Senior Policy and Program Officer

Agency: U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) 
Organization: Bureau for Africa (AFR)
Location of Position: Washington, DC 
Official Position Title: Program Officer, Backstop 02, FSL-0343-02 
Functional Title: Senior Policy and Program Officer 
Open Period: May 6, 2024 – May 27, 2024 
Appointment Type: This is an excepted service, time-limited appointment that is not to exceed five years.
Salary: USD $132,860 – $191,900 per year
Number of Vacancies: One 

Description of Organization: Prosper Africa is a whole-of-government initiative to increase two-way trade and investment between the United States and Africa. The Prosper Africa Executive Secretariat (PAES), in support of AFR, coordinates the activities of 17 participating departments and agencies to advance Prosper Africa’s objectives and supports National Security Council (NSC) staff in driving implementation of the Administration’s Prosper Africa strategy and related policy initiatives in Africa.

Description of Position: The Senior Policy and Program Officer leads coordination across the interagency regarding the United States Government's Prosper Africa strategy, programs, resourcing, monitoring and evaluation (M&E), and reporting; manages PAES M&E resources and staff; and serves as the lead for Secretariat management and operations.

Responsibilities:

• Supporting and coordinating the Secretariat’s engagement in NSC-led policy processes; and
• Coordinating across the interagency on a wide range of policy and programming matters, including:
  • Tracking and reporting on objectives and tasks outlined in the Prosper Africa strategy, implementation plan, and other guiding documents;
  • Compiling information, tracking, and advising on existing and new programs in support of the initiative;
  • Responding to tasks from NSC staff, the Office of Management and Budget, PAES, and other executive or legislative branch stakeholders;
  • Monitoring and reporting on interagency programming and results in support of Prosper Africa’s goals;
  • Reconciling differences of opinion and harmonizing input and feedback from interagency members to achieve consensus and ensure a unified voice in programmatic, planning, and related documents;
  • Providing expertise for the budgeting of department and Agency resources in support of Prosper Africa;
  • Demonstrating and applying an understanding of budget cycle and resource management processes, including legislative requirements to optimally align resources with strategy and policy objectives;
  • Managing the Secretariat’s budget, programs, staffing, and operations; 
  • Leading drafting and clearance processes for a range of high-level tasks; and 
  • Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships to ensure collaboration and support of Prosper Africa with officials from participating departments and agencies.

Qualifications: 

• U.S. citizenship is required with the ability to obtain a Secret clearance;
• One year of specialized experience at a level of responsibility equivalent to the FSL-03 level in the federal service. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis;
• Subject matter expertise and/or experience in two or more of the following: NSC policy processes, interagency coordination, budget tracking, program design and implementation, and M&E;
• Trade and investment/private sector engagement experience preferred but not required;
• Africa experience preferred but not required;
• Strong speaking and public presentation skills;
• Experience in interagency collaboration and initiative implementation;
• Strong personnel management and interpersonal skills;
• Ability to function in a collaborative and collegial environment;
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, fluid environment, re-prioritizing actions and adjusting workload as needed; and
• Must be able to work calmly, tactfully, and effectively under significant pressure, while managing equities leading a diverse interagency team.

Application Instructions: Interested employees should submit a detailed resume/CV, cover letter, and security clearance level, if any, to Bethany Aquilina Brez at baquilinabrez@usaid.gov. Please put the position title and grade level (Senior Policy and Program Officer, FSL-02) in the subject line. Application submissions are requested by 11:59 p.m. EDT, May 27, 2024.

Any questions concerning this notice may be directed to:

-- Bethany Aquilina Brez, AFR, baquilinabrez@usaid.gov

Notice 0550