Solicitations open to: Ukrainian Nationals (Residency/Ukrainian Work Permit)
Solicitation No.: 720-121-24-R-10009
Position Title: Project Management Specialist (Civic Engagement)
Issuance date: August 02, 2024
Closing date and time: August 16, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. Kyiv Time
Work hours: 40 hours (Full time)
Position Grade: FSN-11
Market Value: Basic Annual Rate (in U.S. Dollars): $43,147 - $56,088 In accordance with AIDAR Appendix J and the Local Compensation Plan of USAID/Ukraine. Final compensation will be negotiated within the listed market value.
Place of Performance: Kyiv, Ukraine
Period of Performance: Five-Year Period of Performance with possibility extension
Security Level Required: Facility Access
STATEMENT OF DUTIES:
The USAID Mission in Ukraine develops and implements U.S. assistance programs for Ukraine and Belarus. USAID/Ukraine partners with Ukrainian citizens, civil society, media, and government to help Ukraine resist Russiaโs full-scale invasion, promote transparent and effective recovery processes, and support reforms to integrate Ukraine further into Europe. The Project Management Specialist (PMS) works in the Office of Democracy and Governance (ODG), one of the Missionโs four Kyiv-based technical offices, under the supervision of the Office Director or their designee. ODG plans, monitors, and evaluates a large, dynamic portfolio of contracts and cooperative agreements spanning some of the countryโs highest-priority reform, recovery, and reintegration issues. The Civic Engagement Specialist will work in ODG under the supervision of the Office Director or their designee.
The principal role of the Civic Engagement Specialist is to design, implement, and evaluate the effectiveness of ODG activities supporting civil society, civic engagement, and/or accountable and transparent governance and political processes. The incumbent will serve as a Contracting or Agreement Officerโs Representative (COR/AOR) for one or more complex activities implemented primarily by U.S. non-governmental organizations and/or Ukrainian civil society organizations, and will be a lead advisor to the Mission on localization and working directly with Ukrainian organizations. This role requires excellent project management and communication skills, flexibility, and ability to engage across USAID teams and with Ukrainian civic and Government of Ukraine (GOU) stakeholders. The incumbent has direct, substantive contacts with host country government officials, media counterparts and political party and civil society representatives, presenting and coordinating democracy and governance programs with them, as well as the U.S. Embassy and other donors active in democracy and governance issues.
MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
A. Activity Management (50%):
- The Specialistโs primary responsibility is to manage and assist in the management of ODG technical assistance and grant activities. Activity management may include:
- Serving as the contracting/agreement officerโs representative (i.e, lead project manager) or alternate for a number of complex, sensitive activities within this portfolio.
- Providing USAID and its implementing partners with technical direction on key democracy and governance issues in order to make programmatic decisions.
- Reviewing vouchers, sub-grants, annual implementation plans, performance monitoring plans, key personnel, and other issues requiring USAID involvement.
- Conducting financial management tasks related to ODG activities, such as monitoring spending, tracking accruals, and preparing regular pipeline analyses.
- Conducting site visits to monitor ODG activities, which may require travel within Ukraine, as well as regular in-person interactions and correspondence with partners and stakeholders.
- Tracking partner performance against activity- and strategic-level objectives and results.
- Tracking partner reporting and deliverables, with an emphasis on oversight of taxpayer funds and communicating USAIDโs work in Ukraine to local and external audiences.
- Maintaining award management files.
- Drafting daily activity bullets, program briefs, readouts from meetings and events, briefers for other USAID and USG officials, and other reporting as required.
- As requested, occasionally supporting other programs in the ODG portfolio and general office needs, such as organizing meetings and events, participating in working groups, arranging Embassy services, and/or acting as a site officer for Mission or USG official trips.
B. Technical and Strategic Leadership (30%):
The Specialist will help shape ODGโs input into Mission strategic planning by providing analysis and recommendations on civil society, civic engagement, recovery, resilience, political/governance processes, and other democratic development issues, tracking key political and reform developments to ensure USAIDโs programs are designed and managed to respond to needs, opportunities, and challenges. S/he conducts research and analysis to support current and future programming; prepares briefing materials; and briefs USAID stakeholders, including Mission management, on developments in the sector. The Specialist will lead and/or participate in the assessment, design, award, and modification of activities, projects, and strategies, in close coordination with other technical and support offices.
C. Coordination, Representation, and Communication (20%):
The Specialist develops and maintains relationships with USAID stakeholders, other donors, GOU counterparts, civil society organizations, implementing partners, and other stakeholders to share information and coordinate ODG programming. They may be required to represent USAID in external meetings related to civil society and related sectoral issues, as well as the coordination of donor efforts in this field. The Specialist will also collaborate across Mission technical offices to provide insight on civic engagement elements within sector-specific projects and activities. Drawing upon their technical knowledge of the issue, the Civic Engagement Specialist will provide internal Mission guidance on needs and program opportunities related to civic engagement in Ukraineโs dynamic context, develop initial concept and design papers for proposed initiatives and funding consideration, and advise on technical approaches to implement USAID/Washington-managed programs.
The contractor is eligible for temporary duty (TDY) travel to the U.S., or to other Missions abroad, to participate in the \"Foreign Service National\" Fellowship Program, in accordance with USAID policy.
Supervisory Relationship: The Specialist is directly supervised by the Office of Democracy and Governance Deputy Director.
Supervisory Controls: Supervisory of other USAID Staff is not anticipated.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The work requested does not involve undue physical demand.
QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR EFFECTIVE PERFORMANCE:
Education: