USAID Program Officer (Desk Officer, Balkans)

Job Description

Agency: U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)
Organization: Bureau for Europe and Eurasia, Office of European and Eurasian Country Affairs (E&E/EECA)
Location of Position: Washington, DC
Telework/Remote Eligibility: This position is telework eligible.
Open Period: May 2, 2024 – May 12, 2024
Appointment Type: This is an excepted service, time-limited appointment, that is not to exceed five years; may be considered for further extension for a maximum of nine years.
Grade level: FL-02
Salary: USD $132,860 – $191,900 per year (Washington, DC Locality)
Number of Vacancies: One

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion: All E&E employees are measured on how they foster a climate of respect in interactions with others, value differing perspectives, and treat others in a fair, equitable, and culturally sensitive manner. All employees are expected to adhere to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) policies and value diversity and inclusion in performing everyday duties and responsibilities.

About the Position: E&E is seeking a highly qualified and motivated FL-02 grade level officer to serve as a Program Officer (Desk Officer, Balkans) for E&E/EECA. The position is based in Washington, DC and provides expert support, guidance, and oversight to E&E’s regional programs and Missions.

E&E provides overall leadership for Agency programs across the region, including many countries at the top of the U.S. foreign policy agenda. E&E covers areas from the Balkans to the Caucasus. USAID programs focus on building democratic institutions and processes, increasing access to quality education and health, increasing trade and value chain improvements, reducing corruption, increased productivity, improving the management and sustainable use of natural resources, diversifying energy supplies, and regional coordination. E&E is responsible for overall strategic planning in the region and program coordination with other United States Government (USG) agencies and private organizations and supports the work of ten USAID field Missions.

Note: This role does not offer promotion potential due to its time-limited nature. To be considered for promotion, the person selected for this role must compete for higher positions.

Qualifications:

Must be a U.S. citizen;
Must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (i.e., FL-02 is equivalent to one year prior at the FL-03 level). Examples of specialized experience include: Work experience in country affairs and program and technical areas, especially related to international development;
Strong organizational skills;
Excellent written and verbal communications skills with technical and non-technical audiences;
Detail- and deadline-oriented;
Able to effectively coordinate with other USAID Operating Units, Offices, and Bureaus on matters involving the countries of responsibility;
Able to effectively engage with relevant members of the USG interagencies (Department of State [State], the National Security Council, Department of Defense, U.S. Trade Representative, Department of Energy, etc.) on matters of policy, budget, and other subjects related to the areas of responsibility;
Able to represent USAID’s interests and positions in meetings with interagency members; and
Must be eligible to obtain and maintain a Secret-level security clearance.

Key Duties:

Serve as a subject matter expert on the political, economic, and social development context of assigned countries or geographic regions;
Maintain working knowledge of USAID Mission staff, programs, and political context for assigned countries;
Maintain a network of contacts and strategic partnerships within the policymaking, academic, donor, and practitioner communities;
Establish and maintain relationships with counterparts in State and technical and pillar offices throughout the Agency;
Prepare program-related correspondence, reports, and/or other written materials associated with established organizational programs, policies, and operations;
Facilitate information sharing between other agencies and relevant parts of USAID; and
Review and provide input to other Offices, Bureaus, and Agency information products on issues related to their assigned country or region.

Interested candidates must submit the following:

A resume/CV,
A short (one page) written statement of interest, and
Five professional references.

Please submit your application package to eerecruitments@usaid.gov with the subject line: “FSL APPLICATION PACKAGE: Program Officer (Desk Officer, Balkans), FL-02.” Application submissions are required by 11:59 p.m. EDT, May 12, 2024. Incomplete packages, or packages not submitted by the deadline with the specified subject line, will not receive consideration.

Additional resources include: