Secretary – Roving (m/f)

Description

• The United States Government, represented by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in Mozambique is seeking applications from qualified persons to provide personal services under contract as described in this solicitation
• This solicitation in no way obligates USAID to award a PSC contract, nor does it commit USAID to pay any cost incurred in the preparation and submission of the offers
• Solicitation No. 72065619R10020 opened to all Mission employees and external candidates who meet the stated qualifications
• Closing Date for Receipt of Offers: July 26, 2019. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. The first cut off will be July 19, 2019
• Market Value: USD18,476 – USD25,868 per annum, equivalent to FSN-06 (Step1-12)
• In accordance with AIDAR Appendix J and the Local Compensation Plan of USAID/Mozambique). Final compensation will be negotiated within the market value
• Period of Performance: One year. The contract will be renewed as long as there is a need for this position; funds are available, and subject to satisfactory performance
• Security Level Required: Employment Certification (RSO Certification)
• USAID Regulations, Policies and Contract Clauses pertaining to PSCs
• USAID regulations and policies governing CCN/TCN PSC awards are available at these sources:
• USAID Acquisition Regulation (AIDAR), Appendix J, “Direct USAID Contracts With a Cooperating Country National and with a Third Country National for Personal Services Abroad,” including contract clause “General Provisions,” available at https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1868/aidar_0.pdf
• Contract Cover Page form AID 309-1 available at https://www.usaid.gov/forms
• Acquisition & Assistance Policy Directives/Contract Information Bulletins (AAPDs/CIBs) for Personal Services Contracts with Individuals available at http://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/aapds-cibs 
• Ethical Conduct. By the acceptance of a USAID personal services contract as an individual, the contractor will be acknowledging receipt of the “Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch,” available from the U.S. Office of Government Ethics, in accordance with General Provision 2 and 5 CFR 2635. See https://www.oge.gov/web/oge.nsf/OGE%20 

Duties

• The incumbent serves as a Roving Secretary, who provides back-up support for various offices in the USAID/Mozambique Mission. The Secretary is assigned to the USAID/Mozambique Executive Office
• The Secretary is expected to be able to perform the full scope of tasks of the replaced Secretary within a very short period, requiring the incumbent to maintain their office management skills at a high level. This includes covering for Secretaries reporting to Office Chiefs and the Executive Assistant which reports to the Deputy Mission Director
• The Secretary may perform other office functions appropriate for their training and grade level

Secretarial/Administrative and Clerical Duties – 65%

• As assigned, serves as Secretary (to an Office, Branch, or other Unit), with responsibility for providing the full range of secretarial, administrative, and clerical support to the organization staff
• Typical duties vary with the assignment, but may include any or all of the following: keeps the organization Chief’s calendar: receives visitors and telephone calls to the organization; takes appropriate action depending upon the nature of the visit or the call; to the extent possible, provides information to answer non-technical questions within prescribed guidelines; arranges appointments, meetings, and conferences as requested, to include scheduling conference rooms and notifying participants and assembling background materials for conference use; makes travel and hotel arrangements, and coordinates logistical arrangements for visiting officials; and, as assigned, takes notes, and follows up to ensure commitments made in meetings and conferences are met
• The Secretary provides administrative support for organization staff; receives, reviews, and controls incoming and outgoing correspondence and communications, and distributes mail and messages, maintaining controls and following up on actionable correspondence; drafts routine correspondence for signature of organization staff; types a variety of USAID correspondence; proofreads outgoing correspondence to assure they are in proper format, consistent with Mission style requirements, properly addressed, etc., prior to going to the organization Chief for clearance or signature; serves as GLAAS Requestor; tracks official organization correspondence, GLAAS documents, etc. through the clearance and signature process; and, establishes maintains files and records, with input EXO/C&R
• As required by the assignment, the Secretary maintains contact with counterparts in the US Embassy, other international organizations, host-government officials, and third-country nationals. The Secretary provides translation of non-technical articles, letters, and memoranda, for the organization Chief and staff, translating between Portuguese and English, and English and Portuguese
• As required by workload, the Secretary may be assigned as a second Secretary or Assistant, assisting organization Secretaries in the performance of their official duties

Travel Duties – 25%

• Prepares travel authorizations, travel vouchers, makes travel arrangements, monitors Visa/DIRE issues; Declining Balance Cards in coordination with the Travel Assistant and operates OpenNet to update arrivals/departures
• Provides back-up for the Travel Assistant while on leave

Backup Time and Attendance Support – 10%

• Provides back-up and support to EXO/HR in completing Time and Attendance coverage for the Mission, in the absence or preoccupation of the official Timekeeper
• Supervision Received: The incumbent will work under the supervision of EXO Secretary, and/or the supervisor to whom temporary assigned
• Supervision Exercised: None
• Area of Consideration: To meet basic eligibility requirements, the applicant must be a cooperating country citizen or a non-cooperating country citizen lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the cooperating country. Applicants must submit a complete application as outlined in Section IV

Requisites

• Minimum qualifications required for this position:
• Completion of Secondary Schooling and two or more years of post-secondary schooling in Secretarial Science or Business Administration, equivalent to a US junior college or community college diploma, is required
• A minimum of two years of progressively responsible work experience, some of which should be in related work with the USG, NGOs, other donor organizations, or host-government organizations. Experience in an English-language work environment is required
• Level IV (fluent) English and Portuguese ability and report writing skills are required. (This will be tested)
• The Secretary must have a good understanding of general document preparation, and be able to quickly develop, a familiarity with USAID activities and programs, as well as a general knowledge of office procedures and practices. The Secretary should have a good working knowledge of file management, mail handling, and correspondence formatting
• The incumbent must be tactful, with good communication and interpersonal skills, and the ability to be a team player. Diplomacy in office settings is also required. The Secretary must have ability to develop effective working relationship with supervisors in the various offices to which temporary assigned
• The Secretary must be proficient in keyboarding and in operating computers with standard software, including Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and other software programs as designated
• The Secretary must be proficient in using the Internet and E-mail. Must be proactive and posse critical thinking skills to be able to work independently without close supervision

Evaluation and Selection Factors

• Education - 10 points
• Prior Work Experience - 25 points
• Job Knowledge - 25 points
• Language Proficiency - 10 points
• Skills and Abilities - 30 points
• Maximum Points: 100 points

Notes

• A cover letter in English with CV/Applicant Resume in English
• Names, contact numbers, and e-mail addresses of three professional references from individuals who are not family members or relatives. Reference checks will be conducted for the final selected candidate for the Contracting Officer to make a responsibility determination
• To ensure consideration of offers for the intended position, Offerors must prominently reference the Solicitation number in the offer submission
• Only candidates selected for interviews will be informed in writing of the Selection Committee’s final decision
• Any application received in Portuguese will not be considered. Only English applications will be considered
• Only applicants who meet the minimum qualification requirements for the position will be considered.
• Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. The first cut off will be July 19, 2019
• Candidates will be evaluated based on relevant education, prior work experience, knowledge, language proficiency, skills and abilities demonstrated in their application packages. Only the short listed candidates will be invited for a language test. Candidates successfully passing the language exam will be invited for an oral interview
• Final selection will be based on the application package, language abilities, and oral interview. This is a local position and compensation will be in accordance with the Local Compensation Plan
• Once the Contracting Officer (CO) informs the successful Offeror about being selected for a contract award, the CO will provide the successful Offeror instructions about how to complete and submit the required forms
• Please note that USAID and the U.S. Government NEVER require payment of any money in connection with a job application
• Physical Demands: The work requested does not involve undue physical demands
• Point of Contact: Mission-Maputo-HR@usaid.gov