Development Resources Specialist (State/Civilian Response Corps)

Economist

Field Technical Advisor (Education Technology Specialist)

Provincial Reconstruction Team Coordinator (Kabul)

Provincial Reconstruction Team Agriculture Advisors (Iraq/Afghanistan)

The position is administratively assigned to the Post Conflict and Disaster Assistance Branch of the Development Resources and Disaster Assistance Division, Office of Capacity Building and Development, Foreign Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. This is a new Washington, DC-based position and the selected candidate will have primary responsibility for the recruitment, selection, and support of USDA employees who will be USDA’s participants in the Department of State led Civilian Response Corps (CRC). The Civilian Response Corps is a new interagency Federal government initiative being established to support the policy objective of National Security Presidential Directive 44 (NSPD-44) which is "to promote the security of the United States through improved coordination, planning and implementation for reconstruction and stabilization assistance for foreign states and regions at risk of, in or in transition from conflict or civil strife." To carry out these responsibilities, international travel to countries experiencing conflict or natural disaster may be required and under difficult and dangerous conditions.

1) Bachelors degree or equivalent experience. Advanced degree or equivalent related experience preferred.

2) Experience in recruiting, selecting and supporting technical experts for international activities and programs.

3) Knowledge of USDA’s technical agencies and the FAS role in international capacity building efforts.

4) Experience with the U.S. Government’s reconstruction, stabilization and disaster assistance programs.

5) Ability to exhibit tact, diplomacy, and resourcefulness in dealing with high level officials of foreign and domestic government agencies and institutions.

6) Excellent writing skills, including the ability to clearly and succinctly synthesize information under deadline and generate reports on project status and accomplishments.

To Apply: Please submit the following: a) a cover letter that directly and separately addresses each of the required skills listed above; and b) a current resume or OF-612. Both should be sent to the Project Officer listed below by the closing date of this announcement.

The Development Resources and Disaster Assistance Division (DRDAD) is responsible for coordinating USDA participation in technical assistance, training, and development programs undertaken on behalf of developing nations. Specific emphasis is oriented toward, but not limited to, administering and implementing Agency for International Development (USAID) funded programs under Participating Agency Service Agreements (PASAs) and Resource Support Service Agreements (RSSAs), as well as agreements with other organizations and non-USAID countries.

The Office of Economic Growth (EG) of the Bureau of Economic Growth, Agriculture and Trade (EGAT) of U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) provides technical leadership, research, and field support on the issues of economic growth, including, but not limited to, economic policy and governance, trade, investment, finance, and private sector enterprise development. State-of-the-art programs in economic growth support reforms to increase openness and to improve the competitiveness of countries in a global economy. The incumbent serves on the Economic Policy and Governance Team, one of three in EG, as an advisor on issues related to macroeconomic development, especially in post conflict and conflict countries.

The position consists of providing EGAT and Agency leadership with the analysis of economic policy in conflict and post conflict environments, the design of programs, and the implementation of programs to address macro-economic and micro-economic issues including, among others, fiscal and monetary policy, structural reform, trade and investment issues, and other issues relating to economic governance including regulatory policies, commercial law and policies, transparency, and anti-corruption. These programs include macroeconomic and microeconomic analysis and technical assistance, advice on sequencing of programs and reforms, and specific work to address corruption, fiscal reforms, sectoral analysis, and attention to workforce development. The incumbent will coordinate closely with officials of other U.S. Government agencies on economic growth program assistance as well as coordinating the acquisition by missions and regional bureaus of appropriate expertise to design, implementing, and evaluating macroeconomic development programs to ensure that USAID's macroeconomic programs are consistent with best practice and activities are well-coordinated and coherent. S/he will provide advice to EGAT on macroeconomic matters.

This position is non-critical sensitive and requires a secret security clearance.

The work is characterized by broad and intensive efforts involving a variety of economic projects or problems where the controlling economic theory and practices are largely undefined, or where the economic methods and practices are in a state of development or are extensively affected by fluctuating conditions. The incumbent functions as a designated authority over projects involving a full range of situations, requiring the development of new or refined methods. Decisions regarding what needs to be done are complicated by the extreme diversity of functional programs and operations and their related systems, the conflicting requirements inherent in issues when addressing major agency programs, the intense publicity on a national issue, or the need to establish criteria when advising other economists on the application of economic principles and practices.

1. Mastery of the theory, principles, concepts, and practices of economics to complete very advanced and difficult assignments.

2. Ability to generate and develop new hypotheses and theories.

3. Knowledge to execute, administer, and/or coordinate studies having significant impact on changes in agency economic policy.

4. Ability to develop and apply economic techniques and methodologies to develop new economic guidelines.

5. Ability to write in order to develop policies and standards for agency-wide economic programs and activities.

6. Ability to deal tactfully and convincingly with others regarding the coordination of policies and procedures.

The Development Resources and Disaster Assistance Division (DRDAD) is responsible for coordinating USDA participation in technical assistance, training, and development programs undertaken on behalf of developing nations. Specific emphasis is oriented toward, but not limited to, administering and implementing Agency for International Development (USAID) funded programs under Participating Agency Service Agreements (PASAs) and Resource Support Service Agreements (RSSAs), as well as agreements with other organizations and non-USAID countries.

As part of its mission, USDA/FAS/OCBD/DRDAD has entered into an agreement with USAID’s pillar Bureau for Economic Growth, Agriculture and Trade (EGAT), Office of Education, to support an Education Technology Specialist. The Education Technology Specialist will serve as a professional Education Technology Specialist for use of mass communication, information and learning technologies for education services delivery, including but not limited to radio, computer and Internet, television, wireless and other hand-held devices, print or other mass communication technology, in USAID’s Office of Education, Bureau of Economic Growth, Agriculture and Trade on the Basic Education Team.

The incumbent will be responsible for providing Agency leadership on distance learning media, delivery and effectiveness; facilitating field support of distance and information technology-assisted learning and learner-centered programs, and facilitating the collaborative development with representatives from the education and private sectors of sustainable distance assisted learning programs via mass communication, and responsive to host needs and field demands. Work is performed primarily in the Bureau of assignment, but the incumbent is expected to participate in assignments and leverage resources that cross organizational lines.

This position requires a Top Secret security clearance.

To apply, please send a) a current resume and b) a supplemental statement that addresses individually your experience and qualifications in each of the Required Skill Areas listed below:

1. Expert knowledge and experience in multiple technical areas including integrating technology into education systems, educational development and reform, economic development, achieving equity, and architecture of eLearning environments that make extensive use of Internet and other new/emerging information technologies. Expert knowledge in the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICTs) for different learner segments, development and integration, with an ability to apply this knowledge to practical programming on behalf of USAID.

2. Ability to independently plan, design, and oversee the carrying out of programs, projects, studies, or other major activities in the broad area of education and information technologies.

3. Ability to determine the guidelines that will be used by others within and outside the agency as a recognized authority in a broad education, information, and communication technology program, and to develop new approaches and strategies. These guidelines, which influence and often control program direction, include major substantive policies, as well as nationwide standards, procedures, and instructions.

4. Ability to plan and conduct/coordinate evaluations to identify and evaluate education technology development programs/projects in a variety of sites and intensively analyze and solve problems in an ICT education program or functional area.

5. Ability to develop guidance and resource materials on major problem areas in education for grantees, contractors, and state and local officials engaged in efforts to improve education programs and practices.

The position is administratively assigned to the Post Conflict and Disaster Assistance Branch of the Development Resources and Disaster Assistance Division, Office of Capacity Building and Development, Foreign Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA/FAS/OCBD/DRDAD/PCDA), but will be located in and work directly with the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan. The Kabul PRT Coordinator works in coordination with the FAS Agricultural Counselor in Islamabad and the OCBD/DRDAD Iraq/Afghanistan PRT Program Manager in Washington to liaise with DOD PRT Commanders and the Embassy’s PRT Office on matters pertaining to the placement, deployment, administrative support of and guidance to advisors on Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) in Afghanistan. PRTs are teams composed of civilian and military personnel, charged with the reconstruction and stabilization of the provinces where they operate. USDA and other agencies such as the Department of State and the United States Agency for International Development have been charged with the responsibility to provide advisors to these teams. The PRT Coordinator position will be located at the U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan but will be expected to travel to PRTs throughout Afghanistan regularly as needed. The work will be conducted in hazardous environments and under difficult living conditions.

To apply, please send a) a cover letter that directly and individually addresses each of the Required Skills listed below; and b) your current resume of experience and qualifications to the Program Officer listed below.

• Understanding of the dynamics and demands of agriculture in, conflict, developing or post-conflict societies.
• Experience living and or working in developing cultures; either through short-term assignments or long-term residential postings. Experience living and or working in the Middle East helpful but not required.
• Ability to prioritize and to analyze agricultural project activities and administrative processes and initiate action for improvements.
• Broad knowledge of various agricultural themes sufficient to make suitable placements of agricultural advisors.
• Good analytical and writing skills particularly related to analyzing and summarizing technical reports.
• Experience in administrative and logistical support of programs and personnel.
• Ability to communicate, work and problem solve collaboratively and effectively cross-culturally with USG agencies, Embassy staff, the military and staff members of international organizations and foreign governments, Congressional committees, as well as officials and staff at all levels of USG agencies.
• An Advanced degree in, agriculture, natural resource management, international relations, political science and/or related technical areas or bachelor’s degree.

Hiring Arrangements: USDA employees may be able to be detailed from their home USDA agency (which would be reimbursed for personnel costs plus administrative costs), retain their career status, and return to their home agency at the conclusion of the assignment.

Emailed applications are strongly preferred.

These positions are administratively assigned to the Post Conflict and Disaster Assistance Branch of the Development Resources and Disaster Assistance Division, Office of Capacity Building and Development, Foreign Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA/FAS/OCBD/DRDAD/PCDA), but will be located in and work directly with the Department of State on Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) in Iraq or with the U.S. military of PRTs in Afghanistan. PRTs are teams composed of civilian and military personnel, charged with the reconstruction and stabilization of the provinces where they operate. USDA and other agencies such as the Department of State and the United States Agency for International Development have been charged with the responsibility to provide advisors to these teams. The PRT advisor will be posted in a provincial location in either Iraq or Afghanistan. The work will be conducted in hazardous environments and under difficult living conditions.

• Ability in one or more of the following skill areas; agribusiness; improving livestock health and animal production (sheep, goats, cattle, or poultry); dryland agriculture, especially improvement of wheat yields and crop diversification; production and processing of horticultural crops, especially dried fruit and nuts, fresh melons, pomegranates, and grapes; improving irrigation and farm water use efficiency and storage; tree production, reforestation, re-vegetation; agricultural extension; and engineering for a variety of agricultural needs
• Experience or ability in identifying needs and fashioning technical and programmatic recommendations
• Ability to work with others on a team
• Experience or interest in working with people from other countries or cultures
• Ability to develop projects
• A familiarity with the Microsoft Office suite of programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) as well as Internet Explorer
• Ability to train others and build their technical capacity

Contact: Matt Murphy

Email: Matt.Murphy@fas.usda.gov

Telephone: (202) 690-1924

FAX: (202) 720-6364

Mailing Address: Matt Murphy, U.S. Department of Agriculture, FAS/OCBD/DRDA/PCDA, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Room 3208-S, STOP 1084, Washington, DC 20250-1084.

These positions are administratively assigned to the Post Conflict and Disaster Assistance Branch of the Development Resources and Disaster Assistance Division, Office of Capacity Building and Development, Foreign Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA/FAS/OCBD/DRDAD/PCDA), but will be located in and work directly with the Department of State on Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) in Iraq or with the U.S. military of PRTs in Afghanistan. PRTs are teams composed of civilian and military personnel, charged with the reconstruction and stabilization of the provinces where they operate. USDA and other agencies such as the Department of State and the United States Agency for International Development have been charged with the responsibility to provide advisors to these teams. The PRT advisor will be posted in a provincial location in either Iraq or Afghanistan. The work will be conducted in hazardous environments and under difficult living conditions.

• Ability in one or more of the following skill areas; agribusiness; improving livestock health and animal production (sheep, goats, cattle, or poultry); dryland agriculture, especially improvement of wheat yields and crop diversification; production and processing of horticultural crops, especially dried fruit and nuts, fresh melons, pomegranates, and grapes; improving irrigation and farm water use efficiency and storage; tree production, reforestation, re-vegetation; agricultural extension; and engineering for a variety of agricultural needs
• Experience or ability in identifying needs and fashioning technical and programmatic recommendations
• Ability to work with others on a team
• Experience or interest in working with people from other countries or cultures
• Ability to develop projects
• A familiarity with the Microsoft Office suite of programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) as well as Internet Explorer
• Ability to train others and build their technical capacity

Contact: Matt Murphy

Email: Matt.Murphy@fas.usda.gov

Telephone: (202) 690-1924

FAX: (202) 720-6364

Mailing Address: Matt Murphy, U.S. Department of Agriculture, FAS/OCBD/DRDA/PCDA, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Room 3208-S, STOP 1084, Washington, DC 20250-1084.

These positions are administratively assigned to the Post Conflict and Disaster Assistance Branch of the Development Resources and Disaster Assistance Division, Office of Capacity Building and Development, Foreign Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA/FAS/OCBD/DRDAD/PCDA), but will be located in and work directly with the Department of State on Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) in Iraq or with the U.S. military of PRTs in Afghanistan. PRTs are teams composed of civilian and military personnel, charged with the reconstruction and stabilization of the provinces where they operate. USDA and other agencies such as the Department of State and the United States Agency for International Development have been charged with the responsibility to provide advisors to these teams. The PRT advisor will be posted in a provincial location in either Iraq or Afghanistan. The work will be conducted in hazardous environments and under difficult living conditions.

• Ability in one or more of the following skill areas; agribusiness; improving livestock health and animal production (sheep, goats, cattle, or poultry); dryland agriculture, especially improvement of wheat yields and crop diversification; production and processing of horticultural crops, especially dried fruit and nuts, fresh melons, pomegranates, and grapes; improving irrigation and farm water use efficiency and storage; tree production, reforestation, re-vegetation; agricultural extension; and engineering for a variety of agricultural needs
• Experience or ability in identifying needs and fashioning technical and programmatic recommendations
• Ability to work with others on a team
• Experience or interest in working with people from other countries or cultures
• Ability to develop projects
• A familiarity with the Microsoft Office suite of programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) as well as Internet Explorer
• Ability to train others and build their technical capacity

Contact: Matt Murphy

Email: Matt.Murphy@fas.usda.gov

Telephone: (202) 690-1924

FAX: (202) 720-6364

Mailing Address: Matt Murphy, U.S. Department of Agriculture, FAS/OCBD/DRDA/PCDA, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Room 3208-S, STOP 1084, Washington, DC 20250-1084.

These positions are administratively assigned to the Post Conflict and Disaster Assistance Branch of the Development Resources and Disaster Assistance Division, Office of Capacity Building and Development, Foreign Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA/FAS/OCBD/DRDAD/PCDA), but will be located in and work directly with the Department of State on Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) in Iraq or with the U.S. military of PRTs in Afghanistan. PRTs are teams composed of civilian and military personnel, charged with the reconstruction and stabilization of the provinces where they operate. USDA and other agencies such as the Department of State and the United States Agency for International Development have been charged with the responsibility to provide advisors to these teams. The PRT advisor will be posted in a provincial location in either Iraq or Afghanistan. The work will be conducted in hazardous environments and under difficult living conditions.

• Ability in one or more of the following skill areas; agribusiness; improving livestock health and animal production (sheep, goats, cattle, or poultry); dryland agriculture, especially improvement of wheat yields and crop diversification; production and processing of horticultural crops, especially dried fruit and nuts, fresh melons, pomegranates, and grapes; improving irrigation and farm water use efficiency and storage; tree production, reforestation, re-vegetation; agricultural extension; and engineering for a variety of agricultural needs.
• Experience or ability in identifying needs and fashioning technical and programmatic recommendations
• Ability to work with others on a team
• Experience or interest in working with people from other countries or cultures
• Ability to develop projects
• A familiarity with the Microsoft Office suite of programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) as well as Internet Explorer
• Ability to train others and build their technical capacity

Contact: Matt Murphy

Email: Matt.Murphy@fas.usda.gov

Telephone: (202) 690-1924

FAX: (202) 720-6364

Mailing Address: Matt Murphy, U.S. Department of Agriculture, FAS/OCBD/DRDA/PCDA, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Room 3208-S, STOP 1084, Washington, DC 20250-1084.

These positions are administratively assigned to the Post Conflict and Disaster Assistance Branch of the Development Resources and Disaster Assistance Division, Office of Capacity Building and Development, Foreign Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA/FAS/OCBD/DRDAD/PCDA), but will be located in and work directly with the Department of State on Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) in Iraq or with the U.S. military of PRTs in Afghanistan. PRTs are teams composed of civilian and military personnel, charged with the reconstruction and stabilization of the provinces where they operate. USDA and other agencies such as the Department of State and the United States Agency for International Development have been charged with the responsibility to provide advisors to these teams. The PRT advisor will be posted in a provincial location in either Iraq or Afghanistan. The work will be conducted in hazardous environments and under difficult living conditions.

• Ability in one or more of the following skill areas; agribusiness; improving livestock health and animal production (sheep, goats, cattle, or poultry); dryland agriculture, especially improvement of wheat yields and crop diversification; production and processing of horticultural crops, especially dried fruit and nuts, fresh melons, pomegranates, and grapes; improving irrigation and farm water use efficiency and storage; tree production, reforestation, re-vegetation; agricultural extension; and engineering for a variety of agricultural needs.
• Experience or ability in identifying needs and fashioning technical and programmatic recommendations
• Ability to work with others on a team
• Experience or interest in working with people from other countries or cultures
• Ability to develop projects
• A familiarity with the Microsoft Office suite of programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) as well as Internet Explorer
• Ability to train others and build their technical capacity

Contact: Matt Murphy

Email: Matt.Murphy@fas.usda.gov

Telephone: (202) 690-1924

FAX: (202) 720-6364

Mailing Address: Matt Murphy, U.S. Department of Agriculture, FAS/OCBD/DRDA/PCDA, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Room 3208-S, STOP 1084, Washington, DC 20250-1084.