MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
I. Program Management (30%)
● The Specialist acts as an Agreement Officer’s Representative (AOR) supporting and coordinating with the BHA Contracting Officer’s Representatives (CORs) and Agreement Officer’s Representatives (AORs) based in Washington, D.C., to manage BHA-funded programs in the Philippines and the region.
● In this role, s/he will plan, oversee, monitor, and evaluate all aspects of BHA-funded public international organization (PIO) and nongovernmental organization (NGO) projects, including but not limited to ensuring financial management and programmatic compliance through concept note and application review, meetings with PIOs and NGOs, site visits, and review of program reports.
● The Specialist will be involved in the design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of humanitarian assistance and ER4 projects throughout the country, including assisting in the development and implementation of annual plans and response strategies; reviewing and analyzing program progress reports; identifying achievements as well as problems and, in consultation with the BHA Regional Advisor based in Manila, the BHA/EAP Regional Director based in Manila, and BHA/Washington, developing strategies to capitalize on successes and rectify problems where they exist.
● The job holder communicates with all BHA partners regarding BHA rules and regulations, as well as their obligations to BHA.
● S/he is responsible for tracking results and performance indicators; reviewing programmatic reports to ensure that program benchmarks and goals are being met; regularly meeting with partners on program progress and their monitoring plans; identifying and assisting in resolving problems; and providing written and oral reports to the BHA Regional Humanitarian Advisor and the BHA/EAP Regional Director based in Manila, and BHA/Washington as needed.
II. Program Monitoring (25%)
● The Specialist is responsible for monitoring BHA programs to track project implementation, awardee performance, and achievements and challenges.
● Through in-person and remote means, the Specialist will utilize his/her highly specialized understanding of humanitarian relief, ER4 interventions, and the local context to participate in a broad spectrum of technical assessments and coordination meetings to determine priority areas and populations based on needs, vulnerabilities, and gaps in relief efforts to inform BHA strategy and programs in consultation with the BHA Regional Humanitarian Advisor based in Manila, and the BHA/EAP Regional Director.
● The Specialist will develop and maintain a regular monitoring schedule, to include site visits throughout the country areas when feasible as well as remote monitoring efforts to ensure accountability of BHA awards.
● Through monitoring visits, meetings, and document reviews, the job holder will ensure projects are being implemented competently, in a transparent manner, in full compliance with all relevant BHA regulations, policies, and procedures, and are achieving targeted objectives.
III. Reporting (25%)
● The Specialist will maintain regular contact with BHA awardees, as well as UN agencies, IOs, and NGOs, and liaise with the governments of Philippines and other countries in the region to stay abreast of developing issues and concerns and ensure understanding of BHA activities.
● S/he will also liaise with other USAID and USG staff to ensure mutual programming awareness while actively seeking out new opportunities for resource sharing and collaboration.
● When and where needed, s/he will prepare presentations for use within the Mission and for other stakeholders on specific emergency situations and/or on BHA mandates, responsibilities, and programs, and prepare agendas and briefings for all official USG visitors interested in humanitarian issues.
● The Specialist will regularly report through official cables and other means on field visit findings, meetings directly or indirectly related to BHA programs, overviews of humanitarian patterns and trends, and other issues that impact humanitarian needs or relief efforts in the area of responsibility.
IV. Representation (10%)
● The Specialist will coordinate and liaise with high level representatives of other donor government officials, host government officials, IOs, NGOs, UN Agencies, USAID Missions, and the U.S. Government inter-agency on humanitarian issues in order to identify critical humanitarian concerns, develop projects and activities for addressing them, advance BHA’s strategic priorities, coordinate with host government programming, and help strengthen and coordinate USG and other international humanitarian and disaster risk reduction activities.
● Specifically, the Specialist will be in consistent contact with the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) as well as provincial and municipal disaster risk reduction committees across the Philippines, and regional disaster counterparts as appropriate.
V. Disaster Response and Potential for Surge Support (10%)
● The Specialist will be responsible for monitoring incipient disasters in the Philippines and the region as directed, including through consultation and coordination with the UN and international and local NGO partners and host country government disaster management authorities.
● The job holder will support coordination of USG disaster response efforts, including to help provide guidance on USG and international humanitarian systems as well as the development and implementation of appropriate disaster preparedness and response strategies and plans.
● S/he may be requested to backfill for other BHA staff members in the region and/or asked to be on-call/sign up for to support BHA responses to humanitarian disasters in Philippines or globally, including to serve as needed on Disaster Assistance Response Teams (DARTs) or Washington-based Response Management Teams (RMTs). Serving on a DART may require immediate (within 24 hours) deployment overseas for an extended period of time.
● During disaster responses – including deployment on DARTs, and during site visits, there may be some additional physical exertion including long periods of standing, walking over rough terrain, or carrying of moderately heavy items of less than 50 pounds, though work will be primarily performed in an office setting.
● During disaster responses – including deployment on DARTs, and during site visits, the work may additionally involve special safety and/or security precautions, wearing of protective equipment, and exposure to severe weather conditions.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION
Education (PASS/FAIL)
Note: Additional education may NOT be substituted for experience.
University (Bachelor’s) degree in a relevant technical sector such as political science, international development, social sciences, humanities, humanitarian affairs, or related field is required.
Prior Work Experience (PASS/FAIL)
Note: Additional experience may NOT be substituted for education.
Minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in humanitarian affairs, development, or social services.
CLOSING DATE AND TIME FOR RECEIPT OF OFFERS: January 31, 2025 / 11:59 PM, Philippine Standard Time (PST)
