Job Title: EAC/USG Program Liaison and Coordinator
About this Job:
The East African Community is the regional intergovernmental organization of the Republic of Kenya, the Republic of Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, the Republic of Rwanda and the Republic of Burundi with its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania. The EAC Mission is to widen and deepen economic, political, social and cultural integration in order to improve the quality of life of the people of East Africa through increased competitiveness, value added production, trade and investments.
The U.S. Department of State and the United States Agency for International Development (USAJD) are U.S. government entities mandated to direct, manage and report on foreign policy priorities and programs to the President. The Ambassador to Tanzania is accredited to the EAC and leads the overall direction of USG policies and programs with the EAC. USAID supports international development and advances U.S. foreign policy objectives by supporting economic growth, agriculture and trade, global health, education, democracy and conflict mitigation and management. The USAID/East Africa Mission, located in Nairobi, Kenya, implements regional programs, and provides technical services to countries in Eastern and Central Africa, including all five EAC Partner States.
The EAC and USG have a joint and strategic partnership dating back to the EAC’s inception. The partnership continues to expand and be strengthened through mutual development objectives and funding for technical programs, such as trade and investment, transit services, biodiversity, climate ehange, agriculture, food security, water supply and sanitation and institutional support. The partnership is led by the Secretary General of the EAC and the U.S. Ambassador to the EAC.
Applications are invited for the following position from suitably qualified citizens of East African Community Partner States:
Position Title: EAC/USG Program Liaison and Coordinator Type of Contract: Senior Consultant within the EAC,
non established
Location of Position: EAC Secretariat, Arusha, Tanzania Remuneration: Attractive Consolidated Remuneration Package Start Date: Immediate (Eligibility: Must be a citizen of the EAC Partner States Period of Contract: Two years with options to extend, based on performance and joint USG/EAC discussions
Summary Scope of Work:
The Joint EAC-USG Liaison and Coordinator will serve as the focal point for all USG and USAID/East Africa initiatives with the EAC. He/she will report to the EAC Principal Resource Mobilization Officer and will work collaboratively with the Chief of Protocol, all Technical Division Chiefs and the EAC Monitoring and Evaluation Unit to facilitate implementation and reporting on USG-funded programs and policies of joint EAC-USG strategic interest. The incumbent will be hired and provided office space within the EAC as part of the EAC’s organizational structure. The position will be fully funded by the USG to further consolidate the strategic partnership.
A respected development professional, the Joint EAC-USG Liaison and Coordinator may be called upon to liaise directly with the U.S. Ambassador to the EAC, or his/her delegate, as well as with USAID/East Africa technical offices. The successful candidate will be fluent in English and have the past professional experience to provide the broad variety of technical and representational duties required.
Detailed Work Requirements:
1. To be the focal point in the EAC for all EAC-USG joint programs.
2. To respond to queries from the Secretary General of the EAC, the U.S. Ambassador to the EAC or USAID/East Africa on issues related to the policies, programs and initiatives of the strategic partnership.
3. To be a senior advocate “of the EAC-USG joint program both in EAC and with other development partners.
4. To help the strategic partnership move forward by incorporating programs that respond to the aspirations and strategies of each partner and the citizens of the EAC member states.
5. To work in direct support of the policies and technical programs jointly entered into by the USG and the EAC and to ensure that USAID sponsored programs in the EAC yield the desired results for both the EAC and USAID.
6. To be a direct support to the division directors for the successful planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluating and reporting of joint EAC-USG programs.
7. To support EAC technical personnel to deliver quarterly briefing reports on EAC-USG activities and accomplishments, as well as an annual summary report, inclusive of indicators and valid data.
8. To work with the EAC Monitoring and Evaluation unit to report on the EAC-USG joint program in all quarterly and annual reports.
9. To work with EAC program managers to achieve results from USAID sponsored technical assistance.
10. To participate in EAC quality control teams, especially for the work sponsored by USAID.
11. To backstop any of the EAC Senior Managers in activities that lead to program implementation and results, as directed by EAC Management.
12. To work in any and all areas that may enhance the visibility and program achievements of the EAC-USG strategic partnership and to report results on the same.
Some work requirements will be achieved within six months, others within a year, and the entire compliment of required outputs will be expected within a period of twenty four months.
Requirement:
Required Qualifications:
1. Have a Masters Degree in any of the following fields, economics, planning, business, or law. Have not less than eight (8) years of regional and/or international experience in a good number of the areas mentioned above.
2. Past work experience as a senior manager with cross-cutting duties and demanding responsibilities.
3. Proven experience in achieving results with inter-governmental partners in a development setting.
4. Fluent in English, with incomparable English writing skills.
Key Strengths:
1. Be a senior regional or international expert with considerable exposure to general development policies and programs, particularly trade, infrastructure, agricultural development, policy reform, private sector development, health, environment and climate change.
2. Be a good negotiator and diplomat.
3. Be a team player and proactive go-getter at senior management level.
4. Be a person possessing high-quality organizational, planning, writing, and oral communication skills.
5. Be a self-motivator with the ability to work independently in an efficient and timely manner.
6. Be practiced with analytical problem-solving, while possessing an innate ability to work cooperatively and in a team-oriented manner.
7. Be one who prioritizes independently, identifies problem areas, determines solutions and takes action and keeps appropriate peers and supervisors apprised, while seeking additional guidance and assistance when needed.
8. Be able to shepherd projects in various stages of design and implementation; this may include developing budget spreadsheets and statements of work and/or reviewing and analyzing project reports, financial statements and quarterly/ annual results reporting to ensure on-time achievement of project deliverables.
9. Be one who understands EAC regional integration and the entailing challenges therein.
10. Be one who understands the governmental operations in the region.
11. Be one who has past experience or knowledge of USG foreign policy programs and initiatives in the EAC region.
12. Be comfortable and proficient using computers, Microsoft Office Suite programs and Internet-based programs.
13. Be able to develop and maintain strong working relationships across cultures, on teams, and with a broad range of development partners.
All key strengths must be evident in advance during the interview stage in order to successfully achieve the expected work requirements.
Limitations:
1.The Joint EAC-USG Liaison and Coordinator will have no ability to make financial or policy-related commitments on behalf of the USG.
2. The incumbent will not have a supervisory role over EAC technical staff, but will be seen as a senior manager, peer and advocate.
The above position will be subjected to the EAC quota system.
HOW TO APPLY:
Applicants who had responded to this advertisement when the same was advertised in February 2012 do not need to re-apply.
Interested candidates should submit their applications by registered mail, courier service, email (all soft copies should be in MS Word) or dispatch together with Curriculum Vitae, copies of both academic and professional certificates and testimonials, names and addresses of three referees, and day time telephone/ cell phone numbers to:
The Secretary General
East African Community
P. 0. Box 1096, ARUSHA Tanzania
Fax No: +007 27 2504255/2504481
Email: eac@eachq.org
To be received not later than Friday, 15th June, 2012
The East African Community is an equal opportunity employer; therefore female candidates are particularly encouraged to apply. The East African Community will only respond to those candidates who strictly meet the set requirements.
For more information, visit our website: http://www.eac.int
