Solicitation USPSC Sr Ag Policy Advisor.pdf

U.S. Agency for International Development American Embassy Chanakyapuri New Delhi 110 021

Tel: 91-11-24198000 Fax: 91-11-24198612 / 8454 www.usaid.gov/in

SOLICITATION NUMBER: USAID/India/386-10-101 ISSUANCE DATE: April 26, 2010 CLOSING DATE/TIME: May 14, 2010, 1730 hours New Delhi Time POSITION TITLE: Senior Agriculture Policy Advisor MARKET VALUE: GS-14 ($84,697 - $110,104 p.a.)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: 12 months, renewable subject to the availability of funds and Mission requirements

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Food Security Office (FSO), USAID/India SUPERVISOR: Director of Food Security Office, USAID/India SECURITY ACCESS: Security clearance (minimum of an

Employment Authorization) must be initiated prior to travel to post of duty

AREA OF CONSIDERATION: U.S. Citizens

POSITION DESCRIPTION: Senior Agriculture Policy Advisor, USAID/India

I. INTRODUCTION:

On July 20, 2009, the U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Rodman Clinton and the Government of India (GOI) issued a joint statement regarding their intentions to accelerate the growth of their bilateral relationship to enhance global prosperity and stability in the 21st Century. This included addressing global issues such as climate change, food security, infectious diseases, poverty, and promoting the quality of life of their respective people. As a part of this initiative, the two governments outlined a Strategic Dialogue to confront these issues and USAID will be a substantive partner and contributor in the following areas: 1) Energy and Climate Change; 2) Economics, Trade and Agriculture; 3) Education and Development; 4) Science, Technology, Health and Innovation.

The Obama Administration has also designed the Feed the Future Initiative for which India is viewed as a strategic partner. Under this Initiative, it is proposed that USAID/India receive additional funding to reduce hunger and advance agricultural-led growth. USAID/India is in the process of developing strategies and programs to reduce hunger, raise the incomes of rural poor, and reduce the number of children suffering from under-nutrition. As such, USAID/India is in the process of designing strategies to: 1) increase sustainable market-led growth across the entire food production and market chain: from lab to the farm to the market to the table; 2) prevent and treat under-nutrition; and 3) improve social safety-nets to assist the poor in protecting their assets during unexpected shocks. The key to this process will be: 1) supporting country-led plans to increase the long-term sustainability of investments in food security; 2) strengthening strategic coordination among stakeholders; and 3) leveraging the benefits of multilateral mechanisms.

The Senior Agricultural Policy Advisor will serve as a senior technical and policy advisor for USAID/India’s food security initiative and agricultural development programs and projects and help to manage a projected budget of over $70 million. The incumbent will possess significant expertise in agriculture development and/or agriculture economics with substantial management experience in agriculture policy analysis and formulation, agribusiness value chain development, agriculture production and processing, rural financing, agriculture associations and cooperative development, and/or agriculture trade and marketing. The incumbent must be able to provide technical advice and leadership in the conceptualization, development, design, administration and monitoring of USAID/India’s food security initiative and agriculture development portfolio and represent the Mission at highest-level USG interagency settings and with Government of India officials.

II. SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

a. Policy Analysis, Formulation, and Implementation (80%)

Undertakes political and economic policy analysis with respect to agriculture and food security, supports the formulation of agricultural policy and assists with implementation and evaluation of projects. The incumbent will be expected to collaborate closely with Government of India officials and institutions in developing a better understanding of key policy impediments in the agricultural and rural sector.

Provide leadership in developing opportunities with and between organizations, national agencies, non-governmental partners, the private sector, and other stakeholders, and to liaise with Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) centers in New Delhi, such as the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CYMMIT), and others.

Keeps the Mission abreast of current agricultural related events in India and the South Asia region. Advises Mission senior management and other office staff of developments relevant to agricultural policy analysis, formulation and evaluation. Conducts consultations with stakeholders and tracks legislative developments. Collects, analyzes, and synthesizes information to inform and strategically guide USAID program planning.

Analyzes USG, international, and host-government laws and regulations, documentation and reporting requirements, and lawmaking or rulemaking processes sufficient to make decisions or recommendations significantly changing, interpreting, or expanding important agricultural policies and programs.

Prepares briefing papers and other relevant documents and initiates and describes policy initiatives in accordance with the sector strategy, the current development environment in India, the institutional capabilities and purposes of potential USAID recipients, resource availability, and funding sources.

Develops and sustains close collaborative, professional relationships with highest-level officials of other USG agencies and host Government, key business leaders, other major donors and international organizations.

b. Strategic Planning and Technical Leadership (10%)

Provides strategic leadership in food security and agriculture development. As a key advisor, the incumbent collaborates with the US Embassy interagency team in managing major components of the food security strategy and meeting measurable objectives. The incumbent’s recognized expertise in agricultural development will be a powerful influence on the overall food security strategy and program design.

Serves as a key advisor in developing new mission agricultural development interventions. In this s/he is closely involved with the USG interagency team, host country officials and consultants and USAID colleagues in the Food Security Office and Program Support Office in the development of new projects, writing activity approval documents, performance monitoring plans (PMPs), logical frameworks and scopes of work for Requests for Proposals (RFPs), Requests for Assistance (RFA), and other procurement mechanisms.

Prepares design documents for agriculture development programs and leads research on social, political, cultural, and economic factors pertaining to the constraints to agriculture development and ensuring food security in India and the South Asia region. Contributes to the development of the Mission’s overall conceptual framework and formulates plans for implementation.

S/he negotiates with host country government on project design and implementation, ensuring that host country officials at the highest level are apprised of program progress. These responsibilities require the incumbent to demonstrate highly developed professional judgment and to provide technical direction and management oversight.

c. Program Management and Administration (10%)

Ensures that activities achieve their intended results. S/he provides technical and organizational leadership on the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of activities. S/he ensures that partners meet their benchmark requirements in accordance with USAID regulations.

S/he is expected to serve as a Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative (COTR) or Assistance Officer’s Technical Representative (AOTR) on USAID/India agricultural and/or food security projects.

Conducts assessments and site visits to monitor the program and implementing partner, stakeholder, and counterpart progress in the implementation of activities at the local, district, and provincial government level.

Ensures that all activities are appropriately documented in required reports and through regular updates given to USAID stakeholders and external development partners, including the Operational Plan, Performance Plan and Report and the Portfolio Reviews, Congressional Presentations, briefs and talking points.

Manages financial matters related to program activities, such as providing administrative approval of vouchers, planning and preparing for annual incremental funding amendments, and other financial administrative activities as needed, to ensure that fiscal needs of the recipient Government of India and U.S. and local contractors are met in a timely manner.

Represents the food security and agricultural development team to USAID stakeholders and external development partners in a wide variety of events sponsored by USAID development partners, including conferences, workshops, donor subgroup meetings, and other relevant forums on economic development.

III. SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS

The incumbent should meet the following requirements in education, professional experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, and communication proficiency to be able to carry out the aforementioned duties and responsibilities. Applicants are required to address each of the Selection Criteria (See section ‘V’ below) on a separate sheet, describing specifically and accurately what experience, training, education, and/or awards or recognition they have received relevant to each criteria and any related consideration. Be sure to include your name and solicitation number at the top of each additional page. This is an important position in USAID/India that requires the successful candidate to work closely with American and Foreign Service National (FSN) staff and with American and FSN staff in other USG agencies in the U.S. Mission in India.

1. Education: A minimum of a Masters degree in the fields of Agriculture, Agriculture Economics, Political Science or International Relations, or related subject is required with strong technical emphasis or specialization in the areas of agriculture development policy. Preference is given to those candidates with a Ph.D, or a strong record of experience may substitute, depending on the specific qualifications.

2. Professional Experience: The incumbent is required to have a minimum of ten (10) years of agriculture development experience – including at least eight (8) years of employment as a program manager with large international organizations – with significant project management, project design, and project development experience. Prior experience in a position of similar complexity is required. Recent experience in the area of agriculture development as applied to economic growth and economic reform programs in the developing world is required.

3. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: Demonstrated coordination and organizational skills within multi-cultural work environments, ideally in an international development assistance setting. Ability to complete multiple tasks simultaneously, and to work effectively under pressure. Exceptional conceptual, analytical, and reasoning skills, as well as ability to analyze disparate information and compile it into information messages targeting a variety of audiences. Experience performing at high levels, with minimal supervision and daily direction, and strong sense of initiative.

Demonstrated leadership and teamwork skills, plus solid interpersonal abilities. Familiarity with USAID and/or USG development assistance implementing mechanisms is desired.

4. Communication proficiency and other: The successful candidate will have exceptional communication skills, including the ability to verbalize organizational priorities in interagency settings and the ability to write clearly and succinctly. The incumbent will be expected to have excellent computer skills and the ability to work in Microsoft Work, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint applications.

5. Post-Entry Training: The incumbent will be expected to possess the necessary technical training and skills required to perform the duties/responsibilities required of the position. Post-entry training will be focused primarily on the Agency's established policies, procedures and regulations. In addition, the incumbent will be required to work within the existing USAID team management office structure. Organized/formal training (both internal & external) may be provided from time to time depending on the availability of Program funds and determined to be in direct support of USAID/India activities.

6. Physical Condition: The successful candidate will be required to pass a physical certification exam, paid for by the U.S. Government. USAID prohibits discrimination in hiring and employment on the basis of physical or mental impairment. USAID promotes, with reasonable accommodation, the full realization of equal employment opportunities for the disabled in recruitment, promotion, assignment, and training.

7. Language Proficiency: Level V, strong written and oral proficiency in English is required.

IV. POSITION ELEMENTS

1. Supervision Received: Formal supervision and evaluation will be by the Director of the Food Security Office. In collaboration with the incumbent, the immediate supervisor will: 1) establish annual work objectives and performance measures; 2) review work outputs and accomplishments to ensure compliance with Agency policies, and implementation of best practices; 3) provide regular feedback to incumbent throughout the performance evaluation period; 4) prepare the annual evaluation report as/when required; and 5) obtain input from the appropriate peers, counterparts and team members. The incumbent is expected to establish priorities, adhere to and meet established deadlines, and perform responsibilities and duties with minimal guidance. The incumbent must be proactive as well as self-motivated and self-directed.

2. Available Guidelines: The incumbent is required to quickly understand Mission and Agency-specific policies and procedures which govern project design and activity management in addition to the USAID/India’s established administrative operating procedures, policies, and formats. When provided, guidance from the supervisor is primarily with regard to policy, priorities, results to be achieved, basic approaches to be followed, and in the case of assembling report, the nature and basic content of reports are provided.

Oral guidance from the immediate supervisor and specific detailed instructions will be given (when necessary) for carrying out unique assignments. The incumbent will be required to be proactive in keeping abreast of evolving guidelines and policies which affect overall environment activities within the region, including but not limited to the Agency’s Automated Directives System (ADS), General Notices/Mission Orders/Mission Notices, USG Procurement regulations, and USAID Program Strategy and Policy Documents.

3. Authority to Make Commitments: The incumbent will have no independent authority to make resource commitments or commit the U.S. Government (USG, the USAID/India Mission, or the USAID/India Program Office) funds on behalf of the U.S. Government or the USAID/India; or the Food Security Office.

4. Exercise of Judgment: In instances not clearly covered by written guidelines, the incumbent will consult with the Office Director of the Food Security Office. Excellent (balanced) judgment must be exercised in setting priorities. The use of initiative, discretion and patience is expected from the incumbent in dealing with USAID/India personnel as well as representatives from other donor organizations to resolve technical, administrative, managerial and/or policy problems that arise during the course of work for which there is often no clear or immediate solution and or precedence. The incumbent will also be required to follow and adhere to the Agency's Code of Ethics and Conduct.

5. Nature, Level and Purpose of Contacts: To effectively function in this position, the incumbent will be required to establish and maintain solid working relationships with all categories of USAID and U.S. Embassy staff in India; the Department of State, and other USG personnel in the field and in Washington; high level staff of UN agencies (e.g., WHO, FAO), other international and donor organizations; representatives of regional organizations; international and local NGOs; private sector representatives and the general public. The incumbent may also be asked to develop relationships with external partners and Government of India officials.

6. Supervision exercised: The incumbent will be expected to supervise one or more Foreign Service Nationals (FSNs)and to mentor one or more USAID Development Leadership Initiative (DLI) Junior Officers.

V. SELECTION CRITERIA

Applicants meeting the required qualifications for the position will be evaluated based on information presented in the application and obtained through reference checks. Following is the evaluation criteria for this position:

1. Education (15 points) A minimum of a Masters degree in agricultural economics, political science or international relations. A background and/or specialization in agricultural policy or agricultural economics desired.

2. Professional Experience (45 points) The incumbent is required to have a minimum of ten (10) years of economic or political analysis. Experience working on agricultural-related legislation and policy reform in developing countries highly desired as is prior experience with policy think tanks instrumental in policy reform and passage of legislation.

3. Knowledge (25 points) Knowledge of project development, management, performance monitoring and reporting, and procurement policies and procedures is required. Prior experience and/or technical knowledge in evaluating USAID economic development activities is preferred. A thorough understanding of major problems related to agricultural development in developing countries and hands-on experience is required.

4. Skills, and Abilities (15 points) Proven, demonstrated ability to work independently within agreed upon parameters with minimal supervision or guidance and while exercising sound judgment is required. The position requires an entrepreneurial, results-oriented approach to assistance, and the ability to diplomatically and tactfully confront and resolve institutional and interagency bureaucratic challenges while maintaining collaborative relations. The incubent will also require excellent interpersonal and teamwork skills, and the ability to develop and maintain strong working relationships with a broad range of USAID and Embassy staff members. S/he must be able to demonstrate an ability to work effectively, both independently and as a member of a team, with a wide variety of individuals, groups, institutions, and technical organizations and be a proven self-starter who is highly motivated, able to work with minimum supervision, and committed to addressing environmental issues. S/he must also demonstrate flexibility; effectively manage more than one activity at a time; work calmly, tactfully and effectively under pressure. And finally, the incumbent must have excellent computer skills and the ability to prepare professional quality reports and presentations for both technical and general audiences.

VI. SELECTION PROCESS

After the closing date for receipt of applications, a committee will be convened to review applications and evaluate them in accord with the evaluation criteria. Applications from candidates which do not meet the required selection criteria will not be scored. Candidates considered competitive will be interviewed either in person or by telephone at USAID’s discretion. Reference checks will be conducted only for applicants considered viable for the position. If an applicant does not wish USAID to contact a current employer for a reference check, this should be stated in the applicant’s cover letter, and USAID will delay such reference check pending communication with the applicant. Only finalists will be contacted by USAID with respect to their applications.

VII. MEDICAL AND SECURITY CLEARANCES

The selected candidate must be able to obtain both a background security clearance and a worldwide available medical clearance within a reasonable period of time. The security clearance involves a comprehensive investigation performed by the appropriate U.S. Government agency. Details on how to obtain US Department of State Medical Unit clearance will be provided once a job offer is made and accepted. A substantial delay in obtaining either required clearance will make the applicant ineligible for selection.

VIII. BENEFITS/ALLOWANCES/TAXES

As a matter of policy, and as appropriate, a US/TCN PSC is normally authorized the following benefits and allowances: (NOTE: An individual defined as a Resident-Hire employee may only be eligible for those benefits listed under item A below.)

A. BENEFITS:

Employee's FICA Contribution Contribution toward Health & Life Insurance Pay Comparability Adjustment Eligibility for Worker's Compensation Annual & Sick Leave Access to Embassy medical facilities, commissary and pouch mail service

B. ALLOWANCES (If Applicable):

Temporary Lodging Allowance (Section 120) Living Quarters Allowance (Section 130) Post Allowance (Section 220) Supplemental Post Allowance (Section 230) Post Differential (Chapter 500) Payments during Evacuation/Authorized Departure (Section 600) and Danger Pay (Section 650) Educational Allowance (Section 270) Separate Maintenance Allowance (Section 260) Educational Travel (Section 280)

C. FEDERAL TAXES: USPSCs and TCNPSC green card holders are not exempt from payment of Federal Income taxes under the foreign earned income exclusion.

IX. HOW TO APPLY:

Qualified individuals are requested to submit a U.S. government Optional Application for Federal Employment Form OF-612, available on website http://www.usaid.gov/forms/of-612.doc

Resumes may be attached to the OF-612 Applicants are encouraged to write a brief appendix to demonstrate how prior experience and/or training address the minimum qualifications and selection criteria.

Applicants must provide at least three references with their current contact information, preferably both an e-mail address and a telephone number.

Applications should be submitted electronically to:

Banita Negi, HR Specialist United States Agency for International Development Shantipath, Chankyapuri New Delhi – 110 021 Email: bnegi@usaid.gov

NOTE: Applicants must quote the solicitation number and position title on the subject line of e-mail application.

Or

FAX: 91-11-2419-8612 or 91-11-2419-8454

Applications should be received by the closing date and time previously specified. To ensure consideration of applications for the intended position, please reference the solicitation number on your application and as the subject line in any cover letter. The selection will be based on the panel evaluation of the applicants vis-à-vis selection criteria mentioned previously. Applicants should also note that the salary history for the purpose of the OF-612 is the salary paid, excluding benefits and allowances such as housing, travel, educational support, vehicle use, etc. The OF-612 applications must be signed.

X. POINT OF CONTACT

Ms. Banita Negi, Human Resources Specialist, USAID/India

XI.LIST OF REQUIRED FORMS FOR PSCs

Forms outlined below can be found at:

http://www.usaid.gov/procurement_bus_opp/procurement/psc_solicit/

1. Optional Form 612.

2. Medical History & Examination for Foreign Service (DS-1843).**

3. AID 6-1 (Request for Security Action)**

4. SF-86 (Questionnaire for National Security Positions)**

5. FD-258 (Fingerprint Cards) 2 each**

6. AID 610-14 (Authority for Release of Information)**

7. AID 6-85 (Foreign Residence Data)**

8. Fair Credit Reporting Act of 1970, As Amended**

9. Notice Required by the Privacy Act of 1974**

** Forms 2 through 9 shall be completed only upon the advice of the Contracting Officer that an applicant is the successful candidate for the job.

ACQUISITION AND ASSISTANCE POLICY DIRECTIVES (AAPDs) PERTAINING TO PERSONAL

SERVICE CONTRACT (PSC)

AAPDs contain information or changes pertaining to USAID policy, regulation and procedures concerning acquisition and assistance. A number of AAPDs pertain to Personal Service Contracts. Please refer to the USAID website http://www.usaid.gov/procurement_bus_opp/procurement/psc_solicit/ to locate relevant AAPDs. Additionally, AIDAR Appendix D or J also applies to PSCs and can be found at: http://www.usaid.gov/policy/ads/300/aidar.pdf