U. S. Personal Service Contractor (USPSC), Program Manager

The Center for Ag-Led Growth in the Bureau for Resilience and Food Security (RFS/CA) requires the services of an experienced professional to support the management of the Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) Program as Program Manager. The position will be located in Washington, D.C. with approximately 15% of the time dedicated to overseas and domestic travel. The Program Manager will provide technical leadership for all regional programs, lead programmatic and financial management efforts, oversee the work of a Program Analyst, help to integrate F2F Program activities with broader USG agricultural and rural development programs and objectives, including the global food security initiative, and represent the F2F Program both internally and externally.

The F2F Program Manager is a senior member of the F2F Program team and has Agreement Officer’s Representative (AOR) responsibilities. The work of the F2F Program Manager requires knowledge, initiative, and judgment to ensure effective management and monitoring of the F2F Program. The incumbent must have the ability to interact with a broad range of internal and external partners. The incumbent will also have to demonstrate initiative, manage competing work priorities and work independently when required. The incumbent must also be able to meet tight deadlines, be team-oriented and able to take direction from and interact effectively with team members. The incumbent works closely with RFS management.

The incumbent of this position will carry out the following duties and functions:

Program Leadership

● Provide technical leadership for all regional programs including programmatic and financial management efforts.
● Conceptualize and design program strategies and objectives in close coordination with relevant stakeholders. Expected to maintain a strategic and activity-level outlook to ensure the rationale for the program is clear, comply with authorizing legislation, and align with relevant strategies and priorities.
● Integrate F2F Program activities with broader USAID agricultural, food security and rural development programs and objectives, providing technical support to Mission programs, including in sector strategy and program development.
● Encourage sound approaches and strategies for voluntary technical assistance in the agricultural sector to contribute to larger sustainable capacity building efforts in developing and transitional countries.
● Guide an effective community of practice for continuous learning and
improvement in international volunteer programs.

Program Management

● Provide program management and technical oversight for USAID-funded implementing partners and the regular monitoring of activities in the field to ensure: (1) achievement of expected results; (2) effective coordination with the Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance (BHA), USAID Missions, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and (3) compliance with United States Government (USG) regulations and implementing agreements. He or she will be the A/COR for all F2F contracts and agreements. However, this responsibility may be delegated to the Program Analyst, if approved by the Agreement Officer.
● Manage program budgeting and financial monitoring, including the allocation of the annual budget among implementing partners, monitoring expenditures, and ensuring the maintenance of reasonable reserves of funds.
● Prepare internal USG documents and procedures needed to provide partners with required funds in a timely manner each year including but not limited to programmatic and financial reports as required for F2F to USAID Washington, USAID Missions,0020and other agencies as appropriate.
● Provide expert advice to partners on the formulation of annual work plans and progress benchmarks, and on the review and approval of said plans.
● Draft scopes of work and requests for proposals required for the provision of technical assistance or new program initiatives.
● Serve on evaluation committees to identify successful Offerors to F2F and other relevant USAID solicitations.
● Ensure F2F Program alignment and programmatic contribution to related Agency priorities and initiatives, such as the Feed the Future Initiative.

Outreach, Communication, and Representation

● Provide recommendations to senior management of USAID, RFS, Regional and Pillar bureaus, USDA, Peace Corps, and other USG FTF agencies relative to the integration of F2F Program activities with broader USAID agricultural, food security and rural development programs and objectives.
● Represent and serve as a liaison for the F2F Program internally (USAID) and externally to other agencies and stakeholders, particularly the USDA, Peace Corps, Millennium Challenge Corporation, and the private sector. Internal contacts include, but are not limited to, the Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA), the Bureau for Management’s Office of Acquisitions and Assistance, and in RFS, the Program Office (RFS/PO) and the Center for Agriculture-Led Growth (RFS/CA).
● Promotes and participates in outreach to the US agricultural sector to increase awareness and volunteer participation in international development efforts.

Additional Duties

● Oversee the work of a USPSC F2F Program Analyst and, in the absence of the Program Analyst, ensure that critical tasks and responsibilities of the Program Analyst are completed, and objectives met.
● As needed, and as determined by the position’s supervisory and contract team, assists RFS and Missions with design of new and monitoring of on-going Feed the Future activities, focusing on agricultural innovation, capacity development, and ways to maximize overall impact of F2F. Provide support and technical expertise to focus activities on more effective support to local capacity development for food and agricultural systems. (< 20% of LOE)