Vacant Position advertisement: USAID/Mali Agriculture & Economic Growth Office – Project Management Specialist – WASH

For detailed minimum requirements, applicants must refer to the Full Statement of duties and the qualification requirements available on https://www.usaid.gov/mali/work-with-us/careers   or https://ml.usembassy.gov/embassy/jobs/

REF No.:  72068823R10001 (must be inserted in the subject line of the email)

GRADE LEVEL: This position is a part of a mission specific established career ladder, which provides for the potential to progress to the FSN-11 grade level. Attainment of a higher-grade level is contingent upon the Specialist (Trainee) successfully completing required training, meeting agreed-upon objectives and milestones, and performing in a Fully Successful (or equivalent) manner. FCFA 21,897,069 TO FCFA 33,940,461 equivalent to FSN-11; 18,711,303 TO 29,002,527FCFA equivalent to FSN-10. The incumbent will be compensated in accordance with the U.S. Mission Mali’s Local Compensation Plan (LCP). Final compensation will be negotiated within the listed market value.

BASIC FUNCTIONS:

This position is established as Project Management Specialist (WASH) “Ladder” position, which includes the FSN-10 level, and the full performance level of FSN-11.  

At the full performance level (FSN-11), the CCN PSC will perform the following general duties:

The position will provide leadership, program management and technical support for USAID water and sanitation-related programs. The Project Management Specialist (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Advisor will: 1) Lead efforts to design and manage targeted Mission programs that focus on improving water supply, sanitation and hygiene; 2) Lead efforts to monitor and evaluate all Mission activities contributing toward improved water supply, sanitation and hygiene; 3) Provide overall technical analysis and guidance to the Mission on strategies to improve water supply, sanitation and hygiene; 4)Serve as a liaison between USAID and other USG agencies, national WASH partners in government, NGO and donor agencies. The incumbent will serve as an Agreement Officer’s Representative/Contract Officer’s Representative (AOR/COR) or Activity Manager and provide oversight and direction to activities conducted by Implementing Partners (IPs) under Contract, Cooperative Agreement, and/or Grant. The Project Management Specialist (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Advisoris expected to guide, coordinate, manage and monitor the water, sanitation and hygiene related portfolio of the country, leading to successful outcomes. He/She must interact with a range of colleagues involved in the sector, maintain oversight of the overall sector impacts and ensure the efficient use of resources.

At the Entry Level (FSN-10), the CCN PSC will perform the following general duties:

The USAID Project Management Specialist (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Advisor) will provide programmatic and technical guidance in water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) and/or water security. The incumbent will serve as an Agreement Officer’s Representative/Contract Officer’s Representative (AOR/COR) or Activity Manager and provide oversight and direction to activities conducted by Implementing Partners (IPs) under Contract, Cooperative Agreement, and/or Grant. The incumbent will work collaboratively with other staff in the Agriculture and Economic Growth Office, other offices in the Mission, government counterparts, and other development partners to support a coordinated, strategic approach to WASH and water security programming.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Full Performance Level (FSN 11):

Sector Leadership and Strategy: Lead efforts to identify, prioritize and address policy and institutional constraints impeding the attainment of sustainable access to improved urban and rural water supply and sanitation in the country. Lead efforts to identify, prioritize and address key technical challenges, and policy and institutional structures, constraints and opportunities in sustainable water and sanitation service provision and management in the country, including those related to private sector participation in the sector. Identify opportunities to use available USAID field support mechanisms to expand water supply and sanitation coverage and improve hygiene and to leverage resources from other related funding streams, e.g., climate change, food security. Play a key role in identifying and coordinating among the various USG and internal USAID water, sanitation and hygiene-related activities and players. Actively engage with government, other donors and organizations involved in the sector to promote collaborative planning toward long-term sustainable solutions.

Project Management: Develop concept papers, scopes of work, USAID program/project activity design documents and bilateral and multilateral agreements related to the design of water, sanitation, and hygiene related programs. Support the design and implementation of targeted water, sanitation and hygiene program and activities with the goal of ensuring that program design and implementation will achieve planned results and USAID goals. Lead the development of a performance-monitoring plan for all Mission activities contributing toward the objectives of the Senator Paul Simon Water for the World Act and its associated earmarks and contribute to data collection and synthesis. Document development impacts and resolve implementation issues in an efficient and professional manner. Develop, maintain, and strengthen working relationships with key partners, including national ministries, local governments, international organizations and other donors, private sector, NGOs, universities, and the media to identify and implement efforts to increase synergy among the key stakeholders. Compile, analyze, and disseminate, on a regular basis, to USAID mission staff and USAID/Washington, progress in achieving sector objectives together with commentary on issues and recommended solutions.

Advisory and Technical Services: Provide briefings to USAID and its partners on the status of USAID water, sanitation, and hygiene activities in-country. Prepare and deliver presentations on the same issues to local government and USG officials and international and local program partners and colleagues. Provide technical input to program and strategy design and planning based on knowledge of international best practice and the constraints presented in-country. Help in defining the type of assistance needed by the Mission, facilitate discussions with water and sanitation service contractors, and schedule delivery of this assistance.

Entry level (FSN 10):

Advisory and Technical Services: Provide technical guidance on WASH and water security interventions, including providing guidance in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of WASH and water security programs. Apply evidence-based guidelines, approaches, and tools to support Mission’s WASH and water security programming. Through regular communication with sector stakeholders and USAID/Washington, as well as reading and reviewing emerging literature, stay abreast of new developments and findings in the national and global WASH and water security landscape, and advise accordingly on how policies, strategies, and technical guidelines can most effectively be incorporated to enable the Mission to maintain fidelity and relevance in its WASH and water security programs. Provide technical guidance to other agencies implementing the USG Global Water Strategy, technical counterparts in government, and to other national stakeholders to advance USAID strategic objectives for WASH and water security. Provide on-going technical assistance to USAID local partners to ensure that activities are evidence-based and responsive to local needs. Work closely with other staff in USAID to optimize opportunities for cross-sectoral layering, sequencing and integrating (as appropriate) and leveraging of resources across the different program components.

Project Management: Serve as an AOR/COR or Activity Manager on designated WASH and water security programs. Participate in project/activity design, including drafting and obtaining approval for concept papers, writing scopes of work, evaluating applications/proposals, and starting up new projects and activities related to WASH and water security. Work with IPs to develop strategic work plans with realistic and measurable targets to support effective implementation of the Mission’s WASH and water security portfolio. Review and approve annual work plans, monitoring and evaluation plans, quarterly reports and other key documents of assigned activities. Monitor program resources allocated for WASH and water security activities to ensure that they are being used rationally and that there are no cost overruns. Compile, analyze, and disseminate, on a regular basis, to USAID mission staff and USAID/Washington, as well as government counterparts, progress in achieving sector objectives together with commentary on issues and recommended solutions.

Project Monitoring and Evaluation: Regularly analyze and interpret WASH and water security data to generate key results and trends to assist the Mission maintain a needs-responsive WASH and water security program with proven achievement across USAID standard indicators. Contribute to data quality assessments to ensure the quality and reliability of project data. Participate in site visits to USAID supported activities to assess the quality of implementation against contract or agreement objectives and to provide guidance to implementing partners on emerging approaches. Monitor project activities and make recommendations to resolve implementation obstacles to ensure judicious use of USG funds and effective implementation of WASH and water security interventions. Contribute to and participate in WASH- and water security-related program evaluations to document and scale up proven best practices.

Representation and Coordination: Contribute to key annual planning and reporting documents including the Operational Plan, Performance Plan and Report, among others. Prepare reports and responses to a wide range of requirements including responding to requests for information from USAID/Washington and Congress. Ensure that USAID successes, best practices and approaches are shared widely with partner country officials, private sector, civil society, and other donors. Represent USAID, as needed, at designated national, regional, and international meetings that relate to WASH and water security. Prepare briefing papers, presentations and assist with site preparations for visits by delegations of high-level USG officials.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Full Performance Level (FSN 11):

1. Education: Bachelor’s degree in environmental management, public health, agricultural engineering, economics or related field is required.
2. Experience: Minimum 5 years of progressive management experience in urban and rural water supply, sanitation, and hygiene improvement, including work in environments comparable to those of the country. The position requires a combination of managerial, technical, design and analytical abilities combined with the demonstrated ability to manage resources, programs and people. Experience in the areas of sustainable rural and urban water supply provision, basic sanitation improvement, hygiene promotion especially done in support of water and sanitation access improvements, sector policy reform, and program design. Experience in analyzing sector data and translating into practice.
3. Language Proficiency: Level IV (fluent) in English and in French, both written and spoken, is required. Language competence may be tested.
4. Knowledge: Direct experience in the management of other bilateral or multilateral donor-funded projects. Direct hands-on experience on improving water and sanitation services and hygiene promotion in rural areas, informal urban settlements, and/or displaced persons camps. Experience in strengthening policy frameworks and capacity of local governments, utilities, regulatory agencies, etc. Good understanding of strategy, programming and implementation activities related to WASH. Knowledge of water and sanitation sector development in the relevant region, including understanding of emerging, evidence-based approaches in technology selection, policies/enabling environment, institutional structures, community governance, financing, environmental sustainability, and social/cultural issues including gender.
5. Skills and Abilities: Demonstrated ability to function independently in complex, frequently changing political and economic conditions. Ability to manage resources, programs and people and interact effectively with representatives of national and local governments and USG agency staff. Good Interpersonal and team building skills.

Entry Level (FSN-10):

1. Education: Bachelor’s degree in environmental management, public health, engineering, economics, or related field is required.
2. Prior Work Experience: Minimum three (3) years of demonstrated management experience in urban and rural water supply, sanitation, and hygiene improvement, including work in environments comparable to those of the country. The position requires a combination of managerial, technical, design and analytical abilities combined with the demonstrated ability to manage resources, programs, and people. Experience in analyzing sector data and translating into practice.
3. Language Proficiency: Level IV fluency in English and in French, both written and spoken, is required. Language competence may be tested.
4. Job Knowledge: Demonstrated understanding of emerging, evidence-based WASH and water security approaches, including policies/enabling environment, institutional structures, community governance, financing, environmental sustainability, and social/cultural issues, WASH and water security initiatives and current priorities at the national and global levels. Direct hands-on experience on improving water and sanitation services and hygiene promotion in rural areas, informal urban settlements, and/or displaced persons camps. Experience in strengthening policy frameworks and capacity of local governments, utilities, regulatory agencies, etc. Demonstrated knowledge of WASH and water security strategy and processes under which sector programs are planned, reviewed, approved, implemented, and evaluated.
5. Skills and Abilities: Ability to present information, analyses, and recommendations in clear written and oral formats. Ability to independently conceive, plan, organize, manage, and evaluate important, diverse, and complex work projects, to drive high-level performance and outcomes of WASH and water security projects. Demonstrated ability to apply policy directives to activity design, implementation and monitoring and evaluation. Excellent analytical, technical and project management skills to review and provide substantive feedback on concept papers, proposals, program descriptions/scopes of work, performance reports, and other technical and programmatic documents. Ability to respond professionally and adjust in fluid situations in order to meet deadlines in the face of competing priorities and time pressures. Excellent interpersonal skills, including diplomacy and tact, to work effectively with people at all levels, from senior officials to support staff, in a culturally diverse environment, accepting divergent points of view and help find consensus to achieve team goals. Excellent computer skills including in Microsoft Office, web-based databases, and electronic filing, including the ability to help others and to learn new programs quickly. Ability to travel to regions and districts within the host country, up to 20% of the time. 

Full Statement of duties and qualification requirements are available on https://www.usaid.gov/mali/work-with-us/careers   or https://ml.usembassy.gov/embassy/jobs/                                              

EVALUATION AND SELECTION FACTORS: 

Offerors seeking consideration for the full performance level will be considered in isolation first, and only if no acceptable offeror is found at that level, the Technical Evaluation Committee (TEC) will proceed to review offerors at the lower level. For applicants meeting the minimum qualifications, further consideration and selection will be based on panel assessment of the selection factors listed below. Applicants are required to address each of the selection factors on a separate sheet.

1. Prior Work Experience: 20 points
2. Knowledge: 50 points
3. Skills and Abilities: 30 points

Management may consider the following when determining successful candidacy: nepotism, conflicts of interest, budget, and residency status.

TO APPLY:

All CV/Resumes and cover letters must be in English, otherwise the application package is incomplete and will be rejected.

Interested candidates for this position must submit the following required documents:

1. Resume or curriculum vitae (CV) relevant to the subject position for which the applicant is applying.
2. Cover letter of not more than two (2) pages describing how the incumbent’s skills and experience fit the requirements of the subject position.
3. (5) professional references with complete contact information including email address and telephone numbers. References should have knowledge of the candidate’s ability to perform the duties set forth in the application and must not be family members or relatives.
4. Copy of Degrees/Diploma or any relevant Academic Transcripts.
5. Full mailing address with telephone, email address and should retain for their records copies of all enclosures that accompany their submissions. 

SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION: Indicate the Vacancy Reference Number: 72068823R10001 in the subject line of your email. If this is not properly indicated your submission would NOT be retrieved. 

Email Human Resources Management Section: bamakohrmvacancies@usaid.gov with the above reference in the subject line.

CLOSING DATE AND TIME FOR THIS POSITION:  DECEMBER 12, 2022, AT 5P.M. BAMAKO TIME