Job Description

I. GENERAL INFORMATION

1. SOLICITATION NO.: 72064119R100009 

2. ISSUANCE DATE: August 30, 2019

3. CLOSING DATE/TIME FOR RECEIPT OF OFFERS: September 17, 2019 at 12:00 midnight local time. 

4. POSITION TITLE: PROJECT MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST (EDUCATION)

5. MARKET VALUE: GHC 132,729.00 – GHC 199,092 equivalent to FSN-12 in accordance with AIDAR Appendix J and the Local Compensation Plan of U.S. Embassy, Ghana.

Final compensation will be negotiated within the listed market value.

6. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: Permanent position. However, position will be reviewed annually contingent on satisfactory performance, continued need for the services, and availability of funds.

7. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Accra, Ghana with possible travel as stated in the Statement of Work.

8. SECURITY LEVEL REQUIRED: Employment Authorization

9. STATEMENT OF DUTIES

BASIC FUNCTION OF POSITION

The USAID Project Management Specialist (Education), and Deputy Office Chief, provides program/project/activity management and administrative oversight to the Education Office.  The Specialist, as Deputy to the Chief of the Education Office, participates fully in the oversight of all programmatic, administrative, and financial aspects of Mission education sector activities, to ensure that Agency results objectives are being effectively accomplished within Mission and USAID programmatic and financial guidelines and regulations.  The Specialist is responsible for approximately US$10M/per year, of an overall Education portfolio valued at approximately US$100M during the 2020 to 2025 strategy period.  The Specialist provides the Office and the Mission with technical expertise, and has management responsibility for programs/projects/activities in support of Government of Ghana (GoG) goals and objectives in improved instruction, educational assessment, community participation, and education data management and use. The Specialist shares responsibility with the Office Chief in all aspects of contract/grant management for assigned activities, including performance of grantees and Implementing Partners (IPs) according to approved work plans, monitoring and evaluation, and reporting on specific results and impact.  

As Deputy, the Specialist is responsible for supervision and mentoring of other Office Team members in improving and/or maintaining their administrative and project management skills; leading quarterly and annual reporting processes including accruals, quarterly financial reports, and portfolio reviews; and, ensuring that the Office Training Plan is current and complete.  

The work requires the Specialist to coordinate with other USAID Offices, the Embassy, and other USG Agencies.  And, the Specialist liaises and coordinates with counterparts, and others, in the Ministry of Education (MoE), the Ghana Education Service (GES), other stakeholders, other donors, IPs, and others to assure complementarity of efforts and lack of overlap.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

a. Supervisory and Office Management Responsibilities (30%)

As Deputy Chief, Education Office, the USAID Project Management Specialist (Education) provides direct supervision over three subordinate Office staff, and participates fully in administration of the full Office staff.  As supervisor, the Specialist performs the full range of supervisory responsibilties, carrying out a variety of administrative functions, as follows: the Specialist assists Office employees in resolving problems; assigns tasks, provides guidance, and monitors performance; monitors the performance of tasks assigned directly by the Office Chief; and, approves or recommends approval of Time and Attendance, overtime, and annual leave usage.  The Specialist prepares performance evaluation reports, or participates with considerable weight in their preparation, on all Office staff, and recommends employees for awards, promotions, or disciplinary action; for employees evaluated by the Office Chief, this includes providing input on employee performance, and the identification of employee strengths and weaknesses, training needs, etc.  The Specialist schedules Office staff meetings to facilitate communication; and, prepares the office-wide travel, leave, and training plans, and discusses them with staff the Office Chief.  The Specialist attends senior staff meetings with the Office Chief, and represents Office in the Office Chief’s absence or preoccupation, ensuring that actions assigned during such meetings are carried out in a timely manner.

b. Program/Project/Activity Management (40%)

The Specialist serves as COR/AOR/Activity Manager for major programs/projects/activities in the Education sector, and provides oversight and mentoring to the programs/projects/activities managed by other Office Specialists.  The Specialist assures objectives are being effectively met, within Mission and Agency guidelines and regulations.  The Specialist oversees, monitors, and reports on IP performance through review of project documentation, communications, and periodic field visits.  The Specialist manages the review and approval process of annual work plans and other planned activities, evaluating and analyzing IP data to ensure the accuracy and effectiveness of development activities.  The Specialist assists the Office in preparation and presentation of key reviews and documentation, including semi-annual portfolio reviews, annual report narratives, implementation letters, activity approval documents, GLAAS software actions, correspondence, and through other means, as required.  The Specialist leads and/or participates in the design and development of new education sector activities and initiatives, leveraging and coordinating the resources available from technical experts and others, internal and external to the Mission and Agency.  The Specialist contributes to strategic and long-range planning, performance monitoring, and to major Office program decisions.

c. Represents the Office Externally and Internally (20%)

The Specialist serves as liaison to counterparts within the MoE and GES, academia, civil society organizations, education sector partners, IPs and other development partners, the media, etc.  The Specialist provides general and targeted briefings to visitors, short-term consultants, and other program-related guests of USAID (e.g., congressional delegations, senior-level USAID officials, and others), and represents the Office and USAID at internal and external events, receptions, conferences, and workshops.  The Specialist serves as a resource for USAID and the Embassy to inter-agency and other personnel, by addressing requests for technical and programmatic information, and providing guidance related to USAID/USG educational initiatives and goals.  The Specialist provides liaison to other Mission Offices to ensure that cross cutting and complementary objectives are met.  

d. Financial Management (10%)

The Specialist maintains, analyzes, and reports on information regarding the financial status of Education Office portfolio obligations, expenditures, pipelines, and resource requirements.  The Specialist coordinates closely with OPPD, RFMO, and ROAA to analyze budget, expenditure, and pipeline trends and challenges.  The Specialist manages the quarterly Office process of presenting financial accruals of education portfolio activities; participates as a technical advisor in financial assessments of education partners; and, assures all activities are carried out in a technically sound, cost-effective, and ethical manner, in accordance with Mission, USAID, and USG requirements and regulations.

10. POSITION ELEMENTS

a. Supervision Received: The USAID Project Management Specialist (Education) operates with a high degree of independence under the general supervision of the Chief of the Education Office.  Most assignments are self-generated and occur in the normal course of the work.  The Specialist exercises independence in most phases of program/project/activity development and management.  The supervisor provides a review of the assignment, the goals and objectives to be achieved, and the results expected.  The Specialist seeks advice as required; work is reviewed in terms of results achieved.

b. Supervision Exercised: As Deputy to the Office Chief, the Specialist will have direct supervision of three subordinate staff, and participates fully in administration of the full Office staff.  The Specialist will often act as Office Chief in the absence or preoccupation of the USDH Office Chief.

c. Available Guidelines: Available guidelines include USG program/project/activity guidance, rules, and requirements; USAID Mission Orders, Mission strategy, and other relevant reports; the Automated Directives System (ADS); and, USAID Mandatory and Standard Provisions, the FAR and AIDAR, and other published and unpublished guidelines.  Guidelines are often general in nature and not specific to the situation at hand, requiring considerable interpretation.

d. Exercise of Judgment: Substantial judgment (discretion) is used daily in giving technical guidance to USG, USAID, and GoG colleagues, to IPs, and in representing USAID in multiple-stakeholder fora.  Management decisions over certain IPs are at the discretion of the Specialist.  Independent judgment is required for developing, implementing, and managing assigned programs/projects/activities, for reporting, and for other assignments.  Substantial judgment is required in analyzing and determining whether or not to recommend approval of proposed programs/projects/activities, in choosing among alternative proposals, and in evaluating data for reliability.

e. Authority to Make Commitments: The Specialist exercises the authority given to activity managers and CORs/AORs, and may make administrative arrangements consistent with ADS guidance and Mission policy.  The Specialist takes action and establishes priorities based on available guidelines and professional judgment.  Guidance is sought when needed, and the supervisor informed of activity and project status.  Within the scope of the authority delegated, the Specialist may indicate to ranking counterpart and IP officials that they will make a recommendation to USAID on a specific activity issue or problem.  The Specialist may negotiate ad referendum for the immediate supervisor.

f. Nature, Level, and Purpose of Contacts: The Specialist has a full range of contacts within the Mission, at all levels, and maintains contact with IPs and grantees implementing USAID-funded programs/projects/activities in the sector.  Within the Embassy, contacts are with counterpart staffs, and with senior staff as needed.  Host-government, local, and other contacts vary widely with the type of activity being implemented, and may be at any level – including Ministerial, Deputy Minister, etc.  Frequent and substantive personal contacts with senior-level officials of the GoG, and with the private sector, are for the purpose of explaining and defending USAID policies, objectives, and procedures, and to transmit and interpret GoG and private-sector attitudes and concerns to senior USAID officials.

g. Time Expected to Reach Full Performance Level: One Year

11. AREA OF CONSIDERATION: The position is open to all Cooperating Country Nationals (Ghanaians) and Third Country National (Neither a U.S. Citizen, nor a Permanent Legal Resident Alien of the United States, nor a Ghanaian Citizen). Third Country National applicants must attach copies of the required Ghanaian residency and work permits to their application to be eligible for consideration. No relocation expenses are provided to the job location, Accra-Ghana. If transportation to Accra is required, it will be the employee’s responsibility.

12. PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The work requested does not involve undue physical demands.

13. POINT OF CONTACT: acpersonnel@usaid.gov

Required Skills or Experience

II. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION

In order to be considered for the position, a candidate must meet the Minimum Qualifications. Applications will be pre-screened and only those that meet the Minimum Qualifications will be considered. These are the minimum qualifications necessary to be considered for the position:

a. Education: Completion of a Bachelor’s Degree, or the local equivalent formal education, in education, sociology/social sciences, anthropology, economics or a related education development field, is required.

b. Prior Work Experience: A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in education is required; experience should be related to education development and/or development assistance work for USG, the GoG, educational institutions, or other donor agencies.  Experience in the field of education and workforce development, and familiarity with related GoG and public institutions is required, and should include experience in the analysis of large amounts of data, and making presentations in English, orally and in writing.

c. Language Proficiency: Level IV (fluent) English in speaking, reading, and in writing is required.

d. Job Knowledge: A thorough knowledge of education development concepts, principles, and donor assistance mechanisms, along with host-country economic, social, cultural, and political characteristics is necessary.  A good knowledge of the history of educational development efforts in Ghana and the region, and the development perspectives, priorities, and resources of the GoG in the education sector is desired.  The Specialist must have a good knowledge of, or the ability to quickly gain knowledge of pertinent USAID administrative and procurement regulations and procedures, and education program guidance such as the Automatic Directive System (ADS). 

e. Skills and Abilities: The Specialist must have the ability to establish and maintain an extensive range of counterpart contacts with relevant GoG institutions and other organizations from, including appropriate Ministry of Education counterparts and officials, and other donor organizations such as the United Nations Development Program, UNICEF, and relevant professional organizations, in order to represent and defend USAID development policies and programs, and interpret host-country attitudes, priorities, and concerns to senior USAID officials.

The Specialist must have excellent communication skills, computer and internet skills, and the ability to obtain, analyze, and evaluate a variety of data; and to be able to organize and present findings in meaningful terms to others.  The position demands self-direction, independent judgment, problem-solving skills, communication, and negotiation skills, both verbally and in writing; and, the ability to plan and organize complex projects is required.

III.   EVALUATION AND SELECTION FACTORS

The Evaluation Factors listed below will be the basis for evaluating and ranking applicants for the position. Applicants will be scored based on the documentation submitted within the application. Applicants must submit a supplemental document outlining their responses to the evaluation factors in order to be considered. Only the highest-ranked applicants will be interviewed.

1. SELECTION PROCESS

After the closing date for receipt of applications, a committee will convene to review applications that meet the minimum requirements and evaluate them in accordance with the evaluation criteria. Applications from candidates who do not meet the minimum requirements will not be scored. As part of the selection process, finalist candidates will be interviewed. Reference checks will be made only for applicants considered as finalists. The applicant’s references must be able to provide substantive information about his/her past performance and abilities. If an applicant does not wish USAID to contact a current employer for a reference check, this should be stated in the applicant’s cover letter; USAID will delay such reference checks pending the applicant’s concurrence.

EVALUATION FACTORS

a. Work Experience (50%): A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in education is required; experience should be related to education development and/or development assistance work for USAID, the GoG, educational institutions, or other donor agencies.  Experience in the field of education and workforce development, and familiarity with related GoG and public institutions is required, and should include experience in the analysis of large amounts of data, and making presentations in English, orally and in writing.

b. Language Proficiency (10%): Level IV (fluent) English in speaking, reading, and in writing is required.Language proficiency will be tested.  

c. Job Knowledge (20%): A thorough knowledge of education development concepts, principles, and donor assistance mechanisms, along with host-country economic, social, cultural, and political characteristics is necessary.  A good knowledge of the history of educational development efforts in Ghana and the region, and the development perspectives, priorities, and resources of the GoG in the education sector is desired.  The Specialist must have a good knowledge of, or the ability to quickly gain knowledge of pertinent USAID administrative and procurement regulations and procedures, and education program guidance such as the Automatic Directive System (ADS).

d. Skills and Abilities (20%): The Specialist must have the ability to establish and maintain an extensive range of counterpart contacts with relevant GoG institutions and other organizations , including appropriate Ministry of Education counterparts and officials, and other donor organizations such as the United Nations Development Program, UNICEF, and relevant professional organizations, in order to represent and defend USAID development policies and programs, and interpret host-country attitudes, priorities, and concerns to senior USAID officials.

The Specialist must have excellent communication skills, computer and internet skills, and the ability to obtain, analyze, and evaluate a variety of data; and to be able to organize and present findings in meaningful terms to others.  The position demands self-direction, independent judgment, problem-solving skills, communication, and negotiation skills, both verbally and in writing; and, the ability to plan and organize complex projects is required.