USAID Project Management Specialist - Education and Youth Deputy Office Director Jobs in Kenya

USAID Project Management Specialist - Education and Youth Deputy Office Director Jobs in Kenya

Statement of Duties:

General Statement of Purpose of the Contract

The USAID/KEA Office of Education and Youth (EDY) invests in education and training that put children and youth on the path to economic prosperity. This includes improving primary grade literacy outcomes; strengthening the Kenyan education system; increasing educational and employment opportunities for youth.

The Project Management Specialist (Education) serves as the Deputy Office Director who reports to the Office Director and helps manage a 16-person team. The Specialist serves as the Office Director upon his/her absence and represents EDY in senior leadership meetings.

The Specialist contributes to an inclusive work environment that values diversity and elicits the highest level of performance. S/he supervises Cooperating Country National (CCN) staff and may contribute to the mentoring/coaching and capacity building of 11 or more staff (junior, mid-level, and senior CCNs) and junior officers.

Statement of Duties to be Performed

Technical and Programmatic Leadership 35%

The Specialist provides strategic direction for the Mission’s education and youth investments. The incumbent oversees planning, activity design, and activity implementation.

Provide programmatic leadership for all EDY staff on the basic education, youth, and YALI portfolios while actively crafting the strategic vision for programming alongside the Office Director.

Provide Mission critical advice and guidance on difficult, highly specialized, and sensitive technical education and youth development issues that impact essential Mission programming and East Africa regional dynamics.

Coordinate across multiple sectors and offices to identify and leverage opportunities for youth engagement and other cross-sector collaboration.

Ensure the Agency’s local works priorities underpin all capacity building activities, leading to sustainability for a wide array of stakeholders, including the Government of Kenya, beyond USAID assistance.

Oversee and lead multiple Chiefs of Party with the ability to convene them to discuss technical issues relevant to the education and youth portfolio.

Lead EDY in the development of the yearly operational plan, annual performance plan and report, and other quarterly reviews and plans.

Provide input on the budget, schedules for allocation, obligation, and expenditures; portfolio reviews; evaluation planning and implementation.

Apply USAID policies, judgment, and mastery of technical knowledge to strategically guide the EDY portfolio to achieve impact in the education and youth sector.

Provide oversight to EDY staff on monitoring and evaluation, site visits, and annual review of work plans and progress reports to ensure compliance with USAID guidelines.

Management and Supervision 35%

The Specialist mentors and provides Mission critical leadership, technical assistance, and managerial support to individuals (junior, mid-level, and senior-level staff) within EDY.

Maintain close working relationships with the interagency, U.S. Ambassador, senior USAID/KEA leadership, the EDY Office Director, and other EDY personnel, especially FSN staff under the Specialist’s supervision.

Serve an integral role in the Mission’s senior staff and Mission Leadership Committee to help guide EDY’s implementation of USAID/KEA’s vision and strategy.

Lead and/or assist in setting clear individual and teamwork objectives to ensure that staff members meet approved Mission critical goals and objectives.

Provide mentoring and coaching to EDY staff to enhance capacity building and ensure accountability, transparency, and efficiency across Mission critical workstreams.

Champion collaborating, learning, and adapting approaches within the team; engage the team in regular pause and reflect sessions for continuous assessment of team performance.

Lead EDY’s contribution to organizational development goals/objectives; provide tools/resources, including guidance/coaching, to support the team in developing work objectives that contribute to USAID/KEA priorities.

Assist the EDY Office Director in creating a

supportive work environment that values diversity and inclusivity and elicits the highest possible level of performance from the team.

Minimum Qualifications Required for This Position

Any application that does not meet the minimum requirements stated below will not be evaluated.

Education:

A Master’s degree from an accredited university in international development, international education, education, or a related discipline.

Prior Work Experience:

Minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible leadership work experience in education, that includes relevant and practical professional work education experience at senior levels such as designing, managing, monitoring, evaluating, and reporting on development programs; leading policy discussions with senior government officials; coordinating donor and other development partner activities; collaborating across teams; engaging communities; and managing, motivating, coaching, and mentoring education/youth focused staff.

Language Proficiency:

Level IV English and Kiswahili for speaking, reading, and writing skills required.

Ability to produce publishable quality written documentation and provide oral presentations to senior officials within the USG and host government as well as to internal and external audiences.

Job Knowledge

Comprehensive knowledge or the potential to acquire knowledge of USG/USAID policies, procedures, and regulations required.

An understanding of Kenya's development challenges and the resources, resource constraints, and the overall development prospects and priorities of Kenya and the region.

Have or will rapidly develop a deep understanding of Kenya’s MOE, the private/public school landscape, and the priorities/actions of the international donor community.

Skills and Abilities

Demonstrated diplomatic and leadership skills with strong oral/presentation abilities at senior level required.

Ability to provide high-level support to EDY in developing operational plans, performance plans and reports, and other plans.

Ability to provide a work plan for accomplishing assigned duties and responsibilities and be responsible for daily management of assigned mission-critical activities.

Ability to adapt, quickly analyze and synthesize new information for decision-making and troubleshooting, solve complex problems, manage difficult situations, and plan ahead.

Operate with minimal supervision in fast-paced environment where work performance is reviewed primarily on the basis of results achieved within the broad constraints of policy and priorities.

Accurately assess work burden and delegate to subordinates with requisite capacity to successfully complete these tasks.

Organize and lead diverse groups to devise innovative solutions and approaches to complex problems.

Management and Supervision Experience

Ability to maintain close working relationships with senior leadership, direct supervisors, supervisees, and other personnel.

Possess strong supervision experience and proven ability to coach/mentor teams to enhance overall capacity, performance, accountability, and efficiency.

Ability to lead and/or assist team members in setting individual and teamwork objectives.

Ability to orient and train personnel is required.

Ability to create a supportive work environment that values diversity and inclusivity and elicits a high level of performance from teams.

Ability to conduct crucial conversations with team members and supervisees to improve performance and team collaboration.

Ability to exercise considerable autonomy and best judgment in all supervision duties and responsibilities.


How to Apply

For more information and job application details, see; USAID Project Management Specialist - Education and Youth Deputy Office Director Jobs in Kenya

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