Program Management Specialist Job in Nairobi, Kenya

USAID Building Capacity for African Agricultural Transformation (Africa Lead II) Project
 
Scope of Work
 
Title: Program Management Specialist
 
Location: Nairobi, Kenya (with in-country and periodic international travel)
 
Positions: Africa Lead II may seek to hire more than one person for this position with the possibility of assigning candidates to specific country program portfolios – i.e. Program Management Specialist for Kenya; Program Management Specialist for East Africa; Program Management Specialist for Tanzania (based in Nairobi).


Period of Performance: Candidates should be available from early October 2015 – September 30, 2018 (funding dependent)
 
Background: The USAID Building Capacity for African Agricultural Transformation (Africa Lead II) Project is a five-year effort to support and advance the agricultural transformation in Africa as proposed by the African Union Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Program (CAADP), while simultaneously contributing to the Feed the Future goals of reduced hunger and poverty, by building the capacity of men and women African leaders, institutions and stakeholders to develop, lead, and manage the structures needed for the transformation process. 

This project has three components:
  1. The establishment of institutional/organizational architecture to lead African agriculture  transformation at the national and regional levels, operating at the highest level of effectiveness;
  2. The operationalization of capacity to manage policy change and alignment process; and
  3. The effective participation and leading when necessary, of Non-State Actors (NSAs) in the CAADP process.
The Opportunity:: Africa Lead requires a Program Management Specialist to support the planning and implementation of various program activities. 

Because of the broad nature and complexity of issues and institutions addressed by Africa Lead, the position requires outstanding conceptual thinking, activity design, organization, work ethic and dedication to detailed planning and compliant operations.

Responsibilities:
 The Program Management Specialist will have responsibility for coordinating and overseeing the design and implementation of multiple, fast-paced activities. 

Core responsibilities would include drafting Concept Notes and Activity Descriptions, authoring budgets, composing logistics worksheets, coordinating logistics for events or trainings and tracking all relevant implementation details for the activities in their portfolio.

The Program Management Specialist will be required to coordinate a portfolio that contains multiple activities, involving multiple stakeholders and whose outcomes are highly visible at the regional level.

Additional duties include but are not limited to:
  • Work with the Technical Director to develop and maintain comprehensive tracking tools to manage the assigned portfolio of activities
  • Responsible for tracking activity budgets, and proactively communicating concerns, with support from finance
  • Responsible for detailed, comprehensive record management for the assigned portfolio of activities
  • Play an active role in seeking out strategic communications opportunities
  • Work closely with procurement and logistics teams on all aspects of planning
  • Play an active role in recruiting/sourcing short term team members – i.e. facilitators – as required by activities
  • Play a representational role, when needed, in key meetings
  • Convene activity meetings and communicate with colleagues and stakeholders
  • Travel to events/trainings and play on-site role overseeing logistics
  • Support M&E and Knowledge Management functions as directed
Performance Criteria: Africa Lead II is a performance-based project, highly dependent on individuals and team core competencies. Each staff member will participate in a semi-annual evaluation and receive feedback. 

Based on this evaluation, decisions related to promotion or salary increase will be made.

Supervision:
 This position will report to the relevant Country Lead but will collaborate closely with other senior staff members as necessary to ensure the smooth implementation of activities.

Qualifications, Background and Experience:
 
Successful candidates will have strong interpersonal, leadership and program management skills. 

They will be detail oriented, have exemplary organization and planning skills and will have demonstrable experience implementing USAID programs, including knowledge of USAID regulations. 

This position straddles technical programs and operations and successful candidates will be able to clearly talk about personal strategies for implementing technical objectives in a compliant and operationally sound manner. 

The Program Management Specialist must have a “can-do” “handson” attitude and must be a person who understands how to simultaneously undertake long term planning while remaining flexible and able to solve problems.

Specific qualifications include:
  • Minimum degree required in agricultural or development economics, management, economics, social sciences, or other related field of study
  • Applicants must have a minimum of 5 years of demonstrated program management and implementation experience
  • Experience with USAID programs mandatory – specific experience with procurement, grants, contracts should be highlighted
  • Strong written, verbal and presentation skills
  • Demonstrated effective interpersonal skills, creative problem solving, conflict and ethical management skills
  • Computer literate in Microsoft Office mandatory
  • Fluent Swahili and English language skills required
If you believe you qualify for this job, kindly submit your CV and current and expected salary to hrafricalead@dai.com by September 17, 2015.


Only qualified candidates will be contacted.