BACKGROUND
USAID/South Sudan is the ICASS Alternate Service Provider (ASP) for all Embassy personnel.
Within the Executive Office, the General Services Office is the largest, most visible, and most complex unit. The GSS will provide leadership, training and professional development, and monitor the performance of all GSO staff. The GSS will supervise the day-to-day activities and provide technical advice and guidance for all General Services functions on six compounds that currently make up the USG presence in South Sudan. This includes office buildings, dining facilities, a warehouse, residential houses, trailers, generators, sewage and water treatments, water tanks and pumps, security teams and equipment, fuel storage, and vehicles (majority armored with some soft skin). The Office Compound (OC) contains ten buildings/containers that comprise the U.S. Embassy with approximately 150 US and South Sudanese employees. The Residential Compound (RC) houses approximately 90 Americans with 85 housing units including dedicated housing for the U.S. Ambassador and USAID Mission Director.
The GSS position includes work of significant and vital responsibilities and duties critical to Agency operations and management in South Sudan. The successful applicant performs duties and responsibilities under general administrative discretion with a wide latitude for the exercise of independent judgment. The GSS is considered an expert and is consulted by other experts.
Due to the GSS’ expertise and standing as a qualified professional in his/her field, his/her conclusions and recommendations will be taken into account by other USG agencies. S/he has formal decision-making authority in the GSO program area. GSS duties vary significantly and require many different unrelated processes and substantial depths of analysis. In South Sudan, the world’s youngest country, GSS decisions often involve undefined areas and issues that require extensive probing and analysis to determine the scope of the problem. In South Sudan there are continuing changes in programs, technological developments, unknown phenomena, and conflicting requirements. The work of the GSS involves isolating and defining unknown conditions, resolving critical problems, and developing new theories. The work of the GSS directly affects the development of Embassy programs and well-being of all Embassy staff. The GSS provides interagency support to all USG agencies at post and USG offices supporting USG agencies at post. The support shall include providing technical advice, overseeing project implementation, and providing quality and assurance support.
MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
As the Supervisory GSS, the successful applicant serves as a key member of the USAID/EXO Management Team with responsibility for assisting the Executive Office with all phases of GSO operations. Judgment and ingenuity are required to interpret the intent of guidelines and to develop applications/guidelines. The Supervisory GSS influences, motivates, controls, and directs groups of people. The GSS will determine the right approach in negotiating and persuading others, and in establishing rapport in order to gain and relay information, including high-level official decision makers. The GSS requires a mastery of GSO Management where assignments are complicated by interconnected issues, multi-disciplinary approaches, and/or conflicts among possible technical solutions.
GENERAL GSO MANAGEMENT: Directs and implements policies, procedures, and systems for all GSO units, ensuring delivery of high-quality services to internal and external customers with maximum efficiency, equity, and economy. Independently plans, designs and carries out projects and programs. Analyzes, approves, and assigns work requests in accordance with Mission policies and practices. Regularly conducts on-site inspections of GSO services delivery and monitors work in progress to ensure that the product meets quality control standards.
Ensures supplies and property are properly used and accounted for. Develops technical specifications and scopes of work for technical services as required; when assigned COR duties, after award, serves as the principal liaison with the contractor and monitors progress toward completion, ensuring full compliance with the terms and conditions of the purchase order/contract. Assists in the implementation and development of internal policies, procedures and operations for residential and office maintenance, real property, Health and Safety, and Motor Pool programs. The GSS provides supervision, leadership, training and professional development, and monitors the performance of GSO staff. Assists the EXO in collecting feedback to improve customer satisfaction and improve overall quality and operational efficiency.
BUDGETARY: Responsible for the creation and monitoring of the GSO annual budget, as directed by the Executive Officer. Analyzes the budgetary requirements for Operating Expensefunded and ICASS-funded equipment, furniture, services, and supplies. Coordinates the review obligations and expenditures of funds with the Office of Financial Management (OFM).
Develops GSO-related budget and workforce projections for the Mission’s and ICASS budget submissions.
NON-EXPENDABLE (NXP) AND EXPENDABLE (EXP) PROPERTY MANAGEMENT: Responsible for the accurate receipt, distribution and inventory control of NXP and EXP property, currently valued at $7M. Manages and directs the receipt, accountability, movement, and disposal of NXP. Devises procedural safeguards to promote integrity and equity in the distribution, maintenance, utilization, and disposal of Mission property. Srves as the Property Disposal Officer and ensures that all reporting requirements are met.
REAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT: Creates and implements a preventative maintenance program and coordinates with the Facilities manager on the maintenance and upkeep of all USG property. Maintains an up-to-date residential housing profile for the Mission. Keeps abreast of incoming/departing staff to ensure availability of housing. Conducts regular health and safety inspections of all USG properties. Ensures make-ready housing is done completely and timely for new arrivals. Oversees office space utilization and space planning.
MOTOR VEHICLE OPERATIONS: Responsible for the management of the Mission’s vehicle fleet, vehicle maintenance, and repair program. Current Mission fleet includes 79 vehicles, valued at over $7.5M. Plans the acquisition of motor vehicle replacement and spare parts. Administers the Mission shuttle program from office-to-Embassy transportation. Directs the Mission’s Vehicle Safety Program. Completes Agency vehicle reporting requirements accurately and timely. Coordinates with the Regional Security Office to ensure Motor Pool security protocols are followed.
SAFETY AND HEALTH: Administers the Mission’s safety, health, and security programs. Monitors the Integrated Pest Management Program to ensure pesticide use is in strict compliance with industry standards and Mission policies. Administers safety programs for the Mission and coordinates with the Post Operations, Safety and Health Officer to ensure compliance with regulations for occupational and residential safety.
CUSTOMS AND SHIPPING: Supervises official and personal effects shipments. Manages the provision of customs and shipping clearance documentation to local ministries on behalf of the Embassy. Serves as liaison with host-country customs officials. Ensures shipments are sent and received and in an accurate and timely manner. Advises post management concerning diplomatic import-export regulations.
SECURITY: This position is deemed essential in the event of an emergency. Ensures Mission generators, security systems, fuel supplies, and others as appropriate, are fully functional and at the appropriate levels in the event of an emergency. Coordinates with the RSO and USAID/Washington Office of Security to maintain compliance with appropriate physical security standards for the Mission. Works closely with the RSO to continually improve Mission security enhancements. ICASS: Maintains services standards for ICASS GSO services for the Embassy. Ensures delivery of high-quality services. Responds to customer issues.
ALTERNATE CONTRACTING OFFICER REPRESENTATIVE: May be assigned as Alternate COR and serve as a daily interface with the life support contract for the Mission and directs the life support staff as needed. The Life Support Services contract currently employees 85 staff who provide food services, maintenance, and cleaning services for all Embassy compounds.
SUPERVISORY DUTIES: Performs the full range of supervisory functions. Prepares and distributes daily work assignments, provides guidance as needed, monitors the progress of work assigned, establishes work objectives and performance measures for supervised employees, provides feedback throughout the rating period, prepares annual performance evaluation reports, approves leave requests, and recommends disciplinary action as appropriate.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The work requested does not involve undue physical demands.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION
Bachelor’s degree plus a minimum of ten years of relevant work experience with the USG, NGOs, or UN Agency. And such experience should be in the general services management section and should include: Directing and implementing of policies, procedures, and systems for all GSO units, ensuring delivery of high-quality services to internal and external customers with maximum efficiency, equity, and economy. Independently plans, designs and carries out projects and programs. Analyzes, approves, and assigns work requests in accordance with Mission policies and practices.
OR
Master’s Degree plus five years of relevant work experience with the USG, NGOs, or UN Agency, and such experience must have been in the implementation and development of internal policies, procedures and operations for residential and office maintenance, real property, Health and Safety, and Motor Pool programs. The General Services Specialist is expected to provide supervision, leadership, training and professional development, and monitors the performance of GSO staff, and monitoring of the General Service annual budget, analyzes the budgetary requirements for Operating Expense-funded and ICASS-funded equipment, furniture, services, and supplies. S/he coordinates the review obligations and expenditures of funds with the Office of Financial Management (OFM) and develops related budget and workforce projections for the Mission’s and ICASS budget submissions.
DEADLINE
09 January 2025
