USAID Program Management Specialist, Agriculture at the U.S. Embassy

The U.S. Mission to Nigeria comprises of the Embassy in Abuja, FCT, and the Consulate General in Lagos. U.S. Consulate General Lagos is the Mission’s representative to the Nigerian people in the southern region.

We are recruiting to fill the position of:

Job Title: USAID Program Management Specialist, Agriculture (All Interested Candidates) (72062021R10013)

Announcement Number: Abuja - 2021 - 024
Location: Abuja
Series / Grade: LE - 4005 11
Work Schedule: Full-time - Work Schedule is 40hrs per week
Promotion Potential: LE-11

Overview

• Hiring Path: Open to the public
• Security Clearance Required: Public Trust - Background Investigation
• Appointment Type: Permanent
• Appointment Type Details: Five (5) years renewable, estimated to start on or after August 2021
• Supervisory Position: No
• Relocation Expenses Reimbursed: No
• Travel Required: Occasional Travel. The job holder may be expected to perform work-related travel.

Summary

• The Senior Agriculture Specialist position is located in USAID/Nigeria Mission’s Economic Growth and Environment Office and will work under the direct supervision of the Feed the Future Team Lead.
• The primary responsibility of the Specialist is to provide technical expertise, management, advice in coordinating USAID/Nigeria’s Feed the Future initiative under the U.S. government’s (USG) Global Food Security Strategy.

Duties
Project Management/Technical Advisor - 55%:

• The Specialist will serve as Contract/Agreement Officer’s Representative (C/AOR) for Mission awards implementing agriculture activities, monitoring, and evaluating program performance and ensuring that relevant and appropriate program documentation is provided.
• Specialist provides strategic direction, counsel and guidance on agriculture and agricultural private sector development for the Mission’s strategic planning activities. This guidance also pertains to land-use management, agricultural research and policy priorities, environmental management, and civil society development.
• Follows closely current political, social, and economic trends in Nigeria and provides analysis on how these trends effect the development and implementation of the Mission’s agricultural, programs. This includes the analysis of agricultural (including investment) issues within Nigeria’s political, economic, and social context.
• Participates actively in relevant, Mission-wide activity planning and management decisions to provide expert opinion on agriculture issues. Works closely with other Economic Growth and Environment Office technical specialists and implementing partners to review activities for coherence, relevance, and programmatic realism considering Mission goals to enhance natural resource management and agriculture.
• Collaborates closely with the Peace and Democratic Governance Team’s Civil Society and Decentralization Specialists to ensure development of more effective participatory processes to promote improved governance and more environmentally sound exploitation of agricultural resources.
• Prepares analytical reports to inform the Feed the Future/Agriculture Team, Mission Management, Government of Nigeria officials, local leaders, and organizations, and implementing partners on agriculture issues, including how these activities might support possible Financing Self-Reliance and Journey to Self-Reliance.
• Reviews and approves partners’ implementation annual work plans and budgets; ensures partner compliance with approved work plans and budgets.
• Monitors expenditures and pipelines; ensures appropriate and timely funding.
• Reviews and documents implementing partner performance by conducting regular site visits to monitor activities and verify asset use; identifies issues and recommends follow-up actions, ensuring that these are carried out.
• Reviews all written reports submitted by implementing partners and furnishes feedback.
• Ensures monitoring and reporting systems are in place and provides technical input in the development of performance monitoring plans (PMPs).
• Maintains program and COR/AOR files.

 Build Strategic Partnerships - 45%:
The Specialist will be responsible for developing new and innovative partnerships and maintaining working relationships, including:

• Working closely with Mission monitoring and evaluation specialists and implementing partners to develop Results Frameworks for agriculture award activities, tracks and evaluates results achievement. Analyzes data and results to confirm their continuing validity.
• Conducts analysis of program performance and recommends changes in strategic and/or implementation approaches as required.
• Identifies private sector actors, civil society organizations, and other partners and assesses their interest and ability to leverage resources with USAID implementing partners.
• Fostering and maintaining strategic partnerships with new and existing partners, mid- to senior-level Government of Nigeria officials, private sector representatives, the donor community, and civil society to enhance collaborative efforts that achieve mutual goals and objectives.
• Serving as a member of USAID technical working groups and other relevant forums to plan and improve the USAID and USG portfolio around market systems approaches and private sector engagement for sustainable food security.
• Maintains active dialogue with other donors, local organizations, and various Government of Nigeria offices on agriculture issues and activities, building contacts to facilitate dissemination of information and coordination of activities.
• Monitors the political environment and other donor activities to inform USAID/Nigeria’s economic growth program’s funding and programmatic decisions.

Qualifications and Evaluations
Education Requirements:

• Minimum of Bachelor's degree in agriculture, forestry, soil science, resource/agricultural economics, agronomy, business administration, natural resources management, or related field is required.

Prior Work Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible work experience in an Agriculture or Natural Resources Management development program and demonstrated technical leadership, program management, strategic planning, policy, and problem-solving skills working on complex projects in a highly sensitive environment are required.

Job Knowledge:

• In-depth professional-level knowledge of development principles, concepts, and practices in Agriculture programming and knowledge of the economic, political, social, and cultural characteristics of Nigeria; and the economic development problems, resources, and resource constraints, agricultural trade and food policies, land tenure and macro-economic, legal and policy framework of the Government of Nigeria, specifically as it relates to agriculture development and development prospects and priorities of Nigeria are required.

Physical Demands:

• The work requested does not involve undue physical demands.

Evaluations:

• Knowledge: 10 points
• Skills and abilities: 10 points
• Communication and Language skills: 10 points
• Interview Performance: 70 points
• Total Possible Points: 100 points

Applications that do not meet the required minimum qualifications will not be scored. Candidates meeting the required qualifications for the position will be evaluated based on information presented in the application. USAID reserves the right to conduct interviews with the top-ranked short-listed candidates. If the interview is conducted, the interview will be one of the determining factors in the final selection.

Reference checks will be made only for the successful candidate. If a candidate does not wish USAID to contact a current employer for a reference check, this should be stated in the application letter.

Skills and Abilities

• Excellent leadership, communications, and interpersonal skills. Must be able to work effectively with a broad range of USG personnel and partners and have demonstrated skills in donor coordination and collaboration.
• Strong analytical, management and organizational skills are required. The position requires demonstrated ability in strategic planning, technical and socio-economic analysis, and budget preparation and reporting skills.
• Ability to work both independently and in a team environment to achieve consensus on policy, program and administrative matters is a must.
• Must have proven ability to communicate clearly and concisely – both orally and in writing in English. Excellent verbal communication skills, e.g. to negotiate activity plans and resolve activity implementation issues with counterparts, partners, and team members.
• Ability to communicate technical information to varying audiences. Excellent written communication skills are required to prepare regular and ad hoc reports, activity documentation and briefing papers.
• Excellent computer skills (MS word, Excel, Power Point, and Outlook, Access, and other relevant software) are required. Good computer skills are required to implement, analyze, and monitor, and manage activity goals, inputs, outcomes, and achievements, both program and impact.

Language Proficiency:

• Level IV (Fluent) English speaking and writing ability is required.

Equal Opportunity Employer

• Usaid is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified candidates will be considered regardless of age, race, color, sex, creed, national origin, lawful political affiliation, non-disqualifying handicap, marital status, sexual orientation, affiliation with an employee organization, or other non-merit factors. Management may consider the following when determining successful candidacy: nepotism, conflicts of interest, budget, and residency status.

Other Information:

• USAID Acquisition Regulation (AIDAR), Appendix J, “Direct USAID Contracts With a Cooperating Country National and with a Third Country National for Personal Services Abroad,” including contract clause “General Provisions,” available at https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1868/aidar_0.pdf
• Contract Cover Page form AID 309-1 available at https://www.usaid.gov/forms
• Acquisition & Assistance Policy Directives/Contract Information Bulletins (AAPDs/CIBs) for Personal Services Contracts with Individuals available at http://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/aapds-cibs
• Ethical Conduct.  By the acceptance of a USAID personal services contract as an individual, the contractor will be acknowledging receipt of the “Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch,” available from the U.S. Office of Government Ethics, in accordance with General Provision 2 and 5 CFR 2635.  See https://www.oge.gov/web/oge.nsf/OGE%20Regulations   

Taxes:

• The Mission emphasize to its employees of the fact that they are obliged to observe Nigerian Laws, including those concerning income and related tax obligations.  Payment of such taxes is a matter between the individual employee and the Nigerian Government. In the absence of a specific international agreement, the U.S. Government will not withhold local taxes from an employee’s salary.

Marketing Statement:

• USAID is an independent Federal Government agency that receives overall foreign policy guidance from the Secretary of State. With headquarters in Washington, D.C., USAID fosters transformational development around the world. Our work supports economic growth and trade; agriculture and the environment; education and training; democracy and governance; global health; global partnerships and humanitarian assistance. We operate in the following regions of the world: Afghanistan and Pakistan, Africa (all of Africa), Asia, Europe and Eurasia, Latin America and the Caribbean and the Middle East.
• For more information about USAID, visit http://www.usaid.gov.

Who May Apply / Clarification From the Agency:

• For definitions, use URL ww.usaid.gov/ads/policy/glossary. Open to All Interested Candidates: Cooperating Country Nationals (Nigerians Only).

Benefits and Other Info
Agency Benefits:
As a matter of policy, and as appropriate, a PSC is normally authorized the following benefits and allowances:

• Health Insurance
• Annual Salary Increase (if applicable)
• Annual and Sick leave
• Annual Bonus

Allowances (as applicable):

• Transportation Allowance
• Meal Allowance
• Miscellaneous Allowance
• Housing Allowance.

Salary
NGN15,890,203 annually.

Application Closing Date
15th March, 2021.