The Africa Program works to address the most critical issues facing Africa and U.S.-Africa relations, build mutually beneficial U.S.-Africa relations, and enhance knowledge and understanding about Africa in the United States through in-depth research and analyses, public discussion, working groups, and briefings that bring together policymakers, practitioners, and subject matter experts to analyze and offer practical options for tackling key challenges in Africa and in U.S.-Africa relations.
Summary
The Africa Program works to address the most critical issues facing Africa and U.S.-Africa relations, build mutually beneficial U.S.-Africa relations, and enhance knowledge and understanding about Africa in the United States through in-depth research and analyses, public discussion, working groups, and briefings that bring together policymakers, practitioners, and subject matter experts to analyze and offer practical options for tackling key challenges in Africa and in U.S.-Africa relations.
The incumbent manages the program operations responsibilities internally for the Africa Program, support fundraising and strategic partnerships, and contributes to thought-leadership. As such, the incumbent:
Project and Program Management – 35%
Works with the Program Director to identify and advance strategic leadership and priorities and administrative direction for the Program.
Manages the internal operations of the Africa Program to include overseeing the Program master timeline, as well as the planning, implementation, and closeout of grant activities.
Leads the planning and organization of conferences in Africa to include developing concept notes, conference agendas, speaker identification and development of talking points, and overseeing Program Staff in their logistical and administrative preparations.
Leads the planning, organization, and implementation of events and activities in support of the U.S. government to include briefings and events for senior U.S. officials, members of Congress and senior congressional staffers.
Oversees and coordinates the drafting and preparation of grant proposals and reports as well as internal Wilson Center reporting requirements.
Liaises across the Wilson Center to support intra-Wilson collaboration on behalf of the Africa Program.
Provides financial oversight support to Director to include budget preparation and review.
Supervises Africa Program interns.
Programmatic Research and Content Development – 35%
Collaborates with the Director to drive thought-leadership on Africa and U.S.-Africa relations.
Stays current on developments across Africa and U.S. policies in the region.
Conducts specialized research on African Affairs and related topics as required for the planning and coordination of programmatic activities; research may also include economic, cultural and political relations type of topics.
Prepares written materials (blogs, articles, op-eds etc.) for Africa Program publications.
Serves as a resource for thought leadership for event moderation, media requests, and external publications, as required.
Develops research questions and provides review and support to team research projects.
Conducts independent and team-based scholarly research and policy analysis on various programmatic initiatives.
Responsible for the publication lifecycle (content development and editorial review) of written materials (reports, policy briefs, journal articles, blog posts, op-eds) related to programmatic research, for the Director’s review.
Oversees management of the program’s public website, including the development of its contents.
Oversees usage and consistency of Africa Program and Wilson Center branding for all program activities and publications.
Outreach and Partnerships – 30%
Supports the Program’s engagement with Congress, U.S. government and other key stakeholders on U.S.-Africa relations in the public and private sector.
Develops and implements outreach strategies, including identifying and approaching new partners relating to Africa Program priorities and research areas.
Coordinates, in conjunction with the Director, internal and external outreach initiatives affiliated with the program.
Develops and maintains the Africa Program’s engagement and collaboration with key peacebuilding organizations and other organizations in Africa to include enhancing partnerships, soliciting scholars, and identifying speakers and publication topics.
Supports the Director in managing scholar engagements and outputs during their time at the Wilson Center.
At the Director’s request, represents the Africa Program in high-level meetings including with African and international diplomats and officials.
Manages alumni engagements including Southern Voices Network for Peacebuilding, Wilson Center scholars and global fellows.
Identifies funding opportunities and coordinates grant application preparation; coordinates new grants as assigned; and oversees preparation of grant reports and other materials requested by funders in conjunction with Director and other team members as appropriate.
Selective Service Registration is required, as applicable
You may be required to complete a one-year probationary period
You must maintain a bank account for direct deposit
All qualification requirements for this position must be met by the closing date of this announcement
Qualifications
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
To be considered minimally qualified for this position, you must demonstrate that you have the required specialized experience for the respective grade level in which you are applying:
Specialized Experience:to qualify you must have at least one (1) year of specialized work experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service (obtained either in the private or public sectors) performing the following types of duties:
Conducting original research or analysis on politics, economics, history, culture, public policy, and related issues on African Affairs;
Managing fundraising and grant reporting duties such as: identify funding opportunities and contribute to grant applications, coordinate grants, and prepare grant reports and other materials requested by funders.
Implementing project management techniques to ensure smooth program operations and find way to optimize and improve work processes.
Making oral presentations and ability to establish and maintain good working relationships with the U.S. government and African government, civil society and the private sector on Africa-related issues.
Managing interns and contractors within and across teams.
Managing, creating, and updating websites and social media accounts to reflect activities and events.
NOTE: THIS INFORMATION MUST BE SUPPORTED IN YOUR RESUME/APPLICATION DOCUMENTS TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THE POSITION
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s).
Volunteer Experience: 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, including volunteer experience.
You must include months, years and hours per week worked to receive credit for your work and/or volunteer experience. One year of specialized experience is equivalent to 12 months at 40 hours per week. Part-time hours are prorated. You will not receive any credit for experience that does not indicate exact hours per week or is listed as "varies".
Additional information
The work is primarily sedentary; although, requires moving around to offices and/or to similar areas for meeting to conduct human resources business. May require standing in conjunction with travel and attendance at meetings and conferences away from the worksite.
Work Environment
Work is performed in a typical office setting that is adequately lighted, heated and ventilated.
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 Executive Order 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.
The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your ICTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement; and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and rate equivalent to the Highly Qualified or better category using established category rating criteria. You must provide proof of eligibility with your application. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP eligibility or a copy of your separation personnel action form.
The Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provides eligible surplus and displaced competitive service employees in the CIGIE with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your CIGIE component has notified you in writing that you are a surplus or displaced employee eligible for CTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your CTAP eligibility, 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement, and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and rate equivalent to the Highly Qualified or better category using established category rating criteria. You must provide a copy of your written notification of CTAP eligibility with your application.
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.
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. Benefits Information
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 for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Once the announcement has closed, a review of your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement. If you are minimally qualified, your résumé and supporting documentation will be compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine your level of experience. If, after reviewing your résumé and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.
Your application will be evaluated in accordance with Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) Delegated Examining Procedures using category rating.
Your application will then be placed in one of three categories:
Gold
Silver
Bronze
Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):
Research and Analysis
Oral Communication
Planning and Evaluating
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 assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
The Category Rating Process does not add veterans' preference points or apply the "rule of three," but protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each category. Preference eligible applicants who meet the minimum qualification requirements and have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent or higher will be listed in the highest quality category (except in the case of scientific or professional positions at the GS-09 level or higher).
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.
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. Benefits Information
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.
Note: Failure to submit a resume or supporting documentation may result in elimination for further consideration.
The following documents are required and must be submitted by the closing date of this announcement.
1. Résumé/CV, which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, with dates specified in month and year format, and indicate hours worked per week. If military or civilian, please include your rank and/or grade. 2. A complete Occupational Questionnaire (which may include narrative responses)
3. Veteran Preference Documentation:
If you are a Discharged, Non-Disabled Veteran, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 showing character of discharge (Member 4 copy), or other Documentation of Service and Separation under Honorable Conditions, as listed on the SF15. If you don't have your DD-214, you may request it after discharge from the National Archives.
If you are a veteran within 120 days of discharge, you must submit signed documentation from the Armed Forces certifying: 1) your expected release/retirement from active duty, 2) under honorable conditions, 3) your pay grade/rank/rate at time of discharge, 4) dates of active duty service, 5) any campaign or expeditionary medals received, & 6) dated within 120 days of your separation.
If you are a Disabled Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient, or Mother or Spouse of a Disabled or Deceased Veteran, you must submit all additional proof required by the SF15, and if applicable, a completed SF15. You may request a copy of your Department of Veterans Affairs letter from www.ebenefits.va.gov or call 1-800-827-1000 to establish proof of disability.
4. Documentation for Interagency/Career Transition Assistance Plan consideration if you are a displaced Federal employee within the local commuting area. You must include: 1) Proof you are a displaced Federal employee, e.g., RIF Separation Notice, Notice of Proposed Removal, etc; 2) SF-50s (Notifications of Personnel Action) showing career/conditional tenure competitive status, promotion potential and duty location; and 3) your most recent performance appraisal. To exercise selection priority, displaced or surplus Federal employees must be rated well-qualified or above 85 on the rating criteria for this position.
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.
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.
You must submit a complete application package by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of this announcement.
To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
Click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application package. * It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date of the announcement.
*To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
* To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, District of Columbia 20004
United States
Next steps
Once the Occupational Questionnaire is received you will receive acknowledgement that your submission was successful. If you are among the most qualified candidates and your name is referred to the hiring official, you may be contacted directly for a possible interview. You will be notified of the status of your Application Package at the time candidates are referred for consideration, and when the selection process is complete.
This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
Note: Failure to submit a resume or supporting documentation may result in elimination for further consideration.
The following documents are required and must be submitted by the closing date of this announcement.
1. Résumé/CV, which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, with dates specified in month and year format, and indicate hours worked per week. If military or civilian, please include your rank and/or grade. 2. A complete Occupational Questionnaire (which may include narrative responses)
3. Veteran Preference Documentation:
If you are a Discharged, Non-Disabled Veteran, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 showing character of discharge (Member 4 copy), or other Documentation of Service and Separation under Honorable Conditions, as listed on the SF15. If you don't have your DD-214, you may request it after discharge from the National Archives.
If you are a veteran within 120 days of discharge, you must submit signed documentation from the Armed Forces certifying: 1) your expected release/retirement from active duty, 2) under honorable conditions, 3) your pay grade/rank/rate at time of discharge, 4) dates of active duty service, 5) any campaign or expeditionary medals received, & 6) dated within 120 days of your separation.
If you are a Disabled Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient, or Mother or Spouse of a Disabled or Deceased Veteran, you must submit all additional proof required by the SF15, and if applicable, a completed SF15. You may request a copy of your Department of Veterans Affairs letter from www.ebenefits.va.gov or call 1-800-827-1000 to establish proof of disability.
4. Documentation for Interagency/Career Transition Assistance Plan consideration if you are a displaced Federal employee within the local commuting area. You must include: 1) Proof you are a displaced Federal employee, e.g., RIF Separation Notice, Notice of Proposed Removal, etc; 2) SF-50s (Notifications of Personnel Action) showing career/conditional tenure competitive status, promotion potential and duty location; and 3) your most recent performance appraisal. To exercise selection priority, displaced or surplus Federal employees must be rated well-qualified or above 85 on the rating criteria for this position.
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.
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.
You must submit a complete application package by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of this announcement.
To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
Click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application package. * It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date of the announcement.
*To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
* To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, District of Columbia 20004
United States
Next steps
Once the Occupational Questionnaire is received you will receive acknowledgement that your submission was successful. If you are among the most qualified candidates and your name is referred to the hiring official, you may be contacted directly for a possible interview. You will be notified of the status of your Application Package at the time candidates are referred for consideration, and when the selection process is complete.
This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
