Democratic Republic of the Congo: USPSC Senior Regional Program Officer

Position Title: Senior Regional Program Officer

Solicitation Number: SOL-OFDA-17-000020

Salary Level: GS-13 Equivalent: $73,846- $96,004

Issuance Date: December 15, 2016

Closing Date: February 9, 2017

Closing Time: 12:00 P.M. Eastern Time

Dear Prospective Applicants:

The United States Government (USG), represented by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA), is seeking applications from qualified U.S. citizens to provide personal services as a Senior Regional Program Officer (SRPO) under a United States Personal Services Contract (USPSC), as described in the attached solicitation.

Submittals must be in accordance with the attached information at the place and time specified. Applicants interested in applying for this position MUST submit the following materials:

1. Complete resume. In order to fully evaluate your application, your resume must include:

(a) Paid and non-paid experience, job title, location(s), dates held (month/year), and hours worked per week for each position. Any experience that does not include dates (month/year), locations, and hours per week will not be counted towards meeting the solicitation requirements.

(b) Specific duties performed that fully detail the level and complexity of the work.

(c) Names and contact information (phone/email) of your current and/or previous supervisor(s). Current and/or previous supervisors may be contacted for a reference.

(d) Education and any other qualifications including job-related training courses, job-related skills, or job-related honors, awards or accomplishments.

(e) U.S. Citizenship

(f) Optional: Where you heard about this job (FedBizOps, OFDA Jobs, Career Fair, etc.).

Your resume should contain sufficient information to make a valid determination that you fully meet the experience requirements as stated in this solicitation. This information should be clearly identified in your resume. Failure to provide information sufficient to determine your qualifications for the position will result in loss of full consideration.

2. Supplemental document specifically addressing the Quality Ranking Factors (QRFs) shown in the solicitation.

3. USPSC Application form AID 302-3. Applicants are required to complete sections A through I. This form must be physically signed. Electronic signatures will not be accepted.

NOTE ABOUT THE DATA UNIVERSAL NUMBERING SYSTEM/SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT REQUIREMENTS

All USPSCs with a place of performance in the United States are required to have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) database prior to receiving an offer. You will be disqualified if you either fail to comply with this requirement or if your name appears on the excluded parties list. The selectee will be provided with guidance regarding this registration.

Additional documents submitted will not be accepted. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered. OFDA reserves the right to select additional candidates if vacancies become available during future phases of the selection process.

Applicants can expect to receive a confirmation email when application materials have been received. Applicants should retain for their records copies of all enclosures which accompany their applications. Your complete resume and the supplemental document addressing the QRFs must be emailed to:

OFDA Recruitment Team

E-Mail Address: recruiter@ofda.gov

Website: www.OFDAjobs.net

Any questions on this solicitation may be directed to OFDA Recruitment Team via the information provided above.

Sincerely,

Renee Newton

Contracting Officer

Solicitation for USPSC Senior Regional Program Officer

1. SOLICITATION NO.: SOL-OFDA-17-000020

2. ISSUANCE DATE: December 15, 2016

3.CLOSING DATE/TIME FOR RECEIPT OF APPLICATIONS: February 9, 2017 at 12:00P.M. Eastern Time

4. POSITION TITLE: Senior Regional Program Officer

5.MARKET VALUE: GS-13 equivalent ($73,846- $96,004 - not eligible for locality pay). Final compensation will be negotiated within the listed market value based upon the candidate’s past salary, work history and educational background. Salaries over and above the top of the pay range will not be entertained or negotiated.

6. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: Two (2) years, with three (3) option years

7. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

There may be an initial training program in Washington, D.C. for three months, which will include formal classroom training and on-the-job training; and may include security training. After completion of Washington training, the Senior Regional Program Officer will be assigned to the place of performance.

8. STATEMENT OF WORK

POSITION DESCRIPTION

BACKGROUND

The Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) is the office within USAID that is responsible for providing emergency non-food humanitarian assistance in response to international crises and disasters. OFDA is part of the Bureau for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance (DCHA) and is organized into six divisions.

The Africa (AFD) Response Division and the Asia, Latin America, Europe, and Middle East (ALE) Response Division are responsible for the provision of emergency humanitarian assistance through a grants mechanism to non-governmental organizations (NGOs), international organizations including United Nations (UN) agencies and to other partners to ensure the implementation and delivery of this assistance. These divisions also oversee OFDA’s non-response efforts in disaster risk reduction and resilience. AFD and ALE Response Divisions also coordinate with other organizations for the provision of relief supplies and assistance. They devise, coordinate and implement program strategies for a variety of natural and complex disaster situations. Both Divisions encompass groups of operations specialists who provide technical expert capability in assessing the quality and strategic function of disaster response and risk reduction activities. The AFD Response Division is divided into two teams: East and Central Africa (ECA), and Southern, West, and North Africa (SWAN). The ALE Response Division is divided into four teams: East Asia and the Pacific (EAP), Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia (EMCA), Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), and South Asia.

The Operations (OPS) Division develops and manages operations for OFDA’s disaster responses by readying people and systems; projecting U.S. Government (USG) humanitarian capacity quickly into the field; and delivering material and technical assistance. The OPS Division maintains readiness to respond to emergencies through several mechanisms, including managing Urban Search and Rescue Teams, coordinating, staffing, training, and equipping Disaster Assistance Response Teams (DARTs), and Washington-based Response Management Teams (RMTs), and stockpiling emergency relief commodities in key locations around the globe to ensure OFDA’s capacity to execute and coordinate USG humanitarian assistance and response to natural disasters and complex emergencies. The OPS Division provides technical guidance and expertise in Disaster Logistics, Urban Search and Rescue, Operations Center management, activation/readiness, Civil-Military Liaison, and Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive Consequence Management. It also provides overseas support to OFDA offices and personnel and to other sectors necessary to ensure OFDA’s capacity to execute and coordinate USG humanitarian assistance and response to natural disasters and complex emergencies. The OPS Division is divided into four teams: the Disaster Assistance Support Program (DASP), Military Liaison Team (MLT), Operations Support Team (OST), and Overseas Administration Team (OAT).

The Program Support (PS) Division provides operational management support, including general administration, budget and financial services, procurement planning, information technology, human resources management including staff care, and contract and grant administration support to OFDA. The PS Division supports OFDA's mandate by providing innovative solutions in the areas of Information Technology, staffing, funds control, budgeting, human resource management, and procurement to facilitate timely disaster responses. The PS Division is divided into four teams: the Award Change Control Group (ACCG), Human Resources Management Team (HRM), Budget, Finance, and Information Technology (BFIT) Team, and the Acquisition and Management (ACQ) Team.

The Preparation, Strategic Planning and Mitigation (PSPM) Division is responsible for the technical oversight of all OFDA response and mitigation programs, as well as preparation for response, mitigation, and disaster risk reduction activities. The PSPM Division houses technical experts in all sectors potentially affected by disasters, and leads the Agency in developing and promoting best practices for programming in these specific sectors. In addition, PSPM will be the focal point for technological innovations for humanitarian assistance in areas such as monitoring and evaluation, assessment, and information management. The PSPM Division is divided into four teams: Cross-Cutting Sectors Team, Natural Hazards Team, Health Team, and Livelihoods Team.

The Humanitarian Policy and Global Engagement (HPGE) Division assists the DCHA front office, the OFDA Director and OFDA Deputy Director with tracking trends and policy developments in the humanitarian assistance field. It engages in policy dialogue with other parts of USAID, the USG interagency, other donors, multilateral agencies, and NGO partners; recommends strategies for action to DCHA; initiates development of policy and internal guidance for OFDA; maintains global relationships with implementing partners, other donors, and the broader humanitarian architecture; and engages with the UN to advance USG humanitarian policy objectives and promote humanitarian principles within the USG and internationally. The HPGE Division leads OFDA's communications and social media outreach to effectively communicate OFDA’s story to a variety of strategic audiences. It serves as the office’s primary interlocutor on strategic issues with other federal partners to provide guidance to OFDA on policy issues pertaining to the interagency, and to improve USG humanitarian coordination and response during large-scale crises. The HPGE Division staff manages global programs, policy and outreach, strategic communications, and interagency training and engagement. HPGE is divided into seven teams: Policy Team, Global Programs Team, Strategic Interagency Team, Strategic Communications Team, Interagency Training Team, Public-Private Engagement Team, and the United States Mission to the UN (USUN).

INTRODUCTION

To fulfill its mandate, and to effectively respond to disasters worldwide, OFDA has established six regional offices in the following locations: San Jose, Costa Rica; Nairobi, Kenya; Dakar, Senegal; Budapest, Hungary and Bangkok, Thailand. OFDA also has other, smaller sub-regional and program offices around the world.

The regional offices are headed by a Senior Regional Advisor (SRA), who works closely with the Team Leaders in Washington, and report to the appropriate Division Director. SRA serves as the regional team leader for all response, preparedness and disaster risk reduction activities. They serve as the key interlocutor with embassies and missions in the event of a disaster and may also serve as the DART Leader if needed.

Under the guidance of the SRA or designated Regional Advisor (RA, the Senior Regional Program Officer (SRPO) will provide support for coordination and management of OFDA humanitarian emergency and disaster risk reduction programming across the East and Central Africa Region). The SRPO will ensure that OFDA’s objectives for disaster response and assistance, strategic reporting and analysis are met.

OBJECTIVE

OFDA requires the service of a SRPO for East and Central Africa (ECA) Team, based in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), to ensure that OFDA’s objectives for disaster assistance, risk reduction, resilience programming, strategic reporting, and interagency coordination for the region, are met.

9. CORE FUNCTIONAL AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Working under the guidance and supervision of the SRA or designated RA for the assigned Africa region of responsibility, the SRPO will support the regional office, as well as the coordination and management of humanitarian and disaster risk reduction activities. The SRPO will work in close collaboration with a program team that may include SRAs, Senior Humanitarian Advisors (SHAs), Program Officers, Field Monitors, Team Leaders, Deputy Team Leaders, Disaster Operations Advisors and Specialists, and /or Program Assistants.

The SRPO will perform the following within the assigned portfolio:

Contextual Specialty

• Develop and maintain specialized understanding of humanitarian developments across the region to include political, social, and operational issues impacting humanitarian efforts.
• Develop and maintain knowledge of USAID, USG humanitarian priorities and strategies within the region and USAID/OFDA’s contributions and comparative advantages to those efforts.
• Provide regular reporting, through official cables and other means, on issues related to the humanitarian situations in ECA. Provide overviews of patterns and trends in the humanitarian situation and keep the SRA, RA, SHA, Team Lead, and other staff current on response issues. Provide regular reports on site visits, meetings, general atmospherics and other issues that impact humanitarian relief efforts.

Portfolio Management

• Develop and maintain a detailed working knowledge of OFDA’s humanitarian portfolio in ECA.
• Work with OFDA’s program staff based in Washington, D.C. and in the field offices in the development of OFDA’s programming strategies for response and disaster risk reduction activities across the region.
• Support team members in assessing emergency response and disaster risk reduction needs in the region in order to ensure that OFDA’s programs are appropriately responsive.
• Assist headquarters based Agreement Officer’s Representatives in managing humanitarian awards by providing field-based insights, knowledge, and perspectives.
• Assist in humanitarian activities outside of immediate area of responsibility as needed.
• Travel as permitted to assess, evaluate and monitor humanitarian conditions in the region, and make strategic recommendations for appropriate interventions.
• Responsible for planning and carrying out assignment, and for planning approach or methodology to be used in carrying out assignments.

Representation

• Support the regional team in maintaining relations with the senior leadership of the humanitarian community in the region in representing USAID and OFDA on humanitarian issues. This will include, but is not limited to, UN agencies, IOs, NGOs, USG personnel, donors, host government authorities, and others.
• Participate in, and report on, joint donor humanitarian evaluations and UN-led assessments, and participate actively in the international community response structures.
• Assist the regional team to coordinate with the donor community on policy issues affecting humanitarian operations, and develop integrated, non-duplicative programs, as needed.
• Prepare briefing papers, notes and presentations on OFDA programming for official USG visitors interested in humanitarian issues.
• Coordinate on a daily basis with several OFDA staff members, as well as with representatives from other USAID offices, Embassy staff, and the humanitarian community. This level of coordination requires a highly collaborative work style.

Leadership

• Serve as peer mentor to team members on grants management and portfolio management, to include OFDA’s business process, portfolio-specific budget and workload management, and post-award monitoring and management.
• In close coordination with the SRA, RA, and Disaster Operations Specialist, the SRPO will work with NGOs, IOs, and UN agencies that are developing proposals for OFDA (including grant amendments and extensions) to ensure compliance with OFDA’s guidelines.
• Participate, as assigned, in office-wide discussions on initiatives that impact program implementation to provide field-based perspectives.

General Duties
Serve in planning, or program positions on response teams, assessment teams, or to provide coverage for field offices with field travel required at approximately 50% time and individual deployments of up to 6 weeks.

· Serve on DARTs, which may require immediate deployment (within 24 hours) overseas for an extended period of time.

· Work effectively in a challenging and restrictive work environment and strictly adhere to U.S. Embassy security guidelines.

· Supervisor sets overall objectives and resources available. The USPSC consults with supervisor to develop deadlines, projects and work to be done. The USPSC is responsible for planning and carrying out assignments. The USPSC is responsible for planning approach or methodology to be used in carrying out assignments.

SUPERVISORY RELATIONSHIP:

The USPSC will take direction from and will report to the SRA or his/her designee.

SUPERVISORY CONTROLS:

Supervisor sets overall objectives and resources available. The USPSC consults with supervisor to develop deadlines, projects and work to be done. The USPSC is responsible for planning and carrying out assignments. The USPSC is responsible for planning approach or methodology to be used in carrying out assignments.

10. PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The work is generally sedentary and does not pose undue physical demands. During deployment on DARTs (if required), and during site visits, there may be some additional physical exertion including long periods of standing, walking over rough terrain, or carrying of moderately heavy items (less than 50 pounds).

11. WORK ENVIRONMENT

Work is primarily performed in an office setting. During deployment on DARTs (if required), and during site visits, the work 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.

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION

(Determines basic eligibility for the position. Applicants who do not meet all of the education and experience factors are considered NOT qualified for the position.)

Bachelor’s degree with study in, or pertinent to, the specialized field of, but not limited to,

international relations, economics, food policy, African studies, or a related field or country; and seven (7) years of progressively demonstrated experience in emergency relief, disaster risk reduction and/or disaster preparedness programming and management, including at least two (2) years of overseas field experience as demonstrated by short-term deployments or assignments in emergency situations. Basic French language skills required, advanced skills desired.

OR

Master’s degree with study in, or pertinent to, the specialized field of, but not limited to international relations, economics, food policy, African studies, or a related field or country; and five (5) years of progressively demonstrated experience in emergency relief, disaster risk reduction and/or disaster preparedness programming and management, including at least two (2) years of overseas field experience as demonstrated by short-term deployments or assignments in emergency situations. Basic French language skills required, advanced skills desired.

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 resume submitted. See cover page for resume requirements. Experience that cannot be quantified will not be counted towards meeting the solicitation requirements.

· USPSC Application form AID 302-3. Applicants are required to complete sections A through I. This form must be physically signed. Electronic signatures will not be accepted.

· Supplemental document specifically addressing the Quality Ranking Factors (QRFs) submitted.

· Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret up to Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information level clearance as provided by USAID.

· Ability to obtain a Department of State medical clearance.

· Must not appear as an excluded party in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov).

· Satisfactory verification of academic credentials.

QUALITY RANKING FACTORS (QRFs)

(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.)

QRF #1 Describe your experience assessing disasters, and in planning and monitoring humanitarian assistance and relief interventions. Please provide specific examples.

QRF #2 Please describe your experience your experience living and working in challenging environments similar to that of DRC (and in DRC, if applicable). Please comment on what skills you feel this has helped you develop.

QRF #3 Please detail key experiences where you have successfully dealt with foreign governments and local authorities, and any experience coordinating with USG agencies (e.g. OFDA, Department of State, Department of Defense, USAID missions and Embassies), the U.N., other international organizations, and NGOs. Please highlight your experience with preparing and delivering oral and written reports, briefings, and other communications to various audiences.

QRF #4 Please describe your experience managing support staff. What are the main challenges you anticipate facing and what have you done to successfully overcome similar challenges in the past?

BASIS OF RATING: Applicants who meet the Education/Experience requirements and Selection Factors will be further evaluated based on scoring of the QRF responses. Those applicants determined to be competitively ranked may also be evaluated on interview performance and satisfactory professional reference checks.

Applicants are required to address each of the QRFs in a separate document describing specifically and accurately what experience, training, and/or education they have received as it pertains to each factor. Be sure to include your name and the announcement number at the top of each additional page. Failure to address the selection factors and/or Quality Ranking Factors may result in not receiving credit for all pertinent experience, education, and/or training.

The most qualified candidates may be interviewed and required to provide a writing sample. OFDA will not pay for any expenses associated with the interviews. Professional references and academic credentials will be evaluated for applicants being considered for selection. Note: Please be advised that references may be obtained independently from other sources in addition to the ones provided by an applicant. OFDA reserves the right to select additional candidates if vacancies become available during future phase of the selection process.

The Applicant Rating System is as Follows:

QRFs have been assigned the following points:

QRF #1 – 12 points

QRF #2 – 8 points

QRF #3 – 6 points

QRF #4 – 4 points

Interview Performance – 40 points

Timed Writing Test – 20

Satisfactory Professional Reference Checks – 10 points

Total Possible Points: 100Ł

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:

1. Complete resume. In order to fully evaluate your application, your resume must include:

(a) Paid and non-paid experience, job title, location(s), dates held (month/year), and hours worked per week for each position. Dates (month/year) and locations for all field experience must also be detailed. Any experience that does not include dates (month/year), locations, and hours per week will not be counted towards meeting the solicitation requirements.

(b) Specific duties performed that fully detail the level and complexity of the work.

(c) Names and contact information (phone/email) of your current and/or previous supervisor(s). Current and/or previous supervisors may be contacted for a reference.

(d) Education and any other qualifications including job-related training courses, job-related skills, or job-related honors, awards or accomplishments.

(e) U.S. Citizenship

(f) Optional: Where you heard about this job (FedBizOps, OFDA Jobs, Career Fair, etc.).

Your resume should contain sufficient information to make a valid determination that you fully meet the experience requirements as stated in this solicitation. This information should be clearly identified in your resume. Failure to provide information sufficient to determine your qualifications for the position will result in loss of full consideration.

2. Supplemental document specifically addressing the QRFs shown in the solicitation.

3. USPSC Application form AID 302-3. Applicants are required to complete sections A through I. This form must be physically signed. Electronic signatures will not be accepted.

Additional documents submitted will not be accepted.

By submitting your application materials, you certify that all of the information on and attached to the application is true, correct, complete, and made in good faith. You agree to allow all information on and attached to the application to be investigated. False or fraudulent information on or attached to your application may result in you being eliminated from consideration for this position, or being terminated after award, and may be punishable by fine or imprisonment.

To ensure consideration of applications for the intended position, please reference the solicitation number on your application, and as the subject line in any email.

DOCUMENT SUBMITTALS

Via email: recruiter@ofda.gov