x5 Job Vacancy At USAID: Project Development Specialist (Community Development) – Apply Now
Host
USAID South Africa
Deadline:
Varying
Target Audience
INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS
Program Overview
The United States Agency for International Development/Southern Africa (USAID/SA) is a premier mission implementing and piloting innovative agency initiatives, such as USAID Forward and Local Systems. Local Systems utilizes collaborative space to increase partnership with private and voluntary organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and other local organizations to promote local solutions to local capacity challenges.
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Such collaboration better utilizes USAID funding, increasing local ownership and the likelihood of sustained success. This initiative requires creative thinkers, risk takers, and motivated staff. USAID/Southern Africa is looking to hire a highly energetic, motivated, critical, and creative thinker to help implement one of USAID/Southern Africa’s flagship programs focused on local systems – Local Works Power to the People.
The Community Development Specialist position is in USAID/Southern Africa’s Regional Environment, Education, and Democracy (REED) Office, which is responsible for technical leadership and program design and implementation across several technical sectors and across the Southern Africa region. The REED Office administers a diverse portfolio of both South Africa bilateral and Southern Africa regional projects valued at $25-30 million annually.
The REED portfolio advances USG foreign policy interests in Southern Africa and is subject to intense executive branch and congressional scrutiny. REED also provides technical support, coordination, and project management functions for six countries in the region: Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, and South Africa. The portfolio is managed by 19 staff members and includes projects in energy, environment, democracy, human rights, and governance, basic and higher education, and numerous special initiatives.
Local Works is a USAID-funded initiative aimed at supporting locally led development and enhancing USAID’s ability to empower local actors to take the lead in solving their own development challenges. USAID anticipates awarding several new contracts, cooperative agreements, and/or grants under the Local Works – Power to the People program in the next year, and USAID requires additional assistance to manage this growing portfolio.
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The primary duties of the Community Development Specialist are to build and lead the Power to the People program, which is designed to partner closely with South Africa’s Independent Power Producers Office (IPPO) to support community engagement, local ownership, and trauma-informed approaches to deepen and sustain the impact of renewable energy companies’ investment in local communities. The program is a key component of implementing USAID’s Climate Strategy and supporting South Africa’s Just Energy Transition Partnership, one of the top priorities of the U.S. Government in South Africa.
The Specialist will provide leadership and oversight to the entire Local Works Power to the People program. S/he will serve as Contracting/Agreement Officer Representative (COR/AOR) (USAID terminology for project manager) for at least four Local Works support mechanisms. S/he provides advice to Mission staff and management, USAID implementing partners, Government of South Africa, private sector partners, other donors, NGOs, and local communities and stakeholders.
The Specialist’s work includes a variety of external outreach and collaboration, project management, monitoring, research, reporting, and analytical duties. This position will provide leadership on inclusive development, community engagement, local ownership, and trauma-informed approaches, and the analysis and measurement of programmatic and policy impacts of the Local Works Power to the People program. The Specialist represents USAID to officials of development partners and other bodies on policy and coordination issues and serves as the main point of contact between USAID and major stakeholders in South Africa.
Major Duties and Responsibilities:
Representation and Technical Leadership 40%
- Lead the Power to the People program, serving as the main contact between USAID/Southern Africa and community, government, and private sector stakeholders.
- Lead effective outreach and coordination within the U.S. Government interagency in South Africa, international donor agencies, and other stakeholders.
- Lead the development of new approaches, strategies, and solutions in close collaboration with a wide range of local partners.
- Serve as a resource and high level professional for locally led development and advise on inclusive development programming and strategies.
- Actively engage private sector partners and work to leverage additional resources.
- Build and maintain relationships with the private sector, international and regional research institutions, centers of excellence, and a wide network of professional colleagues, to assess, analyze, and identify trends in social responsibility.
- Represent USAID/Southern Africa at meetings, workshops, and conferences organized by various organizations as directed by the supervising manager.
Program Design, Procurement and Implementation 40%
- Lead and facilitate co-creation of Power to the People activities with government, local partners, communities, and private sector.
- Lead the design and procurement of Power to the People activities (develop program approval documents, statements of work, independent government cost estimates, and lead evaluation committees).
- Conduct oversight of the Power to the People activities, and lead coordination and collaboration between activities.
- Serve as the Agreement/Contracting Officer’s Representative for all Power to the People activities, monitoring and facilitating the achievement of results in a timely, cost-effective manner.
- Prepare, manage, and track Local Works budget and financial planning.
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Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting
- Lead cross-cutting monitoring, evaluation and reporting of Power to the People activities, in collaboration with local partners and communities.
- Support adaptive management and mid-course adjustments by proposing improvements to ongoing and future activities based on field observations, previous experiences in the area, and programmed activities.
- Collaborate with the government and private sector to learn from and practice effective modes of engagement with communities and serve as an example for future engagement with communities in coal transition regions.
- Liaise with international and local organizations, as well as government partners with respect to best practices in community engagement.
- Provide advanced research, advice, and coordination on issues affecting Power to the People-related domains, such as the clean energy just transition, civil society, local resource organizations, local community development, trauma-informed approaches, etc.
- Lead the provision of training on locally led development approaches to USAID and local partners, including private sector, on co-facilitation, trauma-informed design, systems thinking, etc.
POSITION ELEMENTS
Supervision Received: Under general supervision of the Environment & Energy Team Leader or his/her designee. The Specialist is expected to regularly operate independently with minimal guidance. S/he will provide technical advice and assistance to USAID staff and serve as group leader for specific tasks. S/he must be able to function with minimal supervision and be capable of taking initiative as needed with all responsibilities under his/her management.
Supervision Exercised: The direct supervision of the other staff is not contemplated.
Available Guidelines: Agency specific instructions and guidelines, including Policy and Procedures directives; Staff Notices, AID Handbooks, ADSs, FAM, FAR, and other management directives.
Exercise of Judgment: With guidance from the Environment & Energy Team Leader and senior members of the team, s/he will be required to solve technical and programmatic problems with discretion. While negotiating with partners and government officials he/she must be able to act with good judgment and relational skills to facilitate good relationships and delivery of results on challenging technical programs. Specialist is expected to use common sense and ensure prudent use of U.S. Government funds while ensuring the necessary services are performed.
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Submitting an Offer:
- All interested and eligible candidates should visit http://usaid.ci.hr to apply. Applicants with P-net accounts can log-in from the above website to apply and first-time users will be required to register on the site before they can apply.
- Kindly note that when you apply via cellphone you are not able to complete the required questionnaire. And if you do not complete the required questionnaire for the position, you will automatically be eliminated from further review.
- For an application to be considered complete, please include a high-quality cover letter, explaining why you are qualified for the position and a CV of no more than 4 pages. Failure to comply with these instructions may result in your application being considered “non-responsive” and eliminated from further consideration.
- Offers must be received by the closing date and time specified in Section I.
- To ensure consideration of offers for the intended position, Offerors must prominently reference the Solicitation number in the offer submission.
- The U.S. Mission in South Africa provides opportunity and fair and equitable treatment in employment to all people without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, political affiliation, marital status or sexual orientation. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) also strives to ensure equal employment opportunity in all personnel operations.
- Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. Applicants who do not follow the application instructions may be dropped from further consideration.
Points of Contact:
- Carol Masemola, Telephone: (012) 452-2058
- Odessa Sifora, Telephone: (012) 452-2112
- Heather Franklin, Telephone: (012) 452-2028
- Lavinia Denation, Telephone: (012) 452-2054
- Thabang Mothupi, Telephone: (012) 452-2198
- Engeline Sebego, Telephone: (012) 452-2188
- Kim Sias, Telephone: (012) 452-2206
- Alicia Veldman, Telephone: (012) 452-2088
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Applicability:
This position is open to South African citizens and South African permanent resident permit holders. USAID Southern Africa management will consider nepotism/conflict of interest, budget, need for continuity, and residency status in determining successful applications. Current USG employees on probationary status (i.e., within their first year of employment) are not eligible to apply.
The EEO complaint procedure is not available to individuals who believe they have been denied equal opportunity based upon marital status or political affiliation. Individuals with such complaints should avail themselves of the appropriate grievance procedures, remedies
for prohibited personnel practices, and/or courts for relief.
References:
Three (3) references, who are not family members or relatives, with working telephone and e-mail contacts. The references must be able to provide substantive information about your past performance and abilities. USAID reserves the right to contact your previous employers for relevant information concerning your performance and may consider such information in its evaluation of the application.
COMPENSATION
This position will be compensated in accordance with the U.S. Mission for South Africa’s Local Compensation Plan (LCP). The successful candidate’s salary level will be based on prior job-related experience and salary history.
REQUIRED FORMS FOR CCNPSC HIRES
Once the Contracting Officer informs the successful Offeror about being selected for a contract award, the CO will provide the successful Offeror instructions about how to complete and submit the forms.
BENEFITS
The plan includes basic salary, miscellaneous allowance, pension fund and medical aid subsidy.
TAXES
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Every CCNPSC staff member in the Mission regardless of agency affiliation is required as a condition of employment, to pay their taxes to the South African Government.
USAID REGULATIONS, POLICIES AND CONTRACT CLAUSES PERTAINING TO CCNPSCs
USAID regulations and policies governing CCNPSC awards are available at these sources:
- 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 will be used for this contract.
- Acquisition and 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 Regulations .
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