US Agency for International Development Careers in Kenya

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US Agency for International Development USPSC Regional Advisor Careers in Kenya

Introduction

To fulfill its mandate, and to effectively respond to disasters worldwide, OFDA has established six regional offices in the following locations: San Jose, Costa Rica; Nairobi, Kenya; Dakar, Senegal; Pretoria, South Africa; Budapest, Hungary and Bangkok, Thailand. OFDA also has other, smaller sub-regional and program offices around the world.

Objectives

OFDA requires the services of a RA for the East and Central Africa Regional Office (ECARO) in Nairobi, Kenya to ensure that OFDA’s objectives for disaster assistance, DRR, resilience programming, strategic reporting, and interagency coordination for the ECARO region are met.

9. Core functional areas of responsibility

Duties and responsibilities

The RA will be responsible for program analysis, strategy development, and coordination with relief agencies, other donors, and USG interagency partners, as well as reporting to OFDA’s ECARO in Nairobi, Kenya and OFDA/Washington. The RA will maintain close coordination and collaboration with USAID and Embassy staff across the affected region and in the relevant regional offices.

This position requires substantial coordination with representatives from other USAID offices, the U.S. Embassy, other USG agencies, host country governments, U.S. military representatives, as well as with relevant donor representatives, UN agencies, and NGOs, therefore requiring a highly collaborative work style. The RA must be prepared to function effectively in a challenging and restrictive work environment and be willing to strictly adhere to U.S. Embassy security guidelines.

Working directly under the guidance and supervision of the OFDA SRA for ECARO, the RA will work in close collaboration with a program team that may include other RAs, Senior Humanitarian Advisors, Program Officers, Field Monitors, Regional Team Leaders, Disaster Operation Specialists, and/or Program Assistants. Specifically, the RA will be responsible for the following:

Contextual Specialty

· Serve as an expert on humanitarian issues, priorities, lessons learned, and opportunities in the region of responsibility.

· Provide expert guidance on political, humanitarian, organizational, structural and stakeholder interests specific to the region of responsibility.

· Prepare and/or provide substantive guidance in the preparation of, regular strategic and analytical reports on current or anticipated emergencies, as well as comprehensive preparedness documentation on assigned countries.

Portfolio Management

· Develop and maintain a detailed understanding of OFDA’s program strategy and the implementation of the resulting awards in area of assigned responsibility.

· Guide regional team efforts to develop appropriate programmatic strategies for disaster responses and DRR efforts in the area of responsibility.

· Review program proposals for conceptual soundness, technical feasibility, and budget for disaster assistance activities and emergency projects.

· Lead/conduct initial assessments to identify humanitarian needs and/or DRR opportunities across a broad spectrum of sectors in current disaster sites or locations with high vulnerability.

· Monitor ongoing humanitarian response and DRR activities to validate that objectives are met and beneficiaries are served.

· Lead the development of country, issue, or disaster specific strategies across the region of responsibility, as well as timely revision of these strategies as contextual realities shift.

· Re-assess implementation approaches and strategies on an ongoing basis and make recommendations for appropriate shifts approach or resource allocation.

· Participate in the development of field-based recommendations on difficult resource and programmatic trade-offs within the region.

Representation

· Develop and maintain relationships with representatives of host governments, donor governments, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, U.S. embassies and USAID missions to ensure efficient and coordinated humanitarian response and DRR activities.

· Represent USAID in joint efforts to design, develop, and implement humanitarian strategies and intervention with local governments, donor, partner, and UN organizations, as appropriate.

· Advise regional officials, including host country authorities and other USAID officials on disaster response, mitigation, and risk reduction efforts, including the review of sector disaster response DRR plans.

· Work with local and regional institutions and private/public sector organizations to incorporate DRR into appropriate programs.

Leadership

· Support regional team efforts to develop current and future strategic direction for the regional office to include programmatic, liaison and representational prioritization, and human and financial resource requirements.

· Participate in a leadership role in office-wide policy initiatives to ensure field perspectives are well-represented.

· Serve as a peer-mentor for program staff working to increase exposure and experience in field-based humanitarian operations.

General Duties

· Supervise relevant USPSC and foreign national program staff in assigned program offices.

· Serve in leadership, planning, or program positions on response teams, assessment teams, or to provide coverage for field offices within and outside the region.

· Serve in leadership, planning, or program positions on Washington-based RMTs, which provides services and support to DARTs deployed in response to disasters, for up to 45 days. The duties on RMTs will be varied.

· Ensure timely reporting of OFDA’s activities in the region through written cables, analyses, strategies, and other requests for written information and/or oral briefings.

· Maintain regular communications with the regional (and/or sub-regional) office in their area of responsibility and with OFDA/Washington.

· Serve on DARTs which may require immediate (within 24 hours) deployment overseas for an extended period of time.

· As appropriate, for cross-training purposes to enhance operational awareness, may serve on temporary details, not to exceed six months, within the office. Duties performed, while on detail, will be directly related to the duties and responsibilities outlined in the scope of work.

· As needed, may serve on temporary details within the office to meet operational needs during staff shortages, not to exceed six months. Duties performed while on detail will be aligned with the Team’s existing duties and responsibilities as well as directly related to the scope of work provided.

Supervisory responsibility

The Regional Advisor will take direction from and report to the OFDA Senior Regional Advisor for ECARO or his/her designee.

Supervisory control

Supervisor provides administrative directions in terms of broadly defined missions or functions. USPSC independently plans, designs and carries out programs, projects, studies or other work. Results are considered authoritative and are normally accepted without significant change.

10. Physical demand

The work is generally sedentary and does not pose undue physical demands. During deployment on DARTs (if required), and during site visits, there may be some additional physical exertion including long periods of standing, walking over rough terrain, or carrying of moderately heavy items (less than 50 pounds).

11. Work environment

Work is primarily performed in an office setting. During deployment on DARTs (if required), and during site visits, the work may additionally involve special safety and/or security precautions, wearing of protective equipment, and exposure to severe weather conditions.

12. Start date: Immediately, once necessary clearances are obtained.

13. Point of contact: See Cover Letter.

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 study in, or pertinent to, the specialized field of, but not limited to, international relations, economics, food policy, African studies, or a related field or country; and nine (9) years of progressively demonstrated experience in emergency relief, DRR and/or disaster preparedness programming and management, which must include five (5) years of overseas field experience as demonstrated by short-term deployments or assignments in emergency situations. Substantial overseas field experience is highly preferred.

Or

Master’s degree with study in, or pertinent to, the specialized field of, but not limited to, international relations, economics, food policy, African studies, or a related field or country; and seven (7) years of progressively demonstrated experience in emergency relief, DRR and/or disaster preparedness programming and management, which must include five

(5) years of overseas field experience as demonstrated by short-term deployments or assignments in emergency situations. Substantial overseas field experience is highly preferred.

Selection factors