The U.S. Mission in Accra, Ghana is seeking a highly motivated and qualified Ghanaian for the position of PROJECT MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST (PMS) – PEACE & GOVERNANCE in the Regional Peace & Governance Office of USAID/West Africa. The PMS is a senior level specialist on Peace and Governance issues and provides substantive input in the design, implementation, and monitoring of regional and relevant bi-lateral Peace and Governance activities in West Africa.

BASIC FUNCTION OF POSITION

•   The position is located in the Regional Peace & Governance Office (RPGO) of USAID/West Africa. The Project Management Specialist (PMS) is a senior level specialist on Peace and Governance issues and provides substantive input in the design, implementation, and monitoring of regional and relevant bi-lateral Peace and Governance activities in West Africa. The PMS reports to the USAID/West Africa Peace and Governance Office Chief. The PMS plays a significant role in donor coordination, report writing, management of Trans-Saharan Counterterrorism Partnership (TSTCP) resources, and working with implementing partners.
•   In this context, the PMS will provide technical oversight on Peace and Governance activities, including Countering Violent Extremism (CVE), of some RPGO and bi-lateral activities in USAID Non-Presence Countries (NPCs). S/he will provide leadership on policy and program activity design and implementation in TSTCP areas to the USAID/West Africa Mission and USAID NPC Missions in the West Africa Region. In addition, the PMS will serve as the Agreement/Contracting Officer’s Representative (AOR/COR), directly responsible for supporting the management of peace and governance programs and projects. The PMS may be asked to represent USAID and/or the U.S. government (USG) at international meetings and conferences and serve as liaison with host country officials and regional institutions’ representatives in the TSTCP region such ECOWAS.
•   This position requires exercise of broad individual judgment in setting support for peace and governance priorities, managing resources, implementing programs, and coordinating relations with high-level representatives inside and outside of the USG. The peace and governance issues that the PMS will be dealing with are among the top priorities of USG foreign policy in West Africa and the USAID/West Africa regional mission. The environment is highly complex and frequently unpredictable, and the PMS must be flexible and able to provide advice on peace and governance approaches and activities for sometimes rapidly changing circumstances. The position includes a broad range of complex managerial, analytical, and communication responsibilities, including providing overall direction for the achievement of USAID’s peace and governance objectives in West Africa, as well as monitoring and evaluation, documentation, reporting, responding to queries from various sources, coordination, advice, and management of Mission peace and governance programs for West Africa and USAID non-presence countries that it covers.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES % OF TIME

Program Development and Management (40%)

•   The PMS develops programs, plans, procedures, and methods required to support USAID peace and governance objectives in major program areas of the US Foreign Assistance Framework. The PMS analyzes and evaluates the economic impact, feasibility, practicality, and effectiveness of existing and proposed standards, regulations, programs, and policies.
The PMS works on multi-sectorial teams to ensure organizational objectives are achieved.

•   Participation in activity design and related technical, policy, procurement, gender, and budgetary analyses required to implement agreed upon approaches to CVE activities, including assessing both gaps and opportunities at the intervention level; identifying various organizations that could serve as change-agents; and, ensuring appropriate program/project
documentation is professionally executed.
•   The PMS supports the preparation of terms of reference, scopes of work, program descriptions, and other related documents needed to formulate awards related to democracy and governance activities; and, supports the development and review of CVE-related project designs and proposals for economic, financial, technical, social, and environmental
soundness.

Specifically the Project Management Specialist provides:

•   In-depth and conceptual guidance on the overall CVE strategy for the regional mission, including identifying constraints to achieving/maintaining durable peace and successfully building resilience to violent extremists, and recommending program interventions to address these constraints.
•   Leadership on activity design and related technical, policy, procurement, gender, and budgetary analyses required to implement agreed upon approaches to democracy and governance activities, including assessing both gaps and opportunities at the intervention level; identifying various organizations that could serve as change-agents; and, ensuring appropriate program/project documentation is professionally executed.
•   Manages or oversees the preparation of terms of reference, scopes of work, program descriptions, and other related documents needed to formulate awards related to democracy and governance activities; and, supports the development and review of peace, countering violent extremism and DG-related project designs and proposals for economic, financial, technical, social, and environmental soundness. This includes drafting memos for activity approval ensuring coordination with other USAID/WA offices to ensure all USG regulations regarding are met, and coordinating the procurement of new activities, and modifications to existing activities with USAID/WA’s Office of Acquisition and Assistance.
•   Provides program backstopping and management on high-visibility projects in the area of peace and governance.

Program Evaluation and Reporting (30%)

•   The PMS coordinates the efforts of conflict and peace technical specialists in conducting sector analyses of concepts and systems, formal project evaluations, and investigations of highly unstructured and interconnected problems involving controversial and complex administrative or programmatic concerns. Evaluations serve as the basis for substantive
changes in the organization and administration of peace and governance programs affecting substantial numbers of people. The PMS ensures compatibility of recommendations with overall mission peace and governance objectives.
•   The PMS is responsible for the development of performance indicators for peace and governance activities, ensuring reliable measures are established that clearly indicate the impact of USAID investments in peace and governance in West Africa. Under the guidance of the USAID/WA Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist, the PMS is responsible for monitoring
the achievement of results by periodically reviewing the development context, indicator data, and other indications of portfolio progress, identifying problem areas and recommending corrective measures.
•   The PMS leads new analytical studies and assessments, and the designs of investigative techniques that are of material significance in the solution of important problems with unprecedented or novel aspects. The PMS is responsible for the integration of the results of studies and analyses into new designs, performance reports and technical briefings and
papers, as directed by the RPGO Office Chief and his/her designee.
•   The PMS initiates or coordinates the evaluation of peace and governance activities for the regional mission as well as the relevant NPCs that USAID/WA oversees, during and following project completion, to ascertain project impact and cost-effectiveness, including implications for future programming and financing.
•   The PMS prepares peace and governance information for mission reports to meet USAID and broader USG reporting requirements, including reporting on Operational Plans, Performance Reports, Congressional Budget justifications, Mission Strategic Resources Plans, human rights reports, trafficking reports, reports on gender and people with disabilities, etc.

Program Coordination and Technical Support (20%)

The PMS is responsible for:

•   Collaborating with a broad range of partners and customers on strategic approaches on peace and governance issues, including CVE.
•   Obtaining and maintaining support and communication from partners, customers, and stakeholders on governance themes and issues.
•   Providing technical support to US Embassies in USAID non-presence countries, as well as regional technical offices of USAID/West Africa that have peace and governance related activities on an as needed basis.

Partners include regional institutions, such as ECOWAS, U.S. Embassies in the region, bilateral and multi-lateral donors, and other USAID bi-lateral missions in the region, other USG institutions, PVOs/NGOs, think tanks, Congressional staff, and others. Customers include, but are not limited to, host-government counterparts, representatives of regional institutions such as ECOWAS, members of civil society organizations, and members of the general population.

As a recognized expert in the field, the PMS provides technical advice and counsel both within and outside the organization. The PMS informs USAID Bureau, Post, Mission, RPGO office staff, NPC Field Office staff and other technical offices – including senior management – on a variety of peace and governance issues in West Africa, including key constraints and proposed approaches and solutions in the achievement of peace and governance program objectives. The PMS ensures open and timely communication is maintained with USAID/Washington and U.S. Embassies and USAID Missions in the region on planned or current peace and governance activities in West Africa.

Other Duties as Required (10%)

The Regional Peace and Governance Office is a small office. This necessarily means that all staff will from time to time perform other duties decided by the office chief. These may entail performing work in an “acting” capacity for a colleague who is traveling or on leave, assisting a colleague with an especially urgent task, or personally taking responsibility for a special project.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR EFFECTIVE PERFORMANCE/SELECTION CRITERIA

•   Education: A Bachelor’s degree in political science, international relations, public administration/public policy, political economy, international development, or another field related to international political development, conflict management, or governance issues is required.
•   Prior Work Experience: Six to eight years of substantive professional work experience on CVE or Democracy and Governance issues is required. At least three years of international work experience with an international organization such as bi-lateral or multilateral donors or international non-governmental organizations, working in international development is required. Working experience on CVE issues in the Sahel Region and knowledge of or
experience working with the US Government is an advantage.
•   Language Proficiency: Level IV, fluent written and oral of English language is required (language proficiency will be tested). Proficiency in the French language will be an advantage.
•   Job Knowledge: Knowledge of programming principles, concepts, practices, methods, and techniques of development assistance, generally, and with regards to CVE or democracy and governance activities in particular is required.
•   Skills and Abilities: The PMS must be able to work in a highly demanding environment and be capable of handling tasks with varying deadlines; must have good teamwork skills and strong interpersonal skills; must be able to communicate complex and difficult policy and programmatic issues in a manner that is clear to knowledgeable laypersons without oversimplifying; and must be able to maintain and adhere to high standards of professional conduct. Versatility in the use of computer software, especially Microsoft Word and Excel, is required (typing and computer skills will be tested).
•   The ability to do basic financial analysis and budgeting is also required.

Salary Range: GH¢ 34,074.00 – GH¢51, 1135.00 p.a. (depending on qualification and experience)

Location: Accra

How To Apply For The Job

Interested individuals should submit cover letter and curriculum vitae with references to:

Human Resources Office
American Embassy, Accra
P.O. Box GP194, Accra

by Email to:-

AccraHRO@state.gov

Closing Date: 07 January, 2014

Please note that only short-listed applicants will be contacted.

USAID/West Africa anticipates awarding one Personal Services Contract (PSC) regarding this announcement. Please note that this does not constitute any guarantee that a PSC will be awarded as result of this announcement.