USAID/Eastern and Southern Caribbean Resident -Hire US Personal Service Contractor (USPSC) Based in Trinidad- Program Assistant GS-09

The primary focus of this position is administration, analysis and the support for implementation of activities of the USAID/Eastern and Southern Caribbean Office in Trinidad & Tobago. The incumbent will provide project management assistance to the projects under implementation and is expected to work with the technical officers throughout the USAID/ESC mission on a full range of consultative, reporting, monitoring, management, data collection and analysis and evaluative aspects within the various activities. The incumbent will assist with the preparation of financial and program documentation, support the development of communication products in conjunction with other staff, provide inputs to the portfolio review process, organize and support events and support the preparation of other reports and materials for programs managed, as required. The job holder will be required to perform work-related travel and will be based in the US Embassy in Port of Spain but reporting to the USAID/ESC regional mission in Barbados.

Duties and Responsibilities

Support for Project Management

Works closely with the General Development Office (GDO) team in Barbados, Suriname and Guyana to ensure that projects/activities meet objectives within agreed budgets and implementation timelines, ensuring that contractors and grantees are in compliance with all implementation agreement terms and U.S. government policies and procedures e.g. checking budgets, statements of work, program descriptions, terms of reference and work plans for any inconsistencies.

Assists with the development of required reports by compiling data relevant to the portfolio and its budget and reporting on progress in achieving results and objectives; These reports would include but are not limited to Operational Plans, Strategic Plans/Country Assistance Strategies, Congressional Notifications (CNs), briefs/talking points/speeches for the five Embassy Front Offices, the Regional Representative and other Mission staff; program summaries; responses to special requests from Congress, USAID/Washington, other United States Government (USG) agencies, and the host governments; and, other performance reports.

Portfolio/Pipeline Review – Assists in the development of the required reports with Agreement/Contracting Officer’s Representatives (AOR/CORs) by compiling data relevant to the portfolio and its budget and reporting on progress in achieving results and objectives. These reports would include but are not limited to Operational Plans, Strategic Plans, program summaries and other performance reports.

Supports the team in the development and modification of Mission project- related documents such as the Performance Management Plan, Performance Plan & Report, and Development Objective Agreement quarterly reports, as well as requesting information from different institutions for this purpose.

Performs a variety of research, reporting, briefing and analytical duties to provide programmatic and technical support of the regional mission.

Conducts site visits/on-site monitoring inspections and attends meetings with contractors, grantees, Host Government officials, other donors, other Mission staff, partners and visitors.

Manages project/s and/or discrete components of larger projects or activities, as required.

Administrative Support

Provides support to the GDO technical team in preparing presentations and reports, including such back-up materials as charts, tables and graphs. This will also include the preparation of memos, cables and letters.

Coordinates workshops, seminars, partner retreats and donors’ meetings along with providing daily administrative and operational support on a wide array of administrative tasks. Their role will include reporting on any problem areas and making evaluative comments recommending procedural changes as appropriate.

Coordinates travel for the Trinidad based team, in conjunction with the Travel Lead and makes local arrangements (hotel and ground travel) for Temporary Duty (TDY) staff. This will include advising them on local matters relevant to their specific fields of activities and assists them in better carrying out their duties along with actions related to electronic country clearances (ECCs), Visitor Access Requests (VARs), Out of Town notifications, liaising with Motor Pool and matters related to security.

Serves as the Timekeeper for the Trinidad Office and works closely with the Lead Timekeeper in the Barbados Office on matters relevant to time and attendance. The incumbent will also be responsible for ordering and maintaining the inventory of office supplies and equipment. This will require the need to be familiar with the following Embassy/USAID systems: WebTA and ARIBA.

Communication and Coordination

Maintains close working relationships with the U.S Embassy (Trinidad and Tobago), USAID/ESC staff, and USAID regional support offices based in the Dominican Republic, including the Regional Financial Management Office (RFMO), Regional Executive Office (REXO), Regional Office of Acquisition and Assistance (ROAA), and Regional Legal Officer (RLO).

Maintains productive contacts and working relationships with both public and private institutions, such as partners, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), contractors, cooperating agencies and international donors.

Coordinates closely across the Mission, particularly with the GDO team, to support project synergies and accelerate development objectives.

Handles requests for information or clarification; either directly handles or refers the request to the appropriate party. This will include responding to time-sensitive taskers and other requests from the Embassy and USAID/Washington.

The incumbent consults and coordinates with all internal offices that plays a vital role in the implementation of the Mission technical office program, including RFMO, ROAA, and the RLO, and is involved with all mission-wide discussions regarding program implementation, pipeline review and portfolio meetings.

Externally, the incumbent liaises directly on behalf of the technical office or the Mission with technical level officials or representatives of the Host Governments, other donors, private institutions, non-governmental organizations, and professional associations who are involved in the design, implementation and evaluation of the relevant technical portfolio.

Minimum Qualifications:

Education: This position requires a Bachelor’s degree or higher in a relevant area such as law, political science, public policy or administration, economics, development studies, international affairs, or business management.

Prior Work Experience: Two years performing a range of program management or administrative duties related to international development.

Language Proficiency: Fluency in spoken and written English.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: Must have a thorough knowledge of the basic concepts of international development and the ability to quickly learn and apply new concepts related to USAID/ESC’s Regional Development Cooperation Strategy, and U.S. Government policies; knowledge and understanding of the cultural and societal trends in the Caribbean and Latin America along with willingness to get up to date on current economic, political, social and cultural characteristics of the USAID/ESC areas of responsibility. Additionally, the incumbent must possess knowledge of the development prospects and priorities of the region; knowledge, or the potential to quickly acquire such knowledge of USG legislation, policy and practices relating to key assets, community support agencies, and foundations that can enhance and complement USAID’s programming. Must read, understand, interpret, and correctly apply instructions outlined in the Automated Directives System (ADS) and other USAID Mission Order policies, procedures and regulations. Proven ability to work independently with minimal supervision or guidance is required and a sound background in project management. Strong teamwork, analytical, communications, interpersonal, leadership skills and computer management are essential. The incumbent must possess the ability to take the initiative to organize, prioritize and follow through on work assignments; ability to prepare independently and to contribute to reports and documents related to the programs, especially those related to financial and budgeting matters such as accrual, pipeline, budget variance, budgets and performance data.