APPLY ONLINE - Location: Washington, DC
- Sector: Government
- Experience: Advanced
- Last Date To Apply Nov-14-2011
- Date Posted oct-10-2011
Description
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The work of the Country Representative requires teamwork, the exercise of discretion, judgment, and personal responsibility. As a member of a highly operational office, the incumbent is willing and able to perform a wide range of administrative functions to help ensure programmatic success. The incumbent is highly flexible and willing to work under conditions of ongoing change, and remains professional and respectful of colleagues and authority in a diverse workforce. She or he places a premium on building positive relationships with his or her respective team both in the field and in Washington, and with key stakeholders both in and outside of USAID. The incumbent is highly responsible, service-oriented, organized, pays close attention to detail, and is able to receive and respond to constructive criticism in a professional manner. The Country Representative is a strategic thinker, articulates innovative ideas, presents solutions, and is a positive role model for colleagues both in and outside of OTI.
Under the direct supervision of the Washington-based DCHA/OTI Regional Team Leader for the Afghanistan/Pakistan (Af/Pak) Regional Team, the Country Representative will:
At the GS-14 equivalent level:
- Manage a high-profile program in a dynamic, fast-paced environment. Based on political analysis and U.S. Government policy, conceptualize and design program strategies and objectives with the support of OTI staff, USAID, military personnel, the U.S. embassy, and other U.S. agencies and departments, as well as national and local government officials, and local civil society representatives. When necessary, refine strategic objectives and advocate on behalf of new programmatic approaches in country, linked to neighboring country programs, where appropriate;
- Oversee a team comprised of at least 20 USPSCs, several national staff, and a significant number of implementing partner staff, in at least 10 different locations across the country, including Kabul. Continuously review and design staffing plans to meet overall program objectives and recruit, train, supervise, and evaluate the performance of in-country OTI staff. Maintain staff morale in a difficult security and work environment;
- Monitor local and regional political developments and regularly brief OTI and partner staff on their potential programmatic impact;
- Ensure that OTI’s programs and their activities are monitored and evaluated and that lessons learned from the activities feed into ongoing or future activities;
- Prepare and maintain OTI program budgets for field operations;
- Ensure that all OTI and partner field staff adhere to in-country security guidelines set by the U.S. Embassy Regional Security Officer and other organizations such as the United Nations or host government, as appropriate;
- In collaboration with USAID, prepare operational plans including logistics and property use guidelines, closeout and hand-over, security procedures, contingency and evacuation plans;
- Ensure appropriate resource allocation among OTI field offices and implementing partners;
- In close coordination with other DCHA offices and the USAID-Afghanistan Mission, develop an exit strategy and operational closeout plan;
- Analyze and report on current political developments and security concerns as well as other pertinent information required to achieve OTI's program objectives;
- Prepare and disseminate programmatic, financial and periodic reports to the USAID Mission, OTI/Washington and other organizations as appropriate;
- Serve as OTI’s primary liaison with USAID personnel, U.S. Embassy staff, Ambassadors, military personnel, government officials, bilateral donors, UN organizations, indigenous and international NGOs, and other pertinent agencies and organizations. Develop and maintain collaborative relationships with them in order to ensure close coordination at the field level, identify the widest range of potential partners and opportunities, and achieve maximum synergy with other programs;
- Communicate and coordinate OTI’s in-country activities between OTI and its implementing partners, USAID, and other donor organizations;
- Provide day-to-day programmatic, operational, and strategic guidance to OTI’s implementing partners (contractors and/or grantees) ensuring that activities are contributing to OTI’s program objectives;
- Provide recommendations to the Washington-based Contracting Officer Technical Representative (COTR) and/or the Regional Team Leader on implementing partner performance, the appropriateness of the partner’s scope to OTI’s country objectives, partner’s budgets, and modifications thereto;
- Provide USAID concurrence on all implementing partner activities, including final approval of grantees for grants under contract up to $250,000 with OTI COTR approval, in accordance with the USAID’s Automated Directives System (ADS).
At the GS-15 equivalent level:
- Manage a high-profile program in a dynamic, fast-paced environment. Based on political analysis and U.S. Government policy, conceptualize and design program strategies and objectives with the support of OTI staff, USAID, military personnel, the U.S. embassy, and other U.S. agencies and departments, as well as national and local government officials, and local civil society representatives. When necessary, refine strategic objectives and advocate on behalf of new programmatic approaches in country, linked to neighboring country programs, where appropriate;
- Build, oversee, and motivate a team comprised of at least 20 USPSCs, several national staff, and a significant number of implementing partner staff, in at least 10 different locations across the country, including Kabul. Continuously review and design staffing plans to meet overall program objectives and recruit, train, supervise, and evaluate the performance of in-country OTI staff. Maintain staff morale in a difficult security and work environment;
- Monitor local and regional political developments and regularly brief OTI and partner staff on their potential programmatic impact;
- Ensure that OTI’s programs and their activities are monitored and evaluated and that lessons learned from the activities feed into ongoing or future activities;
- Prepare and maintain OTI program budgets for field operations;
- Ensure that all OTI and partner field staff adhere to in-country security guidelines set by the U.S. Embassy Regional Security Officer and other organizations such as the United Nations or host government, as appropriate;
- Ensure appropriate resource allocation among OTI field offices and implementing partners;
- Create operational plans in collaboration with USAID, including logistics and property use guidelines, closeout and hand-over, security procedures, and contingency and evacuation plans;
- In close coordination with other DCHA offices and the USAID-Afghanistan Mission, develop an exit strategy and operational closeout plan;
- Analyze and report on current political developments and security concerns as well as other pertinent information required to achieve OTI's program objectives;
- Prepare and disseminate programmatic, financial and periodic reports to the USAID Mission, OTI/Washington and other organizations as appropriate;
- Serve as OTI’s primary liaison with USAID personnel, U.S. Embassy staff, Ambassadors, military personnel, government officials, bilateral donors, UN organizations, indigenous and international NGOs, and other pertinent agencies and organizations. Develop and maintain collaborative relationships with them in order to ensure close coordination at the field level, identify the widest range of potential partners and opportunities, and achieve maximum synergy with other programs;
- Communicate and coordinate OTI’s in-country activities between OTI and its implementing partners, USAID, and other donor organizations;
- Manage and provide day-to-day programmatic, operational, and strategic guidance to OTI’s implementing partners (contractors and/or grantees) ensuring that activities are contributing to OTI’s program objectives;
- Provide recommendations to the Washington-based Contracting Officer Technical Representative (COTR) and/or the Regional Team Leader on implementing partner performance, the appropriateness of the partner’s scope to OTI’s country objectives, partner’s budgets, and modifications thereto;
- Provide USAID concurrence on all implementing partner activities, including final approval of grantees for grants under contract up to $250,000 with OTI COTR approval, in accordance with the USAID’s Automated Directives System (ADS).
SUPERVISORY RELATIONSHIP:
The Supervisor will set overall objectives. The employee and the supervisor together will develop deadlines, projects, and work to be accomplished. Work plans, timesheets, regional travel, and funding associated with support costs will be approved through OTI Washington. The incumbent is expected to take initiative, act independently, and manage his/her tasks with minimal supervision.
SUPERVISORY CONTROLS:
The Supervisor will set overall objectives. The employee and the supervisor together will develop deadlines, projects, and work to be accomplished. Work plans, timesheets, regional travel, and funding associated with support costs will be approved through OTI Washington. The incumbent is expected to take initiative, act independently, and manage his/her tasks with minimal supervision.
10. PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The work is at times physically demanding. During site visits, there may be some additional physical exertion including long periods of standing, walking over rough terrain, or the carrying of moderately heavy items.
11. WORK ENVIRONMENT
While in Afghanistan, the work may be performed in an office environment and/or on a military compound. The position also requires travel throughout the country of assignment, which may additionally involve special safety and/or security precautions, wearing of protective equipment, and exposure to severe weather conditions.
12. START DATE: Immediately, once necessary clearances are obtained.
13. POINT OF CONTACT: See Cover Letter.
Qualifications
EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION
(Determines basic eligibility for the position. Applicants who do not meet all of education and experience factors are considered NOT qualified for the position. See detailed instructions for demonstrating Education/Experience under "Applying")
At a minimum, the applicant must have:
At the GS-14 equivalent level:
(1) Bachelor's degree and a minimum of nine (9) years of progressively responsible work experience;
OR Master's degree (with significant study in or pertinent to the specialized field, including, but not limited to, international development and social sciences) and a minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible work experience;
- Minimum of six (6) years of recent project management experience with a USG foreign affairs agency, international assistance organization, or non-governmental organization, in community development, stabilization programming, economic development, mediation/arbitration, conflict resolution, democracy and governance, international law, human rights activities, and/or political analysis;
- Minimum of two (2) years of overseas field experience working in one or more developing countries undergoing political instability;
- A minimum of two (2) years of supervisory experience (including but not limited to mentoring, training, and guiding staff).
At the GS-15 equivalent level:
(1) Bachelor's degree and a minimum of eleven (11) years of progressively responsible work experience;
OR Master's degree (with significant study in or pertinent to the specialized field, including, but not limited to, international development and social sciences) and a minimum of nine (9) years of progressively responsible work experience;
- Minimum of seven (7) years of recent project management experience with a USG foreign affairs agency, international assistance organization, or non-governmental organization, in community development, stabilization programming, economic development, mediation/arbitration, conflict resolution, democracy and governance, international law, human rights activities, and/or political analysis;
- Minimum of three (3) years of overseas field experience working in one or more developing countries undergoing political instability;
- A minimum of three (3) years of supervisory experience (including but not limited to mentoring, training, and guiding staff), of which at least one (1) year must include supervisor management experience (defined as supervising at least one other supervisor within an office, division, or team).
SELECTION FACTORS
(Determines basic eligibility for the position. Applicants who do not meet all of the selection factors are considered NOT qualified for the position.)
- Applicant is a U.S. Citizen;
- Complete and hand-signed federal form OF-612 submitted (see detailed instructions under "Applying");
- Supplemental document specifically addressing how the candidate meets each of the Education/Experience requirements, AND each of the Evaluation Factors submitted;
- Ability to obtain a SECRET level security clearance (NOTE: Dual citizens may be asked to renounce second-country citizenship);
- Ability to obtain a Department of State medical clearance;
- Satisfactory verification of academic credentials.
EVALUATION FACTORS
(Used to determine the competitive ranking of qualified applicants in comparison to other applicants. The factors are listed in priority order from highest to least.)
Factor #1 Demonstrated ability to operate independently in high visibility, high- pressure environments overseas in complex emergency or political crisis situations with minimal home office support;
Factor #2 Demonstrated experience in using political analysis to inform programming strategies and objectives, especially in conflict-prone environments;
Factor #3 Demonstrated experience in contract and grant management and experience working on the conceptualization, design and management of post-conflict, political transition, stabilization programming, democracy-building, and/or humanitarian assistance programs;
Factor #4 Excellent communication, interpersonal, cross-cultural, negotiating and team building skills evidenced by the ability to maintain team morale and unity in a challenging security environment with the lack of usual infrastructure and amenities;
Factor #5 Demonstrated experience interacting with U.S. government agencies, donor and international organizations, military personnel, and local counterparts on both the lowest and highest political, social, and economic levels; and
Factor #6 Demonstrated experience overseeing and monitoring a non-Federal organization implementing an assistance activity under a Federal contract, grant, or cooperative agreement.
Applicants are required to address each of the Evaluation Factors on a separate sheet describing specifically and accurately what experience, training, education and/or awards they have received that are relevant to each factor. Be sure to include your name and the announcement number at the top of each additional page. Failure to specifically address the Selection and/or Evaluation Factors may result in your not receiving credit for all of your pertinent experience, education, training and/or awards.
The Applicant Rating System is as Follows:
Evaluation Factors have been assigned the following points:
Factor #1 – 15
Factor #2 – 15
Factor #3 – 15
Factor #4 – 10
Factor #5 – 10
Factor #6 – 05
Total Possible - 70 Points
Interview Performance – 30 points
Satisfactory Professional Reference Checks – Pass/Fail (no points assigned)
Total Possible Points: 100
The Evaluation Factors are worth 70 out of 100 points. Be sure to fully respond to each of the Evaluation Factors and include all relevant experience, training, and/or education in your responses. Sample Evaluation Factors are provided on the GlobalCorps website at www.globalcorps.com.
The most qualified candidates may be interviewed and required to provide a writing sample. OTI will not pay for any expenses associated with the interviews. In the event that a candidate has fully demonstrated his/her qualifications and there are no other competitive applicants, OTI reserves the right to forego the interview process. Professional references and academic credentials will be evaluated for applicants being considered for selection.
Contact Details
- Contact: Stephanie Hsu
- Telephone: 202-706-6110
- Email: shsu@globalcorps.com
Application Instructions
APPLYING:
Applications must be received by the closing date and time at the address specified in the cover letter.
Qualified individuals are required to submit:
- A complete U.S. Government Optional Form 612 with hand-written signature (including OF-612 continuation sheets as needed) (downloadable forms are available on the USAID website, http://www.usaid.gov/forms, or at www.globalcorps.com).
NOTE: Submission of a resume in addition to the required forms is encouraged. A submitted resume, however, is considered supplemental application material. Submission of a resume alone or in lieu of the OF-612 form IS NOT a complete application. All information to be evaluated must be contained in the OF-612 form and must not depend on references to your resume. Failure to provide the required information and/or materials will result in your not being considered for employment.
All applicants must submit complete dates (months/years) and hours per week for all positions listed on the OF-612 or on supplemental OF-612 continuation sheets to allow for adequate evaluation of your direct and related experience. Experience that cannot be quantified will not be counted towards meeting the solicitation requirements.
Dates (months/years) and locations for all field experience must also be detailed.
- A supplemental document specifically addressing:
Each of the six (6) Evaluation Factors shown in the solicitation.
NOTE: The Evaluation Factors are worth 70 out of 100 points. Applicants are required to address each of the Evaluation Factors on a separate sheet describing specifically and accurately what experience, training, education and/or awards they have received that are relevant to each factor.
To ensure consideration of applications for the intended position, please reference the solicitation number on your application, and as the subject line in any cover letter.
DOCUMENT SUBMITTALS
Via mail: GlobalCorps, 529 14th Street, NW, Suite 700, Washington, D.C. 20045
Via facsímile: (202) 403-3911 or (202) 403-3941
Via email: crafghan@globalcorps.com
Please note in your document submittal where you heard about this position.
NOTE: If a temporary or full secret security clearance is not obtained within four months after offer acceptance, the offer may be rescinded.
NOTE: The incumbent must obtain Department of State medical clearance within six months after offer acceptance. If medical clearance is not obtained within this period, USAID will terminate the contract at the convenience of the government.
NOTE REGARDING GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS FOR THIS SOLICITATION
This solicitation in no way obligates USAID to award a PSC contract, nor does it commit USAID to pay any cost incurred in the preparation and submission of the application.
NOTE REGARDING DATA UNIVERSAL NUMBERING SYSTEM (DUNS) NUMBERS
All individuals contracted as US PSCs are required to have a DUNS Number. USAID will provide a generic DUNS Number and PSCs are not required to register with CCR.
For general information about DUNS Numbers, please refer to Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Clause 52.204-6, Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Number (10/2003)
https://www.acquisition.gov/far/current/html/52_200_206.html
APPLY ONLINE
