Program Advisor (INL)
Description
SECURITY CLEARANCE: A Secret security clearance is required for this position; however, the Contract can begin work with an interim Secret clearance.
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: One (1) Year from the Date of Assignment with the potential for four (4) follow-on Option Years.
BACKGROUND
The U.S. Department of State is the lead institution for the conduct of American diplomacy and the Secretary of State is the President’s principal foreign policy advisor. The Department of State’s mission is to advance U.S. national security interests, fight terrorism, protect U.S. interests abroad, and implement foreign policy initiatives that build a freer, prosperous and secure world.
INL keeps Americans safe at home by countering international crime, illegal drugs, and instability abroad. INL helps countries deliver justice and fairness by strengthening their police, courts, and corrections systems. These efforts reduce the amount of crime and illegal drugs reaching U.S. shores.
The Western Hemisphere Program Office (INL/WHP) is part of the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) in the Department of State. INL is responsible for the development, supervision, coordination, and implementation of foreign assistance including international narcotics control assistance activities and international criminal justice assistance activities for the Department of State. INL/WHP provides policy guidance and develops, executes, and monitors programs to address the full range of criminal justice and transnational crime issues in the Western Hemisphere. The office is comprised of approximately 40 staff members including Foreign Service Officers, Civil Service Officers, Personal Services Contractors, and third-party contractors.
The Program Advisor, referred to as Advisor for the remainder of this SOW, will provide programmatic, contractual, logistical, and administrative support to the INL/WHP Office. They will be assigned to either the Caribbean or Central America team. In particular, the Advisor will assist the appropriate team with information management (compiling, reviewing, and synthesizing reporting on programs and updating and maintaining SharePoint and reference documents) and will serve as the main point of contact for country programs or individual projects, as determined by the Team Lead. The Advisor will organize and attend meetings and provide other general administrative and programmatic support to help the team implement their programs. The Advisor may undertake research projects to track trends in law enforcement, counternarcotics, and other rule of law issues in the region. The Advisor will also provide support for budget and monitoring & evaluation work in consultation with the Team Lead.
Hours for the position will be the core hours of the Department of State: Monday through Friday, 40 hours per week, 8 hours per day.
The physical work location is located at INL/WHP, State Annex 1 (Columbia Plaza, 2401 E St., NW, Washington, DC).
TRAVEL
Travel is authorized for this position and cannot be used without prior authorization of the INL Contracting Officer.
There is mandatory training required for DOS-specific equipment, systems, and processes (reference 13 FAM 300 Agency Mandated Training), which shall be completed promptly and in accordance with Department policy.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Serves as the primary point of contact for assigned country programs and projects.
- Assists with implementation challenges; reviews regular reporting; maintains up-to-date project files; ensures regular communication with Posts and implementing partners, and ensures programmatic activities support INL and USG priorities.
- Tracks program budgets and pipelines for assigned projects.
- Supports and advises the team to enable effective program funding on INL implementing mechanisms including contracts, grants, and interagency agreements, and coordinate the obligation of funds on letters of agreement.
- Supports Program Officers, Contracting Officer Representatives, Grants Officers Representatives, and Agreement Officer Representatives in writing Statements of Work (SOWs), Requests for Proposals (RFPs), and program work plans by facilitating the process through award and program execution.
- Maintains up-to-date files tracking implementation of programs. Saves regular reporting documents, reviews them, and aggregates information contained within to identify program successes, impacts, and areas of concern.
- Assists in compiling and analyzing program budget data, including program development and support costs and estimates.
- Assists in the preparation of programmatic and budgetary justifications, overviews, and responses to Department stakeholders.
- Assists in preparing program justifications and responses to congressional and oversight committees, including OMB, GAO, OIG, and the House and Senate committees on foreign appropriations.
- Assists INL/WHP in developing and implementing a process to aggregate and report visually on collected program data.
- Assists INL/WHP in developing systems and methods to track program execution within contracts, grants, IAAs, and other sources.
- Assists in the preparation of background materials and reports used by INL, and in the preparation of reports, speeches, briefings, meeting notes, press guidance, and testimony on regional and thematic issues.
- Provides general administrative and programmatic support to the assigned INL/WHP team, including but not limited to assembling briefing books, drafting reports and updates, serving as control officer, and scheduling meetings, among other requirements.
- U.S. Citizen.
- A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
- Four (04) to six (06) years’ experience in relevant field; Demonstrated knowledge of specific country issues, including specialized knowledge of international narcotics and law enforcement, or similar type programs sufficient to ensure project work is in compliance with management policies and procedures and in conformance with the Foreign Assistance Act and other regulatory procedures and guidelines.
- Proven knowledge of Federal policies and procedures including methods of providing assistance and the Federal budget process.
- Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with a wide range of players.
- Demonstrated ability to provide advice, guidance, and consultation with regard to the interpretation and application of analysis.
- Experience drafting US government reports and documents, such as the INCSR, embassy cables, and other documents.
- A Master’s degree in a relevant field (such as public administration/policy, international affairs, international development, criminal justice, or similar social sciences degrees) or juris doctor (J.D.) degree in law from an accredited institution.
- Demonstrated experience with implementing foreign assistance and/or demonstrated knowledge of INL responsibilities and skill sets.
- Demonstrated experience overseeing, managing, and/or advising on criminal justice reform programs.
- Demonstrated experience and understanding of political, cultural, and criminal issues in the Western Hemisphere.
- Demonstrated experience with project or program management.
- Demonstrated knowledge of program planning and execution.
- Demonstrated superior attention to detail and experience meeting tight deadlines in a fast-paced office environment.
Come onboard with a company that Values its Employees!
Celestar, a Veteran Owned Company, is Very Competitive with Salaries and Benefits. As an example, we offer Company Paid Benefits that include Employee and Family Dental Insurance, Employee Health Insurance. We also offer a 401k retirement company match, paid Holidays and Personal Time Off.
Celestar is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, protected veteran status, disability status, gender identity or national origin.
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Minimum physical demands for on task positions: Employee needs to be able to sit at a workstation for extended periods; use hand(s) to handle or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; talk and hear. Most positions require ability to work on desktop or laptop computer for extended periods of time reading, reviewing/analyzing information, and providing recommendations, summaries and/or reports in written format. Must be able to effectively communicate with others verbally and in writing. Employee may be required to occasionally lift and/or move moderate amounts of weight, typically less than 20 pounds. Regular and predictable attendance is essential.
Team Members on Task (CONUS only, minimal or no job-related travel):
• Work Environment: The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
• Office Type Environment with Temperature Control. May be exposed to chemicals related to office equipment. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. General office environment.
Team Members on task (CONUS and OCONUS assignments, some travel):
• Specific vision abilities required by the job may include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• Team Members deployed to a combat zone must be physically able to live in austere conditions during off duty time that may include extremes in temperature, noise, and must not have any medical conditions that require access to uninterrupted power sources.
• Team Members deployed to a combat zone will be subject to hazardous conditions which may require them to wear a kevlar helmet, individual body armor and/or wear a gas mask for extended periods of time.
PAY TRANSPARENCY POLICY STATEMENT
The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information.
Celestar is an Equal Employment Opportunity Affirmative Action Employer that is committed to providing equal opportunity for all applicants or employees on the basis of their race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, religion, veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law.
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