Project Manager at Palladium International

Activity Overview and Role:

The Regional Agriculture and Market Systems (RAMS) activity is a 5-year, $23 million task order under USAID’s Regional Integration and Stronger Economics (RISE) IDIQ mechanism. RAMS is designed to promote increased agricultural production, trade, improved policies, finance and investment, and resilience to shocks and stresses in the East Africa region by addressing agricultural issues that can only be solved on a regional basis. RAMS will collaborate closely with USAID/Kenya and East Africa’s regional intergovernmental partners, including the East African Community (EAC), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) region. The Activity is organized under four objectives: 1) Strengthening cross-border agricultural market systems, 2) Accessing and scaling technologies, 3) Strengthening regional resilience, and 4) Strengthening the regional agriculture policy and regulatory environment. The RAMS geographic area of focus includes the East African countries of Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, and Zambia.  

The Project Manager for this activity will be responsible for the technical and administrative excellence of RAMS. S/he will be based in Nairobi and will work with private sector actors, regional intergovernmental bodies, East African governments, and other USG-sponsored cross-sector activities, to drive activities and facilitate the partnerships needed to achieve RAMS’ expected results. The Project Manager will report to Palladium's Home Office Project Director and will serve as the primary contact for USAID. 

Primary Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Lead technical direction and strategy development for implementation of RAMS and ensure an integrated vision across components and partners. 
• Ensure overall quality and cost effectiveness, and establish and maintain robust and adaptive knowledge management and M&E systems. 
• Serve as the primary point of contact for communications with USAID counterparts.  
• Ensure effective use of resources, on-time delivery of project activity reports and deliverables, and overall compliance with USAID regulations and Palladium policies and procedures. 
• Work with staff to recruit, hire and manage staff and consultants as needed to carry out activities. 
• Work in partnership with Home Office Project Director, engaging in frequent, routine communication so that the home office is aware of both progress and potential issues, and solicit assistance and input as needed to ensure that performance meets or exceeds technical and financial contractual requirements. 
• Manage subcontractors, both international and local, to ensure that their performance meets or exceeds technical and financial contractual requirements. 
• Serve as the key liaison between USAID, host-country counterparts, project partners, and Palladium. 
• Support implementation of Palladium's security protocols and provide leadership in handling security-related issues. Address local staffing and personnel issues related to security. 

Required Qualifications:

The position requires significant coordination skills, broad general and technical knowledge, experience in developing countries, and the ability to ensure coherence and consistency while under urgent deadlines. The minimum qualifications are as follows: 

• Bachelor’s degree in agriculture, economic policy, international trade, or related field. Master’s degree strongly preferred. 
• Ten years of relevant professional experience, managing donor projects at the senior level. 
• Seven years of experience working on agriculture-related projects within the East African context.  
• Thorough understanding of USAID policies and procedures from a compliance perspective, including knowledge of financial, operations, and monitoring and evaluation practices. 
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with intergovernmental, private sector, and governmental representatives, particularly at the regional level. 
• Strong Preference for Kenyan and East African citizens.