Reference No.: AID-16-03
Position/Salary Range: (Re-advertisement) Travel Assistant; FSN-8
Additional benefits include allowances for Housing, Transportation,
Meals, Family, and Miscellaneous; 13th and 14th month bonuses;
annual and sick leave and medical coverage
Open To: All DRC citizens
Location: USAID/Democratic Republic of Congo
Kinshasa, DRC
Opening: August 29, 2016
Closing: September 16, 2016
Work Hours: Full-Time; 40 hours/week
USAID/Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), an equal opportunity employer, seeks applicants for the above position.
Completion of a University degree in social sciences, education, international development, public health, or related fields and Fluency in English and French proficiency are requirements for this position.
Basic Function of Position:
The Travel Assistant position is located in the Executive Office (EXO) of USAID/ Democratic
Republic of the Congo (DROC), Kinshasa and reports to the Deputy Executive Officer. The function of the EXO Office is to provide a full range of administrative management services in support of USAID activities in DROC.
The Travel Assistant for USAID/DROC is responsible for providing the full range of travel and
training services for U.S. Direct Hire (USDH), U.S. Personal Services Contractor (USPSC), Foreign Service
National (FSN) and Third Country National (TCN) employees.
Sixty percent of the responsibilities (60%) are related to travel. The incumbent serves as the subject matter
expert on travel and the automated travel system. S/he will prepare official travel documents for all employees and their authorized dependents, ensuring that all Mission travel adheres to Agency and U.S. Government (USG) travel policies and regulations. S/he advises staff on the travel regulations, recommends innovative solutions to streamline travel procedures and automate processes to provide high level of customer service. S/he liaises with the Embassy General Services Office (GSO) Travel Section on all related travel matters.
Forty percent of the responsibilities (40%) are related to training. The incumbent oversees the training programs offered to USAID Mission personnel. S/he collaborates with Mission staff and maintains a comprehensive record off all USAID/DROC training related matters.
Major Duties and Responsibilities:
Travel Management 60 percent
Prepares electronic and paper travel authorizations (TAs) for all official and entitlement travel for all types of
employees, including evacuation TAs for American personnel. Serves as the subject matter expert on travel and the automated travel system, E2. The incumbent arranges all types of travels and advises employees on their entitlements and authorized allowable expenses. Incumbent also advises staff on authorized routing, modes of transportation and shipping allowances when required. The incumbent is fully conversant with and knowledgeable in all types of authorized travel such as temporary duty (TDY), permanent change of station (PCS), home leave/return to post, Rest and Recuperation (R&R)/Regional Rest Break (RRB), emergency visitation travel, education travel, children of separated families travel, and medical evacuation travel. The incumbent ensures all supporting documentation is sufficient to pass an audit, including authorizations for business class travel. As one of the final reviewers in the E2 system the incumbent ensures accuracy, appropriate supporting documentation and adherence to regulations.
Serves as official trainer for new staff on the E2 travel system. Schedules trainings as needed. Serves as the
primary point of contact on all official travel related questions. Researches applicable travel regulations covered by the Foreign Affair Manual (FAM), Foreign Affairs Handbook (FAH), Automated Directive System (ADS), Department of State Standardized Regulations (DSSR), other Federal travel regulations, and Mission/Agency policies to answer travel related questions from Mission staff. Interprets complex regulations and policies. Solves the majority of travel problems independently. The incumbent provides creative solutions to travel concerns while enforcing travel regulations and policies. Maintains an electronic and paper filing system for all travel authorizations and ensures proper maintenance, filing and storage of travel documents in accordance with the Automated Directive System, ensuring all necessary documents are maintained in the vital records system of the Mission. The incumbent prepares and maintains current evacuation travel authorizations for USDH/USPSCs and prepares evacuation packets.
Reviews travel itineraries for all domestic and international TDY and entitlement travel, and approves
itineraries in accordance with Mission policy. Maintains an accurate record of approved itineraries, and
conducts a monthly reconciliation of travel card statement to ensure that all charges are correct. Coordinates
with Embassy HR for visa issuance. Drafts all visa support letters for USAID TDYers and coordinates the necessary certifications with Embassy HR. Tracks Congo/Brazzaville visas for all American staff and arranges visa renewals, in coordination with Embassy HR.
Maintains accurate records of staff travel dates, ensuring a reliable report on any given day as to who is in and out of the country. Also updates and maintains various lists, such as individual staff out-of-country days, TCN and long-term TDYer visa status, and TDY staff in country.
Training
Maintain comprehensive record of all training attended by each employee, and oversee the mission’s training plan and budget. Assist OFM and EXO in formulating annual mission-wide training budget by providing historical cost data to inform estimations of next year’s training costs. Ensure compliance with Mission Order H-28, in the formulation and execution of the annual mission training program.
Hosted courses: On a continuous basis, research mission’s training needs and stay abreast of available trainings. Once annually, make recommendations to EXO as to what trainings should be hosted at the Mission during the calendar year. For each hosted course, oversee all logistical arrangements, including venue reservation, audio/visual and technical support, trainers’ travel support, the printing of course materials, compiling attendance rosters, overseeing transportation to venue for trainees, etc.
Individual courses: Once annually, oversee the submission of all teams’ calendar year training plans and ensure that they are finalized and approved in a timely manner. Receive proposed training plans from team leaders, review them for adherence to Mission Order H-28, and submit them to Mission Director for approval;
communicate the Mission Director’s approval or request for modifications to team leaders.
Throughout year, monitor actual expenses for each approved individual training; provide updates to team leaders on their sections’ remaining funds and ensure that no team’s expenditures exceed its allotted funds. Ensure timely processing of travel authorizations (TAs) by all employees with approved training. Accept and submit for Mission Director’s approval all requests for modifications to the sections’ approved training plans. Track actual travel costs (airfares, etc.) in order to provide up-to-date cost estimates for the next year’s annual training budget.
Tuition reimbursement: Once annually, oversee the solicitation of the reimbursement requests from FSN staff. Convene a meeting of the Training Committee (TC) to review and approval requests and ensure that TC’s recommendations are submitted to the Mission Director in a timely manner. Track recipients’ completion of their funded training and advise the EXO when reimbursement is due.
FEI: Once annually, oversee the process of selecting nominees for the Federal Executive Institute (FEI) training. Advise the Mission Director on the eligibility of all mission employees for the various courses, and ensure that the Mission’s nominations are submitted in a timely manner.
Ad hoc: Stay informed about course offerings, and publicize them in the mission, as appropriate. Track all
employee’s compliance with annual training requirements, including but not necessarily limited to Ethics Training and Cyber Security training. Use existing tracking databases and spreadsheets, and recommend improvements to more easily and accurately capture and present relevant data. Serve as the resident expert on Agency and Federal training requirements, including but not limited to AOR/COR and acquisition-related training requirements.
Attend all meetings of the Training Committee as a non-voting member.
Required Qualifications at the Full Performance Level:
Education:
At least two years of full-time post secondary study is required.
Prior Work Experience:
Three years of progressively responsible, general administrative and/or customer
service experience...
Language Proficiency:
Level IV (Fluent) English and French proficiency, both oral and written, is required.
Knowledge:
Extensive knowledge of management processes including the creation, implementation and
assessment of a system is required. A demonstrated knowledge of administrative management and support
operations is necessary. Ability to understand regulations and policies, and ability to interpret those policies
and regulations is needed. Flexibility to maintain a professional relationship with all categories of customers
in time-sensitive environment is required.
Skills and Abilities:
Ability to lead, train and supervise, across cultures. Ability to analyze, conceptualize negotiate, exercise sound judgment, proven ability to identify problems and develop creative solutions, and the interpersonal skills to handle requests and complaints with patience and diplomacy. Candidate must have the ability to present analysis and recommendations in clear written and oral formats. Ability to develop and maintain strong professional contacts with colleagues at all levels within the USAID Mission.
Evaluation Criteria and Weights:
Education/Weighted 20% based on initial application review;
English Language Skills/Weighted 20% based on application review, written assessment and interview;
Prior Work Experience/Weighted 20% based on application review and interview;
Knowledge/Weighted 20% based on written assessment and interview; and
Skills and Abilities/Weighted 20% based on written assessment and interview.
How the selection will be made:
The successful candidate will be selected based upon
A preliminary review of the applicant's submitted package to establish that minimum educational and English writing fluency requirements are met.
Tests to include an English writing skills test, a Microsoft Office proficiency test that might include any of the following: Word, Excel, PowerPoint; and any technical skill test that might be deemed appropriate.
A personal or telephone interview.
Reference checks.
USAID/DRC’s Technical Evaluation Committee (TEC) and Human Resources Section will perform the preliminary review (Step 1 above) to eliminate those applications that do not meet the minimum educational and written English language requirements.
The TEC will review each of the applications which meet the minimum qualifications against the established evaluation criteria to develop a shortlist of applicants to be tested and possibly interviewed. Applicants will be contacted for testing (Step 2) and interviews. Based on the results of the tests, however, an applicant otherwise identified for interview could be dropped from the interview list.
Following the interview (Step 3) during which the applicant will be evaluated against the established criteria, the TEC will make a preliminary determination of candidates to be considered for employment and forward that list to HR.
HR will conduct and document the reference checks (Step 4) prior to advising the TEC of the results of these checks. Please note that references may be solicited from current as well as former supervisors in addition to the references you provide in your application package.
References will only be solicited for those interviewed applicants who are being considered for ranking.
Based on this final input, the TEC will make its final decision on which candidates to rank order, prepare a Selection Memo for review and approval by the Contracting Officer, after which an offer of employment will be made to the successful candidate, and unsuccessful candidates who were interviewed will be contacted and advised of their non-selection.
As positive medical and security clearances are a condition of employment, the selected candidate will undergo stringent investigation prior to employment with USAID/DRC.
USAID/DRC reserves the right to hire an applicant who does not meet the required experience level at a trainee level. However, an applicant who does not meet the minimum educational requirements cannot be hired at either a trainee or full performance level.
Compensation:
The position will be compensated in accordance with the U.S. Embassy’s Local Compensation Plan (LCP). The successful candidate’s salary level will be based on prior job-related experience and salary history.
To Apply:
ONLY applicants who meet the minimum educational and fluency in English and French requirements as stated in the solicitation document will be considered. Interested applicants who do not meet these requirements are encouraged NOT to apply since these applications will not be considered.
A complete application package consists of the following:
Application for U.S. Federal Employment, DS-174 - Job Application Form. The form can be found in the US embassy website (http://kinshasa.usembassy.gov/opportunities/jobs.html)
A cover letter demonstrating how prior experience and/or training address the minimum qualifications and selection criteria,
A current resume or curriculum vitae (CV), and
Names and contact numbers of three professional references.
Ensure that all communications (including your Cover Letter) include the Announcement Reference Number (AID-15-28) and the Title of the Position(s) for which you are applying (Travel Assistant)
Submit the complete application package via email, to [email protected]
Failure to comply with these instructions may result in your application being considered “non responsive” and eliminated from further consideration.
Point of Contact:
Sandra Kiyanga: [email protected]
Only short-listed candidates will be acknowledged.
DEFINITION:
Foreign Service National (FSN): A host country national employed at a U.S. Mission abroad, who is not a U.S. citizen, nor a family member of a direct-hire Foreign, Civil, or uniformed service member under Chief of Mission authority.
Closing date for this position: September 16, 2016.
The U.S. Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo provides opportunity and fair and equitable treatment in employment to all people without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, political affiliation, marital status or sexual orientation. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) also strives to ensure equal employment opportunity in all personnel operations. Women and members of minority groups are encouraged to apply.
