Chad: OTI Country Representative - Chad

The OTI Country Representative is a full-time Personal Services Contract (PSC) position at the GS-14 equivalent level and located in Chad. Applications for this position are due no later than July 26, 2017 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

Chad is a central component in a regional strategy to defeat ISWA/BH. Three-fourths of the population in the Lake Chad Basin, which is at the heart of ISWA/BH’s operational space, resides inside Chad. Lake Chad also serves as an intersection for the greater Sahel, attracting individuals and groups for economic livelihoods and historically serving as sanctuary for both criminals and rebel groups. ISWA/BH has been able to tap into existing socioeconomic structures around the lake, positioning itself in the economic trade chain for funding, targeting and recruiting youth who travel along the border, and using social networks for intelligence and physical mobility. OTI will work in the Lake Chad region in western Chad and will seek to bolster local efforts to strengthen community resilience against violent extremist organizations (VEOs), especially the Islamic State in West Africa/Boko Haram (ISWA/BH), as part of a regional strategy to undermine the ability of VEOs to effectively recruit and operate in Chad and the Lake Chad Basin region.

The Country Representative is a member of the Bureau for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance (DCHA)/OTI Africa Regional Team, and reports to the OTI Africa Team Leader based in DC. The Country Representative’s principal responsibility will be the strategy development, design, oversight and management of OTI’s Chad program. The incumbent will be called upon to represent OTI’s mission and programs to senior-level government officials, in-country visitors, senior officials from other international organizations, bilateral donors, local government officials, and local beneficiaries.

This post is an senior management position requiring excellent managerial and communication skills, an ability to perform in a complex and highly sensitive political environment, experience in policy formulation and negotiation at the highest levels (government and non-government organizations), and a strong interest in assisting countries in transition. The Country Representative should have extensive management experience (both project and personnel) and understand the basics of grantee and contractor/USAID relationships. The candidate should be able to communicate effectively with grassroots organizations and their constituencies, national and local government officials, U.S. Government agencies, and international organization officials. Since work may require continued changes in program direction and implementation, including frequent coordination, the individual will be someone who is highly flexible and willing to work under conditions of ongoing change.

Familiarity with a wide range of issues is necessary, including stabilization, counterinsurgency, community-driven development, elections, subnational governance, mediation/arbitration, conflict resolution, and human rights. Prior work experience with U.S. Government agencies or managing program operations in civil conflicts is preferred. Willingness to work alongside military colleagues (both U.S. and non-U.S.) is essential. The successful candidate will possess excellent political analysis and reporting skills and the ability to operate with a high degree of autonomy, responsibility and authority in a highly stressful environment while exercising sound judgment in politically charged and challenging security environments. Experience in remote project management is highly desirable, as this position is N’Djamena-based yet will be overseeing a localized program in remote areas of the Lake areas of Chad.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Conceptualize and design program strategies and objectives in close coordination with OTI staff, USAID personnel, U.S. Embassy and local civil society officials, based on political analysis and U.S. Government policy. When necessary, refine strategic objectives and advocate on behalf of new programmatic approaches in country, linked to neighboring country programs where appropriate;

• As requested by embassies or USAID Missions, provide support for the design and execution of programs that follow OTI’s quick-impact programming model. Support to embassies and USAID Missions may include attendance and/or facilitation of program management processes for follow-on programming including rolling assessments, strategy review sessions, program performance reviews, and management reviews;

• Communicate and coordinate in-country activities between OTI and its implementing partners, the U.S. Embassy, and other donor organizations;

• Design staffing plans to meet overall program objectives and recruit, train, supervise, mentor and evaluate the performance of in-country OTI staff, providing regular feedback;

• Monitor local and regional political developments and regularly brief OTI and partner staff on their potential programmatic impact;

• Manage and provide day-to-day programmatic, operational, and strategic guidance to OTI’s implementing partners (contractors and/or grantees), ensuring that activities are contributing to OTI’s program objectives and are within the partner’s scope;

• Provide recommendations to the Washington-based Contracting Officer Representative (COR) and/or the Regional Team Leader on the implementing partner’s performance, budget, and appropriateness of scope in achieving OTI’s country objectives, presenting modifications thereto;

• Provide USAID concurrence on all implementing partner activities, including final approval of grantees for grants under contract in accordance with USAID’s Automated Directives System (ADS);

• Ensure that OTI programs and activities are monitored and evaluated, and that lessons learned feed into ongoing or future activities;

• Analyze and report on current political developments, security concerns, and other pertinent information required to achieve OTI’s program objectives;

• Ensure appropriate resource allocation among OTI field offices and implementing partners;

• Prepare and maintain OTI program budgets for field operations;

• Serve as OTI’s primary liaison with USAID personnel, U.S. Embassy staff, ambassadors, local government officials, UN organizations, indigenous and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and other pertinent agencies and organizations. Develop and maintain collaborative relationships to ensure close coordination at the field level, identify the widest range of potential partners and opportunities, and achieve maximum synergy with other programs;

• Prepare operational plans in collaboration with the U.S. Embassy, including logistics and property use guidelines, closeout and hand-over, security procedures, contingency and evacuation plans;

• Ensure the use of OTI systems and procedures to maintain effective and efficient management of funds, programming, and monitoring and evaluation;

• Ensure that all OTI and partner field staff adhere to the in-country security guidelines set by the U.S. Embassy Regional Security Officer and other organizations such as the United Nations or host government;

• Prepare and disseminate programmatic, financial and quarterly reports to the U.S. Embassy, OTI/Washington and other organizations as appropriate;

• Supervise staff in conjunction with the Regional Team Leader (e.g. Deputy Country Representative, Program Managers, Program Assistants, Administrative Program Assistants, etc.). 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; 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;

• Perform other duties as determined by the supervisor to ensure successful OTI program implementation.

Minimum Qualifications 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. See detailed instructions for demonstrating Education/Experience under "Applying")

At a minimum, the applicant must have:

• A Master’s Degree with seven (7) years of work experience;

OR

A Bachelor’s Degree with nine (9) years of work experience;

AND

Six (6) years of project management experience with a U.S. Government foreign affairs agency, international or domestic assistance organization, or non-governmental organization in stabilization, community development, economic development, mediation/arbitration, conflict resolution, democracy and governance, international law, human rights activities, and/or political analysis.

Two (2) years of overseas field experience working in one or more developing countries undergoing political transition or conflict;

Two (2) years of supervisory experience (including mentoring, training, and guiding staff).

Demonstrated working proficiency in French desired.

Please direct questions about this position or the application process to the OTI Recruitment Team at otijobs@usaid.gov.

For full information about this position, as well as instructions on how to apply, please read the entire solicitation at www.OTIjobs.net.