USAID Development Program Assistant Jobs in Kenya
USAID Development Program Assistant Jobs in Kenya
General Statement of Purpose of the Contract The USAID Development Program Assistant (DPA) position is established in the Strategic Planning and Analysis (SPA) Office. The SPA Office is responsible for broad program support, coordination, and project management functions for the combined USAID platform in Nairobi which manages two operating units (OUs)-- the bilateral Kenya and the East Africa Regional OUs.
The SPA Office provides leadership and serves as principal advisor to the Mission Director on: (a) social, economic, and cross-cutting developmental issues; (b) strategic planning and programming; (c) project and activity development; (d) monitoring and evaluation and learning of the platform’s portfolio; (e) management of current year budget obligation and out-year mission-wide budget planning; and (f) program implementation of activities that fall within the platform’s ongoing Development Objectives under the $2 billion Kenya Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) and $300 million East Africa Regional Cooperation Development Strategy (RDCS). In addition, this office keeps a pulse of major development trends in Kenya and the East Africa region to inform new programming needs.
The incumbent will be collectively responsible for supporting the Project design team in carrying out the entire program cycle for the Kenya and East Africa Operating Units. The incumbent is expected to support a variety of tasks and processes and backstop other Specialists to ensure continuity of operations, maximize customer service, and improve efficiency.
Statement of Duties to be Performed
Project and Activity Planning, Design, and Implementation Support 60%
The DPA’s primary responsibility is to provide support to the Project Design Team Lead and the Development Program Specialists with a variety of tasks and processes to ensure continuity of operations, maximize customer service, and improve efficiency while carrying out the entire program cycle. The DPA may be called upon to provide backstop support to one or more of the technical offices.
The DPA is responsible for supporting in preparation of all necessary internal and external USAID Project Design and Implementation documents to include action memos, memoranda/letters, reports, budget tables and other supporting documents.
Provide support to the CDCS and RDCS Strategic development, implementation and stocktaking processes, including participation and support in strategic and performance portfolio reviews and mid-course stock takings, intended to examine progress towards achievement of the strategy and project reports and expectations regarding future progress and status of critical assumptions and changes in the country and regional context.
Program Documentation, Reporting and General Administrative Support 40%
The DPA assists in the development and implementation of Project Design Documents ((PDD)s, the annual Operational and Performance Plans and Reports, portfolio review planning, Congressional taskers, and other reports required to ensure that the Mission is able to accomplish its development objectives. The DPA, in consultation with Development Program Specialists in the SPA Planning and Design Team, will support administrative actions related to the implementation of the Kenya and East Africa strategies such as the preparation of action memorandums, budget tables, and supporting documents.
The DPA is responsible for supporting in preparation of all necessary internal and external USAID Project Design and Implementation documents to include action memos, memoranda/letters, reports, budget tables and other supporting documents.
The DPA helps to identify, collect, and compiles information for regular and ad hoc reports, data calls and presentations (including but not limited to the Foreign Assistance Data Redaction), maintains summary materials on results for use in presenting and explaining the program portfolio, for Administration and Agency priorities which require deep knowledge of USAID processes and programs to develop responses.
The DPA supports Contracting Officer/ Agreement Officer Representative (COR/AOR’s) in the SPA Office in maintaining activity records and status reports, including quarterly and financial reports, accruals and budget tracking tables, preparing and updating project documentation, pipeline analysis, and
tracking contractor expenditures and budgets.
The DPA will take the lead responsibility for the timely and accurate preparation of acquisition and assistance request documentation for their teams or for particular projects/activities assigned.
DPAs cultivate productive working relationships with other teams and members of the SPA Office as well as other technical and support offices to ensure coordination and efficiency across both Kenya and East Africa Portfolio’s.
Maintenance of Project design and implementation trackers and documents.
Serves as the point of contact for unsolicited proposals; composes and writes replies to non-technical and general correspondence on activities from current and potential recipients of AID funding based on personal knowledge of AID activities and research of project/program documentation; maintains a comprehensive record of such correspondences; coordinates review of unsolicited proposals with technical offices.
Minimum Qualifications Required for This Position
Any application that does not meet the minimum requirements stated below will not be evaluated.
Education: Two-year collegiate studies in Project Management, International Relations, Business Management/ Administration, or similar field is required.
Prior Work Experience:
A minimum of three years of progressively responsible, professional-level experience in strategic development, program planning, financial and policy analysis, management, economics, and analysis or a closely related work experience in development program and/or project implementation.
At least two years of this experience should have been in development-related work for International Development Organization, Non-Governmental Organization, Donor Agencies, Embassies, governmental organizations, or private-sector institutions which include planning and management, program/project/activity design, performance monitoring, and/or the analysis and interpretation of large amounts of data.
Language Proficiency: Level IV English and Kiswahili proficiency is required. Ability to prepare and present concise reports is required.
Job Knowledge
The work requires substantial knowledge and understanding of development program/ project/ activity management principles, practices, and reporting, and a solid understanding or the potential to acquire knowledge of USAID programming and management policies and techniques.
The Assistant must have working-level knowledge of modern development principles, concepts, and practices, especially as they relate to program management. A sound understanding of Kenyan and regional political, economic, social, and cultural characteristics and developments is expected.
In addition, the Assistant must have, or be able to gain, a good knowledge of USAID policies and regulations, procedures and methodologies, and documentation and reporting requirements, and a good understanding of the administrative procedures and operations of major donors and non-governmental organizations.
[Skills and abilities (40 points)
The work requires outstanding organizational skills and the ability to multitask, handle stressful situations, and meet firm deadlines, and the ability to convene and convince colleagues and counterparts to make specific actions and activities a priority.
Excellent interpersonal, communication, and teamwork skills are required; and the ability to explain the wide array of applicable rules, regulations, and policies governing assigned activities, clearly and concisely, to other USG staff and external stakeholders.
The work requires outstanding written and spoken English, and the ability to communicate clearly through verbal reports and presentations. The Assistant must be skilled in office management, administration, and planning and computers, including Word, Excel, database software, and PowerPoint software.
Excellent verbal and writing skills, tact, and diplomacy are also required, to establish and maintain effective working relationships within the USG and external stakeholders.
How to Apply
For more information and job application details, see; USAID Development Program Assistant Jobs in Kenya
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