GENERAL INFORMATION

USAID DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING) AND DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANT’S BANK ACCOUNTS.

1. SOLICITATION NO.: 72061524R10056
2. ISSUANCE DATE: July 26, 2024
3. CLOSING DATE AND TIME FOR RECEIPT OF OFFERS: August 09, 2024 (4:30 PM East Africa Time).
4. POINT OF CONTACT: USAID Kenya and East Africa Human Resources, e-mail at [email protected]
5. POSITION TITLE: USAID Development Program Specialist (Budget)
6. MARKET VALUE: Ksh 4,104,558.00 to Ksh 6,977,740.00 per year, equivalent to FSN-10 grade level in accordance with AIDAR Appendix J and the Local Compensation Plan of USAID/Kenya and East Africa.  The salary range provided is inclusive of all allowances and annual bonus.  All applicable taxes will be deducted from the stated gross market rate. Final compensation will be negotiated within the listed market value.
7. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: Five (5) years estimated to start o/a January 12, 2025. The services provided under this contract are expected to be of a continuing nature that will be executed by USAID through a series of sequential contracts, subject to the availability of funds, the continued need for services and successful performance.
8. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Nairobi, Kenya; with possible travel as stated in the Statement of Duties.
9. ELIGIBLE OFFERORS: Open to qualified Cooperating Country National (CCN) (an individual who is a cooperating country citizen or a non-cooperating country citizen lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the cooperating country). Employees presently on probation are ineligible to apply.
10. SECURITY LEVEL REQUIRED: Security certification issued by the US Embassy RSO.

STATEMENT OF DUTIES:

General Statement of Purpose of the Contract

The incumbent serves as the Development Program Specialist (Budget) FSN 10 in the Mission’s Strategic Planning and Analysis (SPA) Office (or Program Office) which serves the USAID/Kenya and East Africa (USAID/KEA) platform. The Program Office provides leadership and support to the Mission on: (a) social, economic and developmental issues; (b) strategic planning, programming, and budgeting; (c) program and project activity development; (d) monitoring and evaluation of the platform’s portfolio; (e) environmental compliance; (f) outreach and communications; and (g) limited program implementation of cross-cutting activities that fall within the Platform’s s ongoing Development Objectives (DO) under the Kenya Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) and East Africa Regional Development Cooperation Strategy (RDCS). SPA manages the regional and bilateral relationships, including program coordination and assistance agreements, with the Government of Kenya and regional entities. In addition, this office keeps a pulse of major development trends in the East Africa region to inform new programming needs and reinforce learning. In addition to the Program Office leadership (one Office Director and two Deputy Office Directors), the Program Office is composed of Project Design, Localization, Budget Management, Performance Management and Learning, Geospatial Information System (GIS), and Cross-Cutting (environmental compliance, gender integration, donor coordination, and economic analyses).

The primary purpose of this position is to support the USAID/KEA Mission in carrying out its Mission-wide functions in program and budget operations. The incumbent performs a variety of budget consultative, monitoring, analytical and information-gathering, and related duties. S/he completes, analyses, devises, and maintains budget tracking systems and other records, liaises with the Office of Financial Management (OFM), advises technical offices and other Program Office staff on program budget policies and practices, pipelines, and accruals, required documentation, compliance issues, and reporting requirements. He/she has expert level knowledge of Agency program budget policies and requirements and keeps current on best practices, new guidance and relevant software systems and accounting practices and thereby helps to oversee the integrity of USAID/KEA program budget management systems, data, and reporting. The USAID/KEA life of strategy (2020-2025) program budget portfolio is over $2.5 billion with an estimated annual program budget of $470 million (Kenya is $435 million; East Africa Regional is $35 million). S/he will also serve as the Mission’s MAPS and DIS expert on the budget and will oversee all related tasks including updating and maintaining the system, conducting relevant training for Mission staff, and producing and analyzing system reports for various Mission processes. The job may be expected to perform work-related travel.

Statement of Duties to be Performed.

Portfolio Budget, Procurement Planning, and Financial Management   (50 %) 

1. Participates in the development and implementation of USAID/KEA operational plans especially regarding budgetary aspects of activity design and funding. Ensures planned budget is not exceeded, checks budget coding, performs analysis of past expenditure rates, current and projected pipelines, and future expenditure rates to ensure accuracy of data produced.
2. Supports the development and management of budget components of major reports required during the annual program/budget cycle, e.g. Mission Resource Request (MRR), the Congressional Budget Justification (CBJ), and the Operational Plan (OP) by assisting with the preparation of program budget tables and monitoring Program Area /Program Element budget by ensuring that USAID Africa Bureau’s Office of Development Planning (AFR/DP) controls are not exceeded. Reviews all program budget tables and ensures that data input in NextGen is accurate before submission to AID/W.
3. Monitors each Development Objective (DO) budget and keeps current on the provision of the strategy(ies), results review, performance reports, and operational plans to better monitor procurements, disbursements, and pipelines.
4. Drafts the Operating Year Budget (OYB) matrices and narratives and ensures that all pertinent data (budget allowance, obligations, obligation date, etc.) are up to date. Coordinates and consolidates the field support requests from the technical offices and the support offices; inputs the data into the internet-based field support database and follows up with USAID/W; prepares periodic updates to USAID/W reporting on the status of obligations; maintains the integrity of the field support database through regular downloads of data, compares with requests, and takes appropriate action to correct any discrepancies.
5. Reviews and clears pre-obligation documents to ensure funding is in line with the standardized foreign assistance program structures so that accurate details such as program area, funding source, etc. are correct and forward funding waivers are included when appropriate.
6. Ensures budgets adhere to agency requirements, (adequate documentation, forward funding compliance, adherence to earmarks, initiatives, directives, and budget guidelines).
7. Takes the lead in the implementation of Agency budget tracking tools for more effective and efficient budget management systems and to better track and monitor budgets, procurements, disbursements, and pipelines. Maintains USAID/KEA budget tracking tools such as Management Planning System (MAPS).
8. Participates in the design of new budget worksheets, including procurement plan templates based on changing USAID/W guidance (e.g. based on DOs, OP Objectives, and program elements)

Portfolio Operations and Management (40%)

1. Bilateral and regional agreements - S/he is responsible for developing and managing bilateral and regional trackers to better manage USAID/KEA pipelines. S/he is responsible for maintaining records for all the Mission’s bilateral and regional agreements, Regional/Development Objective Agreements (R/DOAGs/), Memorandum of Understanding or Agreements (MOUs or MOAs) etc. The incumbent will ensure that implementing documents (Implementation Letters (ILs), pre-GLAAS obligations documents, and Acquisition and Assistance instruments) are funded under the correct budget components and advises the relevant offices accordingly.
2. Procurement requisitions - The budget specialist is responsible for supporting Mission colleagues on identifying and using appropriate program funds according to the Agency standardized program structure.
3. Supports technical offices in preparation of financial sections of project appraisal documents (PADs) or other project/activity planning documents, bilateral and regional agreements, ILs, and other implementing documents.
4. Develops and/or edits obligation documents, action memos, waivers and other documents needed for budget decisions.
5. Takes the lead on the development of annual resource allocations and procurement plans including updating and electronically filing all resource allocation plans on a quarterly basis. Manages and maintains the crosscutting budget for USAID/KEA within SPA.
6. Maintains a consolidated database containing all resource allocation plans for USAID/KEA, for tracking allowances, obligations, and bilateral and regional agreements.

Back up and administrative duties (10%)

1. Supports other SPA technical staff in activity budgeting, implementation, accrual computations, drafting pre-obligations documents, ILs, etc.
2. In the absence of the Budget Specialist and Budget Team Lead, assumes and performs duties and responsibilities which are within their capability.
3. Responds to ad hoc Washington budget data calls.
4. Performs other miscellaneous related duties such as leading or assisting in the preparation of presidential initiatives data, and voluntary contributions to international organizations, USAID localization data collection and other reporting tasks.

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.

Prior Work Experience

A minimum of three years of progressively responsible work experience in program/project budgeting, or closely related work is required. Professional experience should include analysis and interpretation of financial and quantitative data and presentation of findings in written form. Proficiency in operating computer-based budgeting systems and experience with various software packages such as Microsoft Excel, Word and analytical tools are required.

Supervision Received

The incumbent will be supervised by the Supervisory Development Program Specialist (Budget) FSN 12 or his/her designee who provides overall objectives, suggests approaches to consider, and review completed reports and other assignments. However, the incumbent is expected to function with a large degree of latitude and independence. Most assignments are self-generated and occur in the normal course of work. The incumbent exercises independence in most phases of the assignment but determines those situations that must be coordinated with the supervisor and/or senior SPA management. The supervisor provides a review of the assignment, the goals, and objectives to be achieved, and the results expected.

Supervision Exercised

The position exercises no administrative supervision but provides technical guidance and mentoring to the program assistants from technical offices. The incumbent offers guidance and recommendations to technical and support offices particularly on matters of program budgeting and operations policy and practices.

Physical Demands

The work requested does not involve undue physical demands.

EVALUATION AND SELECTION FACTORS

The Government may award a contract without discussions with offerors in accordance with FAR 52.215-1. The CO reserves the right at any point in the evaluation process to establish a competitive range of offerors with whom negotiations will be conducted pursuant to FAR 15.306(c). In accordance with FAR 52.215-1, if the CO determines that the number of offers that would otherwise be in the competitive range exceeds the number at which an efficient competition can be conducted, the CO may limit the number of offerors in the competitive range to the greatest number that will permit an efficient competition among the most highly rated offers. The FAR provisions referenced above are available at https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far.

Job Knowledge

A thorough knowledge and understanding of budget and accounting principles, theories, practices, and terminology.

Skills and abilities
Strong skills in financial management and budgeting are required. Excellent computer proficiency, including skills with Microsoft Excel, spreadsheet development and management, pivot tables, data visualization, web-based databases, analysis of complex data using analytical software (e.g tableau) and electronic filing is required. Skilled attention to details and ability to ensure accuracy of documents, analyses, and reports. Good interpersonal skills, including ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing. S/he must have strong conceptual and analytical skills to be able to quickly grasp and translate new concepts into operational plans which are reflected in the budget. This position requires an outstanding ability to exercise flexibility and prioritization skills to be able to accept and react to evolving planning and implementation contexts. Ability to exercise sound judgment, take initiative and offer leadership. Occasional overtime/comp time assignments may be required.

Total possible points: 100

SUBMITTING AN OFFER

Step 1: Register in MyJobsInKenya at www.myjobsinkenya.com

Step 2: Complete the job application at www.myjobsinkenya.com

Step 3: Internal Offerors/Current USG Employees: Attach an updated curriculum vitae/resume (no more than five pages), a copy of your most recent Performance Evaluation Report, and copies of all relevant certificates. Scan and attach all the documents and upload them to MyJobsInKenya.

Note to Applicants:

1. Offers must be received by the closing date and time specified in Section I, item 3, and submitted through myjobsinkenya.com.
2. Submissions will only be accepted through www.myjobsinkenya.com. Late and incomplete applications (those that do not contain the applicant’s most current and up to date detailed CV and relevant education certificates) will not be considered for the position.
3. All Applicants must provide at least three professional 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.

LIST OF REQUIRED FORMS PRIOR TO AWARD
The CO will provide instructions about how to complete and submit any required forms after an offeror is selected for the contract award.

BENEFITS AND ALLOWANCES
Benefits and allowances are offered in accordance with the Local Compensation Plan (LCP).

TAXES
The Contractor must observe Kenyan laws including those concerning income and related tax obligations.

USAID REGULATIONS, POLICIES AND CONTRACT CLAUSES PERTAINING TO PSCs
USAID regulations and policies governing CCN and TCN PSC awards are available at these sources:

1. 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/ads/policy/300/aidar
2. Contract Cover Page form AID 309-1 available at https://www.usaid.gov/forms. Pricing by line item is to be determined upon contract award.
3. 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.
4. 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/resources_standards-of-conduct.
5. PSC Ombudsman: The PSC Ombudsman serves as a resource for any Personal Services Contractor who has entered into a contract with the United States Agency for International Development and is available to provide clarity on their specific contract with the agency. Please visit our page for additional information: https://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/personal-service-contracts-ombudsman.

The PSC Ombudsman may be contacted via: [email protected].

6.  FAR Provisions Incorporated by Reference
52.204-27, PROHIBITION ON A BYTEDANCE COVERED APPLICATION, JUN 2023