Contracts, Grants & Procurement (CPG) Specialist

About Equal Access International

Job Summary

Equal Access Afghanistan (EAA) is seeking Contracts, Grants & Procurement (CPG) Specialist for the EAA portfolio, primarily the Agriculture Development Program, Women empowerment project, with additional support to all other projects in the EAA portfolio.
Based out of the EAA Kabul office the CPG Specialist will manage and coordinate Equal Access Afghanistan (EAA) grants and acquisitions and be responsible for providing administrative and technical guidance to the EAA Project Directors and Senior Management Team. The CPG Specialist will monitor all contract and grant activities and sub-grantees to ensure compliance with company, donor and local requirements.
The CPG Specialist will also play a significant role in mentorship and capacity building of EAA’s Afghan sub-grant recipients and will be responsible for closely collaborating with the EAA SMT, prime contractor technical teams and HQ program backstop.

Duties & Responsibilities

Ensure overall compliance with EAA, prime donor and USAID regulations, policies and procedures.

Specifically, ensure adherence to EAA, USAID, and donor procurement policies and procedures.

Ensure compliance with all Afghan local laws and regulations.

Recommend to EAA Senior Management Team (SMT) necessary changes to policies and ensure implementation across the EAA team.

Develop Requests for Quotations/Proposals, perform price and cost analysis, conduct negotiations, and issues purchase orders and service contracts.

Provide leadership and expertise in market analysis, supplier management, and price negotiation with vendors and service providers.

Maintain proper documentation and recordkeeping of all vendor files, including delivery and payment schedules.

Responsible for updating EAA inventory records and coordinating any equipment disposition

Conduct regular canvasses/surveys of suppliers and maintain documentation supporting the decisions made concerning all vendors, service providers, and suppliers.

Provide orientation for program/finance staff on procurement policies and procedures.

Provide effective in-house training where necessary on proper procurement methods.

Lead the review committee on evaluations of contract sub-award proposals and to ensure USAID and FAR competition requirements are met. This includes a close coordination with program technical team members.

Coordinate the issuance of awards and maintain sub-contract documentation, delivery and payment schedules.

Provide direct technical support to primary local partners and sub-awardees.

Coordinate closely with the SMT to ensure sub-grants fit within the overall program goals and objectives.

Update the EAA SMT on progress of activities regularly.

Coordinate with Equal Access Kabul and home offices and prime donors for advice on administrative procedures

Represent Equal Access practically in a professional manner in all settings.

Work with Admin and the Finance Manager to facilitate smooth office operations.

Maintain strong relationships with project prime donors and implementing partners.

Attend prime donor meetings when necessary and provide follow-up and action plans if required.

Travel to the field based on project requirements and need.

Any other tasks as assigned by direct supervisor.

Job Requirements

Bachelor degree with at least five to six years of extensive experience related to USAID implementing contracts and grants mechanisms management working around development issues.

Experience managing procurement processes utilizing USAID rules and regulations

Good understanding of issues related to social development issues particularly, democracy and governance, agriculture, small business enterprises and ability to work on other cross-cutting issues like youth, women, education, empowerment, etc.

Experience in managing several second-tier sub-grant recipients.

No less than 3 years of experience in management or supervisory level in similar positions.

Have a sound understanding of and commitment towards good development practice including participatory approaches, building of ownership and ability to consistently work as a team member.

Fluent in Pashto, Dari and English with good writing and communication skills and capable of representing the organization in communications with prime donors and sub-grant recipients and other forums.

Have a good knowledge of computers including use of email, PowerPoint, Excel and Word.

Able to conduct work with minimum supervision.

Submission Guideline

Note: The Subject line of your email must indicate the exact vacancy number and position
Please submit your curriculum vitae (CV), one-page cover letter and three current professional references (with contact information including phone numbers) to submission e-mail
Please do not send any additional documents except CV and Cover letter
Applications received after the closing date of March-31 -2016 will not be entertained.
Equal Access provides equal job opportunity, and offers a competitive salary. For more information on Equal Access, please visit our website at www.equalaccess.org .
The strategy will guide communication and outreach component of USAID Promote: Women in Government (WIG) project on how to best implement women’s champion related activities that include setting a smooth path for identification of champions, establishing criteria for selecting them, portraying their work, and encouraging them through an award ceremony.
Scope of Work:
The consultant should develop a champion’s strategy under the guidance of USAID Promote: Women in Government (WIG) outreach and communication component, and in close coordination with relevant CSOs such as the Afghan Women’s Network, the Afghanistan Women’s Association, the Movement of Afghan Sisters, Educational Center for Afghan Women, or the Afghan Civil Society Forum and representatives from MoWA (such as a deputy minister and HR director).
Deliverables:
1. An initial work plan
The consultant should develop an initial plan for how s/he want to proceed with her/his work and share it with the communication and outreach team lead. The plan would be flexible to allow for mutually required changes while any need for such alterations necessitate immediate consultation with and update to the Team Lead.
2. A draft strategy report
This would be the draft of the final deliverable that will include a list of meetings conducted (with whom, when, where, topics discussed, and outcomes/agreements achieved) to inform the strategy, recommendations on how to identify male and female champions of women’s rights in government, a selection criteria for identification of champions based on the findings, recommendations on how to empower champions, recommendations on how to reward champions in government. The draft strategy report should include recommendations of a small 8-10 people sample of potential “champions” that exemplify qualities of the ideal “champion” according to the strategy. The draft strategy report will be submitted to outreach and communication team leader or her/his designee and will not be final until approved by USAID.
3. A final Strategy report:
The draft strategy should be finalized by incorporating all the feedback and comments from communication and outreach team lead or her/his designee. The final strategy document should discuss: 1) the process of research done and its timeline including desk research, meetings and interviews; 2) and should outline the outcome of desk research, interviews and meetings; and the best recommended approach accordingly. The main points will include the following:
4. Initial Sections
Informing the importance of identifying, encouraging and rewarding champions

Best Practices and approaches to Identify, empower, and reward champions in government
A clear view and generally recommended media, communication and other approaches for identifying champions and promotion of identified and selected champions.

A comprehensive selection criteria
A clear criteria for selecting champions based on inputs from desk research and stakeholders’ responses such as project team, relevant CSOs and ministries

Recommended method for identifying, selecting and rewarding champions
Final recommendation for identification, selection, and rewarding of champions and relevant communication methods based on project goals.
Eligibility:

Be an Afghan citizen

Have profound knowledge and skills for research

Have excellent English writing ability and report writing skills

Have a master or bachelor degree with 5-7 years of full-time or consultancy experience in strategy development, program and/or strategic management

Demonstrate enthusiasm towards completing the assignment and

Have strong interpersonal and networking skills

Required Activities in brief:

Develop a roadmap to guide the strategy development approach

Do desk research

Interview with stakeholders

Interview with promote task orders

Interviews with relevant ministries

Interviews with relevant CSOs

Develop champion strategy criteria for identifying champions

Work closely with USAID Promote: Women in Government management team, Internship, policy and communication components

Update on strategy development progress in a timely manner

Update outreach and communication team on strategy development progress regularly
Submission Guideline:
Note: the subject line of your email must contain the phrase: Champion’s Strategy Consultancy
Please submit your curriculum vitae (CV), one-page cover letter and three current professional references (with contact information including phone numbers) to Submission e-mail

Please note that applications received after the closing date (2nd April 2016) will not be given consideration.

Functional Area

Account/Finance

Countries

Submission Email

jobs@equalaccess.af

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