Program Analyst (Land/Resource Tenure and Property Rights Generalist) - Washington, D.C, United States

Program Analyst (Land/Resource Tenure and Property Rights Generalist)

Grade: GS-0343-13

Type of Appointment:  Excepted Service (Time Limit) Appointment

Length of Appointment:   Up to 5 years

Area of Consideration:  All Sources

Opening Date of Announcement: (1 month)

Closing Date of Announcement: 12/06/2012

 

You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position and be able to be security cleared for assignment.  This is an excepted service appointment not to exceed 5 years.

 

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’s Land Tenure and Property Rights Division.  This is a mid-level position in this office.

 

The Land Tenure and Property Rights Division 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 and Property Rights Division to support the Agency’s objectives in economic growth, agriculture and food security, and natural resource management. 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.

 

The incumbent oversees the identification, analysis and dissemination of resource governance-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 and Property Rights Division 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.

 

 Required Skills:

 

• Advanced degree required with emphasis in land tenure and property rights, agriculture or agricultural economics, rural sociology and/or law. Research experience preferred.   
• Superior writing and public communications skills (e.g. as evidenced by a track record of publication and public speaking on complex topics).
• Demonstrated experience (5+ years) in the field of land tenure and property rights, agriculture, food security, economic growth or resource 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.
• Experience with the design, development, implementation, management and evaluation of technical assistance programs/projects. Ability to apply experimental theories and new approaches to resource governance challenges.
• 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.
• French, Spanish or Portuguese foreign language skills are an added advantage.

  

The position is located in Washington, DC, but will require the ability to conduct occasional 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: FAS-OCBD-13-006 

 

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 cover letter that directly and individually addresses 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:  Virginia Wolf

Branch: USDA/FAS/OCBD/DRDA/RDNR

Telephone:  (202) 690-1941

 

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.