Private Sector Specialist Job in USAID Kenya

Private Sector Specialist

The United States Agency for International Development’s Kenya Mission (USAID/Kenya) seeks to fill the position of Private Sector Specialist. 

The position is based in Nairobi and is open to qualified Kenyan citizens and third-country nationals. 

• The Private Sector Specialist will work to reduce poverty and hunger in Kenya by supporting activities under the USAID/Kenya Feed the Future Strategy.
• The successful candidate will serve as a project manager and technical expert, and lead USAID/Kenya Agriculture, Business, and Environment Office (ABEO) efforts to identify, foster, and bring to scale innovative private sector agriculture solutions to persistent poverty and food insecurity. 
• He/she will be expected to (1) excel in project management and (2) facilitate scaling of private sector agriculture solutions that reduce poverty and hunger in Kenya. 
• He/she will be a leader in developing concepts into successful businesses in the agriculture sector and will possess expert knowledge of smallholder agriculture in Kenya. 
• He/She will be responsible for providing technical and operational leadership to ensure that the programs supported by ABEO take into account best practices and lessons learned in the areas of agriculture, finance, innovation, and value chain development.

Required Qualifications:

1. Any application that does not meet the minimum requirements stated below will not be evaluated. 
2. Only short-listed applicants will be contacted. 
3. If you have not been contacted within one month from the closing date of this advertisement, please consider your application unsuccessful.

Education: A Masters degree in business administration or a related field.

Experience (30%): 

• Minimum seven (7) years of combined experience in the private sector and implementing development programs, managing donor programs, and/or working in the development sector. 
• Proven ability to implement programs in a developing country that result in increased market competitiveness and private-sector led growth. 
• Outstanding private sector experience in agriculture or
  other relevant areas that demonstrates an understanding of how to work through constraints to scale a successful business idea with the potential to reduce poverty and hunger. 
• Prior experience solving business problems and growing businesses in the Kenyan context.
  Proven ability to work effectively with high level personnel from government, donor community, implementing partners and other development organizations. 
• Prior experience designing, implementing, and monitoring development projects designed to improve competitiveness in targeted sectors and value chains.

Knowledge (30%): 

• Thorough understanding of the key challenges to scaling private sector agriculture solutions faced in Kenya, and a proven ability to develop and implement innovative solutions to such challenges. 
• Familiarity and proven ability to manage private sector-focused development programs. 
• Familiarity and proven ability to identify high-potential business ideas and grow businesses based upon them in agriculture or another relevant area. 
• Demonstrated experience working collaboratively with institutional and private sector partners and stakeholders in Kenya. 
• Experience implementing activities designed to leverage private investments to support development goals.

Skills and Abilities (40%): 

• The following are required skills – high-quality organizational, interpersonal, planning, writing, and oral communication skills; self-motivation and the ability to work independently in an efficient and timely manner; analytic and problemsolving skills; and ability to work in a cooperative, team-oriented manner. 
• Ability 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. 
• The incumbent must be dynamic and proactive, with an eye for detail. Strong working knowledge of the Microsoft Office Suite, as well as web-based systems, is required. 
• Ability to develop and maintain strong working relationships across cultures, on teams, and with a broad range of development partners.

Short-listed candidates will be requested to submit a writing sample demonstrating technical writing skills. 

Candidates selected for an interview will be requested to complete an essay test in English in an area relevant to the requirements of the position. 

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

Note: Incomplete application packages will not be considered.

Those fulfilling the requirements of the position should submit their application together with detailed Curriculum Vitae and all relevant attachments to the following address:

www.myjobsinkenya.com/usaid
or
The Human Resources Office, USAID, P.O. Box 629, Village Market 00621, Nairobi, Kenya
Re: Private Sector Specialist, ABEO/USAID/Kenya
 

Applications must reach USAID HR office by COB June 27th , 2012