USAID Development Program Specialist 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 Development Program Specialist

Announcement Number: Abuja - 2021 - 047
Location: Abuja
Series / Grade: LE - 4005 10
Work Schedule: Full-time - Work Schedule is 40hrs per week
Promotion Potential: LE-10

Overview

• Hiring Path: Open to the public
• Who May Apply / Clarification From the Agency: Open to Internal Candidates Only (Current Mission Employees only).
• 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, Incumbent is required to perform work-related travels.

Summary

• The Development Program Specialist (DPS) position is located in the Program Office (PRO) and serves under the supervision of the Senior Program Development Specialist.
• The incumbent’s serves as the PRO backstop for one or more of USAID/Nigeria’s Technical Offices (TOs), ensuring that projects and activities support the Mission’s Development Objectives in compliance with applicable policies. 
• The incumbent supports one or more of the TOs throughout the program cycle. 

Duties
Strategic Planning, Project and Activity Design and Implementation (55%):

• Supports research and analysis for strategic planning efforts, including the Country Development Cooperation Strategy, Integrated Country Strategy, or the implementation of other USAID strategies and priorities.
• Supports Project Design processes, ensuring compliance with requirements of relevant sections of the ADS and related Mission Orders.
• Supports technical offices with Activity Design, ensuring adherence to project specifications and compliance with requirements of relevant sections of the ADS and related Mission Orders.

Budget Planning and Management (25%):

• Supports preparing or drafting annual budget requests and reports, which may include the Mission Resource Request, Congressional Budget Justification, Operational Plan, and Congressional Notifications. S/he will also support the update of prior years’ Operational Plans as needed.
• Supports the Senior Development Program Specialist with other Mission Financial Management tasks relating to the obligation of funds, tracking of Host Country Contributions, and updating various USAID financial databases and the Ministry of Budget and National Planning’s Development Assistance Database. update of prior year’s Operational Plans as needed.
• Supports the Senior Program Development Specialist in tracking, completing, and managing pre-obligation requirements.

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) (20%):

• Supports the Portfolio Review and other processes to monitor and assess activity progress and achievement of development strategic objectives.
• Assists technical offices with the annual Performance Plan and Report.
• Assists in ensuring monitoring and evaluation is occurring and recorded appropriately, including data input into the Mission’s tracking system.
• Participates in site visits to support activity monitoring and management.

Qualifications and Evaluations
Education Requirements:

• Minimum of Bachelor’s degree in Social Science, Economics, Statistics, Project Management, Law, Health Sciences, Public Administration, Political Science, Business, International Development is required.
• Prior Work Experience: Minimum three (3) years of progressive responsibilities in project and activity design, implementation, and/or reporting is required.
• Physical Demands: The work requested does not involve undue physical demands.

Job Knowledge: 

• The PDS must have a good understanding of USAID or similar project and activity design requirements. Sound knowledge of the concepts, principles, techniques, and practices of development assistance is required. Knowledge of host-country economic, social, cultural, and political characteristics is required.
• The PDS will be required to be proactive in keeping abreast of evolving USAID guidelines and policies which affect Mission activities within the ADS, Mission Orders, Mission Notices, USG Procurement regulations, Operational Plan, Foreign Assistance guidance, and USAID Program Strategy and Policy Documents.

Skills and Abilities:

• The PDS must have excellent interpersonal and organizational skills in order to: 1) facilitate productive professional relationships within USAID's culturally diverse team environment; 2) work calmly, tactfully, and effectively under pressure; 3) demonstrate extraordinary flexibility; and 4) effectively manage multiple tasks at the same time. Customer service skills and the ability to explain complex guidance in a manner that empowers others is required, as well as demonstrated ability to work independently and in collaboration with other team members and units.
• The ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, is necessary. The ability to obtain, evaluate, and interpret factual data and to prepare precise, accurate, and complete reports is necessary. The ability to recognize significant developments and trends reflected from collected data and bring it to the attention of supervisors is required.
• Proficiency in computer skills and database management is required to effectively operate in this position. The PDS must be able to draft clear reports and briefing documents in English under short deadlines.
• A high level of analytical skill and sound judgment is required. Must be capable of supervising and training Accounting Technicians. Must be able to maintain effective working relations with American and CCN personnel in USAID and other USG Agencies at post and local business organizations. Must be able to carry out all duties and responsibilities with minimum supervision.

Language Proficiency:

• Level IV English language proficiency, reading, speaking, and writing, is required.

Evaluations:

• Knowledge: 10 points
• Skills and Abilities: 10 points
• Communication and Language skills: 10 points
• Interview Performance: 70 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.

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

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 factor.
• 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 
• PSC Ombudsman: The PSC Ombudsman serves as a resource for any Personal Services Contractor who has entered into a contract with the United States Agency for International Development and is available to provide clarity on their specific contract with the agency. Please visit our page for additional information: https://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/personal-service-contracts-ombudsman. The PSC Ombudsman may be contacted via: [email protected].

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.

Salary
NGN12,772,559 annually.

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.

Application Closing Date
26th April, 2021.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Important Information

• Eligible applicants are required to complete this on-line application process and submit any applicable required documents by 11:59 p.m. GMT on the closing date of this announcement.
• Please note that all required documents must be received by the closing date online, and that we will determine your eligibility and qualifications based solely on the material received by the closing date.

Required Documents

• Current Resume
• Cover Letter
• Relevant Certificates
• NYSC Certificate
• University Degree Certificate
• List of References.

Next Steps:

• After the closing date for receipt of applications, all applications will initially be screened for conformity with minimum requirements and a shortlist of applicants developed. Applications from candidates which do not meet the required selection criteria will not be considered.
• A committee will be convened to review the shortlisted applications and evaluate them in accordance with the evaluation criteria as stated above.  Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted. No response will be sent to unsuccessful applicants.