The United States Government, represented by the U.S. Agency for International Development Mission to Madagascar (USAID/Madagascar), is seeking offers from qualified persons to provide personal services under contract to serve as the Program Office Director for o/a 11 months.

The USAID Madagascar Mission is in a phase of expansion following the 2009-13 political crisis and subsequent downgrading of USAID’s presence to Country Office status.  While a limited number of emergency and development assistance awards deemed humanitarian in nature were authorized to continue during the crisis period, the number and nature of development programs has gradually increased in recent years.  The resumption of full Mission status occurred in December 2016.

The Mission’s annual assistance budget is approximately $95 million.  Its three primary program areas are health (including the President’s Malaria Initiative and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene), biodiversity protection and natural resource management, and food security and nutrition.  Governance is an important and expanding part of the Mission’s portfolio.

The Program Office supports vital mission functions and is responsible for managing project design, performance monitoring, budget planning and execution, evaluating and reporting on foreign assistance activities, donor relations, and development outreach and communication.  The Program Office has the exciting and challenging task of formulating and implementing a new five-year strategy to support Madagascar on its journey to self-reliance.  The Program Office works closely with the U.S. Government interagency at the U.S. Embassy in Madagascar, senior host government officials, and other international donors to coordinate USAID’s support for the Embassy’s foreign policy objectives.

The Program Office Director (POD) manages Mission’s Program Cycle.  This includes overseeing: 1) strategic planning; 2) project and activity designs; 3) program budget; and 4) monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL).  S/he also coordinates the work of the Mission’s technical sectors (i.e., health, environment, food security, and governance).  The POD will liaise closely with USAID’s headquarters in Washington, the U.S. Embassy’s inter-agency, and USAID’s Regional Mission in South Africa.  The POD will occupy a high profile and important position in USG foreign assistance to Madagascar.  S/he will provide policy recommendations to USAID/Madagascar’s senior leadership, while overseeing program planning within the Program Office.

The POD will also engage in policy dialogue with senior Government of Madagascar (GOM) officials, other donors, international organizations, local non-government organizations, and private sector enterprises.  The work involves substantial coordination and engagement with representatives from these entities.  The POD must function with little direction and significant independence in a challenging and restrictive work environment and be willing to strictly adhere to U.S. Embassy security guidelines.

The POD manages a diverse and talented team of nine staff members, which includes a U.S. Direct Hire and eight Cooperating Country Nationals (CCNs).   S/he is a key member of the Mission's Senior Management Team and reports directly to the Mission Director.  S/he may periodically serve as the Acting Mission Director during the Mission Director’s absence.