USAID Development Program Specialist (Budget) at the U.S. Embassy

The U.S. Mission to Nigeria comprises of the Embassy in Abuja, FCT, and the Consulate General in Lagos. U.S. Consulate General Lagos is the Mission’s representative to the Nigerian people in the southern region.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: USAID Development Program Specialist (Budget) – (Current Mission Employees Only) (72062022R10046)

Announcement Number: Abuja-2022-114
Location: Abuja
Series/Grade: LE – 0405 12
Hiring Agency: Embassy Abuja
Promotion Potential: LE-12
Work Schedule: Full-time – 40 hours per week

Overview

• Hiring Path: Open to the public
• Who May Apply/Clarification From the Agency:
  • For definitions use URL www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/glossary
  • Employees of Mission – Nigerian Citizens and Permanent Residents only.
• Security Clearance Required: Public Trust – Background Investigation
• Appointment Type: Permanent
• Appointment Type Details: Five (5) years renewable, estimated to start on or after December 2022

Summary

• This position is in the Program Office and reports to the Deputy Program Officer. The incumbent plays a key role in the USAID/Nigeria Mission and the Program Office (PRO) as the senior FSN specialist on issues related to the implementation of Development Objective (DO) programs, program planning and development such as strategy development, design of new activities, budget/pipeline, or identification of best practices to be shared Mission-wide.
• Supervisory Position: Yes
• Relocation Expenses Reimbursed: No
• Travel Required: Occasional Travel
• The contractor is eligible for temporary duty (TDY) travel to the United States, or to other Missions abroad, to participate in the “Foreign Service National” Fellowship Program, in accordance with USAID policy.

Duties
Program Administration – 30%:

•  Serves as a primary advisor to the Mission and PRO and is the principal FSN advisor on overall budget matters in the Mission.
• Takes the lead in preparing Mission responses and meeting reporting requirements on behalf of the Mission and for the Supervisory Program Officer and Mission Director to USAID/Washington and other entities on any budget related issues or information requests.
• Responsible for in-house data collection, analysis, and preparation of responses to the ever-increasing complex taskers and data calls from Washington. Tracks actions with PRO in compliance with Washington.
• Plays a lead role in the development of new fiscal year program budgets, within broad parameters defined by the Program Officers.
• S/he maintains a detailed budget tracking and obligation sheet and reconciles the budget allowance, obligations, and expenditures with the Office of Financial Management on a regular basis.
• S/he provides substantive support on Mission pipeline management and the procurement planning process by: working with technical and procurement offices to accurately allocate the program budget to individual procurements; tracking procurement processes to ensure timely obligation of funds in compliance with pre-obligation requirements; and related administrative duties.

Activity/Project Design and Management – 30%:

• Takes the lead in coordinating new management and program related activities and procedures to help prepare and refine USAID/Nigeria overall development strategy, particularly in regard to program planning, performance reporting, and budget matters.
• The incumbent is a key Mission expert and principal advisor to the Mission on Agency and policies related to the Program Cycle including program/budget planning, monitoring, implementation, and reporting.
• The Specialist participates with considerable weight and at the highest levels in planning for, as well as implementation of, the USAID/Nigeria Country Development and Cooperation Strategy (CDCS).
• The Specialist provides coordination and support as directed to strategy development/implementation, analyses of Government of Nigeria priorities, analyzes and prepares documentation that outlines resources needed to achieve results; analyzes USAID/Washington guidance on strategy development and advises technical offices on priorities and parameters.

Supervisory Responsibilities – 20%:

• Direct Supervision: The incumbent will directly supervise the USAID Program Development Specialist (Budget) (FSN-10), and the USAID Program Development Specialist (FSN-10).
• The incumbent will provide timely feedback on performance and ensure that his/her supervisees are appropriately trained, utilized, appraised, and rewarded.
• S/he will review the supervisees’ performance in an objective manner, identify goals for professional growth, and opportunities (both formal and informal) for achieving those goals.
• S/he will create an office environment that fosters job enrichment, skill development, and professional growth.
• To that end, the incumbent will establish performance targets and prevent and resolve personnel issues in a timely manner.
• In addition to supervision responsibilities, the incumbent will coach and mentor PRO and Mission staff on strategy, coordination, and reporting.
• S/he will support and implement fair personnel practices and foster a work environment that is inclusive and non-discriminatory.

New Partnership Initiative (NPI) Head Liaison and Contract Management – 20%:

• S/he will lead efforts in drafting and implementing Mission’s NPI Action Plans. The incumbent will identify potential new and underutilized partners throughout Nigeria, and serve as the primary coordinator for, training and building the capacity of these new partners to be able to access USAID funds and successfully manage these programs.
• In this role, s/he will empower small, local leadership, while also promoting safeguards in budgetary decisions. This includes identifying barriers to entry that some smaller potential partners may have faced in the past, mitigating them, and ensuring that the element of accountability is maintained.
• S/he will support the Mission in implementing locally led development and the localization agenda of the new administration.
• Supervisory Relationship: Supervised by the USDH Deputy Program Officer. Supervisor will guide and mentor the incumbent to ensure the Mission is equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to properly manage its diverse portfolio, in compliance with Agency
• Supervisory Controls: Directly supervises two PRO staff: the USAID Program Development Specialist (Budget) (FSN-10), and the USAID Program Development Specialist (FSN-10).

Qualifications and Evaluations
Education Requirements:

• Education: Minimum of University Degree in a field relevant to Development Assistance, including, but not limited to Accounting, Economics, Finance, Social Sciences, or International Affairs is required.

Experience:

• Must have a minimum of seven (7) years of work experience in the development field leading/implementing strategies, managing projects, leading large initiatives, Budgetary management, or equivalent is required.
• Prior work experience in collaborating with high-level counterparts or their representatives (government and/or private sector) is required.
• Must have at least five years of experience working in West Africa.

Job Knowledge:

• The incumbent must have a near-expert professional-level knowledge of development principles, concepts, and practices, especially as they relate to managing sectoral programs/projects/activities in Nigeria, and the problems and policies in Nigeria from the business, political, civil society, and social perspectives.
• The incumbent must have knowledge and understanding of the economic, political, social, and cultural characteristics of Nigeria; development problems in Nigeria and the region; an understanding of the resources, resource constraints, and overall development prospects and priorities of Nigeria and the region; and, knowledge of, or the potential to quickly acquire knowledge of, USG legislation, policy, and practices relating to development, including USG programming policies, regulations, and procedures are required.
• Knowledge and understanding of the organization and respective roles of the different levels of the GON to enhance effective communication, and to  develop consensus on program/project/activity strategy and implementation is required.

Skills:

• Must have demonstrated ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, and the ability to independently obtain, analyze, and evaluate a wide variety of data and prepare analytical reports. Capacity for critical analysis of current development issues is required.
• Must take initiative in carrying out assigned tasks and possess strong interpersonal skills and ability to perform duties with minimal supervision support.
• Ability to develop and maintain an extensive range of senior-level contacts in government and the private sector is essential.
• Ability to plan, organize, and execute complex research projects and prepare precise and accurate factual and analytical budget reports is required.
• The incumbent must be able to accurately analyze and evaluate a variety of data and information and convey complex information regarding his/her work to a variety of audiences in a clear, concise, and appropriate manner, in both written and oral English.
• S/he must be able to understand the changes in strategic program priorities and deadlines, their implications for budget management, and recommend appropriate adjustments to financial plans.
• S/he must have problem-solving skills and ability to recommend solutions in complicated situations, taking into consideration myriad factors and variables such as late budget appropriations and delayed funds availability, uncertain funding levels, and unexpected budget reductions or increases.
• Thorough knowledge in MS office and Google Suite applications, such as Word and PowerPoint, and other data management skills is required. Skills in MS Excel and/or Google Sheets must be advanced.

Language:

• Level IV fluency in English language is required. A good working knowledge of one or more Nigerian languages (Hausa, Yoruba, Ibo) is required

Physical Demands:

• The work requested does not involve undue physical demands.

Evaluations:

• Applicants who clearly meet the minimum Education, Experience and basic eligibility requirement will be further evaluated based on scoring of the Evaluation Factors listed below. The highest-ranking applicants may be selected for an interview.

Evaluation Factors:

• Knowledge – 15 points
• Skills and Abilities – 10 points
• Language Skills – 5 points
• Interview Performance – 70 points
• Total Possible Points: 100 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.

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.

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

Salary
NGN 20,039,818 / Annum

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

Deadline: 5th October, 2022.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Important Information

• Eligible applicants are required to complete this on-line application process and submit any applicable required documents by 11:59 p.m. GMT on the closing date of this announcement.
• Eligible Offerors are required to complete and submit the offer form AID 309-2. (Offeror Information for Personal Services Contracts with Individuals); AND a current resume that provides the same information as AID 309-2 form.
• Offeror submissions must clearly reference the Solicitation number on all offeror submitted documents.
• All documentation that supports or addresses the requirements listed above (e.g., certificates of education (degree), NYSC certificate/exemption etc.) MUST be attached to the application. Please note that all required documents must be received by the closing date online, and that we will determine your eligibility and qualifications based solely on the material received by the closing date.
• A type-written and signed application letter specifically applying for this position and addressing the minimum requirements as advertised.
• Ensuring Adequate COVID-19 Safety Protocols for Federal Contractors – The Offeror will be required to show proof that the Offeror is fully vaccinated against COVID-19 on or before the first date of onboarding, or submit an approved reasonable accommodation to the CO. If the contractor does not meet this requirement the contract may be terminated.

Required Documents

• Current Resume and AID 309-2 form
• Signed Cover Letter
• Relevant Certificates
• University Transcripts
• List of 3 References

Next Steps
Selection Process:

• After the closing date for the receipt of applications, applications will initially be screened for conformity with the minimum requirements and a short list of applicants developed.
• Following this initial review and short listing, a Technical Evaluation Committee (TEC) will convene to review applications that meet the minimum requirements and evaluate them in accordance with the evaluation factors (1-3). Applications from candidates which do not meet the minimum requirements will not be evaluated.  As part of the selection process, finalist candidates will be interviewed.  Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.  No response will be sent to unsuccessful applicants.
• USAID reserves the right to interview only the highest ranked applicants in person or by phone OR not to interview any candidate.
• Applicants are required to provide three (3) reference persons who are not family members or relatives, with working telephones and email contacts. The references must be able to provide substantive information about applicant’s past performance and abilities. Reference checks will be made only for applicants considered as finalists. If an applicant does not wish for the current employer to be contacted as a reference check, this should be stated in the resume. Note that if an applicant had a previous position with USAID, you must list your previous supervisor as a referee.
• Ensuring Adequate COVID-19 Safety Protocols for Federal Contractors – The Offeror will be required to show proof that the Offeror is fully vaccinated against COVID-19 on or before the first date of onboarding, or submit an approved reasonable accommodation to the CO. If the contractor does not meet this requirement the contract may be terminated.*