Duties
Program/Project Development, Management, and Oversight – 40%
The Specialist participates with EGE Team members, USAID/Washington experts, and others in the design of appropriate programs/projects and other interventions in Nigeria, with consideration of in-country political, legal, regulatory, and economic environmental factors. Prepares and justify program/project recommendations, Scopes of Work, GLAAS requisitions, and other required documentation, and shepherds’ recommendations through to approval.
Serves as Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) for one or more proposed major EGE programs/projects (through contracts), managing an annual combined program budget of over US$3.5M annually. Develops and maintains an extensive range of high-level contacts with agricultural and private-sector development partners, influential GON officials, international donors, cooperating agencies, contractors, Implementing Partners (IPs) and their local partners, and other key program stakeholders.
Provide guidance to Implementing Partners (IPs). Reviews and approves contractor work plans and approves hiring of key personnel. Provides technical direction to IPs concerning complex issues and provides administrative approval for payments and advances. Works with IPs to establish benchmarks, goals, and objectives, and receives and reviews periodic and ad hoc reports to ensure that benchmarks, goals, and objectives are being met. Conducts scheduled and non-scheduled IP site visits to monitor activities, identify and assist in resolving problems, provide guidance on USAID policies and procedures, and to answer questions. Prepare trip reports on site visits, listing findings and recommendations, and supplementing written reports with oral briefings to the Office Director, Private Sector Team Lead, the Feed-The-Future Team Lead, and to the Mission Director, as required. Maintains program/project oversight through to final closeout and IP evaluation.
Coordinate EGE programs within USAID and the USG, and with other donors. Serve as a member of USAID Strategic Objective Teams and, as appropriate, participates in and/or leads Technical Evaluation Committees.
Private Sector Engagement and Trade Specialist – 40%
Lead the development of public-private partnership initiatives and activities by exploring, implementing, and advocating for opportunities to engage the private sector, and creating and improving economic opportunities across the health, power, education, agriculture, and water, sanitation and hygiene sectors in Nigeria. The Specialist will work with the Private Sector Team Lead to form USAID Global Development Alliances when appropriate.
Provide technical expertise on public-private partnership issues, such as the development of strategies for outreach to the private sector. The Specialist will also maintain and strengthen private sector relationships (including Nigerian diaspora) across the health, power, education, agriculture, and water, sanitation, and hygiene sectors.
The Specialist will work with the Private Sector Team Lead to oversee and develop loan guarantees and other financial mechanisms to unlock access to finance in Nigeria across the health, power, education, agriculture, and water, sanitation and hygiene sectors. The Specialist will strength relationships with Nigerian financial institutions to support access to finance for SMEs.
Serve as a Mission resource for trade and investment in support of the agriculture sector. The Specialist will work with the Private Sector Team Lead, and the USAID West Africa Mission to respond to AGOA (African Growth and Opportunity Act) inquiries from the Government of Nigeria, private sector, and U.S. Government interagency. The Specialist will work with the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) for the USAID Feed-the-Future West Africa Trade and Investment Hub Activity.
Program/Project Administration – 20%
Drafts statements of work (SOWs) for carrying out studies, including program evaluations and needs assessments. Personally, participates in selected program evaluations and needs assessments, often contributing as author or co-author.
Monitors components of EGE assistance activities in order to provide recommendations to activity managers; serves as team member on selected Mission Teams impacting the EGE sector; drafts and/or finalizes activity‑related correspondence for signature by superiors; contributes to annual and semiannual performance reviews; drafts technical papers for new activities, or for changes to on-going programs/projects/activities; etc.
Prepares input for annual Operational Plans (OPs), and tracks performance against indicators. Evaluates fully implemented activities, focusing on impact, lessons learned, and problem areas and how these problems have been or may have been overcome. Assist in preparing annual assessments of host-country progress toward achievement of agriculture and enterprise development goals.