Position Title: Disaster Operations Advisor (Multiple Positions)
Solicitation Number: SOL-OFDA-16-000040
Salary Level: GS-14 Equivalent: $108,887 – $141,555
Issuance Date: April 7, 2016
Closing Date: May 5, 2016
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 Disaster Operations Advisor (DOA) 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:
- 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.
- USPSC Application form AID 302-3. Applicants are required to complete and sign the form. This form must be physically signed. Electronic signatures will not be accepted.
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 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 Reed
Contracting Officer
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Working under the guidance and supervision of the Africa Division Director and Team Leaders, the DOA will assist the Africa Division in managing complex and high profile responses, building and retaining staff capacity, and filling critical leadership requirements within the office. The DOA will lead, manage, or support OFDA portfolios which require significant USG policy engagement and humanitarian program management. DOA’s can expect to move between portfolios depending on the changing nature of OFDA’s humanitarian engagement in specific crises. The DOA will work in close collaboration with a program team that may include Senior Regional Advisors, Senior Humanitarian Advisors, Program Officers, Field Monitors, Disaster Operation Specialists, and /or Program Assistants, depending on the portfolio assigned. A significant amount of travel will be required as outlined below. The DOA will perform the following functions:
Leadership:
• Serve in leadership positions such as a Team Leader or Deputy Team Leader on field-based response teams for up to 90 days
• Serve in leadership positions such as a Team Leader of Deputy Team Leader on headquarters-based response teams for extended periods of time up to one year.
• Provide training and mentoring to Disaster Operations Specialist and Program Assistants on the portfolio management, representation, and contextual specialty functional areas outlined below.
• Participate, as assigned, in a wide range of office wide policy, process, and strategic initiatives to ensure Africa division priorities and operating realities are reflected in outcomes. Actively solicit and consolidate feedback from the division on these initiatives and work with the Africa Division Director, Team Leaders, and Deputy Team Leaders to identify the divisions strategic interests and creative ways to create solutions that are beneficial to the division as well as the office. Ensure the division is regularly updated on the progress of these initiatives.
Representation:
• Represent OFDA at senior levels within the USG and humanitarian stakeholders to humanitarian concerns and priorities from the OFDA perspective through oral and written briefings, as well as coordination and policy development meeting to include the following:
o Meetings with individual and groups of implementing partners discussing programmatic priorities, objectives, progress, results, and challenges;
o Discussions, meetings, and papers informing USG foreign policy in areas with humanitarian concerns or impacts;
o USG Interagency forums;
o Coordination mechanisms with the DCHA bureau and USAID.
• Provide representation support outlined above when assigned in a leadership role on a response team, as well as to provide ad-hoc representational support to the division as needed.
Portfolio Management:
• Directly manage complex humanitarian award portfolios, oversee staff managing award portfolios, and/or provide guidance on portfolio management, as needed, to include:
o Maintain Agreement Officer’s Representation (AOR) certification and current understanding of OFDA’s implementation of federal, agency, and office-level acquisition and assistance regulations and policies;
o Work with implementing organizations regarding project proposals submitted for OFDA funding to ensure proposals meet OFDA’s program objectives and grant guidelines;
o Prepare all documentation to obtain timely grant project approval. This will involve properly inputting data various information management systems;
o Ensure AOR functions are properly carried out;
o Track program reports from grantees and ensure reports are received in a timely manner; review program reports to ensure that program objectives have been achieved; collate input from report for feedback to grantee, and share reports with regional team member, as appropriate;
o Upon completion of programs, close out awards according to Agency policies, identifying funds for de-obligation and/or equipment for disposition;
o Expedite the flow of programmatic and other documents through the clearance process
• Provide regional support as needed to OFDA field operations to include monitoring of OFDA programs, assessments, strategy development and general field office coverage.
• Assist the Team Leader and Deputy Leader in managing the strategy development process for the region, monitoring program funding and implementation against established strategies, and actively participating in strategy-related activities for the region.
• Serve as a resource for program-related planning efforts such as event and scenario- based contingency planning; budget development and planning, and ad-hoc program strategy development.
Contextual Specialty:
• Develop and maintain knowledge of the key humanitarian and disaster risk reduction issues associated with the assigned responses.
• Maintain an in-depth understanding of political, humanitarian, organizational, and stakeholder interests specific to the region of responsibility.
• Monitor incipient disasters, international disaster response plans and efforts, and major humanitarian issues and challenges in the area of responsibility through a wide range of USG and international sources.
• Assist in identifying humanitarian issues, priorities, lessons learned, and opportunities in the region of responsibility and applying those to program strategy development and implementation.
• Prepare and/or provide substantive assistance in the preparation of, regular strategic and analytical reports on current or anticipated emergencies, as well as comprehensive preparedness documentation on assigned countries.
• The USPSC independently plans, designs and carries out programs, projects, studies or other work. Results are considered authoritative and are normally accepted without significant change.
General Duties:
• In leadership, 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 90 days;
• Sign-up for and serve as needed, on Washington-based Response Management Teams (RMTs), which provides services and support to DARTs deployed in response to disasters. The duties on RMTs will be varied.
• Serve as the OFDA after-hours duty officer on a rotational basis, for approximately one week every six months; and
• As needed, serve on Disaster Assistance Response Teams (DARTs) which may require immediate (within 24 hours) deployment overseas for an extended period of time.
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 significant study in or pertinent to the specialized field (including but not limited to international relations, political science, and disaster management) and at least nine
(9) years of relevant work experience with the USG, Private Voluntary Organization (PVO/NGO, IO or UN Agency. Such experience must have a humanitarian focus and include responsibility in determining budget levels, selecting programs for funding, and/or managing and evaluating funded programs in a results type framework. Experience must include five (5) years of cumulative field work (foreign or domestic) in international humanitarian assistance and/or disaster response needs assessment, analysis, emergency relief program operations, or post-emergency rehabilitation.
OR
Master’s Degree with significant study in or pertinent to the specialized field (including but not limited to international relations, political science, and disaster management) and at least seven (7) years of relevant with the USG, Private Voluntary Organization (PVO/NGO, IO or UN Agency, such experience must have a humanitarian focus and include responsibility in determining budget levels, selecting programs for funding, and/or managing and evaluating funded programs in a results type framework. Experience must include five (5) years of cumulative field work (foreign or domestic) in international humanitarian assistance and/or disaster response needs assessment, analysis, emergency relief program operations, or post-emergency rehabilitation.
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. Completed and signed. This form must be physically signed. Electronic signatures will not be accepted.
● Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret up to Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information level clearance.
● Ability to obtain a Department of State medical clearance.
● Satisfactory verification of academic credentials.
APPLICANT RATING SYSTEM
The applicant rating system factors are used to determine the competitive ranking of qualified applicants in comparison to other applicants. Applicants must demonstrate the rating factors outlined below within their resume, as they are evaluated strictly by the information provided. The rating factors are as follows:
Professional Experience (10 points):
• Experience managing humanitarian interventions in an international disaster context across the entire disaster management cycle to include emergency response, early recovery and transition, disaster risk reduction, and resilience.
• Specific experience managing humanitarian interventions including needs assessment, strategy development, budget management, resource prioritization, program development, and program management.
Skills and Abilities (10 points)
• Demonstrated diplomatic, interpersonal, and representational skills in order to work effectively with host governments at senior levels in the midst of humanitarian crisis situations.
• Demonstrated diplomatic, interpersonal, and representational skills in order to work effectively with other donors and diplomatic missions at senior levels in the midst of international humanitarian crisis situations.
• Demonstrated diplomatic, interpersonal, and representational skills in order to work effectively with international and national non-governmental humanitarian partners at senior levels in the midst of humanitarian crisis situations.
• Demonstrated diplomatic, interpersonal, and representational skills in order to effectively achieve humanitarian objectives within the USG at senior levels, including with DOD, Embassies, Members of Congress, and senior executive branch staff the midst of international humanitarian crisis situations.
Leading Teams Experience (10 points)
• Demonstrated experience leading teams of varied nationalities and cultural backgrounds working in a constant state of complex, international humanitarian crisis.
• Experience leading a diverse team of program, technical, and administrative staff, including senior U.S. professionals, working in a constant state of in complex, international humanitarian crisis.
Interview Performance (50 points)
Satisfactory Professional Reference Checks (20 points)
Total Possible Points: 100
BASIS OF RATING: Applicants who meet the Education/Experience requirements and Selection Factors will be further evaluated in accordance with the Applicant Rating System. 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 factor of the Applicant Rating System in their resume, describing specifically and accurately what experience, training, education and/or awards 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 Applicant Rating System factors may result in not receiving credit for all pertinent experience, education, training and/or awards.
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.
How to apply:
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:
- 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.
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.
- USPSC Application form AID 302-3. Applicants are required to complete and sign the form. 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
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