Earn over 117m annually as Food Security Specialist at USAID US Embassy

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Job Title:      Food Security Specialist
Organisation: United States Embassy, US Mission in Uganda
Duty Station:  USAID Economic
Growth Office, Kampala, Uganda
Salary Grade: FSN-11 (Ugshs 117,730,581 to 172,487,987 p.a.
inclusive of allowances).
Vacancy Announcement No: 40-16
About US Embassy:
Welcome
to the United States Embassy in Kampala, Uganda.  The United States has enjoyed diplomatic
relations with Uganda for over 30 years. 
Ambassador Scott H. DeLisi currently heads the U.S Mission to
Uganda.  The Mission is composed of
several offices and organizations all working under the auspices of the Embassy
and at the direction of the Ambassador.
Among
the offices operating under the U.S Mission to Uganda are:
  • United States Agency for International
    Development (USAID)
  • Centers for Disease Control
  • Peace Corps
Job Summary: The USAID Food Security Specialist will manage
USAID activities and programs that combat the underlying causes of hunger and
malnutrition, improve food security, and prevent or mitigate food security
crises and complex emergencies. The incumbent is an essential member of the
Economic Growth team and Vulnerable Populations Unit and responds to the
Vulnerable Populations Unit Leader. The incumbent will serve as the Mission’s
recognized expert on FFP/PL480 programs, management of food aid commodities,
and the design, implementation and management of emergency, humanitarian
assistance and development programs.
Key Duties and Responsibilities: 
1. Activity Management:
  • Serve as activity manager for development and
    emergency programs that relate to food security, food assistance,
    agriculture, nutrition or disaster preparedness. 
  • The incumbent will serve as Alternate Mission
    Disaster Relief Officer.
  • Guide and monitor all aspects of implementing
    partner programs, including technical work plans, performance reports,
    budgets and resource pipelines through regular and consistent site
    visits. 
  • Mobilize resources to respond to changing
    food security situations and crises in Uganda; review and evaluate funding
    requests and proposals.
  • Advise and participate in Data Quality
    Assessments and evaluations for relevant food security activities.
  • Prepare necessary correspondence, documents,
    and reports and maintain records and files.  Maintain close working relations with
    relevant USAID Offices in Washington and Nairobi. (50% of time)
2. Strategic Guidance:
  • Offer technical guidance and expertise on
    food security issues by a) identifying development assistance needs and
    achievable results, in collaboration with GOU and partners, UN and private
    agencies, b) maintaining dialogue with and obtaining support from partners
    and stakeholders, and 3) supporting USAID/Uganda efforts to obtain AID/W
    agreement on results and financing, and country and Mission-level
    approvals to initiate development activities. Provide a full range of
    consultative, advisory, and analytical services on food security,
    humanitarian assistance and resilience issues.
3. Relationship
Management: 
  • Develop and maintain relations with private,
    public and international stakeholders in food security and humanitarian
    assistance to insure coordination of activities, support best practices,
    and build partnerships.
  • Regularly monitor and report on Government of
    Uganda policies affecting relevant USAID programs.
  • Work closely with Uganda government Ministries
    and institutions regarding relevant government strategies to improve food
    security, including the Karamoja Integrated Development Program and Peace,
    Recovery and Development Plan.
  • Actively engage senior leaders at all levels
    within the GOU (national and regional/district) District Disaster
    Management Committees, PVOs, NGOs, and UN and donor officials, on all
    issues related to food security, humanitarian assistance, relief and
    resilience. 
  • Represent USAID in donor coordination
    committees.
4. Strategy Development
and Program Design:
  • Render support to and work with other Mission
    members to develop the Mission’s country strategy statement and operation
    plan in the areas of food aid and humanitarian assistance. 
  • Work in liaison with the stakeholders within
    the Mission to conceive, develop, and implement programs and activity
    related to food security, humanitarian assistance and resilience,
    particularly in the Karamoja region.
  • Actively participate in program design,
    including the preparation of Scopes of Work and Requests for Proposals,
    and serve on Technical Evaluation Committees. 
  • Write key portions of the above documents.
5. Others: Perform
any other duties as may be assigned (5%). 
Qualifications, Skills and Experience:
NOTE:  All
applicants must address each selection criterion detailed below with specific
and comprehensive information supporting each item.
  • The ideal candidate for the USAID US Embassy
    Food Security Specialist should possess university degree at the Master’s
    level in public health, agriculture, nutrition, food and agricultural
    economics, international development, humanitarian assistance or other
    related field.
  • At least ten years of progressively
    responsible management-level experience in development programming, six
    years of which must be in the food security sector.  The incumbent must have demonstrated
    expertise specific to food aid management that includes the following:
    design, management or evaluation of international food assistance activities
    (to include in-kind food, cash transfers or cash voucher programs);
    managing food aid commodity procurement and/or transport; providing rapid
    responses to quick onset emergencies. This should include experience
    working either for the Agency, other donor, multinational or
    non-governmental organizations, Government of Uganda organizations or
    private sector institutions involving project management, monitoring and
    budgeting. 
  • The incumbent must have transition
    environment experience relevant to northern Uganda and Karamoja, and
    knowledge of Ugandan stakeholders in the agriculture, food aid and
    emergency sectors. 
  • Working knowledge of Ugandan stakeholders in
    the agriculture, food aid and emergency sectors.  
  • Language Proficiency: Level IV English ability (fluent) is
    required.
Competencies: 
  • Program Management: The incumbent is expected to possess
    the necessary technical training, administrative skills/abilities required
    to carry out/perform the duties and responsibilities required of the
    position. Post entry training will, therefore, be focused primarily on the
    Agency-specific policies, procedures and regulations that govern
    programming of Food for Peace and OFDA assistance; program design and
    management; and USAID management systems. (2) The incumbent must have
    sound knowledge of the way USAID offices of Food for Peace and Foreign
    Disaster Assistance conduct business, including budgeting and programming
    and procurement procedures. S/he must understand and appropriately apply
    Agency policy, regulations, procedures and documentation.
  • Communication, Interpersonal and Analytical Skills:  Ability to able to communicate
    effectively and accurately is critical to perform successfully in this
    position. The incumbent must read, write and speak English at FSI level-4
    proficiency; be able to prepare and produce professional level
    English-language correspondence and reports, and maintain documents and
    files.
  • Advanced computer skills, to include
    knowledge of Microsoft word processing, spreadsheets, and presentation
    programs;
  • The incumbent must be able to work calmly,
    tactfully, and effectively under the pressure and to demonstrate extreme
    flexibility to manage more than one activity at a time in the performance
    of daily duties and responsibilities. 
    In this key position, the ability to adapt to the existing management
    team by being a good listener and a team builder is required.
  • Proven ability to work effectively in a team
    environment is required.  The
    incumbent must be able to provide training, advice and support to U.S.
    Direct-Hire, U.S. Personal Services Contractor(s) and FSN Colleagues on
    existing and changing Agency policies and procedures related to foreign
    assistance programming, budgeting, monitoring and reporting.
  • The incumbent is required to have the ability
    to follow oral instructions and to organize, prioritize and follow through
    on all assignments with little or no oversight, and the ability to remain
    calm in a fast moving work environment. 
    Ability to be flexible, respond professionally, and establish priorities
    in often fluid, changing, and challenging situations with little clear
    guidance is necessary. 
  • The incumbent is required to understand and
    appreciate the Mission’s strategic direction, its chief accomplishments
    and its challenges in order to articulate the rationale, objectives and
    priorities for the provision of USG food aid, emergency aid and
    agricultural development assistance to Uganda. The incumbent is expected
    to have a broad understanding of all economic growth activities undertaken
    by USAID/Uganda and be familiar with central aspects of USG policy
    concerning development assistance and the Government of Uganda.
  • The incumbent must be able to transmit and
    interpret Ugandan attitudes and concerns to senior management and have a
    high level of interpersonal skills to work effectively with colleagues in
    technical offices, the Embassy and USAID/Washington.
  • Ability to formulate and present expert
    analyses on complex emergencies and situations, from personal
    observations, surveys, journal articles, and other documents, and
    demonstrated ability to express views clearly and logically before groups
    and individuals verbally or in writing
  • The ability to maintain strict
    confidentiality on USAID/Uganda matters, as appropriate, is required
How to Apply:
All
those interested in working with the US mission in Kampala should send their
applications and strictly adhere to the following:
  • Download a completed and signed Universal
    Application for Employment as a Locally Employed Staff, Download
    it Here    .
  • Application letter clearly specifying the
    position for which you are applying;
  • An updated Curriculum Vitae/Resume;
  • Copies of Academic Transcripts;
  • Names, contact numbers, and addresses of
    three (3) professional references.
Submit
Application To:
Human
Resources Office
By
email at KampalaHR@state.gov
NB: Your application will be reviewed if you have
fulfilled all the requirements including submission of standard file types such
as Microsoft Word (.doc) and Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) in a single attachment (No
Zipped files, Links or Multiple Attachments) and should not exceed 10MB. Please
clearly indicate the position number and title you are applying for on the
DS-174 form.
Deadline: 22nd May 2016
The
US Mission in Kampala provides equal opportunity and fair and equitable
treatment in employment to all people without regard to race, color religion,
sex, national origin, age, disability, political affiliation, marital status,
or sexual orientation.  The Department of
State also strives to achieve equal employment opportunity in all personnel
operations through continuing diversity enhancement programs.
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