Organization: US Agency for International Development
Country: United States of America
Closing date: 15 Jun 2015
The OTI Senior IT & Operations Specialist is a full-time Personal Services Contract (PSC) position at the GS-14/15 equivalent level and located in Washington, D.C. Applications for this position are due no later than June 15, 2015 at 5:00pm Eastern Time. For full information about this position, as well as instructions on how to apply, please read the entire solicitation at www.OTIjobs.net.
Introduction
As a member of the Bureau for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance (DCHA)/OTI Information and Technology (IT) Team, the Senior IT & Operations Specialist will support program staff and operations by developing and maintaining OTI IT applications (web and non-web-based) that support the management of OTI programs. Members of the IT Team work in a fast-paced environment and support the full IT development life cycle. The team has daily interaction with both U.S. and international users, and gains a wealth of experience learning to implement or backstop all of the various facets of a small-scale yet modern web application as well as providing other IT support for a unique, rapid response office in USAID. OTI’s portfolio of applications manages DC-based operations as well as small grant programs implemented throughout the world in support of USAID’s mission, containing a robust geospatial element. The Senior IT & Operations Specialist is a supervisory position.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The work of the Senior IT & Operations Specialist 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 has a high level of integrity and attention to detail to ensure the use of OTI systems and procedures to maintain effective and efficient management of funds, programming, and monitoring and evaluation. 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 the building of 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 able to prioritize and complete tasks without follow-up by the supervisor, while also filling in gaps as needed to ensure the responsiveness of the team. The Senior IT & Operations Specialist 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 OTI Operations and Management Division Chief or his/her designee, the Senior IT & Operations Specialist will perform the following duties:
At the GS-14 level:
· Ensure a high level of customer service with OTI users, and maintain collaborative relationships with other teams in and outside of OTI in USAID;
· Ensure that OTI systems are continually monitored, evaluated and improved upon as necessary in consultation with other OTI divisions;
· Align OTI’s program needs with available technology to promote productivity and efficiency;
· Manage OTI’s IT budget and staff resources including contractor resources;
· Ensure IT inventory is being tracked and monitored to prevent excess inventory or misuse;
· Collaborate with other OTI teams to lead the development of business cases to gain approval for new IT projects in support of OTI programming;
· Design staffing plans to meet overall project objectives, ensure staff work objectives and tasks are well defined, and ensure that recruitment is initiated immediately when staffing needs arise. Ensure staff is highly qualified, trained, and mentored in all critical aspects of OTI IT functions. Ensure that employee Individual Development Plans (IDP) and performance evaluations are completed in a timely manner in accordance with OTI office policy;
· Effectively articulate OTI/IT’s role in supporting OTI’s overall mission to a variety of audiences verbally and in writing;
· Interface with business analysts and users for project requirements and scope;
· Lead system architectural design sessions; liaising with the Applied Best Practices and Coordination (ABC) Team;
· Oversee IT project plans from beginning to end, ensuring targets are met, providing status reports, and justification to senior leadership when plan timelines need to be adjusted, and project risk audits;
· As needed, serve on short-term assignments with other USAID offices or bureaus in direct support of OTI programs. These placements shall not exceed three months;
· Supervise or act as Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) or Agreement Officer’s Representative (AOR) for IT contracts or agreements;
· Oversee and/or develop and maintain IT policy and security requirements in collaboration with USAID/M/CIO;
· Lead OTI’s Operations and Management Division (OMD) Information and Technology (IT) team to ensure that team goals and priorities are aligned with office goals and priorities. Provide project leadership and manage multiple concurrent information and technology projects (e.g. conversion of Access database to web-based systems, new web-based systems, etc.);
· Supervise the IT technical and functional units comprised of approximately a dozen staff; manage the team’s priorities based on office needs, ensuring day-to-day projection coordination;
· Perform other duties as assigned by supervisor to meet overall IT project deliverables.
At the GS-15 level:
· Ensure a high level of customer service with OTI users, and maintain collaborative relationships with other teams in and outside of OTI in USAID;
· Ensure that OTI systems are continually monitored, evaluated and improved upon as necessary in consultation with other OTI divisions;
· Align OTI’s program needs with available technology to promote productivity and efficiency;
· Manage OTI’s IT budget and staff resources including contractor resources;
· Ensure IT inventory is being tracked and monitored to prevent excess inventory or misuse;
· Collaborate with other OTI teams to lead the development of business cases to gain approval for new IT projects in support of OTI programming;
· Design staffing plans to meet overall project objectives, ensure staff work objectives and tasks are well defined, and ensure that recruitment is initiated immediately when staffing needs arise. Ensure that staff is highly qualified, trained and mentored in all critical aspects of OTI IT functions. Ensure that employee Individual Development Plans (IDP) and performance evaluations are completed in a timely manner in accordance with OTI office policy;
· Effectively articulate OTI/IT’s role in supporting OTI’s overall mission to a variety of audiences verbally and in writing;
· Interface with business analysts and users for project requirements and scope;
· Lead system architectural design sessions; liaising with the Applied Best Practices and Coordination (ABC) Team;
· Oversee IT project plans from beginning to end, ensuring targets are met, providing status reports, and justification to senior leadership when plan timelines need to be adjusted, and project risk audits;
· Advise and collaborate closely with Chief, Operations and Management on the development of OTI program strategies and office policies and practices related to Information Technology. Make recommendations for OTI Senior Leadership on an approach outlining future planning and vision as it relates to information technology needs which support the development and implementation of OTI programs. Advise OTI’s Senior Leadership team through regular reports that include observations, problems, and recommendations regarding OTI IT systems;
· As needed, serve on short-term assignments with other USAID offices or bureaus in direct support of OTI programs. These placements shall not exceed three months;
· Supervise or act as Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) or Agreement Officer’s Representative (AOR) for IT contracts or agreements;
· Oversee and/or develop and maintain IT policy and security requirements in collaboration with USAID/M/CIO;
· Expertly lead OTI’s Operations and Management Division (OMD) Information and Technology (IT) team to ensure that team goals and priorities are aligned with office goals and priorities. Provide project leadership and manage multiple concurrent information and technology projects (e.g. conversion of Access database to web-based systems, new web-based systems, etc.);
· Supervise the IT technical and functional units comprised of approximately a dozen staff; manage the team’s priorities based on office needs, ensuring day-to-day projection coordination;
· Perform other duties as assigned by supervisor to meet overall IT project deliverables.
At a minimum, the applicant must have:
At the GS-14 level:
(1) A Master’s degree in a related field such as Information Technology, Computer Science, Information Systems or Business, with seven (7) years of work experience;
OR
(2) A Bachelor’s degree in a related field such as Information Technology, Computer Science, Information Systems or Business, with nine (9) years of work experience;
AND
(3) Six (6) years of Technical Program Management experience with a focus on databases, infrastructure and web-based software development technologies;
(4) Four (4) years of supervisory experience (including mentoring, guiding or training staff), of which one year must include supervising staff in the information and technology field.
At the GS-15 level:
(1) A Master’s degree in a related field such as Information Technology, Computer Science, Information Systems or Business, with nine (9) years of work experience;
OR
(2) A Bachelor’s degree in a related field such as Information Technology, Computer Science, Information Systems or Business, with eleven (11) years of work experience;
AND
(3) Eight (8) years of Technical Program Management experience with a focus on databases, infrastructure and web-based software development technologies;
(4) Six (6) years of supervisory experience (including mentoring, guiding or training staff), of which one year must include supervising staff in the information and technology field.
Please direct questions about this position or the application process to the OTI Recruitment Team at otijobs@usaid.gov.
How to apply:
For full information about this position, as well as instructions on how to apply, please visit www.OTIjobs.net.
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