USAID Project Management Specialist Job Vacancy in Kenya

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) East Africa Mission seeks to fill the position of Project Management Specialist - Transition Initiative for Somalia (TIS) Program in its Limited Presence Countries Office.

The position is based in Nairobi and is open to all qualified candidates. This is a re-advertisement and previous applicants need not reapply.

Basic functions of the position:

The Project Management Specialist will have a primary role in managing the Transition Initiative for Somalia (TIS) Program, which will support quick impact, results-based activities to demonstrate the positive impact of the political reconciliation process.

He/she will serve as a technical resource to foreign assistance activities especially in reviewing sub-grants and proposals and liaising with government and donor officials.

He/she will require a sophisticated knowledge of communication strategies, media relations, and journalism as well as a solid understanding of development issues in the Eastern Africa region, particularly in Somalia.

The incumbent will act as a U.S. Government (USG) representative in formal and informal settings related to the position.

He/she will serve as the Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative and/or AgreementOfficer’s Technical Representative for some implementing partner agreements managed under the TIS Program.

The Program Management Specialist will provide day-to-day oversight and management of program performance to ensure program implementation achieves planned results.

This is a key management position requiring excellent communication skills, an ability to perform in a complex and highly sensitive political environment, and a strong interest in assisting countries in transition.

Since position duties may require continued changes in program direction and implementation, including frequent coordination, the incumbent will be someone who is highly flexible and willing to work under conditions of ongoing change.

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: Master’s degree with significant study in, or pertinent to, the specialized field, including, but not limited to, international development and social sciences is required.

Experience (40%):

  • 5-7 years of recent professional experience in project management experience with a USG agency, an international assistance organization, or a non-governmental organization, in community development, economic development, conflict resolution, democracy and governance, international law, human rights activities, and/or political analysis is required.
  • Experience in Somalia or the Horn of Africa is required.
  • Previous experience with the USG, international donors or development organizations is highly desirable.
Knowledge (30%): 
  • Must have managerial and coordination skills and excellent interpersonal skills in various settings, be able to work under complex situations and maintain high quality work output, and to develop and maintain an extensive range of working level contacts with stakeholders.
  • Must be able to communicate ideas in writing and orally, clearly and effectively in English.
  • Working knowledge of Somali is required.
  • Candidates must have a solid monitoring, evaluation, and
  • program management background.
Skills & Abilities (30%): 
  • A strong ability to analyze information, evaluate data and prepare reports and related documents in English is required.
  • Must possess demonstrated ability to make politically and culturally sensitive oral presentations logically and persuasively to senior USG and Somalia officials and other donors.
  • The successful candidate must be proficient in Microsoft Office Suite.
Those fulfilling the requirements of the position should submit their application, together with a detailed curriculum vitae/resume and copies of all relevant certificates to:

The Human Resources Office,
USAID/Kenya,
P.O. Box 629, Village Market 00621,
Nairobi, Kenya

Re: Program Management Specialist - Transition Initiative for Somalia (TIS) Program

Applications must reach the USAID HR office by COB November 26th, 2010

You can also visit www.kenyanvacancies.com for more jobs