Summary
Date Posted: Monday, April 11, 2022 , Base Salary: Not Disclosed

JOB DETAILS:
The Project Management Specialist (Agronomy) is a member of the ASD Unit with the primary purpose of managing agricultural research and production activities within the USAID Uganda EG portfolio. The Specialist ensures that the Mission has the necessary technical expertise to address biotic (pests and diseases) and abiotic (environmental and climatic) constraints to agricultural development pertaining to multiple program areas of the economic growth objective as described in the Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS). The Specialist focuses on agricultural research, and technology development and transfer aimed at combating disease and pest epidemics; increasing production and productivity; and sustaining the production resource base while conserving the environment. Although the Specialist serves as a PMS supporting the ASD Unit, the Specialist shares responsibility with other EG team members in achieving the office’s overall and specific program objectives. The Specialist’s major roles and responsibilities work across the team as designated and shall include program management, providing technical expertise, and managing professional relationships.

Statement of Duties to be performed.
• Program Management (40 percent of time)
• Provide technical and administrative oversight in Technology development and transfer through USAID
• and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Activities that support agricultural research,
• biosafety and biotechnology development, increased production and productivity, and environmental
• conservation. The Specialist oversees significant, complex, and sensitive portions of the overall USAID
• support to the Government of Uganda (GOU), providing technical direction to implementing partners,
• and exercising designated approval authorities. As designated, the Specialist serves as a principal USAID
• employee responsible for interpreting, explaining, and clarifying US Mission policies and procedures for
• a wide range of programs, projects, and activities in the Mission's agricultural portfolio. The Specialist
• monitors on-going programs; receives and approves performance reports; prepares annual reporting
• documents, briefing papers, concept papers, and other periodic documentation for the Mission,
• USAID/Washington, and the State Department. The Specialist nurtures relationships with implementing
• partners; participates in regular on-site visits and inspections; and provides guidance to Implementing
• Partners (IPs) on USAID regulations and policies. The Specialist collaboratively works with relevant
• Mission and IP staff, to provide technical support in performance monitoring systems and, tracks
• quarterly accruals and project pipeline to ensure appropriate accounting for USG resources as well as
• provide leadership in meeting audit recommendations. The Specialist contributes to the Mission
• budgetary process, provides analyses of budgetary needs, and participates in decisions about funding
• allocation for the existing and planned activities under the Agriculture portfolio.
• As designated, the Specialist has a wide range of backstopping responsibilities in the Agriculture,
• Environment and Natural Resources Management, Resilience and Nutrition, and Private Sector units. The Specialist coordinates with the Humanitarian Assistance and Transition Office on livelihood activities for vulnerable populations; and Education, Youth and Child Development on Youth Economic opportunities in agriculture. The Specialist is also required to coordinate with and support members of these units on cross cutting issues. The Specialist also supports other USAID staff including senior managers, visiting USG officials, and others in agriculture sector related public meetings, field trips, and discussions with Ugandan and regional officials and partner organizations. The Specialist utilizes in-depth knowledge of Uganda’s agricultural sector (particularly, knowledge of biotic and abiotic issues affecting the development of agricultural market system, agricultural science technology and innovations, and extension) and knowledge of Uganda’s political and socio-economic characteristics (especially those related to adoption and use of modern biotechnology and other agricultural innovations, as well as marginalization of women and youth in commercial agriculture) to provide professional advice on agricultural research to senior Mission Management.
• Technical Expertise (20 percent of time):
• The Specialist serves as a recognized Agronomic professional, with a strong knowledge of agricultural
• practices and principles. The Specialist maintains up-to-date information on agricultural research trends
• and technology transfer issues in the sectors/value chains that USAID is intervening in. The Specialist
• keeps abreast of all biotic and abiotic constraints to agricultural development and tracks activities of
• stakeholders. The Specialist advises the EG Office Director, the Feed the Future Coordinator, the private
• sector team, the democracy and governance team, the Program Office, USAID senior Mission
• Management, and the Embassy at large on Agricultural Research, Science technology and Innovation
• (STI), and commercialization of Agricultural technologies. The Specialist also contributes to the
• Mission’s pool of technical expertise on climate change and environmental health, gender youth and
• social inclusion, and policy analysis. The Specialist participates in Mission dialogues on strategy
• development, situational analysis, partnership landscape and stakeholder analysis, policy engagements,
• and dissemination of research findings. The Specialist provides recommendations to senior Mission
• Management on longer-term agriculture research, innovations and adoption of technologies; prepares and submits regular progress reports, both on a periodic and ad hoc basis for situation and website updates and maintains regular contact with selected offices in USAID/Washington in order to provide information and advice as required. To effectively support USAID programming, the Specialist establishes and maintains senior-level contacts with research institutions and universities, GOU counterparts, donor agencies, the private sector, and a wide range of NGOs. The Specialist also represents the Mission and articulates the USAID/ USG position on programs and strategies to various audiences and stakeholders. The Specialist ensures coordination with other USG and GOU agencies active in the agricultural sector, to the extent that these are complementary to or integrated with USAID-funded programs.
• Manage Relationships (25 percent of time):
• The Specialist develops and maintains professional contacts with the government institutions and a broad network of private sector associations, firms, local academia and business communities, and other relevant research entities in order to ensure maximum impact of USG investments. The Specialist leads the Mission's engagement with the GOU’s seed sector to promote quality agricultural inputs and products in the market; profiles the STI ecosystem actors; and manages coordination and collaboration between USAID, IPs and GOU Ministries, Departments and Agencies/Institutions. The Specialist coordinates EG’s partnership engagements with the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industries and Fisheries, and Ministry of Science Technology and Innovation through championship development with the respective ministries leadership.
• The Specialist also cultivates relationships with Bureau for Resilience and Food Security, USDA, United
• States African Development Foundation, Peace Corps, Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, and UN
• Agencies to ensure they are aligned with USAID Mission programs. The Specialist actively participates
• in commodity platforms, Joint Agricultural Sector Annual Reviews and Agriculture Donor Coordination
• group meetings in order to inform the mission of issues regarding sector-wide interventions.
• Representation and Reporting (15 percent of time):
• The Specialist represents the EG, Mission, and USG at national and/or international technical and
• programmatic meetings, within various working groups, in the interagency, and in consultations with
• other agriculture sector donors, government officials, the private sector and IPs. The Specialist also
• provides input and coordinates preparation of key reporting requirements.
• 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:
• Supervision will be from the ASD Unit Leader. The supervisor provides the required guidance and
• mentoring on specialist’s technical and managerial performance.
• Supervisory Controls:
• The position is non-supervisory. However; the Specialist will supervise the work of EG institutional
• contractors and/or grantees, when serving as COR/AOR, or Activity Manager as delegated.

Minimum Qualifications Required for this Position
• Offers will be initially screened for compliance with application instructions and eligibility in accordance
• with the minimum qualification criteria listed below.
• Education:
• A Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture, Crop Science or Agronomy or a related field is required.
• Minimum of (7) years in managing programs related to agriculture development activities, with at least
• five (5) years focusing on supporting Agricultural Research, agrobiodiversity, and Biosafety/Biotechnology applications; Land management; Crop Pests and Disease management; risk assessment and management; and agricultural mechanization is required.
• Prior work with USG or other international organization, or a donor-funded projects is required.
• Language Proficiency:
• Level IV English ability (Fluent) is required.
• Demonstrated knowledge of program management, including design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation.
• Sound knowledge of the way USAID conducts business, including budgeting and programming and procurement procedures is essential.
• Thorough knowledge of issues affecting agricultural research, adoption and use of modern
• Biotechnology and other agricultural innovations in Uganda.
• Demonstrated knowledge of Uganda’s economic, political, social, and cultural characteristics, as it
• relates to the agricultural sector.
• Demonstrated understanding of the special circumstances for women and youth in agriculture is of added advantage.
• Specific knowledge of partnership building with stakeholders in agriculture.

Skills and Abilities:
• Strong interpersonal skills with demonstrated experience and ability to work in teams, clear concise
• writing skills, ability to meet tight deadlines, and logical analysis and clear presentation skills.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively with a range of counterparts at all levels including those from host country government, NGOs, other USAID Missions, other donors, and rural resource users.
• Computer literacy in word processing using Microsoft Office, the Google suite, web-based databases, and electronic filing.
• Demonstrated experience in the preparation and presentation of complex reports and analyses.
• Self-directed with demonstrated ability to perform with minimal supervision.


Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: 84

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Job application procedure
Offers must be presented as detailed in Section IV of the solicitation document and shall include:
A typed and signed (hand or electronic signature) (around Section 6 – Declaration) DS-174 Employment Application for Locally Employed Staff or Family Member ( https://eforms.state.gov/Forms/ds174.pdf ; Version Exp. 06/2022).
Cover letter (addressed to the USAID Supervisory Executive Officer) clearly indicating the position for which you are applying and describing how you meet the minimum requirements.
Completed curriculum vitae/resume as detailed in the solicitation document.
Supplemental [separate] document specifically addressing each QRF as outlined in the solicitation.
Copies of Academic Transcripts. All offers must be e-mailed to: kampalausaidjobs@usaid.gov  on or before April 19, 2022:4:45 PM local time. Offers should be in Adobe Acrobat (.pdf). No other file types will be accepted.

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