Project Management Specialist (Policy) at The United States Agency for International Development

The Policy Specialist ensures that the Mission has the necessary technical expertise to address policy
issues related to the promotion of an enabling environment for the private sector and the multiple program areas of the EG objectives as described in the CDCS. In particular, the Policy Specialist focuses on policies, laws, regulations, and procedures relevant to economic growth; private sector competitiveness; improved resilience; reduced malnutrition, and; improving the Ugandan government’s capability to implement policy. In addition to the PSPU, the EG Office has four other units: Agriculture Sector Development, Resilience and Nutrition, Environment and Natural Resources Management, and Program Support. The Policy Specialist shares responsibility with other EG team members to achieve the EG Office’s program objectives. The Policy Specialist reports to the PSPU Unit Leader.

Statement of Duties to be performed.
• Program Management (50 percent of time)
• The Policy Specialist provides technical and administrative oversight of activities related to policy
• development and implementation that promote a private sector business enabling environment, and
• partnerships. The Policy Specialist also works on the investment climate for agriculture, and land tenure
• and gender issues.
• The Policy Specialist manages and monitors contracts and agreements, and implementing partners to
• ensure timely and effective achievement of targeted results. When the Policy Specialist has specific
responsibility to manage a contract, grant, or cooperative agreement as an Activity Manager or
• Agreement/Contracting Officer’s Representative (AOR/COR), he/she oversees and monitors these
• instruments using USAID principles, approaches, and regulations.
• The Policy Specialist will typically perform the following tasks:
Provide technical direction and guidance to targeted program stakeholders and partners to increase the quality of their products and services.
• Provide administrative oversight and management of USAID contracts and agreements to ensure
• effective cost control.
• Monitor contracts and agreements to ensure compliance with requirements and make timely recommendations for necessary adjustments.
• Conduct periodic field visits to contractor and grantee activities to activity beneficiaries’ satisfaction
• and make actionable recommendations.
• Conduct briefings and site visits for high-level managers from the Mission, Embassy, and Washington,
• D.C.
• Provide Technical Expertise (25 percent of time):
• The Policy Specialist provides technical expertise on promoting a private sector business enabling
environment in Uganda, including agribusiness policy development and implementation. The Policy
• Specialist actively participates in Mission dialogue on issues relating to private sector development,
• implementation of public and private sector policy frameworks, and the enhancement of the conditions
• and opportunities for doing business in Uganda.
• The Policy Specialist maintains up-to-date information on development trends, competitiveness issues, and market-based information systems in the agriculture sector value chains where USAID is intervening.
• The Policy Specialist uses this information to advise other members of the Mission on public policy
• issues relevant to the successful achievement of the economic growth objectives in the Country
• Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) .
• The Policy Specialist provides leadership for policy development and implementation by building and
• sustaining public and private sector relationships, managing the complexity and interdependency of
policy implementation, and managing expectations among stakeholders. The Policy Specialist will typically perform the following tasks:
• Manage and analyze data and information to facilitate evidence-based policy development, decisionmaking, and implementation.
• Lead the development of effective institutional capacities, processes, and systems in public and private sector organizations so that they can better fulfil their mandates.
• Track, assess, and document lessons learned from the progress of public policy implementation and make recommendations on potential adjustments to policy positions.
• Support operational dialogue, coordination, networking, and collaboration among key stakeholders and partners involved in the implementation of national policy instruments.
Recommend ways USAID can consistently and comprehensively integrate private sector engagement
• policies into programming.
• Be the point of contact for guiding and informing EG’s strategic planning and program design related
• to policy and promoting a private sector business enabling environment.
• Manage Relationships (25 percent of time):
• The Policy Specialist develops and maintains professional contacts with GOU institutions, ministries, and
• agencies. The Policy Specialist must maintain a broad network of private sector associations, firms, local
• academic and business communities, and other relevant policy entities to help maximize the impact
• of the Mission’s interventions.
• The Policy Specialist keeps track of relevant public policy reform activities led by other donors such as
• the European Union, International Fund for Agricultural Development, the World Bank, and others. The
• Policy Specialist uses this information to update the Mission on issues regarding sector-wide
• interventions.
• 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:
• The immediate supervisor is the PSPU Unit Leader, who provides guidance and mentoring on the Policy
• Specialist’s technical and managerial performance.
• Supervisory Controls:
• The position is non-supervisory. However, when serving as COR or AOR, the position supervises the work
• of contractors and grantees.

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:
• Bachelor’s Degree in Agricultural Economics, Rural Development, Public Policy and Planning, Business
• Administration, or a related field is required.
• Prior Work Experience:
• Minimum of five years of experience managing programs related to agriculture, trade, and investment policy, regulations, and procedures linked to economic growth is required.
• Experience planning and developing public policy strategies with donor organizations, host-country institutions, or nongovernmental organizations in Uganda and the East Africa region.
• Language Proficiency:
• Level IV English ability (fluent, sp/rd/wr) is required.
• Thorough knowledge of program management, including design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation.
Knowledge of Uganda’s agricultural trade and investment policy framework development, strategies, and practices.
• Thorough knowledge of existing national policies on economic development and private sector business enabling environment.
• Understanding of the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Program (CAADP), and Uganda’s agricultural sector Development Strategy and Investment Plan (DSIP) and Competitiveness and Investment Climate Strategy (CICS).
• Understanding of the special circumstances for women and youth in agriculture and rural settings.

Skills and Abilities:
• Able to present complex information, analyses, and recommendations in a clear and logical way.
• Able to manage time and priorities to meet tight deadlines.
• Able to interpret and accurately apply regulatory directives and related guidance.
Have a sound understanding of the social, economic, and regional determinants of public policy reform and implications of these on economic growth.
• Have sound computer literacy, including using word processing and spreadsheet software.
• Have strong interpersonal skills, including demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with a range of professional counterparts and resource users.
• Be self-driven with an ability to perform with minimal supervision.

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