USAID Project Management Specialist (Environment)

Description

• The incumbent will provide direction and/or manage the US$11 M Integrated Gorongosa Buffer Zone project (IGBZ), the US $9.8M Ecosystem Conservation Systems, Markets, and Tourism Alliance (ECO-SMART), and/or other activities as part of the Biodiversity Conservation and Tourism (BIOTOUR) program. IGBZ activity aims to reduce threats to Gorongosa National Park’s biodiversity and improve livelihood opportunities for buffer zone communities through an innovative, systems-thinking approach to conservation, which includes activities in agriculture, food security and nutrition, health, education, law enforcement, and biodiversity conservation
• IGBZ partners with the Gorongosa Restoration Project and the Administração Nacional das Áreas de Conservação (ANAC). ECO-SMART is a public-private sector partnership working to improve conservation area management in the vast Niassa National Reserve (NNR). The activity partners with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), private reserve concessionaires, and ANAC to conserve and sustainably manage the biodiversity and natural resources of NNR, including combating wildlife poaching, enhance the social and economic wellbeing of Niassa’s communities, and strengthen the national conservation area system in Mozambique

Duties

• The Project Management Specialist will serve as the strategic, policy, and technical advisor for biodiversity conservation in Mozambique. S/he is a mid-level expert in biodiversity conservation, environmental economics, natural resources management including climate resilience, environmental policy, rural development, and natural resource management
• The incumbent will contribute to strategy development, project design, policy position papers, and will represent USAID as a liaison with government entities and in select donor fora and program steering committees
• The incumbent will ensure effective linkages and synergies with other USAID projects (e.g. governance, food security, agribusiness value chains, agricultural policy and planning, and an integrated health/agriculture initiative)
• The Project Management Specialist position description includes the following duties and responsibilities related to:
• Technical oversight and program management – 50%
• Provides strategic, technical and organizational input on the design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of biodiversity conservation and climate resilience program activities. Serves as an advisor in managing and implementing mission biodiversity conservation and/or climate resilience interventions (roughly US$60M over 5- years), working closely with host-country officials and project consultants
• Plays a role in engaging with corporations and philanthropic organizations to build public/private partnerships to leverage private funding for biodiversity conservation and natural resources management activities in Mozambique
• Monitors the implementation of climate resilience and/or biodiversity conservation programs and projects, and serves as activity manager and potentially COR/AOR for one or more implementation mechanisms
• Prepares USAID documentation including funding documents, waivers, action memos, implementation letters, scopes of work, etc. Provides technical support for program implementers
• Ensures effective coordination and integration with other USAID-funded activities, especially those working in the same geographic areas and in the environmental sector
• Produces briefing papers, and semi-annual and annual reports on program status, accomplishments, and implementation issues. Oversees the monitoring and evaluation of assigned programs
• Develops effective collaboration and public/private partnerships with international donors, foundations, and the private sector to leverage additional resources and achieve greater program impact through coordination and harmonization of policies and interventions
• Donor and partner coordination – 25%
• Seeks out and creates collaborative, professional relationships with mid- and senior-level Government of Mozambique central and local level officials, major financial donors, corporate philanthropic foundations, international organizations, and leading education research institutions to ensure effective coordination of USAID activities related to biodiversity conservation and climate resilience
• Assists in programming and negotiating with the GoM on project design, implementation, and evaluation, ensuring that GoM officials are apprised of program progress
• Organizes and manages donor working groups on biodiversity and any ad hoc groups or committees related to technical coordination on environment-related activities
• Environmental Analysis and Cultural Counsel - 25%
• Conducts regular environmental analysis related to the areas of biodiversity conservation, natural resources management, climate resilience, environmental policy, and/or gender and environment issues
• Assists USAID staff to better understand the socio-economic and cultural meaning of current events in Mozambique, and how they may impact the implementation of the USAID development programs through frequent discussions and in written reports
• Provides culturally sensitive recommendations for resolving program issues, and options for strategic
• Approaches to achieving USAID’s development goals
• Supervision Received: The incumbent will work under the AEB’s Environment Team Leader and requires little supervision to carry out routine responsibilities, and more substantial guidance for conducting negotiations with government officials, developing issue papers, and managing USAID programmatic activities. The scope and flexibility of the Project Management Specialist’s duties will demand a great deal of initiative in identifying and testing innovative approaches, advocating for alternative solutions, and be seeking out new relationships with Government of Mozambique officials and NGOs on behalf of USAID
• Supervision Exercised: None contemplated
• Available Guidelines: USAID ADS series on project assistance management, appropriate advice from USAID/Mozambique and USAID/Washington Offices. General guidelines for program initiatives can be found in the Country Assistance Strategy, Operational Plan, Annual Performance Plan and Report, and other USAID briefing documents. For project information, guidelines can be found in the Strategic Assistance Agreements, Development Assistance Program proposals, and reports
• Exercise of Judgment: Sound judgment is required to: 1) identify, design, implement, evaluate and make decisions to achieve programmatic objectives; 2) negotiate with partners within broad guidance from USAID officials on all aspects of program implementation; and, 3) undertake analyses and offer recommendations to senior USAID/Mozambique and GoM central and local officials for actions
• Authority to Make Commitments: Authority to schedule, organize, and advise on all activities within the scope of assigned responsibilities is provided. Contractual or non-government award commitments are outside of the scope of this position
• Nature, Level, and Purpose of Contacts: The incumbent will act as a USAID representative on program steering committees and other fora (which includes multiple donors and government agencies) to review the priorities and direction of various biodiversity and/or natural resources management programs. Such representation includes being in regular contact with mid-and senior-level officials in the GoM, donor organizations, universities, private sector businesses, international research organizations, and NGO representatives. Contact with various stakeholders allows for not readily available information to be obtained and to have access to and the confidence of these various contacts in order to conduct thorough analyses and effective project management. Reporting within the Mission is done directly during general staff meetings and team meetings. Contact with projects will be on a regular basis and involve office and field visits

Requisites

• Bachelor’s Degree in environmental management, science, engineering, natural resource management, biodiversity conservation, botany, ecology, geography, forestry, rural development, or closely related field
• Minimum of three years of professional-level experience in an area(s) related to strategy and policy development, and program design and management, especially in conservation, community-based natural resource management, and climate resilience related fields, which includes coordination experiences
• Level IV (fluency) in English and Portuguese speaking, reading, writing given the complex nature of technical documents and regulations. This will be tested
• Good knowledge of biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, rural development, enterprise and market/trade development, and/or natural resource management programs in Mozambique and/or Southern Africa
• Knowledge of Mozambique’s economic, political, social, and cultural characteristics, government’s environmental regulatory policy, and regulations, and/or major trends in national conservation and/or climate resilience sector development
• Basic knowledge of gender mainstreaming and of the impact of HIV/AIDS and environmental degradation on development
• Demonstrated ability to establish positive relations with Government of Mozambique officials at the national, provincial, and/or district levels, and/or with USAID, donors, the private sector, and/or NGOs involved in development activities in order to coordinate events or obtain information useful in conducting analyses of complex issues
• Critical thinking, self-motivation, and excellent organizational skills

Notes

• Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted
• Please note that USAID and the U.S. Government NEVER require payment of any money in connection with a job application