements.
The TEC will review each of the applications which meet the minimum qualifications against the established evaluation criteria to develop a shortlist of applicants to be tested and possibly interviewed. Applicants will be contacted for testing (Step 2) and interviews. Based on the results of the tests, however, an applicant otherwise identified for interview could be dropped from the interview list.
Following the interview (Step 3) during which the applicant will be evaluated against the established criteria, the TEC will make a preliminary determination of candidates to be considered for employment and forward that list to HR. HR will conduct and document the reference checks (Step 4) prior to advising the TEC of the results of these checks. Please note that references may be solicited from current as well as former supervisors in addition to the references you provide in your application package.
References will only be solicited for those interviewed applicants who are being considered for ranking.
Based on this final input, the TEC will make its final decision on which candidates to rank order, prepare a Selection Memo for review and approval by the Contracting Officer, after which an offer of employment will be made to the successful candidate, and unsuccessful candidates who were interviewed will be contacted and advised of their non-selection.
As positive medical and security clearances are a condition of employment, the selected candidate will undergo stringent investigation prior to employment with USAID/DRC.
USAID/DRC reserves the right to hire an applicant who does not meet the required experience level at a trainee level. However, an applicant who does not meet the minimum educational requirements cannot be hired at either a trainee or full performance level.
Compensation:
The position will be compensated in accordance with the U.S. Embassy’s Local Compensation Plan (LCP). The successful candidate’s salary level will be based on prior job-related experience and salary history.
To Apply:
ONLY applicants who meet the minimum educational and Level IV in French and in English as stated in the solicitation document will be considered. Interested applicants who do not meet these requirements are encouraged NOT to apply since these applications will not be considered.
A complete application package consists of the following:
Application for U.S. Federal Employment, DS-174 - Job Application Form. The form can be found in the US embassy website (http://kinshasa.usembassy.gov/opportunities/jobs.html)
A cover letter demonstrating how prior experience and/or training address the minimum qualifications and selection criteria,
A current resume or curriculum vitae (CV), and
Names and contact numbers of three professional references.
Ensure that all communications (including your Cover Letter) include the Announcement Reference Number (AID-17-01) and the Title of the Position(s) for which you are applying (Project Management Specialist).
Submit the complete application package via email, to [email protected]
Failure to comply with these instructions may result in your application being considered “non responsive” and eliminated from further consideration.
Point of Contact:
Sandra Kiyanga: [email protected]
Only short-listed candidates will be acknowledged.
DEFINITION:
Foreign Service National (FSN): A host country national employed at a U.S. Mission abroad, who is not a U.S. citizen, nor a family member of a direct-hire Foreign, Civil, or uniformed service member under Chief of Mission authority.
Closing date for this position: February 4, 2017.
The U.S. Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo provides opportunity and fair and equitable treatment in employment to all people without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, political affiliation, marital status or sexual orientation. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) also strives to ensure equal employment opportunity in all personnel operations. Women and members of minority groups are encouraged to apply.