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Senior Program Specialist

IRG Burma Senior Program Specialist, Washington

USAID Office of East Asian Affairs (EAA), Asia Bureau

International Resources Group (IRG) is an international professional services firm that helps governments, the private sector, communities, and households manage critical resources to build a cleaner, safer, and more prosperous world. Since 1978, IRG has completed over 850 contracts in over 140 countries, delivering high-quality, cost-effective services that promote positive economic growth, institutional and social change, and intelligent use of resources – human, physical, environmental, and financial. Please visit our website at www.irgltd.com to learn more about IRG.

Announcement:

IRG seeks a Burma Senior Program Specialist to serve in the East Asian Affairs Office (EAA) of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Asia Bureau. The incumbent will manage the flow of communications among the Asia Bureau, the Regional Development Mission for Asia, the USAID field office of mission in Burma, the State Department, other U.S. Government agencies (USG), members of Congress, and external audiences. He/She will exercise independent judgment and apply broad analytic expertise to analyze political and economic development in Burma, and prepare or assure the preparation of briefing memoranda, testimonies, implementation documents, concept and decision papers, country assessments, and Congressional notifications for the Director. He/She will coordinate closely with the Burma Assistance Working Group, under the direction of the Special Representative and Policy Coordinator for Burma. The incumbent reports to and takes direction from the Director of the Office of East Asian Affairs (or the person designated as his/her representative).

Responsibilities:

As an employee of IRG, the Burma Senior Program Specialist is not authorized and must not supervise, commit, or represent resources on behalf of the Government, or perform inherently governmental functions in any shape or form. Work must be performed under the supervision of a USAID Direct Hire (USDH). Within these limitations, the incumbent will

Provide support for strategy development and program management including, but not limited to the following (50%):

  • Monitors and keeps up to date on Burma portfolio issues, including those issues related to USAID field staffing, USG and donor coordination, program reporting, country context analysis, and strategic communication/outreach.
  • Prepares and edits Congressionally-mandated reports and briefing papers on ongoing programs supporting the Burmese people.
  • Develops draft testimony for Congressional hearings, talking points, and speeches for review by Director, Deputy Director, or Desk Officer.
  • Coordinates and facilitates inter-agency working group meetings and meetings with external partners.
  • Drafts Action and Information Memoranda, as well as briefers, for EAA.
  • Assists Mission staff on temporary duty in Washington DC, to include scheduling consultations, etc.
  • Performs records management and other duties as assigned.

Provide analytic and outreach support including, but not limited to the following (50%):

  • Provides support to EAA Director and Burma Desk Officer with regard to studies, analyses, Mission and program support, as long as the activities are not related to budgets or contracting and are approved by the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR).


Qualifications


  1. Education
  • A minimum of a Master’s degree
  • An educational background and/or professional experience in international development (international relations, international security, political sciences, social sciences, economics, etc.) in either the private or public sectors
  1. Experience
  • Seven or more years of professional USAID program experience, either:
  • working directly for USAID as a direct hire, a personal services contractor, a foreign services limited employee, intern, or other direct employment situation
  • working as an employee of a private contractor (for-profit or non-profit) under direct supervision of USAID personnel and taking technical direction from USAID counterparts
  • or working for a USAID implementing partner (for-profit or non-profit) on USAID-funded contracts or cooperative agreements
  • Working knowledge/experience working on Burma issues is highly desirable
  • Competence in preparing Congressionally-mandated reports and briefing papers is preferred, as well as experience drafting testimony for Congressional hearings
  1. Skills and abilities
  • Strong analytical skills: independently able to apply broad analytic expertise to analyze political and economic development in Burma
  • Proficiency in preparing briefing memoranda, testimonies, implementation documents, concept and decision papers, country assessments, and Congressional notifications
  • Proficiency in office software applications (email, Internet, word processing, spreadsheets, databases, etc.)
  • Proactive, initiative taking, attention to detail
  • Excellent organizational skills
  • Excellent written and spoken communication skills
  1. Travel
  • Willingness and ability to travel to Burma
  1. Security Clearance
  • Ability to obtain a SECRET-level security clearance (U.S. citizenship required)

We are proud to be an EEO/AA employer M/F/D/V. We maintain a drug-free workplace and perform pre-employment substance abuse testing to include background checks.

We offer a competitive benefits package to include: paid holidays, paid time off, medical, dental, vision, flexible spending account, long and short term disability and company paid life insurance, 401(k) Employee Stock Purchase Plan, and tuition reimbursement.


Contact Details



Application Instructions


Please apply no later than March 23, 2012. Follow the link to EAA Burma Senior Program Specialist to access IRG’s on-line application process. Scroll down past the Basic Job Search fields to find the position announcement, open it, and follow the instructions for applying on-line.