This position is with the U.S. Trade and Development Agency. The incumbent assists the Director for Global Programs in promoting economic development and managing the Global Procurement Initiative (GPI) in the Sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East, North Africa, and Eastern Europe regions by funding feasibility studies, consultancies, training programs, and other project planning services to support USTDA's global initiatives.
Summary
This position is with the U.S. Trade and Development Agency. The incumbent assists the Director for Global Programs in promoting economic development and managing the Global Procurement Initiative (GPI) in the Sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East, North Africa, and Eastern Europe regions by funding feasibility studies, consultancies, training programs, and other project planning services to support USTDA's global initiatives.
Assigned a portion of the specified geographic region, makes recommendations regarding USTDA's approach to major country partnership programs for the expansion of GPI and tracks the development of procurement trends and infrastructure projects in the countries of responsibility.
Plan and develop a variety of projects and trainings/capacity building programs by analyzing proposals from U.S. companies, U.S. Embassies, foreign governments and ministries, foreign companies, trade associations, etc., to develop projects, training programs and curricula and/or partnerships in host countries.
Evaluate project proposals to determine the technical and economic viability of the project, its importance to the economic development of the host country, and the U.S. export opportunities.
Evaluate training needs and requests from U.S. embassies, U.S. businesses, and host country project sponsors to determine country eligibility for technical assistance
Develop and maintain business relationships with embassy officials, government officials, partnership entities, training participants, and private sector representatives in the U.S. and assigned countries.
Represents the Director for Global Programs in a variety of venues to provide information about, explain, advocate, and defend USTDA global program activities.
Track ongoing and completed projects to assess commercial and developmental impact.
Suitable for Federal employment, determined by background investigation.
Direct Deposit of pay is required.
Selective Service registration required for male applicants, unless exempt.
Status candidates must meet time-in-grade (see Qualifications).
Background and security investigation for Secret and Top Secret Clearance.
Qualifications
The ability to speak and understand the French language in a professional setting, and an academic background and/or work experience in Sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East, North Africa and/or Eastern Europe, is desired, but not required.
Applicants must meet the BASIC QUALIFICATION requirements for this position described below.
Undergraduate and/or Graduate Education: Major study -- marketing, business administration, political science, public administration, history, business or commercial law, economics, finance, international trade, or international relations.
OR
Experience: Experience that demonstrates knowledge of:
Marketing that included economic, psychological, and sociological influences bearing upon consumption patterns;
Business practices pertaining to wholesale, retail, manufacturers' distribution, distribution costs, finance and tax structure, and similar areas of activity or concern; and
International economic and political factors influencing balance of payments, monetary exchange and tariffs, and their bearing on the distribution of commodities.
In addition to meeting the basic qualification, at the GS-11 level, you must meet one of the following qualifications:
A. One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 level. Specialized experience is that which has equipped the applicant with the competencies to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience for this position includes but is not limited to: Experience conducting industry-specific research related to infrastructure and large-scale development projects; Conducting research and providing project support services, such as preparing grant agreements, scopes of work for contracts, studies, feasibility studies, or other grant activities related to foreign assistance programs; Experience conducting and providing research on international trade, technical and economic trends; Experience working with foreign assistance programs, trade policy, commercial development, finance, banking, or similar activities; Assisting with development and maintenance of business relationships with U.S. and foreign private sector representatives and government officials in the development of infrastructure projects. OR
B. A Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree; or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree; or LL.M., if related;
OR
C. A Combination of education and experience as listed above.
At the GS-12 level, you must meet the following qualification:
One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 level. Specialized experience is that which has equipped the applicant with the competencies to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience for this position includes but is not limited to: Professional level industry-specific research related to infrastructure and large-scale development projects; Conducting research and providing project support services, such as preparing grant agreements, scopes of work for contracts, studies, feasibility studies, or other grant activities related to foreign assistance programs; Experience conducting and providing research on international trade, technical, and economic trends; Experience implementing foreign assistance programs, trade policy, commercial development, finance, banking, or other capital investment activities; Developing and maintaining business relationships with U.S. and foreign private sector representatives and government officials in the development of major infrastructure projects.
At the GS-13 level, you must meet the following qualification:
One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 level. Specialized experience is that which has equipped the applicant with the competencies to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience for this position includes but is not limited to: Expertise in conducting industry-specific research related to infrastructure and large-scale development projects; Providing high-level project services, such as drafting grant agreements, developing scopes of work for contracts, conducting feasibility studies, or other grant activities related to foreign assistance programs; Implementing the terms of foreign assistance programs, trade policy, commercial development, finance, banking, or other activities that contribute to the development of infrastructure initiatives or other similar initiatives requiring capital investment; Developing and maintaining business relationships with U.S. and foreign private sector representatives and government officials in the development of major infrastructure projects.
Only experience and education obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.
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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
TIME-IN-GRADE: Current career or career-conditional employees of the Federal government, or former career or career-conditional employees, who have a break in service of less than one year, are required to meet the time-in-grade restriction of one year of Federal experience at the next lower grade, with few exceptions outlined in 5 CFR 300.603(b).
Education
If qualifying based on EDUCATION you MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Unless otherwise stated: (1) official or unofficial transcripts are acceptable, or (2) you may submit a list with all of your courses, grades, semester, year, and credit for the course. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement.
Only education from institutions which are accredited or preaccredited/candidate for accreditation may be used to meet education requirements.
FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html
Additional information
Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for RA for Online Assessments here.
Career Transition Assistance Programs: CTAP/ICTAP provides placement assistance to permanent Federal employees who are surplus, displaced, or involuntarily separated. To be considered under CTAP/ICTAP, applicants must be well-qualified (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements), score at least 85 on the assessment questionnaire, and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry. Please refer to Required Documents section for additional details. For information on CTAP and ICTAP visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/federal-employees/career-transition/
Appointment Authorities: For more information on appointment authority eligibility requirements:
Telework Suitability:
The duties of this position are suitable for occasional telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval and if they meet the eligibility criterion in the 2010 Telework Act.
Stipulations of Employment:
Selection may require completion of a 1-year probationary period.
If selected, you will be required to file a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450).
Applicants must be eligible to obtain and keep a security clearance. Appointment is subject to the successful completion of a background investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.
Work Schedule:
This position allows for a flexible work schedule.
Miscellaneous:
TDA uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit http://www.uscis.gov/e-verify.
This vacancy announcement may be used to fill similar positions within 90 days.
If selection is made below the full performance level, promotion up to the full performance level may be made without further competition. However, promotion(s) will depend on the performance of the incumbent and are not guaranteed.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment(s) required for this position (if applicable). You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):
Note: Duplicative competencies indicate that the competency is being assessed in both the Assessment Questionnaire and USA Hire Competency Based Assessment.
Attention to Detail
Attention to Detail
Business Planning & Resource Management
Customer Service
Decision Making
Flexibility
Integrity/Honesty
Interpersonal Skills
Interpersonal Skills
Oral Communication
Planning and Evaluating
Reading Comprehension
Reasoning
Self-Management
Stress Tolerance
Teamwork
Written Communication
In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online USA Hire Competency Based Assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
1. Your Resume listing work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment mm/yy and duties performed.
2. SF-50 or DD-214
Current/Former Career/Career-Conditional Eligible: Your most recent non-award Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50 or equivalent) showing that you are/were in the competitive service, as well as the highest grade (or promotion potential) held, on a permanent basis
3. Other supporting documents:
College transcript(s), if qualifying based on education
SF-15 Form and VA letter, or certification of expected discharge or release from active duty from Veterans for consideration under Veteran hiring authorities
Non-competitive appointment authority documentation, if applicable
Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program Documentation: If you are applying under CTAP or ICTAP, you MUST submit proof of eligibility under 5 CFR 330.602(a) for CTAP and 5 CFR 330.704 for ICTAP. This includes a copy of the agency notice, a copy of your most recent performance rating, and a copy of your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing your position, grade level, and duty location. Please annotate your application to reflect that you are applying as a CTAP or ICTAP eligible
Most recent Performance Appraisal, if applicable
Cover letter, optional
Do not submit photographs with your application package. Documents with photographs may not be seen by hiring officials - you must remove your image from any badges, licenses, etc.
Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents. Adobe portfolio documents are not viewable by our agency's staffing offices.
It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted prior to the closing date of the announcement.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
To ensure compliance with an applicable preliminary nationwide injunction, which may be supplemented, modified, or vacated, depending on the course of ongoing litigation, the Federal Government will take no action to implement or enforce the COVID-19 vaccination requirement pursuant to Executive Order 14043 on Requiring Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination for Federal Employees. Therefore, to the extent a Federal job announcement includes the requirement that applicants must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 pursuant to EO 14043, that requirement does not currently apply. Federal agencies may request information regarding the vaccination status of selected applicants for the purposes of implementing other workplace safety protocols, such as protocols related to masking, physical distancing, testing, travel, and quarantine.
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section of this vacancy.
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include the initial online assessment and submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section of this vacancy. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:
To begin the application process, click Apply Online button.
Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
Read the Eligibility questions carefully. The questions address if you are eligible to apply to this JOA. Your responses will affect your consideration for the position. You may qualify for more than one eligibility, so please choose carefully. You will only be considered under the options you have selected. If you respond that you do not meet any of the eligibility questions, you will not be considered for this position.
After submitting an online application, you will be notified whether or not you are required to take additional online assessment through the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment system. This message will be delivered to you via email notification. The email may be routed to your "Spam" or "Junk" folder.
If you are asked to take the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment, you will be presented with a unique URL to access the USA Hire system. Access to USA Hire is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Be sure to review all instructions prior to beginning your USA Hire Assessment. Click here for Computer System Requirements.
Note, set aside at least 3 hours to take the assessment; however, most applicants complete the assessment in less time. If you need to stop the assessment and continue at a later time, you can re-use the URL sent to you via email and also found on the Additional Application Information page that can be located in the application record in your USAJOBS account.
This position is being advertised concurrently with vacancy announcement # TDA-23-DE-11889347MR using Delegated Examining (DE) procedures. If interested, refer to that announcement to determine if you meet DE promotion requirements and can apply to that announcement. NOTE: You must apply separately to each announcement in order to be considered under both.
To update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login). There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Update Application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account: https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login . All of your applications will appear on the Welcome page. The application record in your USAJOBS account provides an Additional Application Information page that provides information regarding the documentation you submitted and any correspondence we have sent related to this application, including the invitation to take the USA Hire assessment. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/howto/application/status/.
US Trade and Development Agency
1101 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 1100
Arlington, VA 22209
US
Next steps
If you have questions about this job, please contact the HR Office representative listed in the "Agency Contact Info" section of this vacancy announcement. If you need assistance in applying on-line, please refer to the How to Apply section above and explore the Federal Application Process information on the USAJobs website.
For status updates on your application, please follow the directions listed above in the How to Apply section. Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. If you are selected for an interview for this position, you will be contacted directly. A final job offer for this position is typically made within several weeks after the closing date of the vacancy announcement. After confirming a job offer, all other applicants will be notified of their non-selection.
Based on your application and your responses to the application questionnaire, you may be presented with instructions on how to access the USA Hire system to complete the online assessments. The online assessments must be completed within 48 hours following the close of this announcement. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation for the assessment should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.
Your assessment results will be kept on record for one year and used toward future positions for which you might apply that require the same assessments.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
1. Your Resume listing work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment mm/yy and duties performed.
2. SF-50 or DD-214
Current/Former Career/Career-Conditional Eligible: Your most recent non-award Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50 or equivalent) showing that you are/were in the competitive service, as well as the highest grade (or promotion potential) held, on a permanent basis
3. Other supporting documents:
College transcript(s), if qualifying based on education
SF-15 Form and VA letter, or certification of expected discharge or release from active duty from Veterans for consideration under Veteran hiring authorities
Non-competitive appointment authority documentation, if applicable
Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program Documentation: If you are applying under CTAP or ICTAP, you MUST submit proof of eligibility under 5 CFR 330.602(a) for CTAP and 5 CFR 330.704 for ICTAP. This includes a copy of the agency notice, a copy of your most recent performance rating, and a copy of your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing your position, grade level, and duty location. Please annotate your application to reflect that you are applying as a CTAP or ICTAP eligible
Most recent Performance Appraisal, if applicable
Cover letter, optional
Do not submit photographs with your application package. Documents with photographs may not be seen by hiring officials - you must remove your image from any badges, licenses, etc.
Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents. Adobe portfolio documents are not viewable by our agency's staffing offices.
It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted prior to the closing date of the announcement.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
To ensure compliance with an applicable preliminary nationwide injunction, which may be supplemented, modified, or vacated, depending on the course of ongoing litigation, the Federal Government will take no action to implement or enforce the COVID-19 vaccination requirement pursuant to Executive Order 14043 on Requiring Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination for Federal Employees. Therefore, to the extent a Federal job announcement includes the requirement that applicants must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 pursuant to EO 14043, that requirement does not currently apply. Federal agencies may request information regarding the vaccination status of selected applicants for the purposes of implementing other workplace safety protocols, such as protocols related to masking, physical distancing, testing, travel, and quarantine.
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section of this vacancy.
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include the initial online assessment and submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section of this vacancy. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:
To begin the application process, click Apply Online button.
Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
Read the Eligibility questions carefully. The questions address if you are eligible to apply to this JOA. Your responses will affect your consideration for the position. You may qualify for more than one eligibility, so please choose carefully. You will only be considered under the options you have selected. If you respond that you do not meet any of the eligibility questions, you will not be considered for this position.
After submitting an online application, you will be notified whether or not you are required to take additional online assessment through the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment system. This message will be delivered to you via email notification. The email may be routed to your "Spam" or "Junk" folder.
If you are asked to take the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment, you will be presented with a unique URL to access the USA Hire system. Access to USA Hire is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Be sure to review all instructions prior to beginning your USA Hire Assessment. Click here for Computer System Requirements.
Note, set aside at least 3 hours to take the assessment; however, most applicants complete the assessment in less time. If you need to stop the assessment and continue at a later time, you can re-use the URL sent to you via email and also found on the Additional Application Information page that can be located in the application record in your USAJOBS account.
This position is being advertised concurrently with vacancy announcement # TDA-23-DE-11889347MR using Delegated Examining (DE) procedures. If interested, refer to that announcement to determine if you meet DE promotion requirements and can apply to that announcement. NOTE: You must apply separately to each announcement in order to be considered under both.
To update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login). There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Update Application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account: https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login . All of your applications will appear on the Welcome page. The application record in your USAJOBS account provides an Additional Application Information page that provides information regarding the documentation you submitted and any correspondence we have sent related to this application, including the invitation to take the USA Hire assessment. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/howto/application/status/.
US Trade and Development Agency
1101 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 1100
Arlington, VA 22209
US
Next steps
If you have questions about this job, please contact the HR Office representative listed in the "Agency Contact Info" section of this vacancy announcement. If you need assistance in applying on-line, please refer to the How to Apply section above and explore the Federal Application Process information on the USAJobs website.
For status updates on your application, please follow the directions listed above in the How to Apply section. Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. If you are selected for an interview for this position, you will be contacted directly. A final job offer for this position is typically made within several weeks after the closing date of the vacancy announcement. After confirming a job offer, all other applicants will be notified of their non-selection.
Based on your application and your responses to the application questionnaire, you may be presented with instructions on how to access the USA Hire system to complete the online assessments. The online assessments must be completed within 48 hours following the close of this announcement. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation for the assessment should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.
Your assessment results will be kept on record for one year and used toward future positions for which you might apply that require the same assessments.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
