The OTI Transition Advisor/Sr Transition Advisor is an intermittent Personal Services Contract (PSC) position at the GS-13/14 equivalent level and located Worldwide. Offers for this position are due no later than September 20, 2021 at 1:00pm 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:
The OTI Transition Advisor/Senior Transition Advisor position utilizes the oversight and management experience and skills gained from working with political transition programs and operations in the field, to advise on programmatic and operational processes in support of transition programming overseas. This position also supports assessments, new country start-ups, program implementation, program performance management processes, and training and mentoring for field-based and Washington staff. The incumbent may also be involved in strategic design of various OTI country programs and the development of management products and processes that respond to Office priorities. The incumbent is considered an expert in the field of political transitions, and has the demonstrated experience and skills to effectively support these programs both in the field and in Washington.
The OTI Transition Advisor/Senior Transition Advisor position allows OTI to take advantage of the accumulated field experience of incumbents and apply it across the Office. Having access to individuals with hands-on experience in transition programming enhances our ability to deepen understanding, identify opportunities and constraints, and be more prepared to execute programming when necessary. The Transition Advisor/Senior Transition Advisor position provides OTI with a pool of technical experts who are capable of flexing across teams, in the field and in Washington, to advise on programmatic and operational processes based on their deep familiarity of transition programming.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
At the GS-13 Transition Advisor level:
● Provide technical support to OTI programs and teams. Examples of tasks may include: provision of ad hoc support to new OTI country program start-ups; participation in the conceptualization and design of program strategies and objectives in close coordination with staff from OTI, USAID, the U.S. Department of State, and/or the implementing partner based on political analysis and U.S. Government policy; and support for the design and execution of programs that follow OTI’s quick impact programming model;
● Provide assistance with ongoing evaluations of OTI programs or activities in the field; review program budgets; assist in selection of program implementers such as grantees, contractors, and personal services contractors; support monitoring and evaluation, knowledge management, and improved business practices; analyze and report on current political developments and security concerns; assistance with closeout activities; and provision of on call technical assistance;
● Fill critical needs for program advisement, management and implementation as well as staffing gaps in the field and, at times, in Washington, DC;
● Represent and articulate OTI’s mission, global programs, and business model to those within and outside USAID;
● Serve as a liaison with other CPS offices, other USAID Bureaus/Independent Offices (B/IOs), and other U.S. government agencies on program and policy direction;
● Provide orientation, training, and mentoring for staff supervised; assign work, explain how duties are to be performed to meet expectations and communicate how the successful performance of those duties will be measured; and,
● Evaluate staff performance; recognize good performance; communicate where performance needs to be improved; resolve complaints; and approve leave requests and timesheets as well as training, travel and program and operations requests.
At the GS-14 Senior Transition Advisor level:
● Provide technical support to OTI programs and teams. Examples of tasks may include: act as OTI’s in-country Start-Up Manager for limited periods of time for new OTI country program start-ups; conduct assessments for possible new country programs; conceptualize and design program strategies and objectives in close coordination with staff from OTI, USAID, the U.S. Department of State, and/or the implementing partner based on political analysis and U.S. Government policy; support for the design and execution of programs that follow OTI’s quick impact programming model;
● Provide assistance with ongoing evaluations of OTI programs or activities in the field; manage program budgets; supervise the implementation of OTI-financed activities, including overseeing and/or managing the selection of program implementers such as grantees, contractors, and personal services contractors; assist in selection of program implementers such as grantees, contractors, and personal services contractors; support monitoring and evaluation, knowledge management, and improved business practices; analyze and report on current political developments and security concerns; execute closeout activities; and provision of on-call technical assistance;
● Fill critical needs for program advisement, management and implementation as well as staffing gaps in the field and, at times, in Washington, DC;
● Represent and articulate OTI’s mission, global programs, and business model to those within and outside USAID;
● Liaise with other CPS offices, other USAID Bureaus/Independent Offices (B/IOs), and other U.S. government agencies on program and policy direction;
● Supervise staff as delegated by the supervisor (e.g. Country Representatives, Deputy Country Representatives, etc.). Evaluate staff performance; recognize good performance; communicate where performance needs to be improved; resolve complaints; and approve leave requests and timesheets as well as training, travel and program and operations requests; and,
● Provide orientation, training, and mentoring for staff supervised; assign work, explain how duties are to be performed to meet expectations and communicate how the successful performance of those duties will be measured.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
At a minimum, the offeror must have:
At the GS-13 Transition Advisor level:
(1) A Master’s degree with five (5) years of work experience;
OR
A Bachelor’s degree with seven (7) years of work experience;
AND
(2) Five (5) years of project management experience with a domestic or international assistance organization, or non-governmental organization, in community development, economic development, mediation/arbitration, conflict resolution, democracy and governance, international law, and/or human rights activities; or a U.S. Government foreign affairs agency;
(3) One (1) year of overseas field experience (in person or virtual). A virtual temporary duty (TDY) is defined as work that would have been conducted in an overseas location if not for the COVID pandemic;
(4) One (1) year of supervisory experience (including but not limited to mentoring, training, and guiding staff).
At the GS-14 Senior Transition Advisor level:
(1) A Master’s degree with seven (7) years of work experience;
OR
A Bachelor’s degree with nine (9) years of work experience;
AND
(2) Six (6) years of project management experience with a domestic or international assistance organization, or non-governmental organization, in community development, economic development, mediation/arbitration, conflict resolution, democracy and governance, international law, and/or human rights activities; or a U.S. Government foreign affairs agency;
(3) Two (2) years of overseas field experience (in person or virtual). A virtual temporary duty (TDY) is defined as work that would have been conducted in an overseas location if not for the COVID pandemic;
(4) Three (3) years of supervisory experience (including but not limited to mentoring, training, and guiding staff).
Please direct questions about this position or the offer 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.