Sudan: USPSC Food for Peace Officer

Mar 28, 2019 | USAID Office of Food for Peace
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Alleviating global hunger is critical to U.S. national security: where hunger persists, instability grows. By supporting the world's most vulnerable, Food for Peace is building a more stable world and ensuring that people have the opportunity to lead healthy, productive lives.

The incumbent will manage, monitor, and report on FFP’s food assistance programs across Sudan.  The incumbent will ensure the effective management of FFP resources allocated for the Sudan portfolio.  The incumbent will be responsible for a complex portfolio requiring oversight of multiple, concurrent programs.  Working jointly with the OFDA Senior Humanitarian Advisor and Regional Advisors, the incumbent will provide programmatic support, oversight, and monitoring of FFP food assistance programs in Sudan.  The incumbent will coordinate closely with the regional FFP team based in Nairobi, Kenya, as well as FFP Officers working on crises in the region.

 Under the direct supervision of the FFP Division Chief or FFP Regional Team Leader in Washington D.C. or his/her designee, the Food for Peace Officer Sudan will perform the following duties:

Serve as the primary point of contact for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and public international organizations (PIOs) such as WFP and UNICEF that implement FFP-funded programs, USG representatives, and others on FFP food security issues in Sudan;

• Provide policy recommendations related to implementation of emergency programs carried out by PIOs and NGOs;
• Analyze and assess data from a variety of sources including field assessments, technical data, early warning information, and reporting from USAID field staff, NGOs, and PIOs to recommend appropriate food assistance responses;
• Monitor and report on implementation of ongoing FFP-funded programs, including progress and problems encountered by grantees, as well as follow up on commodity management with cooperating sponsors regarding the status of lost claims;
• Advise and guide FFP-funded implementing partners on interpretation and execution of FFP-funded food assistance regulations, policies, and procedures;
• Report on all food security issues, to include changes in the food security situation and food assistance requirements, government policies and actions affecting food assistance programs, and government food assistance programs, including donor pledges and programs;
• As the FFP expert, coordinate with the country team (consisting of the USAID Mission, U.S. Embassy, and/or other USG in-country staff), host government, NGOs, PIOs, and donors, on issues that may directly impact food assistance funding decisions;
• Undertake and report on FFP food assistance assessments for funding decisions or modifications to ongoing programs;
• Provide direction to NGOs on the requirements for work-plan preparation and program modifications and guide PIOs on new appeals or revisions to existing ones;
• Serve as the food assistance expert, working with USG Agencies and donors to promote integration of food assistance with other programs to increase the effectiveness of the programs overall;
• As needed, serve on short-term assignments with other USAID offices or bureaus in direct support of FFP programs. These placements shall not exceed three months; and
• Supervise other FFP staff based in Sudan as needed.

Supervisory Controls:

The incumbent works under the supervision of the FFP Division Chief or FFP Regional Team Leader in Washington.  In Khartoum, the incumbent is under the authority of the Ambassador/Chief of Mission.  The incumbent’s supervisor sets the overall work objectives and the incumbent consults the supervisor to develop deadlines, projects, and work to be performed.  The incumbent has latitude to exercise independent judgment in responding to food aid issues, but does not have the authority to make final commitments or obligations on behalf of the USG.

In consultation with the Team Leader, the incumbent develops other specialized tasks and is responsible for planning and carrying out assignments, resolving most conflicts that arise, and coordinating work with others as necessary.  With input from the Team Leader, the incumbent interprets policy in terms of established objectives and keeps his/her supervisor informed of progress in the achievement of objectives and advised of potentially controversial matters. The supervisor will evaluate work for technical soundness and effectiveness in meeting work objectives. Completed work will be reviewed by the Team Leader and/or Division Chief in terms of effectiveness in advancing USAID's Food Security policy, FFP's Strategic Plan, and Bureau for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance (DCHA) objectives as enunciated in the annual results reports/resource request submissions. 

Guidelines:

Pertinent sources of information consist of the Food for Peace Act, the Foreign Assistance Act, other legislative initiatives, FFP issued guidelines, information bulletins, and USAID Agency and DCHA Bureau rules and regulations.

The incumbent exercises considerable independent judgment in determining the application of current legislative provisions and executive policies to assigned responsibilities.  In order to achieve maximum impact of FFP resources, when necessary, the incumbent is expected to conceive of and propose innovative program and/or policy changes that are consistent with existing legislation, regulations, and legal rulings.  Additionally, the incumbent is expected to identify and recommend solutions to inefficiencies or inconsistencies that serve as barriers to the accomplishment of assigned tasks and report them to the Team Leader and FFP leadership.

Complexity:

The incumbent undertakes a wide range of duties that require the exercise of judgment, the interpretation of policies and practices, and their relevance to a new problem or situation.  The incumbent must work with a range of people from the Operations Division, the Geographic Divisions, and the Technical Division, along with field personnel, other bureaus within USAID, and a variety of other stakeholders.

The incumbent applies his/her depth and breadth of emergency food assistance knowledge and experience to the analysis of FFP emergency and nutrition food assistance programs.  He/she also exercises more independence in the promotion of integration of food assistance with other programs through coordination with the country team.  The incumbent also is responsible for providing recommendations to address any challenges which inhibit the efficient use of USG resources to provide lifesaving food assistance.  The recommended changes will be consistent with existing legislative, regulatory, and policy guidelines, but may require the formulation and application of new approaches and methodologies.  The incumbent is expected to be innovative and original in recommending new or improved approaches to achieve problem resolution.

Scope and Effect:

The incumbent serves as a point of contact in order to coordinate with the country team to increase the effectiveness of the ongoing FFP programs.  Additionally, at the request of the USAID mission, the incumbent may be required to provide support for the execution of programs while analyzing the effectiveness of existing processes and procedures.  Upon such analysis, the incumbent makes recommendations to his/her supervisor, and should advise FFP leadership of new guidelines, protocols and procedures.

Personal Contacts:

The incumbent is responsible for liaising with a variety of agency and external actors in order ensure the efficacious use of FFP emergency food assistance resources.  This includes liaising with PIOs, NGOs, other FFP Divisions, and intergovernmental agencies on FFP commitments, priorities, and policies. The incumbent coordinates closely with FFP/Washington, field staff, members of USAID Disaster Assistance Response Teams (DARTs), USAID Mission and regional offices, U.S. Embassy, other U.S. Agencies, and NGO representatives.

Purpose of Contacts:

The incumbent must be skillful in determining the appropriate approach in negotiating and persuading others and in establishing rapport in order to gain and relay information, to others including decision makers.

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION

(Determines basic eligibility for the position. Offerors who do not meet all of the education and experience factors are considered NOT qualified for the position.)

 Bachelor’s degree from an accredited U.S. or internationally recognized institution with significant study in, but not limited to, public health, agriculture, nutrition, food and economics, international development, humanitarian assistance, or other related field and at least eight (8) years of progressively responsible experience in humanitarian assistance and/or international development, of which four (4) years’ experience must be with a background in programming related to food security (food assistance, health, nutrition, markets/livelihoods, early warning, disaster risk reduction, and/or agriculture and natural resources management).  Three (3) years of field work in international humanitarian assistance is required.

OR

Master’s degree from an accredited U.S. or internationally recognized institution with significant study in, but not limited to, public health, agriculture, nutrition, food and economics, international development, humanitarian assistance, or other related field and at least seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in humanitarian assistance and/or international development, of which four (4) years’ experience must be with a background in programming related to food security (food assistance, health, nutrition, markets/livelihoods, early warning, disaster risk reduction, and/or agriculture and natural resources management).  Three (3) years of field work in international humanitarian assistance is required.

Where and How to Apply

• Offers must be received by the closing date and time at the address specified in the cover letter.
• Offerors are required to submit:
• Complete, current resume. See cover page for resume requirements.
• Supplemental document specifically addressing the QRFs shown in the solicitation.
• USPSC Application form AID 309-2. Offerors are required to complete sections A through I. This form must be physically signed and scanned. Electronic signatures will not be accepted.
• Additional documents submitted will not be accepted.