USAID Acquisition and Assistance Specialist Job Vacancy in Kenya

Acquisition and Assistance Specialist
3 positions

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) seeks to hire Acquisition & Assistance Specialists in the Regional Acquisition & Assistance Office (RAAO), USAID/East Africa. The position is open to qualified Kenyan citizens and located in Nairobi.

Basic Function of the Position:

The incumbent is a professional Acquisition & Assistance Specialist and has responsibility for managing the procurement portfolio of a large program of the East Africa region.

As the principal assistant to a lead Contracting Officer with responsibility for the entire EA region programs, the incumbent will be required to perform independently in a program requiring complicated and sensitive contracting operations. In this portfolio, the acquisition and assistance processes involve complex, multi-million dollar contracts, grants and cooperative agreements

The Regional A&A Specialist plays a key role in negotiating, administering, and modifying various types of contracts for the acquisition of services, equipment, supplies, materials, and other needs for projects having a strong contracting orientation.

Required Qualifications:

Any application that does not meet the minimum requirements stated below will not be evaluated.

Only short listed applicants will be contacted.

If you have not been contacted within one month from the closing date of this advertisement, please consider your application unsuccessful.

Note: The three evaluation factors, i.e., prior work experience, knowledge, and skills and abilities are of approximately equal weight relative to each other.

Education: A two-year college diploma (Grade 9), a bachelor’s degree (Grade 10), a master’s degree (Grade 11) in business administration, political science, international relations, procurement, supply chain management, social science, or a related field, is required.

Specialized training in United States Government (USG) acquisition is desirable, but can occur after employment.

Prior Work Experience: Minimum 4 years (Grade 9), 5 years (Grade 10), and 6 years (Grade 11) of progressively responsible, professional experience is required, at least 2, preferably 3, years of which must be in procurement in a professional capacity with USG or related/similar organization.

In addition, at least 1, preferably 2, year(s) of management experience is required, involving such tasks as setting long-term objectives, developing related long-term work plans, budgets, etc.

Knowledge: Knowledge of Federal and Agency procurement regulations and procedures and highly specialized knowledge of:

(i) analyzing and organizing large amounts of detailed information, such as cost factors and contract types, as relates to requirements;

(ii) ability to deal effectively with intermediate to high level representatives of U.S., interregional, international and local business and industry, client missions, and the host government;

(iii) results-based assistance instruments (grants and cooperative agreements).

Knowledge of market conditions, the political context and social conditions impacting USG procurement actions. Knowledge of the organization’s interested in, and capable of performing USG contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, etc.

Knowledge of the concerns from public voluntary organizations (PVOs), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), 8(a) firms, small businesses, and large businesses; and

(iv) a highly specialized knowledge in all phases of the procurement processes leading to award, particularly soliciting, reviewing of applications or proposals and contract award and administration procedures, providing technical advice in complex contractual arrangements to USAID client missions and host country officials; knowledge of program, project, or other commodity requirements.

Knowledge of local market conditions and costs. Knowledge of U.S. Federal and Agency acquisitions a plus. Ability to work independently.

Skills and Abilities: Excellent negotiation skills to negotiate multi-year, multi-million dollar contracts and other instruments.

Excellent analytical skills and sound judgment to select appropriate acquisition or assistance instrument types, to evaluate bids or offers and determine the responsibility of contractors on the basis of competition, historical costs, reports and to conduct cost and price analysis.

Excellent writing and interpersonal skills. Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite.

For a complete position description visit http://kenya.usaid.gov/employment-opportunities.

Those fulfilling the requirements of the position should submit their application, together with a detailed CV and all relevant attachments to the following address.

Incomplete application packages will not be considered.

Human Resources Office,
USAID/Kenya,
P.O. Box 629,
Village Market 00621,
Nairobi, Kenya

Re: Acquisition & Assistance Specialist

Application must be in the USAID OFFICE by Wednesday, February 16, 2011.