Scope of Work

Project Description: The Integrated Natural Resource Management (INRM) activity provides on-demand support services and technical assistance for USAID Missions, Bureaus, and Independent Offices and is managed by the USAID Land and Resource Governance (LRG) Division within the Center for Natural Environment (CNE) in the Bureau for Resilience, Environment, and Food Security (REFS).  INRM supports integrated analysis and programming across development sectors. By using a multi-sectoral lens, INRM seeks to strengthen the impacts of USAID’s core environmental programming by recognizing synergies, adopting best practices, and building broader constituencies for integrated programming. INRM is designed to help USAID operating units achieve higher impact environment programming and to support the uptake of principles and approaches outlined in the Agency’s Environmental and Natural Resource Management Framework.  

Purpose of the position:  The Senior Technical Activity Manager will be responsible for leading the management of multiple complex buy-in activities with significant labor. Responsibilities include overseeing the technical implementation and management of buy-in activities, including the management of client relationships, consultants, and partner/subcontractor relationships. The Senior Technical Activity Manager also be responsible for developing and managing buy-in activity scopes of work and budgets. The Senior Activity Manager will be expected to coordinate and work closely with members of the INRM technical team as well as members of INRM’s Operations, MEL, and Communications teams and the Home Office Project Delivery Team.   

Objectives and Duties:

The Senior Technical Activity Manager will be responsible for the management of assigned buy-in activities. Tasks may include: 

• Manage and contribute to the development of technical scopes of work and develop budget estimates for buy-in actions in collaboration with the USAID client and INRM team.
• Manage and track buy-in and/or activity implementation progress by personnel, consultants, and subcontractors; ensure it adheres to the approved workplan and deliverable schedule; and troubleshoot deviations.
• Lead development and review of technical deliverables, provide quality control, and contribute to subsequent learning. In some cases, the Senior Technical Activity Manager will be responsible for drafting the technical deliverables and communications material.
• Lead/ facilitate complex technical discussions with USAID.
• Directly manage relationship with client(s), relevant stakeholder(s), and implementing partner(s) and serve as the project’s primary point of contact for the duration of the assigned buy-in/activity.
• Manage the contractual and operational aspects of the buy-in/activity and coordinate with relevant members of the Operations Team, including but not limited to procurement, financial management, reporting, and MEL.
• Ensure assigned buy-ins/activities are managed in accordance with USAID regulations and DAI policies.
• Ensure that MEL is captured and reported to project level contractual reports and communications material.
• Provide summary learning for periodic material and knowledge management tasks.
• Collaborate with the INRM Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Advisor to ensure consistent consideration of gender and social inclusion issues.
• Collaborate with the INRM Communications and Knowledge Management lead to develop relevant communications and knowledge products.
• Contribute to the development of INRM annual work plans, technical deliverables, and the development and updates to the monitoring and evaluation MEL plan.
• Supervise and mentor other activity managers (for Senior Technical Activity Manager II)
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications 

Senior Technical Activity Manager I

• A minimum of eight years of relevant work experience
• Ability to understand complex technical issues
• Master’s degree or higher in relevant field preferred
• Exhibited experience in working with and successfully managing mid- and high-level government clients
• Proven project management, communications, writing, and interpersonal skills
• Excellent judgment, sound problem solving and decision-making skills
• Ability to work in a fast moving, fluid team setting with multiple stakeholders
• French or Spanish fluency highly preferred; native English fluency required
• Experience in natural resource management and environmental and/or related fields highly preferred
• Ability to legally to work in the USA

Senior Technical Activity Manager II

• A minimum of 15 years of relevant work experience.
• Experience supervising staff
• Experience implementing and overseeing MEL
• Experience creating communications products for USAID
• Ability to understand complex technical issues
• Master’s degree or higher in relevant field preferred
• Experience in natural resource management and environmental and/or related fields highly preferred
• Exhibited experience in working with and successfully managing mid- and high-level government clients
• Proven project management, communications, writing, and interpersonal skills
• Excellent judgment, sound problem solving and decision-making skills
• Ability to work in a fast moving, fluid team setting with multiple stakeholders

Reporting: Reports to the Deputy Chief of Party or Chief of Party