USAID Project Management Specialist, Environment and 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 below:

Job Title: USAID Project Management Specialist, Environment and Agriculture (Current Mission Employees only) (72062022R10014)

Announcement Number: Abuja-2022-012
Location: Abuja
Hiring Agency: Embassy Abuja
Series / Grade: LE - 4005 12
Work Schedule: Full-time - Work Schedule is 40hrs per week
Promotion Potential: LE-12
Supervisory Position: Yes
Travel Required: Not Required
Relocation Expenses Reimbursed: No

Overview

• Hiring Path: Open to the public
• Who May Apply/Clarification From the Agency:
  • For definitions use URL www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/glossary
  • *  Current Mission Nigeria 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 March 2022

Summary

• The USAID Project Management Specialist - Environment & Agriculture Specialist is located in the Economic Growth and Environment (EGE) Office of USAID/Nigeria.
• The EGE Office is responsible for planning, managing, and evaluating projects and activities to achieve USAID/Nigeria’s Development Objective (DO) 1, Broadened and Inclusive Economic Growth, as well as implementing Feed the Future, Power Africa and other Presidential Initiatives in Nigeria & coordinating with regional & global programs.

Duties
Mission Environment Officer (50%):

• The MEO is responsible for reviewing quality and completeness for all 22 CFR 216 documents, including but not limited to Initial Environmental Examinations (IEE), Requests for Categorical Exclusions, and Environmental Assessments.  
• S / he will advise on environmental compliances to all technical teams, activity managers and A/CORS and mission management on: 1) how best to comply with USAID environmental procedures over life-of-project, including effective monitoring of partner implementation of the environmental mitigation measures required by IEEs and 2)how to obtain additional environmental expertise to assist in compliance with USAID’s mandatory environmental procedures.  
• The USAID Project Management Specialist - Senior Environment & Agriculture Specialist effectively collaborates with technical teams during activity design and approval to create a system and adequate resources to ensure compliance with mandatory environmental procedures over the life of the activity.  
• S/he will undertake desk or field-based environmental compliance monitoring of activities within the whole of the mission portfolio and is responsible for ensuring all annual environmental compliance reporting is completed as required with input from the technical team.

Supervision of Monitoring & Evaluation (30%):

• The Project Management Specialist - Senior Environment & Agriculture Specialist supervises the Project Management Specialist - M&E Specialist for the EGE Office.  
• S/he provides supervision, oversight and guidance to the M&E Specialist to ensure that the EGE Office’s performance management is in compliance with USAID policies and procedures.  
• The Project Management Specialist - Senior Environment & Agriculture Specialist is responsible for leading the annual Performance Plan and Report (PPR) process.  
• In addition, the Project Management Specialist - Senior Environment & Agriculture Specialist will lead efforts to provide technical assistance to EGE staff, implementing partners, and other stakeholders as necessary.

Activity Design and Management (20%):

• The Project Management Specialist - Senior Environment & Agriculture Specialist provides technical support for strategic planning and project development for the EGE Office, especially for analytical work, strategy development and project planning for new activities related to environmental protection.
• S / he contributes to the design of innovative environmental protection & agriculture development activities aligned with the Country Development Cooperation Strategy and USG priorities by preparing annual program plans; making recommendations for activities to achieve program objectives; drafting descriptions of proposed activities, including statements of work, specifications, and activity descriptions; drafting pre-solicitation documents, making recommendations on evaluation criteria, indicators, proposed contracting mechanisms and any other required terms and conditions; and serving as a member of Technical Evaluation Committees.
• The USAID Project Management Specialist - Senior Environment & Agriculture Specialist provides technical direction within their designated authorities and monitors performance of contractors and grantees by the terms and conditions of grants or awards by undertaking site visits to monitor project implementation, preparing, and reviewing progress reports and by frequently interacting with implementing partners to resolve outstanding issues.
• With the support of the Mission, the USAID Project Management Specialist -Senior Environment & Agriculture Specialist obtains and maintains certification as a Contracting/Agreement Officer’s Representative (COR/AOR) and exercises initiative and independent judgment in advising and supporting activities.
• S/he reviews performance and financial reports, manages the assigned portfolio, assures that funding is available when required, maintains the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Plan (MELP) for each activity managed, and assures targets/milestones are set, being met (or that remedial action is taken), properly documented and reported, and that the overall goals of the program/project/activity are being achieved.

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.

Qualifications and Evaluations
Requirements:

• Physical Demands: The work requested does not involve undue physical demands.

Education Requirements:

• A minimum of Master's Degree in Environmental Science, Environmental Protection, Environment Program Management Agriculture, Agriculture Economics or a related field is required.

Evaluations:

• Knowledge: 15 points
• Skills and abilities: 10 points
• Communication & Language skills: 5 points
• Interview Performance (Written/Oral): 70 points
• Total Possible Points: 100 points

Prior Work Experience:

• A minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible professional experience involved in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of environment, agriculture, and related activities, including two years of experience managing donor-funded assistance programs in the environment and/or agriculture sectors is required.

Job Knowledge:

• In-depth knowledge of environmental resource management and/or agriculture development is required.
• Familiarity with global climate change, sustainable landscapes, biodiversity preservation, renewable energy, environmental screening and monitoring and value chain development is required.

Skills and Abilities:

• Must be able to work effectively with mid-and senior officials from USAID and IPs.  Must be able to work effectively in a team environment and coordinate well with others.  
• Must be able to develop effective and collaborative manager-to-manager relationships with IPs.
• The work requires excellent writing and computer skills, in order to develop presentations, reports, etc.  
• Diplomacy, tact, cultural sensitivity, and team participation are required, in order to establish and maintain effective working relationships within USAID/Nigeria.  
• Excellent organizational skills and the ability to multitask and stay organized in a complex, frequently changing environment is a requirement.  
• Demonstrated advanced analytical skills and problem solving, as well as the ability to effectively manage stress is required.

Language Proficiency:

• Level 4 (advanced professional proficiency) English for speaking, reading, and writing is required.

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   

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.

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

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
NGN 17,733,456 - NGN 26,496,574 / Year

Benefits and Other Info

Benefits
Agency Benefits:

• As a matter of policy, and as appropriate, a PSC is normally authorized the following benefits and allowances:

Benefits:

• 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
25th February, 2022.