U.S. Personal Services Contract as a Technical Specialist for Youth Issues

Dear Prospective Offerors: The United States Government, represented by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is seeking offers from qualified U.S. citizens to provide personal services as a Technical Specialist for Youth Issues. The Technical Specialist for Youth Issues assignment is located in the Inclusive Development Hub (ID) within the Bureau of Development, Democracy, and Innovation (DDI) at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The Technical Specialist reports to the USAID Senior Advisor on Youth. This position will provide support to the Advisor in administering grants and other activities that advance the integration of youth in programming throughout USAID Operating Units and Missions globally. The incumbent will carry out the following specific tasks: Provide technical input to DDI's Inclusive Development (ID) Hub, the Senior Advisor on Youth, and Agency colleagues on matters relating to the development, engagement, and needs of young people internationally. Attend meetings and facilitate communication and coordination between USAID and other USG Agencies and Departments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), grassroots communities, the private sector, multilateral institutions and other stakeholders on matters relating to the development, engagement, and needs of young people. Identify issues, opportunities, and/or gaps in foreign assistance policies, programs, initiatives that impact young people in the context of other marginalized populations or beneficiaries receiving special attention, i.e., Indigenous Peoples, women, vulnerable children, older people, LGBTQI+, persons with disabilities, victims of trafficking, victims of conflict, HIV/AIDs, etc. Help to administer, manage, and provide oversight and coordination of USAID and broader USG resources, programs, projects, and activities to advance the development and engagement of young people internationally. May serve, once qualified, as a COR/AOR for USAID mechanisms related to youth. Support the implementation and coordination of the Global LEAD initiative on civic engagement and leadership. Support USAID's interagency working group on young people (Youth Corps) to synergize, maximize, leverage, coordinate, and/or create opportunities between appropriate domestic and international involvement and efforts. Work with U.S. domestic young people where appropriate, i.e., young leaders, higher education institutions, NGOs, youth networks. Help to develop and coordinate assistance strategies with and for young people including specific goals, guidelines, benchmarks, and impact assessments (may also support local young people's organizations and networks). Support assessment of policies, guidance, toolkits, and programs to outline positive and negative impacts on young people. Support Missions integration of youth programming in the program cycle through TDY travel (approximately 3 times per year) Ensure compatibility with tenets of the USAID Youth in Development Policy and other policies/instruments to which the USG is signatory or has expressed formal support - (e.g., UNSCR2250 on Youth, Peace and Security). Coordinate input across Agency offices and field missions to update and implement the USAID Youth in Development Policy, coordinate learning exchanges and develop effective tools for implementing the Policy. Assist field missions in implementing the Policy and tools. Develop recommendations with regard to how USAID may ensure that its development programs do not have unintended consequences generally and negative consequences on young people in particular through the use of social safeguards or other means. Help develop content and deliver in-person training on Positive Youth Development (PYD) for Agency Missions and programs. Periodically review and lead the process of updating online training. Maintain the Agency's internal website on Youth Development and take the lead in curating news, information, and best practices in development programs for posting. Support Agency-wide activities related to young people and their development and engagement, reviewing and analyzing data, developing strategies, analytical models and methodologies and providing technical advice and assistance to USAID operating units. Reporting Controls: The Technical Specialist will report to the Senior Advisor on Youth. They will work closely with other Hub/Division staff and USAID Mission officials when on Temporary Duty Assignment (TDY), approximately 3 TDY's per year. Working closely with the Senior Advisor for Youth, the PSC is expected to carry out work assignments using independent professional judgement to ensure that effective field support and technical leadership is provided. The PSC receives minimal day-to-day guidance. When reviewed, completed work is evaluated for adherence to policy and to ensure broad objectives of the ID Hub are met. Guidelines: Guidelines are broadly stated and non-specific, requiring extensive interpretation. The PSC is recognized as an expert technical specialist in the development and interpretation of policy and guidance. Judgement and ingenuity is required to interpret the intent of guides and to develop applications/guidelines. Responsibility for Decision Making: At the GS-12 Equivalent level, this PSC position will serve as a Technical Advisor for Youth Issues (Technical Advisor), reporting to the DDI/ID Agency Senior Advisor on Youth (DDI/ID/Youth). The Technical Advisor is an advocate in the field of youth development, and will assist DDI's Inclusive Development Hub (ID) in the programmatic, operational budget and management and monitoring and evaluation for Youth programs. At the GS-12 level, the PSC will assist DDI/ID and the Bureau for Development, Democracy, and Innovation (DDI) leadership in the development of program and training tools designed to increase Youth integration into Agency programming with regional or specialized teams such as the Bureau for Conflict Prevention and Stabilization and the regional Bureaus for Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, Asia, Europe and Eurasia, the Middle East, and Afghanistan and Pakistan. At the GS-12 level, the PSC will provide strategic and technical advice on youth inclusion considerations for development assistance with the purpose of maximizing the impact of U.S. government efforts to support development for youth populations. Knowledge Level Required by the Position: The incumbent will have demonstrated work experience in the following areas: Demonstrated ability to provide high-level analysis and technically sound recommendations on international youth development issues. Demonstrated technical expertise in conceptualizing strategies and designing evidence-based programs to support international youth development approaches in low and middle-income countries. Proven track record of quickly gathering, analyzing, and synthesizing information for use by principals. Complexity At the GS-12 level, duties vary that require different processes, methods and substantial depth of analysis. The incumbent will support Senior Leadership and in making decisions on largely undefined issues and elements that require extensive probing and analysis to determine the nature and scope of the problems. The incumbent will support continuing efforts to establish concepts, theories or programs to resolve unyielding problems. The PSC will require an ability to express and integrate global and local youth perspectives and expectations in relevant programs. The incumbent's responsibilities are complex in their need for technical expertise in conceptualizing strategies and designing evidence-based programs to support youth development approaches in low and middle-income countries. When requested, the PSC will represent DDI/ID/Youth except for communications that reflect a final policy, planning, or budget decision. Scope and Effect: At the GS-12 level, work typically includes isolating and defining unknown conditions, resolving critical problems, and developing major aspects of programs. The PSC will be responsible for assisting in the overall coordination of the Youth portfolio and contributing to concepts and methodology for new or revised policies, procedures, and systems for designing, implementing, and evaluating development programs that affect youth worldwide. Personal Contacts: At the GS-12 level, contacts are with working level officials outside of USAID. Contacts may include people from operations, technical, field staff, other bureaus within USAID and inter-agency such as the U.S. Department of State, as well as with other donors who work with youth. The purpose of these contacts is to coordinate and support the Youth programmatic direction and vision of USAID. The PSC will work with contacts on issues of considerable importance, such as coordinating programs and drafting guidance. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: Two (2) years with three (3) one-year option periods, estimated to start on 9/30/2021. The base period will be two years, estimated to start on 9/30/2021. Based on Agency need, the Contracting Officer may exercise additional option periods for three (3) years. PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The work is generally performed in an office environment and is sedentary and does not pose undue physical demands. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION (Determines basic eligibility for the position. Offerors 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 - Submitting an Offer) Master's degree with significant study in a pertinent field, including but not limited to youth development, or related, and at least 3 years of progressively responsible experience in international development related to young people; OR a Bachelor's degree in a pertinent field plus at least 8 years of progressively responsible experience in international development related to youth.