Agricultural Foreign Affairs Specialist - U.S. Federal Government - Washington, DC

About the Agency

USAID is an independent Federal Government agency that receives overall foreign policy guidance from the Secretary of State. With headquarters in Washington, D.C., USAID fosters transformational development around the world. Our work supports economic growth and trade; agriculture and the environment; education and training; democracy and governance; global health; global partnerships and humanitarian assistance. We operate in the following regions of the world: Afghanistan and Pakistan, Africa (all of Africa), Asia, Europe and Eurasia, Latin America and the Caribbean and the Middle East. USAID employees in the Civil Service and Foreign Service, as well as individuals employed through Personal Service Contracts, must adhere to our Counter Trafficking in Persons Code of Conduct. For information on the effort to counter all forms of human trafficking, including the procurement of commercial sex acts and the use of forced labor, visit http://www.state.gov/g/tip . For more information about USAID, visit http://www.usaid.gov .

You are encouraged to read the entire announcement before you submit your application package. Your application may not receive full consideration if you do not follow the instructions as outlined.

This position is located in the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center , 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC, in the Bureau for Food Security, Office of Agricultural Research and Policy.

Duties
As an Agricultural Foreign Affairs Specialist you will:

• Serve as the agency expert and coordinator of activities in international agricultural research for development, particularly in the context of multilateral programs. Provides leadership, coordination, and implementation of the U.S. Government’s relationship with and investment in the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) and other public international organizations and multilateral programs focused on agricultural research.
  


• Advise USAID officials in the formulation of U.S. Government positions, policies, and interventions related to agricultural research and technology deployment through multilateral agreements.
  


• Serve as USAID’s foremost expert on CGIAR organizational, governance and structural matters, and ensures that the U.S. Government’s investment in the CGIAR is leveraged to impact and influence prioritization of CGIAR resources and outcomes.
  


• Provide strategic, fiduciary and managerial oversight to a range of centrally- and Mission-funded activities in the areas of agricultural research and technology dissemination, particularly through multilateral agreements and public international organization grants.
  


• Formulate budgets for CGIAR Fund projects from other offices in BFS, Washington Bureaus and field missions. Work across all operating units funding CGIAR activities, with the World Bank as Trustee of the Fund, and with project staff to plan project obligations and to monitor partner budget performance.
  


• Ensure responsible program design, management and oversight to ensure strategic alignment of multilateral agricultural research investments with the goals of Feed the Future and conducts monitoring, evaluation and assessment of long-term research activities.
  

Travel Required

• Occasional Travel
  


• Travel required between 15-25%
  

Relocation Authorized

Job Requirements
Job Requirements
Key Requirements

• Applications will only be accepted from United States Citizens.
  


• Relevant experience (see Qualifications below).
  


• Must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance.
  


• Males born after 12/31/1959, must be registered with the Selective Service.
  


• Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer is required.
  


• You will be required to serve a one-year probationary period..
  

Qualifications
GS-14: You must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-13 level in the Federal service.

One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis. Examples of qualifying specialized experience at the next lower level for this position includes: experience leading USG strategic engagement with multilateral agricultural research institutions and formulating and communicating USG positions relating to their governance, conduct of research and performance evaluation.

Mastery and knowledge of advanced concepts, principles, and practices of international agriculture, international relations, and of scientific research so as to review and critically evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of multilateral agricultural research programs.

Mastery and knowledge of governance, structure and evaluation of Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) centers and other multilateral agricultural research institutions, including their policies and procedures for program planning and oversight.

Technical and practical knowledge and experience in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of multilaterally funded international agricultural research programs in developing country settings.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, relevant to the duties of the position to be filled, including volunteer experience.

CTAP/ICTAP candidates will be referred to the selecting official if they are found well qualified. Well-qualified means an eligible employee who possesses the knowledge, skills, and abilities which clearly exceed the minimum requirements of the position. A well-qualified employee must meet the qualification and eligibility requirements of the position, including any medical qualifications, suitability, and minimum education and experience requirements, meet all selective factors (where applicable); meet quality ranking factors and are assigned a score of 85 or higher; be physically qualified with reasonable accommodation to perform the essential duties of the position; meet any special qualifying U.S. OPM-approved conditions; AND be able to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry without additional training. A well-qualified candidate will not necessarily meet the definition of highly or best qualified when evaluated against other candidates who apply for a particular position. In the absence of selective and quality ranking factors, selecting officials will document the job-related reason(s) for qualification determinations.

This position has a positive education requirement. Transcripts are required . In additon to the basic qualifications you must have the following:

Degree: major or equivalent, or a combination of courses totaling at least 24 semester hours, in international law and international relations, political science, economics, history, sociology, geography, social or cultural anthropology, law, statistics, or in the humanities; or 12 semester hours in one of the above disciplines and 12 semester hours in statistics/quantitative methods.

or

Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major, or a combination of related courses totaling at least 24 semester hours, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

or

Experience: four years of appropriate experience in one or more of the fields listed above in work associated with international organizations, problems, or other aspects of foreign affairs.

Screen Out Question: Your answers to the following question must be addressed separately in your resume.

(1) Do you have experience overseeing the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of multilaterally funded international agricultural research (IARC) programs in a developing country setting?

(2) If you answered yes to the above question, please explain in your resume in narrative form.

Note: Your answers to the assessment questionnaire must be supported in your resume.

Security Clearance
Secret

Additional Information