Position Title: Senior Humanitarian Advisor
Solicitation Number: SOL-OFDA-16-000065
Salary Level: GS-14 Equivalent: $87,263 - $113,444
Issuance Date: July 21, 2016
Closing Date: September 1, 2016 (Deadline Extended)
Closing Time: 12:00 P.M. Eastern Time
Dear Prospective Applicants:
The United States Government (USG), represented by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA), is seeking applications from qualified U.S. citizens to provide personal services as a Senior Humanitarian Advisor (SHA) under a United States Personal Services Contract (USPSC), as described in the attached solicitation.
Submittals must be in accordance with the attached information at the place and time specified. Applicants interested in applying for this position MUST submit the following materials:
1. Complete resume. In order to fully evaluate your application, your resume must include:
(a) Paid and non-paid experience, job title, location(s), dates held (month/year), and hours worked per week for each position. Dates (month/year) and locations for all field experience must also be detailed. Any experience that does not include dates (month/year), locations, and hours per week will not be counted towards meeting the solicitation requirements.
(b) Specific duties performed that fully detail the level and complexity of the work.
(c) Names and contact information (phone/email) of your current and/or previous supervisor(s). Current and/or previous supervisors may be contacted for a reference.
(d) Education and any other qualifications including job-related training courses, job-related skills, or job-related honors, awards or accomplishments.
(e) U.S. Citizenship
(f) Optional: Where you heard about this job (FedBizOps, OFDA Jobs, Career Fair, etc.).
Your resume should contain sufficient information to make a valid determination that you fully meet the experience requirements as stated in this solicitation. This information should be clearly identified in your resume. Failure to provide information sufficient to determine your qualifications for the position will result in loss of full consideration.
2. USPSC Application form AID 302-3. Applicants are required to complete sections A through I. This form must be physically signed. Electronic signatures will not be accepted.
NOTE ABOUT THE DATA UNIVERSAL NUMBERING SYSTEM/SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT REQUIREMENTS
All USPSCs with a place of performance in the United States are required to have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) database prior to receiving an offer. You will be disqualified if you either fail to comply with this requirement or if your name appears on the excluded parties list. The selectee will be provided with guidance regarding this registration.
Additional documents submitted will not be accepted. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered. OFDA reserves the right to select additional candidates if vacancies become available during future phases of the selection process.
Applicants can expect to receive a confirmation email when application materials have been received. Applicants should retain for their records copies of all enclosures which accompany their applications. Your complete resume must be emailed to:
OFDA Recruitment Team
E-Mail Address: recruiter@ofda.gov
Website: www.OFDAjobs.net
Any questions on this solicitation may be directed to OFDA Recruitment Team via the information provided above.
Sincerely,
Renee Reed
Contracting Officer
BACKGROUND
The Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) is the office within USAID that is responsible for providing emergency non-food humanitarian assistance in response to international crises and disasters. OFDA is part of the Bureau for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance (DCHA) and is organized into six divisions.
The Africa (AFD) Response Division and the Asia, Latin America, Europe, and Middle East (ALE) Response Division are responsible for the provision of emergency humanitarian assistance through a grants mechanism to non-governmental organizations (NGOs), international organizations including United Nations (UN) agencies and to other partners to ensure the implementation and delivery of this assistance. These divisions also oversee OFDA’s non-response efforts in disaster risk reduction and resilience. AFD and ALE Response Divisions also coordinate with other organizations for the provision of relief supplies and assistance. They devise, coordinate and implement program strategies for a variety of natural and complex disaster situations. Both Divisions encompass groups of operations specialists who provide technical expert capability in assessing the quality and strategic function of disaster response and risk reduction activities. The AFD Response Division is divided into two teams: East and Central Africa (ECA), and Southern, West, and North Africa (SWAN). The ALE Response Division is divided into four teams: East Asia and the Pacific (EAP), Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia (EMCA), Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), and South Asia.
The Operations (OPS) Division develops and manages operations for OFDA’s disaster responses by readying people and systems; projecting U.S. Government (USG) humanitarian capacity quickly into the field; and delivering material and technical assistance. The OPS Division maintains readiness to respond to emergencies through several mechanisms, including managing Urban Search and Rescue Teams, coordinating, staffing, training, and equipping Disaster Assistance Response Teams (DARTs), and Washington-based Response Management Teams (RMTs), and stockpiling emergency relief commodities in key locations around the globe to ensure OFDA’s capacity to execute and coordinate USG humanitarian assistance and response to natural disasters and complex emergencies. The OPS Division provides technical guidance and expertise in Disaster Logistics, Urban Search and Rescue, Operations Center management, activation/readiness, Civil-Military Liaison, and Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive Consequence Management. It also provides overseas support to OFDA offices and personnel and to other sectors necessary to ensure OFDA’s capacity to execute and coordinate USG humanitarian assistance and response to natural disasters and complex emergencies. The OPS Division is divided into four teams: the Disaster Assistance Support Program (DASP), Military Liaison Team (MLT), Operations Support Team (OST), and Overseas Administration Team (OAT).
The Program Support (PS) Division provides operational management support, including general administration, budget and financial services, procurement planning, information technology, human resources management including staff care, and contract and grant administration support to OFDA. The PS Division supports OFDA's mandate by providing innovative solutions in the areas of Information Technology, staffing, funds control, budgeting, human resource management, and procurement to facilitate timely disaster responses. The PS Division is divided into four teams: the Award Change Control Group (ACCG), Human Resources Management Team (HRM), Budget, Finance, and Information Technology (BFIT) Team, and the Acquisition and Management (ACQ) Team.
The Preparation, Strategic Planning and Mitigation (PSPM) Division is responsible for the technical oversight of all OFDA response and mitigation programs, as well as preparation for response, mitigation, and disaster risk reduction activities. The PSPM Division houses technical experts in all sectors potentially affected by disasters, and leads the Agency in developing and promoting best practices for programming in these specific sectors. In addition, PSPM will be the focal point for technological innovations for humanitarian assistance in areas such as monitoring and evaluation, assessment, and information management. The PSPM Division is divided into four teams: Cross-Cutting Sectors Team, Natural Hazards Team, Health Team, and Livelihoods Team.
The Humanitarian Policy and Global Engagement (HPGE) Division assists the DCHA front office, the OFDA Director and OFDA Deputy Director with tracking trends and policy developments in the humanitarian assistance field. It engages in policy dialogue with other parts of USAID, the USG interagency, other donors, multilateral agencies, and NGO partners; recommends strategies for action to DCHA; initiates development of policy and internal guidance for OFDA; maintains global relationships with implementing partners, other donors, and the broader humanitarian architecture; and engages with the UN to advance USG humanitarian policy objectives and promote humanitarian principles within the USG and internationally. The HPGE Division leads OFDA's communications and social media outreach to effectively communicate OFDA’s story to a variety of strategic audiences. It serves as the office’s primary interlocutor on strategic issues with other federal partners to provide guidance to OFDA on policy issues pertaining to the interagency, and to improve USG humanitarian coordination and response during large-scale crises. The HPGE Division staff manages global programs, policy and outreach, strategic communications, and interagency training and engagement. The HPGE Division also includes Humanitarian Advisors located in Rome, Geneva, and United States Mission to the UN in New York. The HPGE Division is divided into five teams: the Interagency Team, Policy Team, Program Team, Training Team, and Strategic Communications Team.
INTRODUCTION
Following escalated violence in northeastern Nigeria attributed to the Boko Haram militant group, the Government of Nigeria declared a state of emergency in the states of Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe in March 2013. The conflict has also created issues around the lake region and is affecting both Cameroun and Chad. As of July 2016, the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in northeastern Nigeria is approximately 2.1 million people according to a June 2016 report from the International Organization for Migration. Priority needs include food, medical care, nutrition assistance, protection services, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) support. Ongoing violence continues to limit humanitarian access, although large areas of Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe states have become more accessible since 2015. Since 2011, more than 6,000 people have died in attacks carried out by Boko Haram in Nigeria, according to media sources, and despite losing considerable territory, Boko Haram continues to represent a sustained threat in parts of northeastern Nigeria. Violence in the northeast has significantly impacted on harvests and markets, resulting in high levels of food insecurity and malnutrition.. Insecurity may also trigger longer-term consequences in the region, as Nigeria serves as West Africa’s largest supplier of staple cereals. OFDA support interventions include health, livelihoods, and nutrition assistance, as well as psychosocial support, improved water and sanitation services, and relief item distribution for IDPs and other vulnerable populations.
The Senior Humanitarian Advisor (SHA) is OFDA’s principal humanitarian representative in Nigeria and is currently located in Abuja, Nigeria. The SHA is responsible for overseeing the OFDA humanitarian assistance portfolio in Nigeria, which exceeded $12 million during fiscal year 2015.
OBJECTIVE
USAID/OFDA requires the services of a SHA for Nigeria to ensure that OFDA’s objectives for disaster assistance, risk reduction, strategic reporting, interagency coordination, and situational analysis are met in the ongoing response.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
This position requires an individual to manage and represent the humanitarian portfolio for Nigeria. The incumbent will serve as the primary contact and liaison for OFDA's ongoing humanitarian assistance activities in Nigeria, as well as for disaster risk reduction programs. The incumbent will work closely with USAID/Nigeria Mission staff, the US Embassy, other U.S. Agencies as appropriate, international organizations (IOs), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and the United Nations (UN), to respond to humanitarian needs and sudden onset disasters. The SHA 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 Western and North Africa Regional Office in Dakar, Senegal and OFDA Washington, and collaborating with USAID/Nigeria and U.S. Embassy/Nigeria staff, as required.
This position requires substantial coordination with representatives from other USAID offices, the US Embassy, other U.S. Government (USG) agencies, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, U.S. military representatives, as well as with relevant donor representatives and United Nations (UN) and NGO agencies, therefore requiring a highly collaborative work style. The SHA 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 Senior Regional Advisor (SRA) for South, West, and North Africa, with regular interaction with the designated RA covering Nigeria and in consultation with USAID/Nigeria, the incumbent will:
Contextual Specialty
· Develop and maintain knowledge of the key humanitarian and disaster risk reduction issues within Nigeria.
· Maintain an in-depth understanding of political, humanitarian, organizational, and stakeholder interests specific to Nigeria.
· Monitor incipient disasters, international disaster response plans and efforts, and major humanitarian issues and challenges in the area of responsibility through a wide range of USG and international sources;
· Identify humanitarian issues, priorities, lessons learned, and opportunities within and relevant to Nigeria and apply those to program strategy development and implementation. Prepare and/or provide substantive assistance 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
· Lead efforts to identify and assess humanitarian new assistance requirements, target beneficiary groups, and locations, oversee the general direction of existing relief and transition-oriented programs, and broadly recommend the types of interventions and budget levels required in Nigeria.
· Closely collaborate with Mission colleagues on program coordination to share information, avoid overlap, and explore opportunities for synergies and transition efforts. Maintain ongoing dialogue with the SWAN Regional Office and OFDA/Washington on these efforts.
· Monitor ongoing humanitarian assistance efforts in the Northeast of Nigeria. Liaise with partners and other donors, coordinate with OFDA/SWAN Regional Office on issues of mutual interest, and provide coordinated field feedback to the partners.
· Coordinate collection of information and provide updates and recommendations through written reports on issues related to the humanitarian situation, including the following:
- Capacity and ability of UN, IOs, NGOs, and local institutions to carry out programs;
- Capacity of the logistics infrastructure to support programs;
- Security situation of beneficiaries, personnel, convoys, and relief operations in general;
- Role of in-country UN leadership and the UN Mission in Nigeria in facilitating humanitarian assistance;
- Contributions by other donors, problems arising from implementation of relief and reintegration programs, and any other issues that require the attention of OFDA; and
- Humanitarian coordination issues and any recommendations for change.
· Provide guidance to organizations that are developing proposals for OFDA, based on OFDA’s Guidelines for Unsolicited Proposals and Reporting; Review of concept papers and proposals and provide timely recommendations/comments to OFDA/Washington and OFDA/SWAN Regional Office.
· Ensure reporting on a timely basis to OFDA/Washington and OFDA/SWAN Regional Office on the quality of grantees’ work, noting deficiencies, attributes, and evolving operational conditions.
· Maintain regular, close coordination and communication with the OFDA/SWAN Regional Office and OFDA/Washington.
· Independently plans, designs and carries out programs, projects, studies or other work.
Representation
· Represent OFDA in-country at senior levels within the USG and humanitarian stakeholders to humanitarian concerns and priorities from the OFDA perspective through oral and written briefings, as well as coordination and policy development meeting to include the following:
- Meetings with individual and groups of implementing partners discussing programmatic priorities, objectives, progress, results, and challenges;
- Discussions, meetings, and papers informing USG foreign policy in areas with humanitarian concerns or impacts;
- Donor and implementing partner coordination forums.
· Serve as the principal point of contact in-country for OFDA/Nigeria for humanitarian issues, and serve as a liaison on program issues among USAID mission staff, the U.S. Embassy and other U.S Agencies, military representatives, OFDA/Washington and the overall humanitarian community.
· Present OFDA perspectives to NGOs, IOs, and UN agencies relating to humanitarian assistance strategies and priorities, including OFDA’s approach to sustainable, resilience oriented humanitarian programs. Work closely with the RA and OFDA’s technical advisors to discuss and understand sectoral priorities.
· Represent USG humanitarian interests at national and international meetings and conferences, and facilitate, as requested, travel and briefings for official USG visitors interested in humanitarian issues.
· Maintain regular liaison with UN, NGOs, IOs, regional groups, and other organizations regarding humanitarian activities.
· Engage as the humanitarian specialist in U.S. Embassy policy conversations, remaining available to provide timely reporting and clearances in response to high-level USG queries originating in the region or from Washington, DC.
Leadership
· Provide recommendations on current and future directions of OFDA’s Nigeria portfolio to include programmatic, budgetary, and human resource requirements.
· Serve in a leadership role within USAID/Nigeria, in coordination with Mission senior leadership, to incorporate humanitarian concerns into Mission activities and identify opportunities to leverage USAID interventions.
General Duties
· Serve in leadership, planning, or program positions on response teams, assessment teams within and outside the region.
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, West African studies, or a related field or country; and nine (9) years of progressively demonstrated experience in emergency relief, disaster risk reduction and/or disaster preparedness programming and management, including but not limited to four (4) 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, West African studies, or a related field or country; and seven (7) years of progressively demonstrated experience in emergency relief, disaster risk reduction and/or disaster preparedness programming and management, including but not limited to four (4) 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
(Determines basic eligibility for the position. Applicants who do not meet all of the selection factors are considered NOT qualified for the position.)
● Applicant is a U.S. Citizen.
● Complete resume submitted. See cover page for resume requirements. Experience that cannot be quantified will not be counted towards meeting the solicitation requirements.
● USPSC Application form AID 302-3. Applicants are required to complete sections A through I. This form must be physically signed. Electronic signatures will not be accepted.
● Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret up to Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information level clearance as provided by USAID.
● Ability to obtain a Department of State medical clearance.
● Must not appear as an excluded party in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov).
● Satisfactory verification of academic credentials.
APPLICANT RATING SYSTEM
The applicant rating system factors are used to determine the competitive ranking of qualified applicants in comparison to other applicants. Applicants must demonstrate the rating factors outlined below within their resume, as they are evaluated strictly by the information provided. The rating factors are as follows:
Professional Experience (10 points)
· Experience managing humanitarian interventions in an international disaster context across the entire disaster management cycle to include emergency response, early recovery and transition, disaster risk reduction, and resilience.
· Specific experience managing humanitarian interventions including needs assessment, strategy development, budget management, resource prioritization, program development, and program management.
Skills and Abilities (10 points)
· Demonstrated diplomatic, interpersonal, and representational skills in order to work effectively with host governments at senior levels in the midst of humanitarian crisis situations.
· Demonstrated diplomatic, interpersonal, and representational skills in order to work effectively with other donors and diplomatic missions at senior levels in the midst of international humanitarian crisis situations.
· Demonstrated diplomatic, interpersonal, and representational skills in order to work effectively with international and national non-governmental humanitarian partners at senior levels in the midst of humanitarian crisis situations.
· Demonstrated diplomatic, interpersonal, and representational skills in order to effectively achieve humanitarian objectives within the USG at senior levels, including with DOD, Embassies, Members of Congress, and senior executive branch staff the midst of international humanitarian crisis situations.
Leading Teams Experience (10 points)
· Demonstrated experience leading teams of varied nationalities and cultural backgrounds working in a constant state of complex, international humanitarian crisis.
· Experience leading a diverse team of program, technical, and administrative staff, including senior U.S. professionals, working in a constant state of in complex, international humanitarian crisis.
Interview Performance (40 points)
OFDA will not pay for any expenses associated with the interviews.
Timed Writing Test (20 points)
Satisfactory Professional Reference Checks (10 points)
Total Possible Points: 100
BASIS OF RATING: Applicants who meet the Education/Experience requirements and Selection Factors will be further evaluated in accordance with the Applicant Rating System. Those applicants determined to be competitively ranked may also be evaluated on interview performance and satisfactory professional reference checks.
Applicants are required to address each factor of the Applicant Rating System in their resume, describing specifically and accurately what experience, training, education and/or awards they have received as it pertains to each factor. Be sure to include your name and the announcement number at the top of each additional page. Failure to address the selection factors and/or Applicant Rating System factors may result in not receiving credit for all pertinent experience, education, training and/or awards.
The most qualified candidates may be interviewed and required to provide a writing sample. OFDA will not pay for any expenses associated with the interviews. Professional references and academic credentials will be evaluated for applicants being considered for selection. Note: Please be advised that references may be obtained independently from other sources in addition to the ones provided by an applicant. OFDA reserves the right to select additional candidates if vacancies become available during future phase of the selection process.
HOW TO APPLY:
APPLYING:
Applications must be received by the closing date and time at the address specified in the cover letter.
Qualified individuals are required to submit:
- Complete resume. In order to fully evaluate your application, your resume must include:
(a) Paid and non-paid experience, job title, location(s), dates held (month/year), and hours worked per week for each position. Dates (month/year) and locations for all field experience must also be detailed. Any experience that does not include dates (month/year), locations, and hours per week will not be counted towards meeting the solicitation requirements.
(b) Specific duties performed that fully detail the level and complexity of the work.
(c) Names and contact information (phone/email) of your current and/or previous supervisor(s). Current and/or previous supervisors may be contacted for a reference.
(d) Education and any other qualifications including job-related training courses, job-related skills, or job-related honors, awards or accomplishments.
(e) U.S. Citizenship.
(f) Optional: Where you heard about this job (FedBizOps, OFDA Jobs, Career Fair, etc.).
Your resume should contain sufficient information to make a valid determination that you fully meet the experience requirements as stated in this solicitation. This information should be clearly identified in your resume. Failure to provide information sufficient to determine your qualifications for the position will result in loss of full consideration.
- USPSC Application form AID 302-3. Applicants are required to complete sections A through I. This form must be physically signed. Electronic signatures will not be accepted.
Additional documents submitted will not be accepted.
By submitting your application materials, you certify that all of the information on and attached to the application is true, correct, complete, and made in good faith. You agree to allow all information on and attached to the application to be investigated. False or fraudulent information on or attached to your application may result in you being eliminated from consideration for this position, or being terminated after award, and may be punishable by fine or imprisonment.
To ensure consideration of applications for the intended position, please reference the solicitation number on your application, and as the subject line in any email.
DOCUMENT SUBMITTALS
Via email: recruiter@ofda.gov
