Vacant Position advertisement: USAID/PDG Office – Project Management Specialist: OFDA Specialist
REF No.: 72068820R10004 (must be inserted in the subject line of the email)
GRADE LEVEL: FCFA 18,711,303 TO FCFA 29,002,527 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 FUNCTION:
Situated in the USAID/Mali Office of Peace, Democracy and Governance (PDG) and under the direct supervision of the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) Senior Program Officer (SPO) or designated supervisor, the Project Management Specialist (PMS) (OFDA) will serve as the Mission’s locally-engaged point person on OFDA assistance programs in Mali. Given the significant resources invested by OFDA in Mali, USAID/OFDA requires a locally engaged PMS (OFDA) to contribute to the formulation of program strategy and provide technical, operational, and management support in order to carry out its lead role in facilitating and coordinating USG humanitarian assistance in Mali.
The OFDA PMS will actively participate in all aspects of the OFDA portfolio to support emergency response and disaster programs, provide technical, operational, and management support to OFDA, and oversee the use and effectiveness of OFDA resources. S/he will be involved in humanitarian assessments, planning, design, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation of OFDA activities. S/he will also be responsible for helping to draft reports and cables on the humanitarian situation in Mali to OFDA/WDC and the broader US Government community. S/he will be responsible for helping the USAID mission achieve the agency’s overall strategic goals.
Under the guidance of the OFDA SPO or designated supervisor, s/he will provide day-to-day technical management and oversight for OFDA projects. S/he will travel occasionally to monitor OFDA program activities to accessible areas of the country. S/he will facilitate communication and maintain collaborative working relationships with mid- and senior-level humanitarian organization officials, including relevant United Nations (U.N.) agencies, other international organizations (IOs), government officials, donor governments, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
The PMS (OFDA) will actively participate in all aspects of the OFDA portfolio to support emergency response programs. The approach to work will reflect the USAID core values of « achieving results », « teamwork and participation », « accountability », and « customer focus ». To be effective, a solid knowledge of project management and familiarity with humanitarian assistance along with cultural sensitivity regarding beneficiary populations is important.
The PMS (OFDA) will be expected to use solid management, organization and interpersonal skills. S/he should be able to maintain high level contacts with government officials, other donors, UN agencies and implementing partners. The ability to coordinate with others working as part of a larger team, as well as the initiative to work independently and meet deadlines, and effective communication skills, both oral and written, in English and French is required. Familiarity with the remote areas of Mali and languages of the northern areas is helpful.
MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Program Monitoring 40%
- Develop and maintain specialized understanding of humanitarian development within Mali to include political, social, and operational issues impacting humanitarian efforts.
- Monitor, assess, evaluate, and document emerging humanitarian conditions.
- Participate in a broad spectrum of assessments, including multi-donor/agency regional and national assessments, aimed at the identification of existing or emerging “hot spots” to determine humanitarian needs and priorities. When permissible, travel to the scene of actual or potential disasters and assist in initial assessments and determination of damages and humanitarian needs.
- Participate in technical sector meetings (such as task force, cluster, working group) called by the government, UN and/or NGOs, including maintaining regular schedule of such meetings.
- Develop and maintain a regular schedule of project site visits to monitor OFDA grantees and humanitarian conditions in Mali.
- Through frequent monitoring visits to partner and sub-grantee offices and project sites, as well as through meetings with partners, beneficiaries, community leaders, and local authorities, evaluate and ensure projects are being implemented competently, in a transparent manner, in full compliance with all relevant OFDA regulations, policies, procedures and are achieving targeted objectives.
- Follow participation in assessments, field visits and technical sector meetings; communicate findings and strategic recommendations to OFDA SPO for appropriate interventions.
- Report to OFDA SPO on the quality of grantee’s work, noting deficiencies, positive attributes, evolving operational conditions, and make recommendations on how deficiencies can be addressed, performance improved, positive attributes replicated, lessons learned and disseminated.
- Ensure that partners’ self-monitoring of programs reflect sound methodologies, that required data is being collected and that needed surveys are carried out.
- Provide logistics and programming support to TDYers and trips to the field
Program Management 30%
- Provide technical advice and direction for the implementation of all OFDA activities in Mali. This includes assisting in the development and implementation of annual plans and response strategies; routine review of program progress reports, identification of achievements as well as problems and, in consultation with the SPO or designee, developing strategies to capitalize on successes and rectify problems where they exist.
- Assist in the development of the OFDA/Mali annual strategic implementation plan and budgets for emergency response and disaster-risk reduction activities in Mali.
- Review concept papers and proposals submitted to OFDA/Mali and provide recommendations for consideration on funding determination.
- Work with NGOs, IOs, and U.N. agencies that are developing proposals for OFDA (including grant amendments and extensions) ensuring they are in compliance with OFDA Guidelines for Proposals
- Serve as an in-country point of contact for OFDA grantees operating in the area of responsibility and communicate with the OFDA Agreement Officer Representative (AOR) on any emerging issues.
- Review and provide technical input on deliverables submitted by partners (including performance reports, baseline data, annual work plans) to ensure that partner(s) are in compliance with Award Agreement issued by OFDA/Washington.
- Maintain an up-to-date database of all program activity including grants status, sectoral foci and geographic locations.
- Assist with development and regular update of program maps as necessary and requested.
- Assist with the upkeep and maintenance of the office’s hard and electronic files including, most specifically, all grant files, ensuring all necessary and required documentation is kept up to date and filed correctly.
- Provide and advice on required information communications technology support as may be required for OFDA operations in Mali.
Program Coordination and Reporting 30%
- Coordinate and liaise with representatives of other donor governments, host government officials, IOs, NGOs, U.S. Embassies, USAID Missions, and U.S. Government (USG) agencies on humanitarian issues in order to identify critical humanitarian concerns and develop projects and activities for addressing them, advance OFDA’s strategic priorities, and help strengthen and coordinate USG and international humanitarian activities.
- Maintain regular contact with OFDA grantees, as well as U.N. agencies, IOs, and NGOs.
- Regularly liaise with relevant government ministries at Federal and Regional levels to stay abreast of developing issues and concerns while ensuring government awareness and understanding of overall OFDA supported activities.
- Regularly liaise with other USAID/USG elements to ensure mutual programming awareness while actively seeking out new opportunities for resource sharing and collaboration.
- Participate in Interagency Working Groups in order to remain up-to-date on emerging issues and initiatives as well as contribute to overall coordination and collaboration within the assistance community and between OFDA partners.
- Serve as a critical member of any USG disaster assessment team, Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART), D.C.-based Response Management Team (RMT), or backfill for other any staff members in an overseas office as needed in response to crisis situations.
- Where the opportunity arises, in consultation with the OFDA SPO, work with representatives of local and regional institutions and private/public sector organizations to enhance preparedness, prevention and mitigation capacities.
- When and where needed, prepare presentations for use within the Mission and for other stakeholders on specific emergency situations and/or on OFDA mandates, responsibilities and programs.
- Prepare agendas and briefings for official USG visitors interested in humanitarian issues as well as for OFDA TDYers.
- Provide regular reporting, through official cables and other means, on field visit findings, meetings related directly or indirectly to OFDA programs, overviews of humanitarian patterns and trends, and other issues that impact humanitarian relief efforts in the area of responsibility.
To be considered for this position, applicants must meet the minimum qualifications:
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Applicants MUST meet the minimum qualifications below and ONLY preselected candidates will be contacted:
All Malian Citizens and Local Residents with a valid work permit at the time of application.
Education: A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in a related field is required. Related fields include agriculture, biology, public administration, business administration, development, economics, geography, international relations, public policy, and social sciences.
Prior Work experience: A minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible professional-level experience in humanitarian assistance and/or international development programs is required. Experience with field work in development or humanitarian organizations is desired. If the applicant has an advanced degree from an accredited institution in a related field as mentioned above, a minimum five (5) years of relevant work experience is required.
Language Proficiency: Fluent French and English (Level IV) is required. The incumbent must be capable of drafting error-free routine correspondence and translations in English and French. Knowledge of northern languages, such as Songhoi, Peulh and Tamasheq is beneficial.
Job Knowledge:
- Knowledge of humanitarian and relief to development operations in Mali.
- Strong understanding of humanitarian principles and familiarity with international humanitarian law.
- Understanding of the issues affecting food security.
- Understanding of the factors that affect social cohesion and drivers of conflict.
- Knowledge of mechanisms for delivery of emergency assistance.
- Knowledge of methodologies in carrying out humanitarian needs assessments.
- Understanding of the cultures, languages and socio-political context of the remote regions of Mali.
Skills and Abilities:
- Ability to advise OFDA and USAID officials on humanitarian needs, prioritize and make recommendations on possible response options is required.
- Ability to independently establish and maintain working relationships with a variety of humanitarian stakeholders, including community leaders and beneficiary groups in targeted areas, heads of NGO/PVOs, International Organizations, donor partners, and local and national government officials.
- Ability to obtain, analyze and evaluate a variety of data and reporting, and to organize for information-sharing, and to interpret it for program decision-making is required.
- Strong writing and reporting skills. Experience in monitoring and reviewing emergency programs.
- Experience in liaising with government officials, NGOs, and UN agencies.
- Ability to communicate at a professional level orally and in writing in French or English.
- Incumbent must have excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work collaboratively and diplomatically, often under tight deadlines.
- Functional skills in the use of spreadsheets, GIS, MS Word processing programs and PowerPoint is desired.
- Willingness to undertake international travel, for example, as part of Disaster Assistance Response Teams or to other duty stations as part of an emergency response or for training purposes.
The position requires a high degree of professionalism, discretion, teamwork, flexibility, and the ability to work independently.
SELECTION FACTORS:
To be considered for this position, applicants must meet the minimum qualifications noted above. 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 criteria on a separate sheet describing specifically and accurately what experience, training, education, and/or awards or recognition they have received relevant to each criteria described below, and any related considerations.
Management may consider the following when determining successful candidacy: nepotism, conflicts of interest, budget, and residency status.
Full Statement of duties and the qualification requirements are available on https://www.usaid.gov/mali/work-with-us/careers or https://ml.usembassy.gov/embassy/jobs/
TO APPLY:
All cv/resume and cover letter must be in English; otherwise application package will be considered incomplete and will be rejected. All the hiring process will be conducted in English, including interviews and any eventual proficiency written test.
Interested candidates for this position must submit the following required documents:
- A cover letter of not more than two (2) pages describing how the incumbent’s skills and experience fit the requirements of subject position.
- A resume or curriculum vitae (CV) relevant to the subject position.
- Copy of Diplômas, degrees, certificates and/or ‘‘Attestation de travail’’, recommendation letters, etc.
- Five (5) professional references with complete contact information including email addresses 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.
- Full mailing address with telephone, facsimile numbers and email address and should retain for their records copies of all enclosures that accompany their submissions.
SUBMIT APPLICATION: Indicate the Vacancy Reference Number: 72068820R10004 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.