Honduras: Deputy Country Representative - Honduras

The OTI Deputy Country Representative - Honduras is a full-time Personal Services Contrac (PSC) position at the GS-13 equivalent level and located in Honduras. Applications for theis position are due no later than November 21, 2016 at 5:00pm 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

The OTI Deputy Country Representative – Honduras - is a member of the Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance (DCHA)/OTI Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) Regional Team, and reports to the OTI Country Representative in Honduras.

The Deputy Country Representative’s principal responsibility will be development, oversight and management of USAID/OTI's Honduras country program. The incumbent will be called upon to support the OTI Country Representative with managing an implementing partner and may be called upon to represent OTI’s program to local partners, senior-level U.S. government officials, in-country visitors, senior officials from other international organizations, bilateral donors and local government officials.

Aligned with USG policy priorities, USAID/OTI’s program supports greater civic engagement and public awareness through media programming and related outreach activities. The USAID/OTI program coordinates with, and complements, other USAID and Department of State assistance efforts, as well as those of other donors.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The work of the Deputy Country Representative requires teamwork, the exercise of discretion, judgment, and personal responsibility. As a member of a highly operational office, the incumbent is willing and able to perform a wide range of administrative functions to help ensure programmatic success. The incumbent has a high level of integrity and attention to detail to ensure the use of OTI systems and procedures to maintain effective and efficient management of funds, programming, and monitoring and evaluation. The incumbent is highly flexible and willing to work under conditions of ongoing change, and remains professional and respectful of colleagues and authority in a diverse workforce. She or he places a premium on the building of positive relationships with his or her respective team both in the field and in Washington, and with key stakeholders both in and outside of USAID. The incumbent is able to prioritize and complete tasks without follow-up by the supervisor, while also filling in gaps as needed to ensure the responsiveness of the team. The Deputy Country Representative is a strategic thinker, articulates innovative ideas, presents solutions, and is a positive role model for colleagues both in and outside of OTI.

Under the direct supervision of the DCHA/OTI Country Representative or his/her designee, the Deputy Country Representative will perform the following duties:

• Represent OTI interests during meetings with USAID Mission personnel, U.S. Embassy staff, host-country government officials, international organizations, indigenous and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs), international donors, and others interested in DCHA/OTI activities;

• Provide continued guidance on the identification and development of projects that meet OTI funding criteria, further OTI programmatic objectives, and complement other projects and programs implemented by other OTI offices, U.S. Government agencies and donor organizations;

• 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;

• Evaluate proposals and work with diverse groups, many of which have not previously had international funding;

• Assist the Country Representative in monitoring the performance of OTI implementing partners in the implementation of OTI-financed activities designed to achieve OTI strategic objectives;

• If required, travel extensively in low security areas of focus to monitor and assess political conditions, meet with potential grantees, and develop activity ideas;

• Mentor and train OTI and implementing partner field staff as required;

• Take the lead on collecting information and drafting/editing regular reporting products;

• When required, assume higher representational responsibilities, potentially serving as Acting OTI Country Representative in his/her absence;

• Perform a wide range of administrative functions (budget preparation, financial management, records management, travel assistance, etc.) to help ensure programmatic success;

• Assist in developing an exit strategy in coordination with the OTI Country Representative that ensures reasonable time to transition from OTI programs to follow-on USAID or other donor programs;

• As appropriate, communicate regularly and share program information with other USAID project managers, the US Embassy, bilateral donors, UN Organizations, International Organizations, and indigenous and international NGOs to ensure visibility and synergy of USAID/OTI activities;

• Support the Country Representative to ensure the use of OTI systems and procedures to maintain effective and efficient management of funds, programming, and monitoring and evaluation;

• When required, report to the OTI Country Representative and OTI/Washington on the status of: 1) grant development and implementation, 2) OTI contractor performance, 3) Foreign Service National (FSN) staff support needs and morale, 4) communication and coordination issues among OTI offices with other U.S. Government entities, 5) security concerns, 6) relations with local partners including local, state and national government representatives, and 7) other pertinent information required to achieve OTI’s program objectives;

• Assist the Country Representative in managing and/or supervising the FSN staff, including program officers, administrative assistants and drivers;

• Supervise staff as delegated by the Country Representative (e.g. 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, program and operations requests;

• Perform other related duties as determined by the supervisor or OTI Regional Team Leader to ensure successful OTI program implementation.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

(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 five (5) years of work experience;

OR

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

AND

• Five (5) years of project management experience with a U.S. Government foreign affairs agency, international assistance organization, or non-governmental organization in community development, economic development, mediation/arbitration, conflict resolution, democracy and governance, international law, human rights activities, and/or political analysis;

• One (1) year of overseas field experience working in a developing country, of which six (6) months must include experience working in one or more countries undergoing political transition;

• One (1) year of supervisory experience (including mentoring, guiding, and training staff).

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 visit www.OTIjobs.net.