Disaster Risk & Response Management Coordinator (DRM)

1. SOLICITATION NUMBER:              663-S-15-002
2. ISSUANCE DATE:                              March 10, 2015
3. CLOSING DATE/TIME                      April 9, 2015
4. POSITION TITLE:                               Disaster Risk & Response Management Coordinator (DRM)
5. MARKET VALUE                                               The market value for this PSC is equivalent to a GS-13 level. Please note that U.S. resident-hire PSCs are not eligible for any fringe benefits (except contributions for FICA, health insurance, and life insurance), including differentials and allowances. Final compensation will be negotiated within the listed market value based upon the candidate’s past salary, work history, and educational background.
6. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE:  The PSC Contract will be for two years, with the possibility of an annual extension. No PSC contract may exceed a five year period of performance.
7. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE:           Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
8. DIRECT SUPERVISOR:                     Supervisory Food for Peace officer
9. SECURITY ACCESS:                           Employment Authorization only
10. AREA OF CONSIDERATION:          US (as further defined in foot note no. 1 below) with a

hiring consideration for Eligible Family Members and US staff adult family dependents under Chief of Mission authority.

A.   Background of the Project

As a member of USAID/Ethiopia’s Assets and Livelihoods in Transition Office (ALT), the incumbent will serve as the Disaster Risk Management Coordinator (DRMC) to the Mission. The DRMC will coordinate USAID programs supporting the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (GFDRE)’s disaster risk management (DRM) initiatives and ensure that these activities support the Mission’s strategic development objectives, the Feed the Future Initiative, Global Climate Change Initiative, and the overall Mission strategy.  The DRMC will be the primary point of contact for DRM matters on the ALT team, serve as the Disaster Risk Management Team Leader, and will represent USAID/Ethiopia in broader donor and government fora covering DRM issues. 

GFDRE DRM Overview

Ethiopia has a well-established national platform on DRM which is driven primarily by the DRM Technical Working Group (DRMTWG).  The DRMTWG is linked to the Rural Economic Development and Food Security – Sector Working Group which was established by the Development Assistance Group and Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, and aligns with the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness. 

The DRMTWG has a set of sector Task Forces to promote and mainstream sector-specific technical discussions which are then summarized to DRMTWG.  These task forces and the DRMTWG are well-established and engage multiple stakeholders (both government and non-government, including development partners and UN agencies) to develop and refine national-level DRM strategies.  Ethiopia’s National Policy and Strategy on Disaster Risk Management lays primary focus on a multi-hazard and multi-sector approach.

B. ORGANIZATIONAL LOCATION OF POSITION:

The position title is the Disaster Risk Management Coordinator (DRMC).  The DRMC will be a part of the USAID/Ethiopia’s ALT team, and will work with all appropriate Mission development objectives (DO) teams, as well as contributing to related crosscutting theme activities.  The DRMC will directly support senior Mission management as well as relevant offices in the Embassy in formulating and articulating appropriate DRM strategy policy and activities to address vulnerability among the chronically food insecure, including the coordination of USAID’s support to the development and relief food assistance programs.

The incumbent will be required to have a demonstrated in-depth knowledge and experience in DRM and related concepts and applications, food security and related technical fields.  The incumbent will have the ability to work independently with very minimal supervision, be capable of managing a small team (1-2 personnel) of DRM and food security professionals, and possess strong diplomatic and interpersonal skills useful for maximizing USAID’s partnership with senior-level representatives of the GFDRE, other donor agencies, and USAID partner organizations. 

C. SUPERVISORY CONTROLS:

The DRMC will report to the Chief of the ALT Office at USAID/Ethiopia.  S/he will provide in-depth briefings on DRM issues for the Ambassador and Mission staff and may receive guidance from senior Mission management as the situation warrants. The ALT Office Chief will provide operational guidance, including developing a quarterly work plan based on Mission requirements.  The DRMC will be expected to show strong independent initiative and work with minimal supervision, and will manage the ALT Office’s DRM Team that includes activities involving related offices including the Office of Economic Growth and Transformation (EG&T) and the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA). 

D. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Specific responsibilities will include but are not limited to the following:

1. Manage the overall Mission DRM portfolio including projects and engagements for USAID/Ethiopia involving ALT, EG&T and OFDA
2. Strategic DRM engagement with the GFDRE, including developing a DRM policy agenda in consultation with EG&T and OFDA to determine the critical objectives.
3. Plan and implement a USAID/Ethiopia DRM plan of action.
4. Organize and maintain USAID/Ethiopia’s engagement with DRM stakeholders, including the GFDRE.  This will entail representing USAID/Ethiopia in several fora such as the Disaster Risk Management Technical Working Group, DRM Strategic Program and Investment Framework Technical Committee, Humanitarian and Resilience Donor Working Group, and others.  It will also entail initiating a broad range of bilateral and multilateral stakeholder meetings inside and outside of USAID as required.
5. Manage USAID/Ethiopia DRM activities, including the Community-Managed Disaster Risk Reduction, NIMS, and others.
6. Supervise ALT’s senior DRM specialist.

The DRMC is expected to remain well-informed of the latest in DRM, food security and climate change professional literature. Demonstrated familiarity with policy and program design discussions on DRM, natural resource management and climate change, the relationship between these three agendas and the ability to program these agendas is essential.

The DRMC is expected to work effectively within a complex multi-stakeholder environment that requires strong relationships with the GFDRE and other donors at senior levels with regard to DRM matters to ensure common approaches, identify issues, set the policy agenda, and propose recommended solutions acceptable to key stakeholders.  The DRMC will represent USAID/Ethiopia senior management in working level meetings below the Ministerial/Ambassadorial level, except as otherwise instructed.

The DRMC is expected provide DRM-related guidance to USAID investments supporting the Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP), Household Asset-Building Program (HABP), and relief food assistance programs as necessary. This will include guiding and monitoring relevant components of the Mission’s P.L. 480, Title II supported developmental and relief programs, as well as Mission funded livelihood support to the PSNP and HABP.  The DRMC shall keep the ALT Office Chief and Deputy Chief apprised of all relevant developments.

USAID Core Values

The DRMC is responsible for understanding and incorporating the USAID core values in all aspects of his/her work.  These core values are:

1. Customer Focus:

• Identifies and communicates with USAID customers regularly (ideally, in their preferred language); surveys their interests, needs and recommendations; follows up on communications and information received from and about the customers.
• Ensures that customers' needs and thinking are included in all activities undertaken and that, where possible, customers are involved in key decisions.
• Surveys customer satisfaction periodically and serves as a knowledgeable advocate for customer service with other USAID employees and partners.

2. Teamwork and Participation:

• Contributes to strategic planning, performance monitoring, and major program decisions of the DO team.
• Demonstrates ownership of the teams' plans, performance, and decisions.
• Proactively participates in team processes and activities.
• Includes other team members, customers and partners and assists in their understanding and participation in teamwork and the team's goals, performance, and decisions.
• Assumes responsibility for specific results assigned by the team.

3. Results Orientation:

• Reviews baseline information against which to plan actions and identify targets and milestones.
• Defines specific operational and program results needed for his/her area of responsibility.
• Puts a strategic plan in place and uses it as a framework for decisions.
• Reviews progress against targets and milestones regularly; takes needed action to modify plans when necessary and to maintain actions to accomplish the desired results within the time frame planned when possible.
• Serves as a knowledgeable advocate for the results orientation with other USAID employees and partners.

4. Empowerment and Accountability:

• Emphasizes results rather than oversight, and service outreach rather than internal control, in carrying out his/her responsibilities.
• Is clear about his/her own performance standards.
• Participates in defining objectives, reviewing performance, and upholding accountability for the accomplishment of objectives.

D.  MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

This position requires a combination of high-level technical, analytical, communication and managerial skills combined with senior-level public diplomacy skills.  The following specific qualifications are necessary:

1. Education:  A minimum of a master’s degree directly related to international development and/or assistance, with a preference for emphasis on broad issues of food security and disaster risk management is required. 

2. Professional Experience:  A minimum of seven years experience working with development  partners in relevant areas, including disaster risk management, climate change adaptation, natural resource management, rural development, food assistance, social protection and gender mainstreaming is required.

3.  Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:  The successful candidate must have experience directly involving, or in support of development partner-government relations in the relevant areas described above. Extensive experience designing and implementing systems-oriented disaster response and risk management activities with the chronically and transitory food insecure populations is a considerable plus and will weighted accordingly. Substantive and direct experience working in the “Horn of Africa” is also highly preferred. Proficiency in computer word processing, spreadsheet and statistical analysis software is essential. The ability to work with a variety of development sectors, as reflected by the Mission strategy and in a cross-cultural context with foreign nationals is required. Strong interpersonal and communication skills are essential.

E.  Selection Criteria: Applicants meeting the basic requirements will be evaluated based on information presented in the application, an interview process and reference checks as necessary.  All applicants must address each qualification detailed above with specific and comprehensive information supporting each item. These qualifications, which serve as the selection criteria, will be evaluated based on the following points below.

1. Education                                      15 points
2. Work Experience                           25 points
3. Knowledge, Skills and Ability           30 Points
4. Communication Skills                     30 points

Maximum Points                                      100 Points

F. Selection Process:  After the closing date of receipt of applications, a committee will be convened to review applications and evaluate them in accord with the evaluation criteria. Applications from candidates which do not meet the required selection criteria will not be scored. As part of the selection process, finalist candidates will be interviewed either in person or by telephone at USAID’s discretion. Reference checks will be made only for applicants considered as finalists. Only finalist will be contacted by USAID with respect to their applications.

G. All applicants must complete the attached Application for Employment (DS-174) and submit a cover letter outlining their relevant qualification and experience for the position. 

Only applicants who meet or exceed the stated position requirements will be considered.  All applicants must have the required work and/or residency permits to be eligible for consideration (please make sure to submit all documentation that certify your eligibility to work in the country).

Application should be submitted to:

Points of Contact

Fekadu Tamirate

HR Specialist

USAID/Ethiopia

Email: Ftamirate@usaid.gov and/or rmillion@usaid.gov

Late applications will not be considered.

_______________________

^1” Resident Hire” means a U.S. citizen who, at the time of hire as a PSC, resides in the cooperating coutry: (i) as a spouse of a U.S. citizen employed: (A) by a U.S. government agency; or (B) under any U.S. government-financed contract or agreement; or (C) under any other contract or agreement that provides for repatriation to the United States; or (ii) for reasons other than employment: (A) with a U.S. government agency; or (B) under any U.S. government financed contract or agreements; or (C) under any other contract or employment arrangment that provides for repartiation to the United States; A U.S. citizen for purposes of this definition also includes persons who at the time of contracting are lawfully admitted permanent residents of the United States.