USAID Project Management Specialist, WRM-WASH (All Interested Candidates) (72062021R10005) at US Embassy

Announcement Number: Abuja-2021-003
Location: Abuja
Hiring Agency: Embassy 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
• Who May Apply / Clarification From the Agency: Open to Cooperating Country National (Nigerians only).
• Security Clearance Required: Public Trust - Background Investigation
• Appointment Type: Permanent
• Appointment Type Details: Five (5) years renewable, estimated to start on or after July 2021

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 definitions use URL: www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/glossary

Summary:

• The Project Specialist for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene position is in USAID / Nigeria, Economic Growth and Environment Office, and serves as the sector specialist for all mission interventions related to water resources management and WASH service delivery.

Duties
Program / Project Development, Management, and Oversight - 70%:

• The WRM / WASH Specialist participates with EGE Team members, USAID / Washington experts, and others in the design of appropriate programs / projects and other interventions in Nigeria, with consideration of in-country political, legal, regulatory, and economic environmental factors. The Specialist prepares and justifies program / project recommendations, Scopes of Work, GLASS requisitions, and other required documentation, and shepherds recommendations through to approval.
• In addition to supporting the development of WRM/WASH projects, the Specialist serves as Contracting or Agreement Officer’s Representative (COR or AOR) for three major WRM / WASH programs/activities (through contracts or assistance), managing an annual combined program budget of over $15 million per year.  
• The WRM / WASH Specialist develops and maintains an extensive range of high-level contacts, influential GoN officials, international donors, cooperating agencies, contractors, IPs and their local partners, and other key program stakeholders.  This includes regular consultation with World Bank officials, representatives from other donor agencies, significant contact with the Ministry of Water Resources, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Health and Population, and with private sector companies and foundations involved in programs to promote sustainable and long-term management of polluted, scarce, or variable freshwater supplies to increase access to safe water.
• The Specialist also oversees the existing USAID Water Resource Management Portfolio for the WASH sector value at $45 million and manages the private sector and civil society organization relationship
• The WRM / WASH Specialist leads the development of a performance-monitoring plan for all Mission activities contributing towards the objectives of the Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act and its associated earmarks and contributes to data collection and synthesis.
• The WRM / WASH Specialist provides guidance to USAID implementing partners (IPs).  Reviews and approves contractor work plans and approves hiring of key personnel.  Provides technical direction to IPs concerning complex issues and provides administrative approval for payments and advances.  Works with IPs to establish benchmarks, goals, and objectives, and receives and reviews periodic and ad hoc reports to ensure that benchmarks, goals, and objectives are being met.  
• Conducts scheduled and non-scheduled IP site visits to monitor activities, identify and assist in resolving problems, provide guidance on USAID policies and procedures, and to maintain open lines of communication.  Prepares trip reports on site visits, listing findings and recommendations, and supplementing written reports with oral briefings to the Office Director and senior Specialist, and to the Mission Director, as required.  Maintains program / project oversight through to final closeout and IP evaluation.
• The WRM / WASH Specialist coordinates with other EGE programs within USAID and the USG, and with other donors on matters where WRM / WASH programming complements these activities, serves as a member of USAID Strategic Objective Teams and, as appropriate, participates in or leads Technical Evaluation Committees.
• The WRM / WASH Specialist will guide the development and implementation of USAID’s ongoing strategies and programs to establish and strengthen sustainable water and sanitation infrastructure and systems in Nigeria, particularly in urban centers.  This will include a significant focus on institutional strengthening of the State Water Boards / Corporation and other Government of Nigeria counterpart institutions to successfully establish and sustainably manage major water infrastructure development activities contracted by USAID, often in areas where such institutional presence and / or capacity is currently lacking.  

Reporting, Evaluation, and Communications & Outreach - 30%:

• The Specialist works under the general supervision of the WASH Team Lead and in a collegial manner with the remainder of the EGE Team.  The Specialist also coordinates activities with other technical teams in the mission, as appropriate, with particular emphasis on ensuring program coherence with the Feed the Future technical team.
• The work involves the full range of consultative, advisory, monitoring, management, data collection and analysis, and evaluative aspects within the urban WASH and water resources management sectors.  The Specialist collaborates and coordinates with USAID/Nigeria colleagues; with colleagues from the local donor community; national governmental and non-governmental organizations; and the public and private sectors.
• With guidance from the WASH Team Leader, the WRM/WASH Specialist assists in program management and evaluation; liaising with donors, partners, NGOs, GoN officials; and identification and resolution of issues affecting overall EGE program performance.

Qualifications and Evaluations
Education Requirements:

• Master's Degree in Water Resources Management or Water related area (Natural Resource Management / Engineering, Water Resource Engineering, Environmental Science / Engineering, Hydrology, Hydrogeology, Environmental Health) is required.

Evaluations:

• Education: 10 points
• Prior Work Experience: 20 points
• Job Knowledge: 30 points
• Language Proficiency: 10 points
• Skills and abilities: 30 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.

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.

Qualifications:

• Prior Work Experience: Minimum of five years of progressively responsible professional experience in successfully implementing WRM / WASH or related development activities including Watershed and River Basin Management policy reform, and implementation of effective watershed programs to promote sustainable and long-term management of polluted, scarce, or variable freshwater supplies leading to increase access to safe water is required. S / He must also have demonstrated experience with designing and managing urban WASH service delivery projects.

Job Knowledge:

• The Specialist will need to have in-depth knowledge of project design and management, contracting, and monitoring and evaluation procedures to perform their duties at a high level as it relates to Watershed and Water Resources Management and urban WASH service delivery activities.
• The Specialist must have a strong grasp of Office, Mission and Agency level policies, procedures, and regulations, including good working knowledge of USAID ADS 200 regulations over the course of their employment.
• The Specialist will need to have a detailed understanding of the USG’s goals, objectives, and strategies, how to implement the Agency’s Water Country Plan, and how their work connects to Mission strategic initiatives like the Country Development and Cooperation Strategy (CDCS), and the Mission’s Operational Plan (OP).
• The Specialist will be required to have an expert knowledge of the local and national culture, as they will be responsible for helping the USAID / Nigeria WASH Team bridge the cultural gaps between the U.S. and Nigerian as it relates to natural resources management.
• They will need to have a particularly strong understanding of watershed management and sustainable development in Nigeria as anthropogenic activities such as urbanization, increased agricultural activities, deforestation, bush burning, civil construction works, over-grazing and poor water resource management among others disrupt the natural water ecosystems.
• A detailed understanding of the concepts, principles, techniques, and practices of Watershed and Water Resources Management is required.  
• The Specialist must have detailed knowledge of the economic status of, and current events in Nigeria and in the region, and of political and development realities, prospects, and priorities for Watershed and Water Resources Management in Nigeria.

Skills and Abilities:

• Must possess an advanced ability to foster communication and partnerships with counterparts from within the USG, implementing partners, the Government of Nigeria, international donor community, civil society, and local and international private sector investors.
• Demonstrated advanced capacity for perceptive analysis and the ability to develop solutions is required.
• A high degree of professionalism, discretion, teamwork, and excellent interpersonal skills in a diverse work environment is essential, in addition to sound judgment.
• The advanced ability to communicate logically and effectively in English, both orally and in writing, is essential.
• A writing sample may be requested.
• A standard ability as it relates to computer literacy in MS Office applications including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint; and web-based applications such as Google Docs; as well as general competency in working with internet and web-based research is also required.
• The level of skill required for the position is highly complex information within a specialist discipline and requires managing multiple activities and representing USG private sector development initiatives to multiple external stakeholders.

Requirements:

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

Language Proficiency:

• Level IV (fluent) English oral and writing ability is required.

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

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.

Salary
NGN15,890,203 / USD $58,186 annually