Summary
This establishes an OPEN AND CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT which will be utilized to maintain eligible/qualified applicants to be considered for current Country Director vacancies with the Peace Corps.
The Country Director (CD) is the senior Peace Corps representative in the country of assignment. The position will be located in one of the countries under Peace Corps' geographic region of operations: Africa (AF), Europe, Mediterranean and Asia (EMA), and Inter-America and the Pacific (IAP).
Clarification from the agency
United States citizens.
Current or former federal employees, regardless of tenure.
Internal agency employees; including agency temporary employees, eligible agency Experts, and eligible agency personal services contractors.
Individuals with disabilities.
Duties
A successful candidate must be able to effectively communicate and interact with others, to include: local staff and community members from the assigned country, host country government officials at very senior levels, the U.S. Embassy, Peace Corps headquarters, and with other relevant stakeholders.
The Country Director performs the following major duties:
- Plans, directs, and oversees all aspects of strategic, policy, organizational, and program objectives in the country of assignment.
- Oversees operations and staff in functional areas that include: Volunteer support; program, training and evaluation; administration, logistics and financial management; medical services, safety and security.
- Represents Peace Corps at executive levels with host country government officials, U.S. embassy officials, senior Peace Corps officials, and other external stakeholders and represents at a local level with community leadership and community members.
- Ensures that the country operations create a safe and productive environment for trainees and Volunteers and staff to work successfully and perform their duties and responsibilities.
- Represents and advocates for the goals and activities of Peace Corps with host country government officials, local private and not-for-profit entities, the U.S. Embassy and other government agencies.
- With host-country partners, develops a vision for the country program and a plan for achieving the vision.
- Determines budgetary, facility, equipment, staffing and Volunteer requirements.
- Provides leadership and oversight to ensure that projects are responsive to host country development needs and are consistent with Peace Corps philosophy and Volunteer resources.
- Negotiates, approves and executes the cooperating agreements between the Peace Corps and host-country partner agencies, in consultation with the Office of General Counsel.
- Ensures quality project design, training, implementation and evaluation in all areas, making certain that projects address capacity building and sustainability, are in alignment with Peace Corps guidance, and are responsive to host country development priorities.
- Establishes criteria and oversees program management elements affecting Volunteer personal safety and security, site identification and monitoring, cultural sensitivity for host country people and culture, and other issues affecting Volunteers' successful service and Peace Corps' reputation.
- In coordination with the Office of Health Services, oversees a comprehensive medical care program that supports Volunteers with their health care needs.
- Provides expert leadership and management over institutional policies and procedures to ensure Volunteer safety and security. This encompasses, but is not limited to, promoting Volunteers' training and ability to assess and ensure their personal safety; responding to natural or man-made disasters; mitigating the potential threat of political unrest; and supporting the agency's response to Volunteer victims of crime, such as physical and sexual assault, theft, among others.
- Promotes intercultural competence among staff and Volunteers; ensures program's policies and procedures promote diversity, inclusion and belonging; develops a cohesive organization that promotes respect and dignity towards others.
- Supervises Post's senior staff and oversees the administrative and human resource functions.
- Adheres to U.S. federal laws, Peace Corps policies, and local labor laws pertaining to employee hiring, training, treatment, and disciplinary actions.
- Promotes a collaborative and positive work environment that values employee contributions.
Conditions of Employment
Please read this announcement in its entirety prior to submitting your application.
- You must be a U.S. Citizen.
- You must be at least 18 years of age.
- All Federal employees are required to have federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.
- If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so. For additional information, see www.sss.gov.
- You must complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency.
- You must go through a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) process that requires two forms of identification from the Form I-9. Federal law requires verification of the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires in the U.S. These documents must be unexpired originalor certified copies.
- You must successfully complete a background security investigation with favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet this requirement will be grounds for employment termination.
- Prior to employment, and in compliance with statutes 5 USC 3322 and 22 USC 2507b, Peace Corps will conduct a check of Peace Corps records for both Returned Peace Corps Volunteers and former Peace Corps employees.
- All new employees are required to certify and submit a state of understanding acknowledging adherence to the Peace Corps condition of employment prior to day 1 of employment with the Peace Corps
- This position requires you to obtain and maintain a Top-Secret Clearance.
- This position requires you to obtain and maintain a Medical Clearance.
- This job has been identified as a testing designated position under our Drug-Free Workplace Program. Therefore, you must satisfactorily complete a drug test prior to being hired. As an employee, you will be subject to random drug testing.
- This position requires the filing of a Financial Disclosure report.
- This is not a bargaining unit position.
- The incumbent in this position serves at the discretion of the Peace Corps Director.
- Worldwide Availability for Post assignment is required.
- Travel within and outside the country of assignment is required.
- The initial appointment to this position cannot exceed five years.
Qualifications
All qualification requirements must be met by 12/31/2024 (the closing date of the announcement). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. To ensure full credit for your experience, please indicate the start and end dates (month, day, and year) of employment, the number of hours worked per week, and the location of employment in your resume. Qualification claims will be subject to verification.
Specialized Experience:
This vacancy is being announced at one grade level:
Specialized Experience at the FP-01: To be minimally qualified for this position at the FP-01 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower level in the normal line of progression, FP-02 or GS-14 level which is in or directly related to the line of work of the position to be filled and which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Specialized experience includes: Experience leading, managing, analyzing, designing, or providing advisory services for international development programs or domestic non-governmental organizations (NGO), or in the private sector; Experience managing technical assistance and capacity building programs in developing or transitioning countries; Experience developing, negotiating and managing complex international or domestic community development projects; and experience developing and implementing collaborative approaches with internal and external partners and stakeholders to build coalitions and work on common agency program goals and objectives.
Examples of specialized professional experience include: held a senior level position such as Country Director, Executive Director, Regional Director, Chief of Party, CEO, Ambassador, or others in a complex organizational environment; experience leading and managing programs with an international development focus or a focus on work with underserved U.S. communities that are made up of a majority of culturally diverse members; experience providing strategic direction to complex programs; and experience that includes high-level representational duties.
Education cannot be substituted for experience at this level.
~AND~
Selective Placement Factor:
Selective Placement Factors (SPFs) are knowledge, skills, abilities, or special qualifications that are in addition to the minimum requirements in a qualification standard but are determined to be essential to perform the duties and responsibilities of a particular position. Applicants who do not meet a selective placement factor will be disqualified from further consideration.
This position has one selective placement factor: Three (3) years of: 1) executive leadership experience in transitioning or developing countries involving international development work, or 2) community development experience working with underserved communities in the United States. Experience may be with private sector, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), or government organizations (local, state, and/or federal). Executive experience must include either an international focus or a focus on domestic communities that are made up of a majority of culturally diverse members.
~AND~
Time-in-Grade (TIG) Requirements:
Current or Formal Federal employees, including current Peace Corps employees, must meet applicable TIG requirements to be considered eligible. To meet TIG for positions above the FP-09 (GS-05) grade level, you must have served at least one year (52 weeks) at the next lower grade (or equivalent) in the normal line of progression for the position to which you are applying.
All current or former Federal employees (including internal employees) must provide a copy of their SF-50 (you may need to submit more than one), "Notice of Personnel Action" that indicates proof of status and time-in-grade eligibility. The SF-50 must include your position, title, series, grade, step, tenure, and type of service (Competitive or Excepted).
Please note:
- Past experience that satisfies the Specialized Experience and Selective Placement Factor MUST be well documented within your resume. Failure to provide this information in your resume with corresponding start and end dates (month, day, and year) of employment, the number of hours worked per week, and location of employment may result in disqualification from further consideration.
- Specialized Experience may have been gained in the public sector, private sector, or through volunteer work done with National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) or other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social).
- One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis.
- Additional information on qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions. It is available for your review on the OPM web site.
- Peace Corps employees are employed using the Foreign Personnel (FP) pay scale. The FP pay plan does not follow the same structure as the GS pay plan. In the FP pay plan, as the grade-level numbers decrease the level/pay for the position increases. The FP-09 is the lowest entry-level grade and the FP-01 is the highest senior-level grade.
Education
This position has no Individual Occupational Requirements.
Benefits
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Applications will be reviewed on a quarterly basis and once the vacancy announcement closes. We use a multi-step process to review and evaluate applicants:
1. Eligibility and Minimum Qualifications
We will review your submitted resume and documents to determine if you meet the eligibility and minimum qualification requirements, including any required education, experience, and/or selective placement factors. You will be rated as ineligible if you are outside of the area of consideration (i.e., who may apply) or your application is missing any required documents. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated or falsified your qualifications, education, eligibility claims, and/or experience, this is cause for disqualification. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility. You will be rated as not qualified if you do not possess the minimum qualification requirements.
2. Rating and Ranking
If you are found to meet both the eligibility and minimum qualification requirements, we will assess the quality of your experience and the extent to which you possess the required experience by comparing your submitted resume and documents against your responses to the occupational questionnaire and the specialized experience at the grade level(s) for which you are applying. The occupational questionnaire is the list of questions in the automated system that you will have an opportunity to answer once you apply for the position. Based on the outcome of this evaluation, you will be assigned a numerical score (out of 100 possible). If your responses to the occupational questionnaire are not substantiated by your submitted resume, you may be disqualified from receiving further consideration.
3. Referral and Selection
If you are found to be amongst the most highly qualified applicants, you will be referred to the selecting official. As part of the assessment and selection process, the selecting official may invite you to participate in a structured interview, check your references, and/or request that you submit a writing sample or complete a written assessment or exercise to further evaluate your qualifications for this position.
Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):
- Interpersonal Skills
- Managing Human Resources
- Strategic Thinking
You may preview the questionnaire for this vacancy here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12291921
Your complete application includes your resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which establish your eligibility to apply. If you fail to provide any of these documents, your application will be marked as incomplete and disqualified from further consideration.
1. Resume: All applicants must submit a detailed resume showing all relevant work experience (paid and unpaid) including job title and duties performed. Your resume must show complete information for each job entry to support your qualifications. The following information must be provided in your resume:
- Full name and address of the employer;
- Official position titles;
- Start and end dates of your prior employment (including month, day, and year);
- Work schedule (part-time, full-time, number of hours if intermittent);
- Number of hours worked per week;
- Salary;
- If you are a current Federal employee or former Federal employee, provide your pay plan, series, and grade level (e.g. GS-0201-09);
- A detailed list of duties & accomplishments; and
- Any completed education and training (program title, subject area, number of hours completed, and completion date).
TIP: A good way to ensure you include all essential information is to use the Resume Builder in USAJOBS to create your resume. If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as incomplete and disqualified from further consideration.
If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, it will not be used to make eligibility and qualification determinations and you may not be considered for this vacancy.
2. Proof of Eligibility to Apply: Your application must include the documents which prove you are eligible to apply for the vacancy. You must meet the requirements of at least one of the authorities listed in the "Who May Apply" section of this announcement to receive further consideration.
- SF-50(s): If you are a current or former federal employee (including current Peace Corps employees), you are required to submit a legible copy/copies of a recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action.
- Time-in-grade documentation: If you are applying for a higher grade and your SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you meet the one year time-in-grade requirement so you will need to provide an SF-50 which clearly demonstrates you meet the time-in-grade requirements. Award 50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade. Examples of appropriate SF-50's include:
- Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or
- Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or
- SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old.
- Veterans Documents: While Veteran's Preference does not apply to this vacancy announcement, you may submit documents to establish your status as a veteran. For more information regarding veterans' preference, please refer to FedsHireVets:
- A DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) form, specifically the Member #4 Copy, indicating dates and character of service and discharge type.
- If you are a Veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30% or more, you must submit a copy of your SF-15 (Application for 10-point Veterans Preference) AND a copy of your VA Letter stating your disability rating.
All required documents listed below, that are applicable to you, must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on 12/31/2024 (the closing date of this announcement).
To apply for this position, you must complete the online questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 12/31/2024 to receive consideration.
- To begin, click "Apply Online" to create an account or log into your existing USAJOBS account.
- Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package.
- You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, the assessment questionnaire, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. Please ensure you click the "Submit My Answers" button to submit your application.
- It is your responsibility to verify that your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. HR will not modify answers/documents submitted by an applicant. If more than one resume is received, only the last resume received and processed will be reviewed.
- Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process so please plan appropriately. You are encouraged to apply online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application.
- Additional information on how to complete the online application process and submit your online application may be found on the USA Staffing Applicant Resource Center.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
Your experience must be fully documented in your resume. See the "Required Documents" section of this announcement for more information on what you must include in your resume. Be clear and specific when describing your experience in your resume. We will not make assumptions regarding your experience.
The Peace Corps is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factors.
We are committed to maintaining a diverse and inclusive culture. Our goal is to attract and develop the best and brightest from all lifestyles and backgrounds. The Peace Corps strives to create a culture of inclusion where individuals feel respected and are treated fairly in all aspects of differences. Our commitment is to make a difference in the lives of people around the world.
The Peace Corps provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the hiring process, please notify the Office of Human Resources by calling 202-692-1200 or the Office of Civil Rights and Diversity on 202-692-2139. Decisions on granting reasonable accommodation are made on a case-by-case basis.
Next steps
- If you provided an email address, you will receive an email message acknowledging receipt of your application. Your application package will be used to determine your eligibility, qualifications, and quality ranking for this position.
- You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USAJOBS account and by going to the "My Account" tab and clicking on "Application Status". For a more detailed update of your application status, you may go to "more information" under the individual vacancy.
- Applications will be reviewed on a quarterly basis and once the vacancy announcement closes.
- If you are determined to be ineligible or not qualified, your application will be disqualified from receiving further consideration.
- If you are among the top qualified candidates, your application may be referred to the Selecting Official for further consideration.
- USAJOBS has added an alert setting to their system to provide status updates for applicants. You can elect to activate the status updates from your USAJOBS profile at any point during the application process.
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