Solicitation for USPSC Deputy Director For OEG, USAID/Ukraine

Solicitation for U.S. Personal Service Contractor (USPSC) Deputy Director (Acting) of the Office of Economic Growth, USAID Ukraine 1. SOLICITATION NUMBER: 121-09-01 2. ISSUANCE DATE: December 2, 2008 3. CLOSING DATE/TIME FOR RECEIPT OF APPLICATIONS: December 16, 2008, 5:00 PM Kyiv, Ukraine time. (9:00 AM EST U.S.) 4. POSITION TITLE: Deputy Director (Acting) of the Office of Economic Growth, USAID Ukraine 5. MARKET VALUE: Equivalent to a GS-14 ($81,093 - $105,420). Final compensation will be based upon the candidate's past salary, work history and educational background 6. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: One year 7. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Kyiv, Ukraine, with field trip assignments to Moldova and Belarus 8. SPECIAL FACTORS: Please note that no PSC contract can be executed until a candidate has received medical and security clearances BACKGROUND The Regional USAID Mission in Kyiv, Ukraine has program responsibility for the formulation and implementation of a program designed to foster broad-based and sustainable growth in the region covering Ukraine, Moldova and Belarus. Based in USAID/Kyiv, the Deputy Director of the Office of Economic Growth (OEG) will help oversee the design, implementation, and coordination of USAID-financed activities in the OEG portfolio. Under the general administrative and policy guidance of USAID Director of the Office of Economic Growth, the Deputy Director will help to manage the office's affairs and its portfolio of programs in Ukraine and Moldova. OEG is responsible for design and implementation of a wide range of activities. The $97 million OEG portfolio includes: development of the financial services sector with emphasis on capital markets through fiscal and pension reform and access to credit; improving the business investment climate through commercial legislative and regulatory reform; local economic development through municipal strengthening; harmonization of trade policies with the European Union; agriculture reform and development; and modernization of energy and other communal services. OEG staff consists of 4 US Direct Hires (A Director, Deputy Director, Private Enterprise Development Officer, and a Junior Officer), 1 part-time USPSC, and 11 FSNs. GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES a. Develops strategies to achieve defined short and long-term results to promote the development of market economies and economic growth in Ukraine, Moldova and Belarus. These programs are developed and implemented in consultation with mission senior staff, including the USAID Regional Mission Director and Deputy Director, and where appropriate, the Country Director for USAID/Moldova and his staff, E&E staff, Department of State EUR/ACE staff, and others involved in USG programming in the EG sector in Ukraine, Moldova and Belarus. The Deputy Director will undertake preparation and presentation of economic policy papers to senior mission management in the fields of trade, competitiveness, and food and energy security in conjunction with implementing partners. b. Provides guidance to staff on coordinating and directing assistance by USAID-supported grantees and contractors carrying economic development activities in Ukraine. The position will provide leadership to CTOs in developing sustainable indigenous NGOs that can take on leading roles in pursuing economic reforms in the fields of business regulation and policy in key sectors. This will include ensuring that supported NGOs can seamlessly mesh with USAID and other donors, and are capable of raising resources to sustain their activities in the future. The Deputy Director provides oversight of large and complex regional projects involving U.S. institutional contractors, grantees, and other types of implementing partners in economic development. c. Serves as a liaison on economic issues with relevant policy and technical level host country counterparts and advises the senior mission management in Ukraine on matters pertaining to policy, administration, and implementation of economic growth activities. Provides host country government counterparts timely advice and assistance on economic policy matters. d. Provides regular and frequent reporting to the Regional Mission Director/Ukraine and Deputy Mission Director, Director of OEG, E&E Bureau on progress, impact, problems, constraints, opportunities and issues related to USAID financed economic growth programs in the regional mission. e. Represents USAID at senior levels and coordinates with other donors and multilateral agencies in Ukraine in the area of economic growth. Conducts analyses and makes recommendations on policy, technical and administrative issues that form the basis of U.S. positions to be advanced by the U.S. Government in its discussions with the World Bank, the IMF, UNDP, the European Union, the European Commission, the G7, and a host of bilateral donors regarding Ukraine's and Moldova's economic development. The Deputy Director ensures that USAID policies and programs complement other donor efforts and multilateral institutions and, where necessary, adjusts or revises USAID economic development programs to avoid duplication. The Deputy Director ensures that USAID regional mission senior management and economic development staff are informed about other donor and multilateral policies and programs throughout the region that might affect Ukraine, Moldova or Belarus. f. Participates in the mission's programming process in determining assistance requirements and phasing of assistance. The incumbent will provide strategic inputs to key program documents and coordinates closely with the mission's Program Office. S/he will provide strategic leadership in the development of the mission's overall economic growth strategy by leading in the development of analytical and strategic documents and will coordinate Economic Growth Office's goals and objectives with the Program Office and mission strategy. g. Ensures prompt and efficient implementation of programs and, in conjunction with the Program Office, regularly evaluates results. Reorients or restructures programs and projects to ensure achievement of objectives and mission sector policies and goals. Leads and provides guidance to project design teams and CTOs to help them achieve program objectives within the context of the approved mission strategy. h. As requested by the Financial Management Office, supervises preparation of input to audit responses and ensures that appropriate follow-up action is taken on audit recommendations. i. Oversees the development of the OEG project-funded budget, working with technical advisors and senior management to determine funding needs and uses; provides close supervision of mortgages, pipelines, and funding requirements; and, manages the OEG procurement planning and implementation, supervising technical advisors and support staff to ensure that all office procurement actions are properly identified, scheduled, developed, and implemented; j. Ensures that OEG reporting, documentation, and written communications are responsive, reasoned, accurate, and prompt. SUPERVISORY RELATIONSHIP: The Deputy Director, under the general administrative direction of the Director of the Office of Economic Growth, will directly manage a component of the OEG portfolio and supervise FSN staff as part of his/her responsibilities. It is expected that as USDH staff are gradually brought on board, the OEG Deputy Director will shift his/her responsibilities to that of a team leader, focusing less on strategy and management of the office to technical program management of one or several areas of the EG portfolio. LEVEL OF CONTACTS: The Deputy Director will have daily or weekly contacts with contractor and grantee chiefs of party, USAID senior staff and U.S. Embassy section heads. S/he will negotiate assistance programs with other donor representatives and GOU officials at senior technical levels. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - Familiarity with USAID economic growth programs including energy, capital market and banking, agriculture, decentralization, and/or agriculture - Demonstration of professional skills and judgment required to effectively develop, advocate and justify modifications to programs - Proven ability to coordinate and collaborate with highly qualified professionals from a range of disciplines working to promote economic growth; and to resolve conflicting points of view and achieve consensus on practical solutions - A sound knowledge of conditions and factors in Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova which may influence implementation of projects in his/her portfolio is preferred - Master's degree in economics, political science, international relations, business administration, public administration or a related field - Seven years of experience in international development work, preferably in Eastern Europe or the former Soviet Union, and at least five years of experience working in the economic growth sector. - Familiarity with USAID policies, strategies and procedures is required. - U.S. citizenship - Ability to obtain a SECRET level security clearance - Ability to obtain a Department of State medical clearance - Russian or Ukrainian language capability desirable Applicants not meeting minimum qualifications will not be evaluated further. QUALITY RANKING FACTORS Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications and selective factors will be further evaluated based on the Quality Ranking Factors (QRF) listed below. Applicants are strongly encouraged to address each of the factors on a separate sheet describing specifically and accurately what experience, training, and/or education that are relevant to each factor. Be sure to include your name, social security number, and the announcement number at the top of each additional page. A. Professional Experience - 40 pts (i) Knowledge and experience in the design, management and implementation of a economic growth portfolio (20 points) (ii) Broad familiarity with economic growth technical areas, including energy security, capital market and banking, agriculture, decentralization, and/or agriculture (10 points) (iii) Capacity to adapt to managing one or several technical economic growth areas (10 points) B. Program Management - 30 Points (i) Ability to design and implement an economic growth strategy (10 points) (ii) Ability to manage programs, to include programmatic and financial issues (10 points) (iii) Ability to review, evaluate and apply complex policies and regulations (10 points) C. Interpersonal and Communication Skills - 30 Points (i) Ability to provide rapid, concise, accurate reporting, both verbally and in writing (10 points) (ii) Ability to work effectively as a team member and in diverse cultures (10 points) (iii) Ability to supervise a diverse staff (10 points) Maximum Points Available: 100 BENEFITS/ALLOWANCES As a matter of policy, and as appropriate, a USPSC is normally authorized the following benefits and allowances: BENEFITS: Employee's FICA Contribution Contribution toward Health & Life Insurance Pay Comparability Adjustment Annual Increase Eligibility for Worker's Compensation Annual and Sick Leave ALLOWANCES*: Post Differential (Section 500) Living Quarters Allowance (Section 130) Temporary Lodging Allowance (Section 120) Post Allowance (COLA)(Section 220) Supplemental Post Allowance (Section 230) Payments During Evacuation (Section 600) Education Allowance (Section 270) Separate Maintenance Allowance (Section 260) Danger Pay (Section 650) Educational Travel (Section 280) *Dept. of State Standardized Regulations (DSSR) (Government Civilians Foreign Areas). FEDERAL TAXES: USPSCs are not exempt from payment of Federal Income taxes.