The U.S. Mission in Accra, Ghana is seeking a highly motivated and qualified individual for the position of Project Management Specialist (Peace and Governance). This position is located in the Regional Peace and Governance Office of USAID in Accra.

BASIC FUNCTION OF POSITION:

The Program Management Specialist (PMS) is a senior-level specialist on Peace and Governance (PG) issues and provides direction, advice, policy guidance, and substantive input in the design, implementation, and monitoring of related regional and bi-lateral activities in West Africa. In this context, the PMS will provide expert technical oversight and manage a set of specific regional and/or bilateral PG activities with an average annual value estimated at $5 million. S/he plays a leading role in strategic planning, donor coordination, report writing, management of resources, working with implementing partners, and working extensively with the other technical teams in the regional mission and bi-lateral offices to integrate PG concerns into their portfolios. The PMS reports to the USAID/West Africa Regional Peace and Governance Office Chief or his/her designate.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES % OF TIME

A. Program Development and Management – 50%

Research potential new areas of program intervention and drafts concept papers, activity designs and related technical, policy, procurement, gender, and budgetary analyses required to implement agreed upon approaches to meet PG challenges.
Undertake key design tasks, including leading assessments and evaluation teams to capture lessons learned, assessing both gaps and opportunities at the intervention level, identifying various organizations that could serve as change-agents, at the local, national, and regional level, ensuring appropriate program/project design processes are followed, and finally evaluating project proposals for award.

Serve as program manager; Agreement Officer Representative and Contracting Officer Representative (AOR/COR) for sizeable regional and/or bilateral PG activities with an average annual value estimated at $5 million. Support the planning, formation, and administration and management of activities, including providing technical direction and reviewing critical programmatic documents for approval, such as annual work plans, terms of reference, performance reports and evaluation and monitoring reports.
Communicate and interact regularly with the implementing partners, including ensuring that the implementing partners complete the technical requirements of their awards in accordance with terms, conditions and specifications of the applicable instruments. Conduct site visits and meet regularly with implementing partners to assess progress of activities, as well as organizing and coordinating consultants and USAID staff field visits as necessary. Identify implementation problems, issues and constraints, and recommends remedial actions and other ways to improve performance.

Coordinate closely with the Program, Acquisition and Assistance, and Finance Offices in USAID/West Africa regarding program management, including for strategic planning and reporting processes, procurement planning, and regular pipeline and portfolio reviews.

B. Program Evaluation and Reporting - 20%

Initiate or coordinate the efforts of PG technical specialists in conducting sector analysis 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 PG programs affecting substantial numbers of people. Ensure compatibility of recommendations with overall mission PG objectives.
Prepare PG activity-related information for reports to meet USAID and broader USG reporting requirements, including when necessary reporting on Operational Plans, Performance Reports, Congressional Budget justifications, Mission Resource Plans, human rights reports, trafficking reports, reports on gender and people with disabilities, etc.

C. Program Coordination and Communications – 20%

Collaborate with a broad range of partners and customers on strategic approaches to PG. Obtains and maintains support and communication from partners, customers, and stakeholders on PG themes and issues. Provide technical support to US Embassies in USAID non-presence countries, as well as regional technical offices of USAID/West Africa that have PG-related activities.

D. Knowledge Management and Organizational Learning – 10%

Organize and collect USAID project information and other informational resources pertinent to PG in West Africa, utilizing RPGO knowledge management systems. Review, edit and disseminate programmatic or technical knowledge to USAID staff in West Africa as well as implementing partner staff as relevant. Contribute to, and assist in organizing, office learning events and documents with the goal of improving Agency understanding of successful PG interventions in West Africa.

Qualification Required & Experience

Applicants must address each required qualification listed below with specific information supporting each item. Failure to do so may result in a determination that the applicant is not qualified.

1. Education: Completion of Bachelor’s Degree in political science, international relations, public administration/public policy, political economy, international development, or other related social science field is required.
2. Prior Work Experience: A minimum of five (5) years of professional-level experience in a related field as well as prior experience in project design and management in the peace and/or governance sector is required.
3. Language Proficiency: Level IV (fluent) English language both written and spoken is required.. Language and computer proficiencies will be tested.
4. Job Knowledge: Mastery in the program principles, concepts, practices, methods, and techniques of development assistance in general and peace and/or governance activities in particular is required. Must have demonstrated understanding of procedures, regulations, and policies typical to a large international organization or government agency such as USAID, as well as broad knowledge of peace and/or governance challenges in West Africa and understanding of program design, management and evaluation as applied to peace and governance programs.
5. Skills and Abilities: Must have ability to work in a highly demanding environment and capacity to handle tasks with varying deadlines; Possess excellent teamwork skills and strong interpersonal skills and ability to communicate complex and difficult policy and programmatic issues in a manner that is clear to knowledgeable laypersons without oversimplifying. Must have ability to maintain and adhere to high standards of professional conduct and ability to establish and maintain an extensive range of mid to high-level contacts within and outside USAID. Strong technical, analytical and conceptual skills to analyze PG issues, and recommend as well as present solutions and/or options is required. Must have demonstrated ability to do basic financial analysis and budgeting; and possess excellent computer skills (especially MS Word and Excel) including the ability to operate required software effortlessly and without further instruction or mentoring.

SALARY RANGE: FSN-11 (GHC91, 930.00 – GHC137, 910.00 p.a.) depending on qualification and experience.

Location: Accra

How To Apply For The Job

Interested individuals should submit a signed cover letter, relevant certificates, CV with references to:

Regional Executive Office
USAID/West Africa
P.O. Box 1630, Accra

Or by Email to:

acpersonnel@usaid.gov

Closing Date: 10 November, 2017

ONLY SHORTLISTED APPLICANTS WILL BE CONTACTED.

Note: When submitting your application via email, start the subject line with the position title. Failure to state position title and submit signed letter with relevant documents will disqualify applicant.

All US and non-Ghanaian citizens, who are not family members of USG employees officially assigned to post and under Chief of Mission authority, must attach copies of the required work and residency permit to their applications to be eligible for consideration. No relocation expenses are provided to the job location, Accra-Ghana. If transportation to Accra is required, it will be the employee’s responsibility.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY: The U.S. Mission provides equal 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 Department of State also strives to achieve equal employment opportunity in all personnel operations through continuing diversity enhancement programs. The EEO complaint procedure is not available to individuals who believe they have been denied equal opportunity based upon marital status or political affiliation. Individuals with such complaints should avail themselves of the appropriate grievance procedures, remedies for prohibited personnel practices, and/or courts for relief.

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.