About Us
DevTech Systems, Inc. (DevTech) is an international consulting firm dedicated to development, with 38 years of experience providing advisory services and technical assistance to government, private sector, and civil society stakeholders in more than 100 countries. DevTech core practice areas include: Monitoring Evaluation, Research and Learning; Data Solutions; Public Financial Management and Fiscal Sustainability; and Education, Gender, and Youth.
Overview
FAST is a task-driven project that supports rapid, sustainable, and equitable economic growth in USAID-assisted countries by enabling USAID to bring a systems approach to addressing PFM (public revenue, budget, expenditure, and debt), trade capacity building, macroeconomic planning and policies, and other economic governance issues, such as regulatory reform, and by supporting missions to improve the following: a) host-country capacity to mobilize revenue and provide public services; b) policy climates for investment that generate more productive employment and inclusive growth, including consideration of issues specific to women and other disadvantaged populations; c) host-country ability to recover from, prevent, and/or mitigate the impact of conflict, natural disasters, or fiscal crises; d) host-country institutional capacity to identify, design, advocate, and implement better economic policies to enhance inclusive growth and gender equity. DevTech Systems, Inc. (DevTech) is the prime holder of the FAST activity.
PFM for PES is a task under FAST. The purpose of this task is to assess and assist payment for ecosystem services (PES) programs from a public financial management lens to strengthen their effectiveness, efficiency, equitability, and transparency in use of funds.
The Senior Consultant will provide technical and institutional analysis to the PFM for PES task.
Objectives of PFM for PES
- Assess the design, capacity, systems, and operations of existing payment for ecosystem (PES) or other payment-for-performance programs in designated countries against principles of good PFM.
- Provide recommendations and technical assistance to improve processes related to collection of fees and administration and allocation of revenues from existing PES programs.
- Assess the extent to which the assessed PES activities are perceived as equitable, effective, and efficient by participants and other stakeholders.
- Provide country-specific and global lessons learned and recommendations for the design, operation, monitoring, and evaluation of future PES activities.
Three countries are part of PFM for PES: the Dominican Republic, Peru, and Kenya. This scope of work is limited to Kenya.
Responsibilities
- Serve as the natural resources conservation specialist for the PFM for PES task with respect to Kenya, to perform the activities related to technical and institutional analysis.
- Support the PFM for PES Team Leader in preparing a workplan for conducting the work.
- Help compile relevant documentation, data, and other information sources related to current and potential PES activities in Kenya.
- Review documents related to PES activities and opportunities in Kenya.
- Design and participate in interviews of stakeholders and other key informants, virtually and on location in Kenya.
- Contribute to the preparation of an outline of the final assessment.
- In coordination with the PFM for PES team:
- assess the equitability, effectiveness, efficiencies of the PES projects,
- develop recommendations to improve existing PES systems in Kenya, and
- develop recommendations for a future national PES program.
- Assist in the preparation of the draft report.
- Assist in the preparation of final draft report, responding to USAID’s review.
- Be available to discuss and present the results of the PFM for PES project as needed.
- With the PFM for PES team, brief the designated USAID/W staff (such as E3/EP and GCC) and USAID/Kenya on the assessment’s chief findings and recommendations.
Qualifications
- Degree in environmental and natural resources management, economics, or related discipline.
- At least 10 years of professional experience related to water and other natural resources management and conservation.
- Advanced and up-to-date knowledge of water and other natural resources and environmental issues, including climate change, as demonstrated by work experience and publications.
- Strong analytical skills and experience.
Deliverables, Level of Effort, Schedule
Reports on analysis, findings, and recommendations for the improvement of current PES activities and a future PES program in Kenya.
Level of Effort
The estimated duration of this activity for the consultant is up to 50 days.
EEO Statement
This job posting should not be construed to imply that the requirements are the exclusive standards of the position nor will it be the sole basis for any subsequent employee evaluations. Incumbents will follow any other instructions and perform any other related duties as may be required by their supervisor.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, or other status protected by applicable law.
