Director of OPATS

Job Description

This position is located in the Office of Overseas Programming and Training Support (OPATS), under the Office of Global Operations, Peace Corps headquarters, Washington DC. The Director of OPATS works under direction of the Associate Director of Office of Global Operations and provides strategic direction, oversight, and operational control to the OPATS program. Serves as advisor and consultant to AD/OGO and leadership to reflect their vision of agency leadership in managing objectives.

The Director of OPATS performs the following major duties:

Responsible for the oversight, administration, and management of OPATS program and staff, comprising of the following sub-units:

1. Programming Unit - consisting of specialists with expertise in any of the following disciplines/sectors: agriculture, education, environment, youth development, community economic development and entrepreneurship, volunteerism, gender equality, working with people with disabilities, climate adaptation, and/or food security. Program specialists work with overseas programming staff to plan, design, and evaluate projects, provide a global perspective, share developing themes and trends, and collect and share research on innovative global trends in the disciplines in which they are focused, and develop partnerships and coordination with other international donor organizations. Evaluation specialists in this unit support overseas programming and evaluation staff in the evaluation of post projects and Volunteer training, as well the monitoring and reporting of Volunteer activities.
2. Training Unit - comprised of three sub-units: Intercultural Competency, Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion; Language; and Instructional Systems Design. Training specialists in this unit are responsible for setting the standards of training excellence, supporting the development of training resources for Volunteers, and providing support and learning opportunities for programming, training, and evaluation staff.
3. Production Unit - consisting of an editor, digital librarian and multi-media specialist. This unit ensures that all support materials are available on demand and that the most appropriate systems are developed and in place to provide access to the wealth of knowledge and learning not only within Peace Corps, but also with its stakeholders and partners.

• Program and Policy Advice and Guidance: Serves as consultant and advisor to the Agency Director and other senior staff, coordinating with offices throughout the agency to develop, direct, and supervise a comprehensive, effective, innovative, and sustainable global strategy and program that is in line with Peace Corps’ mission and responsive to host country needs. Advises on the appropriate methods and techniques to use in order to achieve program goals and objectives. Keeps abreast on program’s operational efficiency and advises Agency leadership on problem areas, including plans to resolve issues and create synergies with other programs.
• Program Planning and Management: Provides strategic analysis on OPATS program planning, development, implementation, and expansion. Serves as the lead in developing strategies for planning and developing programming and training cross-cutting themes with wide scope and impact across the agency programs. Participates in the development and documentation of long- and short-range planning efforts. Reviews long- and short-range plans, resource projections, priorities, justifications, etc. Makes recommendations on planning efforts that can be undertaken within existing resource levels and advises on the impact of efforts that require additional resources.
• Supervisory and/or Managerial Responsibilities: Manages and supervises the activities of its staff, including the setting of performance goals and objectives, workload determinations, and priorities for strategic planning and budgeting. Ensures management and policies are based on sound organization, position, management and federal employment practices including EEO. Performs the administrative and human resource management functions relative to the staff supervised. Establishes guidelines and performance expectations for staff members, which are clearly communicated through the formal employee performance management system. Observes workers’ performance; demonstrates and conducts work performance critiques. Provides informal feedback and periodically evaluates employee performance. Resolves informal complaints and grievances. Develops work improvement plans, recommending personnel actions as necessary. Provides advice and counsel to workers related to work and administrative matters. Effects disciplinary measures as appropriate to the authority delegated in this area. Reviews and approves or disapproves leave requests. Assures that subordinates are trained and fully comply with the provisions of safety regulations. Provides final decision-making authority for the full range of personnel actions and organization design improvements recommended by supervisors of subordinate organizations, including the approval of long-range work plans, and the management of major changes throughout the OPATS organization, such as major changes to the structure, priorities, and content of the OPATS program.

About the Organization

"Peace Corps staff are passionate and dedicated to the cause of service. They do critical work to support our Volunteers and provide them the opportunity for a life-defining experience. Our staff is energetic, committed, hard-working, and positive. The work they do truly makes a difference."

Top Reasons to Work for Peace Corps! -- (1) Voted in the top 2 Best Places to Work in the Federal Government for mid-size agencies in 2015, (2) the Peace Corps has a unique global mission. (3) Benefits include higher salary caps than the Federal standard with (4) quicker step increases. (5) Peace Corps employees earn non-competitive eligibility after 3 years of service and (6) have the opportunity to pursue leadership development opportunities and many more ... established through President Kennedy's call to service; the Peace Corps asks applicants what you can do for your country ... and the world.