Start-up Specialist

Other
Addis Ababa
March 16, 2023
Contract
Apply Now

Job Description

Kaizen, A Tetra Tech Company is an international development consulting firm and an incubator for innovative, scalable solutions that address emerging market challenges and opportunities. Our proven solutions catalyze locally driven organizational and institutional performance improvements and establish communities of practice that facilitate peer-to-peer learning and the achievement of shared goals. We aspire to transform the nature and impact of development assistance and work to strengthen organizations and institutions through innovative approaches to organizational development, reform, and change.

 

We are seeking a Start-up Specialist to support the start-up of an anticipated project and project office in Ethiopia. The purpose of this activity is to bolster the capacity of USAID/Ethiopia to work towards a Mission-wide systematic and intentional approach to learning. The Activity will improve data management and help the Mission to make timely decisions in program design and implementation. The Activity will enable wider collective impact of USAID and other partners – thereby better meeting the Development Objectives outlined in the Mission’s Country Development & Cooperation Strategy (CDCS).

 

The Start-up Specialist will deploy to Ethiopia to support a rapid start-up of the project and project office, including initiating procurement actions, identifying office and events space, participating in recruitment and training of project staff, among others, and will report to the Chief of Party.

 

Location: Addis Ababa

 

Contract type: Short-term consultant

 

Responsibilities and Tasks

 

Responsibilities and tasks will include, but are not limited to:

 

  • Deploy and mobilizes in country upon award and support long-term personnel with start-up of all program operations to ensure the rapid start-up of program implementation and a smooth transition from start-up phase to full implementation.
  • Make on-the-ground preparations for a project launch event, including identifying event space and catering, preparing materials, and assisting with other logistics.
  • Oversee initial purchase of materials and services for the project.
  • Initiate procurement actions for office space, vehicles, and equipment, among others.
  • Work with local lawyer to review and revise project office manuals and staff employment agreement templates.
  • Support identification of local tax and accounting firm; work with firm to develop project tax withholding practices and incorporate into manuals.
  • Initiate and support project registration process.
  • Initiate and support process of opening project bank account.
  • Participate in interviews and support training of project operations staff (HR, Finance, Grants, etc).
  • Other task as assigned.
    Qualifications

 

Required

 

  • Master’s degree in a relevant field with a minimum of seven years’ experience with program management and operations or related functions; or a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field with a minimum of ten years’ experience
  • Experience overseeing start-up of USAID-funded projects and/or experience opening project offices outside of the US
  • A minimum of three years’ experience supporting USAID and/or USAID-funded Activities
  • Excellent written and oral communication, facilitation, presentation, and interpersonal skills
  • Strong skills for planning and execution – driven to produce high quality work on time
  • Ability to manage multiple priorities efficiently and effectively – plus, respond with to changing priorities and circumstances with flexibility and agility
  • Preferred
  • Experience implementing USAID-funded projects in Ethiopia and/or East Africa, especially with a focus on project Operations, Accounting and/or HR.
  • Familiarity with East African operating environments
  • Experience working and living in a developing country