Position Title: Education Officer, FL-1701-2 30222

Position Title: Education Officer, FL-1701-2 30222

Period of Performance: One year term, renewable for up to five years

Place of Performance: Washington DC, Bureau for Africa, Office of Sudan and South Sudan Programs

Security Access: Top Secret

Who may apply: Open to all qualified U.S. citizens

Salary Range: $82,068.00-$120,521.00

Work Schedule: Full-Time

Open Date:December 1, 2014

Application Deadline: January 9, 2015

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID):

USAID is an independent federal government agency that receives overall foreign policy guidance from the Secretary of State. With headquarters in Washington, D.C., USAID fosters development around the world. Our work supports economic growth and trade; agriculture and the environment; education and training; democracy and governance; global health; global partnerships and humanitarian assistance. We operate in five regions of the world: Sub-Saharan Africa; Asia, the Middle East; Latin America and the Caribbean; and Europe and Eurasia.

Background of Position:

The Republic of South Sudan is the world’s newest nation, one of USAID’s newest Missions, and one of the agency’s Critical Priority Countries (CPCs). Prior to the December 2013 crisis, South Sudan already struggled with severely low education levels: the adult literacy rate is 27 percent, and only 8 percent for females; less than 53 percent of primary school-age children were enrolled in school prior to the crisis; and only 4,000 teachers were fully trained out of 26,000 teachers total. With the massive displacement during the recent crisis, these statistics have only worsened. For a new nation, with 60 percent of the population under that age of 18, such low education levels challenge the country’s ability to produce the knowledge and skills necessary for new institutions. Another challenge is restoring normalcy for children in war-affected communities and instilling a sense of well-being and security in the young generation.

To address the current crisis, USAID has undertaken a thorough portfolio review and developed a new operational framework that shifts emphasis of critical programs from state-building activities focused on national government institutions to assisting the South Sudanese people to overcome the current crisis and be more resilient.

The Africa Bureau’s Office of Sudan and South Sudan Programs (AFR/SSSP) provides traditional regional bureau desk functions and direct support to USAID/Sudan and USAID/South Sudan. The office provides continuity and institutional memory for both Missions due to short Foreign Service Officer(FSO) tour lengths, is actively engaged in strategy development, and supports program design, procurement, implementation, and monitoring. AFR/SSSP staff work closely with Africa Bureau leadership and other USAID bureaus/offices, and also interact directly and regularly with the State Department’s Office of the U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan and South Sudan (USSESSS), National Security Council Staff, and other USG agencies on policy coordination. Within AFR/SSSP, technical officers bolster Mission staff capacity through both remote and, as conditions permit, TDY support.

Prior to the crisis, USAID’s education portfolio used a two-pronged approach, working on community-based service provision to rapidly increase access and building the capacity of government educational institutions to help improve quality. Within USAID/South Sudan, the Education (EDU) portfolio is shifting to put a heavier emphasis on service provision and to increase emergency education responses to reach internally displaced children. In FY2012, the EDU budget was approximately $40 million; the projected FY2014 EDU budget is similar. Prior to the evacuation, the EDU Office had two FSOs (with a third assigned beginning in summer 2014), and four Foreign Service Nationals (FSNs). A full complement of FSO EDU staff is not expected to return to South Sudan for the foreseeable future and, therefore, there is a requirement for Washington support to USAID/South Sudan.

Role within USAID:
The Education Officer position calls for a professional with experience working in and/or providing direct support to USAID Missions and working collaboratively with and across Mission offices and USAID/Washington. In addition, the incumbent should have EDU technical experience and experience working on programs in conflict, post-conflict, or politically unstable environments.

The incumbent serves a dual-role supporting USAID/South Sudan and AFR/SSSP on issues and tasks from the Education Office. The incumbent will be supervised by the AFR/SSSP Director or her/his designee.

The primary role of the incumbent is to work directly with and support USAID/South Sudan’s Education Office, which will be operating with fewer staff due to the security situation in the country. The incumbent should view him/herself first and foremost as an extended member of the Juba Mission's Education Office. The Education Office Chief will provide guidance on issues, prioritize support for the Mission, concur with leave plans, and provide input into the incumbent's AEF.

Responsibilities:

Support Mission Programs

With regard to Mission support, duties will include:

• Serves in an acting capacity for education staff away from post or during gaps in FSO assignments.
• Travels up to 50 percent of the time to South Sudan or elsewhere in the region, as conditions permit.
• Serves as Contracting/Agreement Officer’s Representative (C/AOR), Alternate C/AOR, or Activity Manager, as needed.
• Provides support for the development of strategies/strategic planning, and program design.
• Supports program implementation and management, and ensuring that design, authorization, and implementation actions comply with USAID statutory, policy, and procedural requirements.
• Assists in the preparation of mandated reports to Washington, including the Annual Operational Plan (OP), Performance Plan Report (PPR), and Congressional Notifications.
• Serves on technical panels for the procurement of services and personnel.
• Prepares briefing materials, talking points, and presentations for Embassy and USAID/South Sudan staff for events, meetings with host country counterparts and other donors, and the public at large on technical sector issues and programs.

Support Washington Operations

With regard to Washington support, duties will include:

• Serves as a direct link to USAID/South Sudan on technical sector issues and programs.
• Prepares briefing materials, talking points, and presentations for senior USAID/W staff for meetings with other USG agencies, host country counterparts, and the public at large on technical sector issues and programs.
• Advises Africa Bureau and AFR/SSSP leadership on developments in the country, USG policy, and programs related to technical sector issues.
• Liaises with other USAID bureaus/offices and relevant USG agencies/offices, as well as with the non-USG policy and advocacy community, on technical sector issues and programs.

Perform Other Duties

• Responds flexibly and capably to a wide range of work-related requirements such as: (1) liaising with implementing partners, donors and bilateral agencies in the field and Washington in furtherance of program activities, including E3/EDU and the Education Sector Council on South Sudan regarding education programs; (2) providing guidance, oversight, support, and mentoring to manage and train FSN or other employees; and (3) carrying out ad hoc assignments as dictated by unforeseen operational requirements at the discretion of the supervisor or request of the mission.

Term & Salary of Position:
The Education Program Officer position is an FSL appointment, and will be appointed for a one year term, renewable for up to five years. The position will be subject to the Foreign Service (FS) pay scale and is graded at an FS-2; exact salary will be commensurate with experience, but ranges from $82,068 - $120,521 in the Washington/DC Metro Area.

Selection Criteria:

The Education Officer must be a U.S. citizen capable of being granted and maintaining a U.S. Government security clearance at the “top secret” level. The successful candidate will be selected based on a review of his/her qualifications, supplementary statements, one or more interviews and related activities, and reference checks. The hiring panel may check references that have not been specifically identified by applicants and may check references before or after a candidate is interviewed.

Qualifications:

The candidate selected for this position will show evidence of:

• A Master's degree in a relevant major plus at least five(5) years of relevant work experience of which two (2) years are relevant work experience in developing countries.
• At least three (3) years of experience overseeing education/workforce development projects or other related programs on behalf of a donor or implementing organization is preferred.
• Familiarity with and knowledge of USAID’s operations, procedures, and policies in areas such as project management, procurement, reporting, monitoring and evaluation, and education or democratic governance preferred.
• Technical expertise and theoretical and practical knowledge of best practices in the field of non-formal education for youth, workforce development or education in conflict environments.
• Evidence of productive and positive working relationships with colleagues and peers.
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated experience meeting deadlines and balancing competing equities, audiences, and priorities in a busy professional environment.
• Professional experience working on South Sudan issues, or a demonstrated ability to quickly grasp and learn a new region.
• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills.

To Apply:

Please send the following by e-mail to and n or before midnight of the closing date. Please label the subject line of the e-mail “Education Officer – Your Name Here.”

1. Curriculum Vitae
2. 3 References
3. Please provide a supplementary statement for the two questions/statements below. The answer for each should be no more than 1 page (single spaced, Times New Roman, 12 point font, 1” margins). The question the applicant is answering should be listed at the top of the page and the name of the applicant should be in the header.

• Please tell us about an experience that relates to this job description, preferably related to education for youth, workforce development, and/or education in conflict environments. What issues were addressed and/or services provided? What was your role? Tell about how you helped meet a significant challenge.

• Working within the AFR Bureau of USAID, one is challenged to work effectively not only with colleagues in the Bureau but also with colleagues fromfield Missions,other Bureaus, other U.S. Government Agencies (e.g., State), and stakeholders outside the U.S. Government (NGOs, the World Bank, Congress, and others). Describe relevant past experience and accomplishments that illustrate your technical knowledge and communication skills to effectively work in a complex environment.

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