Position Title: Senior Disaster Operations Specialist (Multiple Positions)
Solicitation Number: SOL-OFDA-16-000046
Salary Level: GS-13 Equivalent: $92,145 – $119,794
Issuance Date: April 25, 2016
Closing Date: May 23, 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 Senior Disaster Operations Specialist (SDOS) 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.
Supplemental document specifically addressing the Quality Ranking Factors (QRFs) shown in the solicitation.
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. 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 Reed
Contracting Officer
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Working under the guidance and supervision of the Team Leader and Deputy Team Leader for the assigned ALE region of responsibility, the SDOS will perform the following:
Contextual Specialty:
- 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;
- Review and monitor national disaster risk reduction efforts and plans in the area of responsibility in collaboration with regional team;
- Assist in identifying humanitarian issues, priorities, lessons learned, and opportunities in the region of responsibility and applying those to program strategy development and implementation;
- Maintain an in-depth understanding of political, humanitarian, organizational, structural and stakeholder interests specific to the region of responsibility;
- 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;
- Serve as a resource for program-related planning efforts to include event and scenario based contingency planning.
Portfolio Management:
Provide on-the-job assistance and training to DOS and Program Assistant staff and/or provide coverage of portfolio management issues to include the following:
Work with implementing organizations regarding project proposals submitted for OFDA funding to ensure proposals meet OFDA’s program objectives and grant guidelines;
Prepare all documentation to obtain timely grant project approval. This will involve properly submitting data to Office and Agency of Acquisition and Assistance (OAA);
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;
Upon completion of programs, close out awards according to Agency policies, identifying funds for de-obligation and/or equipment for disposition;
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.
Representation:
Provide on-the-job assistance and training to DOS staff and/or provide coverage of representation requirements to include the following:
Represent OFDA in meetings with individual partners discussing programmatic priorities, objectives, progress, results, and challenges;
Participate in other interagency and partner-wide meetings as assigned by the Team Leader;
Represent the ALE regional team and OFDA in public and private contexts, including with of USG interagency, partners, IOs, and other stakeholders;
Coordinate with regional team and PSPM members, USAID regional bureaus, other DCHA offices, the Department of Defense, other donor governments, UN agencies, Private Voluntary Organizations (PVOs)/NGOs, and other IOs to develop an inclusive US response to the declared disaster;
Provide representational surge support to the regional team, as needed, by independently representing humanitarian interests in a wide range of mid to senior level fora at the bureau level across USAID, as well as at a management level within the USG interagency.
Leadership:
Provide training and mentoring to DOSs and Program Assistants on grants management and portfolio management, to include OFDA’s business process, portfolio-specific budget and workload management, and post-award monitoring and management;
Train and mentor DOSs on program-related strategic planning, internal and external relationships, and OFDA-specific best practices in disaster response and disaster risk reduction;
Participate, as assigned, in a wide range of office wide policy, process, and strategic initiatives to ensure ALE division priorities and operating realities are reflected in outcomes;
Actively solicit and consolidate feedback from the division on these initiatives and work with the ALE 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.
General Duties:
Provide training and mentoring to DOSs on grant management and disaster response and mitigation issues;
Deploy on short notice to serve on DARTs or serve on the Washington-based RMTs, to including leadership positions that require staff management for operational and planning functions, as required;
Serve as DCHA/OFDA Duty Officer on a rotational basis.
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 seven (7) years of relevant work experience with the USG, PVO/NGO, IO or UN Agency. Such experience must have a humanitarian focus and include progressive responsibility in determining budget levels, selecting programs for funding, and managing and evaluating funded programs in a results type framework. Experience must include at least two (2) years of working within the USG on directly managing assistance awards. Experience must include at least one (1) year of on-the-ground field experience in 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 five (5) years of relevant work experience with the USG, PVO/NGO, IO or UN Agency. Such experience must have a humanitarian focus and include progressive responsibility in determining budget levels, selecting programs for funding, and managing and evaluating funded programs in a results type framework. Experience must include at least two (2) years of working within the USG on directly managing assistance awards. Experience must include at least one (1) year of on-the-ground field experience in 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. Applicants are required to complete and sign the form. 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.
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 in detail your field or field-related experience in humanitarian relief or emergency activities. Include your experience in monitoring threatening and incipient disasters, and reviewing, administrating, and implementing emergency relief and rehabilitation programs.
QRF #2 Describe your direct USG grant-related experience in detail. Please detail your knowledge of USG regulation.
QRF #3 In 350 words or less, compose a briefing memorandum for senior level officials that describes a humanitarian situation resulting from a natural disaster and your recommended response options on the part of OFDA. Note – this must be an original composition. (Please include a word count at the end of the memo.)
QRF #4 You have been asked to participate in a team reacting to a major natural disaster in the world region for which you are responsible. What key skills and traits should team members have in order to provide effective assistance?
QRF #5 Please outline your unique qualifications for the Senior Disaster Operations Specialist position.
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 – 15 points
QRF #2 – 15 points
QRF #3 – 10 points
QRF #4 – 5 points
QRF #5 – 5 points
Interview Performance – 30 points
Satisfactory Professional Reference Checks – 20 points
Total Possible Points: 100
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