THE FOLLOWING IS A POSTING FOR A PAST POSITION AND IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY

I.  INTRODUCTION

The Program Operations Assistant position will be located within the ENSO Team, Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance, Bureau for Humanitarian Response (BHR/OFDA).  The incumbent will be responsible for performing a wide variety of administrative activities necessary to support the Team.  (The Team’s overall objective is to coordinate OFDA’s response to the 1997-98 ENSO event and facilitate collaboration within USAID and among USG agencies and other entities [donors, host governments, etc.] to develop and implement short- and long-term strategies to manage ENSO impacts.)

II.  DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1.  Provide administrative support to ENSO Team operations, including maintaining schedules of and coordinating Team travel and leave, pertinent ENSO meetings and Team members’ actions.

2.  Develop and maintain a system to track all action requests (e.g., cables and e-mails) for BHR/OFDA’s ENSO Team.  Responsible for keeping the system current and ensuring the prioritization as well as timely completion of action requests by ENSO Team and/or other OFDA staff.  Take action when possible, and/or assist OFDA staff in developing replies when needed.  Follow-up on delinquent actions and send reminders to responsible OFDA staff.  Maintain e-mail and hardcopy files of pertinent documents.

3.  Assist in the dissemination/distribution of ENSO information as necessary, including through cables, fact sheets, briefing materials, etc.  Responsible for ensuring clearance of ENSO Team cables among relevant USAID actors, including OFDA, FFP, BHR, G, Regional Bureaus and ES (when necessary).  Standardize procedures for the proper dissemination of all forms of communication pertaining to the ENSO Team.

4.  Receive calls and, when necessary, visitors to the ENSO Team.  Personally handle those calls and visitors of a non-technical nature, referring all others to the relevant Team member or other OFDA or USAID staff.  Send, receive, and monitor fax messages.

5.  Arrange for meetings, to include reservation of conference rooms, gathering background material, notifying participants, pre-clearing non-USAID staff into the building, and following-up on any commitments made by ENSO Team members.

6.  Perform other duties as assigned by ENSO Team Leader Maxx Dilley.

III.  SUPERVISORY CONTROLS

The operations assistant will work under the general direction of the ENSO Team Leader and/or his designee. However the incumbent is expected to independently arrange priorities, develop and initiate courses of action, and organize and complete assignments.  The supervisor should be kept appraised of the methods of action and proposed outcomes, and of any problems encountered.  Work is reviewed for effectiveness and results.

IV.  WORK ENVIRONMENT/PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The work is performed in an office setting.  It is mostly sedentary in nature although some walking and carrying of documents is required.  Occasional commuting between the OFDA annex in Rosslyn and OFDA’s main office in the Ronald Reagan Building may be required.

V.  SELECTIVE FACTORS

1.  Skill in operating a computer and in devising computer-based
systems such as action tracking systems.

2.  Ability to prioritize multiple tasks and work with multiple actors.  Strong organizational skills.

3.  Ability to analyze and evaluate operating practices and procedures, recommend solutions to administrative problems and develop plans for improved efficiency.

4.  Familiarity with USAID, and ideally, OFDA.  Understanding of the interrelationships among actors in humanitarian and/or development assistance.

5.  Familiarity with cable preparatiion and the clearance process.

VI.  DURATION

Given the effects of ENSO are expected to endure through much of 1998, this position will be required for a minimum period of six months.

VII.  EVALUATION CRITERIA

1.  Ability to work well under tight deadline pressures.

2.  Ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing.

3.  Ultimately, work is reviewed for general effectiveness and results.