Management and Program Analyst (Land/Resource Tenure and Food Security Specialist)

Job Title: Management and Program Analyst (Land/Resource Tenure and Food Security Specialist)
Grade: GS-0343-14
Type of Appointment: Excepted Service (Time Limit) Appointment
Length of Appointment: Up to 5 years
Area of Consideration: All Sources
Opening Date of Announcement: 01/27/12
Closing Date of Announcement: 03/02/12

You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position and be able to obtain a secret security clearance. This is a USDA/FAS Excepted Service, Schedule B appointment for 13 months, with the possibility of renewal up to five years.

The individual selected for this position will be administratively assigned to the Rural Development and Natural Resources Branch (RDNR) of the Development Resources and Disaster Assistance Division (DRDA), Office of Capacity Building and Development (OCBD), Foreign Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture (FAS/OCBD/DRDA/RDNR). The incumbent will be located in and work directly with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), at their headquarters offices located in Washington, D.C. Job posting can also be found here: http://www.fas.usda.gov/icd/drd/icdjobs.html

The individual selected for this position will be administratively assigned to the Rural Development and Natural Resources Branch (RDNR) Branch of the Development Resources and Disaster Assistance Division (DRDA), Office of Capacity Building and Development (OCBD), Foreign Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture (FAS/OCBD/DRDA/RDNR) but will be located in and work directly with the U.S. Agency for International Development/Economic Growth, Agriculture and Trade Bureau (EGAT), Natural Resources Management (NRM) Office’s Land Tenure Unit.

The Office’s Land Tenure Unit addresses land (and other resource tenure) and property rights challenges to: stimulate economic growth, agriculture and trade; mitigate violent conflict, promote good governance and address humanitarian crises; mitigate the spread of HIV/AIDS; address global climate change; and promote sustainable natural resource use and the protection of biodiversity. The incumbent will work with the land tenure unit and the Agency’s Senior Land Tenure and Property Rights Advisor to support the Agency’s objectives of addressing food security through strengthening of tenure and property rights. The incumbent advises USAID central and regional bureaus, field missions, other U.S. Government agencies and host-country decision-makers on best practices in addressing resource tenure challenges, particularly as they relate to food security.

The incumbent will assist in the development of strategies and program recommendations that utilize resource governance approaches and tools to support U.S. Government objectives to promote food security. Emphasis is on policy analysis and formation, program development and strategic planning. Responsibilities include: participating in economic, agriculture or natural resource management assessments; advising missions on programming; disseminating information on resource governance and other Agency programs promoting food security; gathering information to inform technical leadership or test guidance developed by the Land Tenure Unit for relevance to missions; providing oversight of contract performance; conducting monitoring and evaluation of resource governance programs; and planning, facilitating or participating in workshops or training. A significant responsibility of this position will be to assist the LTPR unit with designing impact evaluations, and with day-to-day management of the Unit’s programs, including those related to impact evaluations, assessments and research. In doing so, the incumbent will also assume contractual responsibility as an Agency “COTR.” It is assumed that if the incumbent is not already a “COTR” (Cognizant Officer Technical Representative) that she/he will take necessary USAID training to become one in the first year of employment.

The incumbent oversees the identification, analysis and dissemination of resource governance food security-related research and information to USAID and its partners. Consults with acknowledged experts on resource governance challenges and solutions and maintains contacts and shares best practices with counterparts within USAID, and senior level representatives from other USG agencies, multilateral organizations, other donors, PVOs/NGOs and others in the foreign affairs community. Coordinates activities and facilitates the flow of information from the Land Tenure Unit to USAID missions and offices, and between USAID, USDA, contractors and various other cooperating agencies and organizations.

The incumbent will travel to the field periodically (approximately 30%) to provide leadership and expert assistance in the field of land tenure and property rights, particularly as it relates to promoting global food security policy and strategy formulation.

To apply, please send a) a cover letter that directly and individually addresses each of the required skills listed below and b) your current resume of experience and qualifications to the Program Officer listed below.

Basic Qualification Requirements:

• Must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 level in the Federal Service that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled.

Required Skills:

• Advanced degree required (a PhD is preferable), with emphasis in land tenure and property rights, agriculture or agricultural economics
• Superior writing and public communications skills (e.g. as evidenced by a track record of publication and public speaking on complex topics).
• Demonstrated extensive experience in the field of land tenure and property rights, with a specific focus on agriculture, food security, economic growth and governance. Preference is given to candidates with global rather than region-specific experience.
• Significant experience in developing cultures, i.e., living and working in a developing country, either through several short-term assignments or long-term residential postings.
• Extensive knowledge of principles, concepts and methodology involved in the design, development, implementation, management and evaluation of technical assistance programs/projects. Ability to apply experimental theories and new approaches to resource governance challenges.
• Extensive knowledge of policies and procedures used for project management in USDA and USAID to carry out a full range of administrative issues that arise in completing assignments and managing multiple administrative tasks of a complex program dealing with a variety organizations and levels of contacts. USAID/Washington programming actions are frequently time-sensitive and require interaction with multiple offices to assure timely submission, even where there may be conflicting or overlapping guidance.
• Demonstrated interpersonal skills and ability to effectively manage development programs. Ability to exhibit tact, diplomacy and resourcefulness in dealing with high level officials of international organizations and other foreign and domestic government officials and development partners. Skill in coordinating, negotiating and motivating individuals to take action.
• Demonstrated skills in self-starting and management.

The position is located in Washington, DC, but will require the ability to travel, including to developing countries, sometimes under strenuous conditions in remote locations.

To apply, please send a) a current resume and b) a supplemental statement that addresses individually your experience and qualifications in each of the Required Skill Areas listed below to:FAS-SCHB-APPLIC@wdc.usda.gov with the Subject: (OCBD-12-105)

Attachments should be limited to a total of 5 MB or less, as e-mails with large attachments may be blocked by the USDA e-mail firewall.

***NOTE: APPLICATIONS THAT DO NOT INCLUDE A SUPPLEMENTAL STATEMENT ADDRESSING INDIVIDUALLY EACH OF THE REQUIRED SKILLS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED***

Qualified, interested FAS staff should contact the listed Program Officer to express interest/be considered for a listed “new reimbursable or Schedule B assignments.”

Direct all inquiries to:

Program Officer: Mr. Abiola Adeyemi
Branch: USDA/FAS/OCBD/DRDA/RDNR
Email Address: Abiola.Adeyemi@fas.usda.gov
Telephone: (202) 720-8096

*NOTE* A career status employee that is outside of FAS that accepts this position will be appointed to a Schedule B, Excepted Service time limited appointment. This appointment does not offer re-employment rights back to career status within FAS, as described in CFR, Chapter 352. The employee may seek re-employment rights from their losing agency prior to accepting this Schedule B appointment. Please note that agencies are not required to grant re-employment rights.