USAID Ethiopia External Vacancy Announcement
Job Position – Administrative Assistant
Required Qualification and Experience
Education: Education: Two or more years of post-secondary schooling in Secretarial Science or Business Administration, or other related field equivalent to a US junior college or community college diploma, is required.
Prior Experience: A minimum of three years of administrative or secretarial work experience, of which two years should be in related work with a U.S. Government Agency, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), other donor organizations, host-government organizations, or private-sector institutions is required.
Language: English and Amharic at Level IV (Proficient). English proficiency is a requirement for positions with USAID. In lieu of testing, as academic courses are taught in English at the secondary and post-secondary level, English proficiency will be assessed throughout the evaluation process – application review, skills test, interview. In addition, candidates may provide proof of English language proficiency. Acceptable certifications include CEFR of C1 or C2, IELTS (minimum of 6.5), Cambridge (CAE), TOEFL IBT (minimum of 95), or TOEFL ITP ( minimum of 560). These test results are valid for two years.
Knowledge: Demonstrated familiarity, or ability to quickly become familiar with the responsibilities and activities of the Office of assignment, as well as possess a general knowledge of standard office procedures and practices. Demonstrated ability to develop an excellent understanding of USG file management, mail handling, and correspondence formatting.
Skills and Abilities: Demonstrated proficiency in keyboarding and in operating computers with standard software, including Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and other software programs as designated. Demonstrated proficiency in using the Internet and E-mail.
EVALUATION AND SELECTION FACTORS
The Government may award a contract without discussions with candidates in accordance with FAR 52.215-1. The CO reserves the right at any point in the evaluation process to establish a competitive range of candidates with whom negotiations will be conducted pursuant to FAR 15.306(c). In accordance with FAR 52.215-1, if the CO determines that the number of offers that would otherwise be in the competitive range exceeds the number at which an efficient competition can be conducted, the CO may limit the number of candidates in the competitive range to the greatest number that will permit an efficient competition among the most highly rated offers. The FAR provisions referenced above are available at https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far.
To meet the basic eligibility requirements for this position the offeror must:
Be a citizen of Ethiopia, or otherwise eligible to work lawfully in Ethiopia;
Submit a complete application (Offer) as outlined in the section IV;
Be able to attain a security certificate for Facility Access;
Be cleared medically to work in the U.S. Mission to Addis Ababa.
After the closing date for receipt of applications, those that meet the minimum qualification requirements (Education and Experience) will be referred to a Technical Evaluation Committee (TEC). Applications from candidates who do not meet the minimum requirements will not be considered. The TEC will review and score the applications to create a list of applicants to be interviewed. Short-listed candidates will be evaluated based on information presented in the application, skills test (if used), interview, and obtained through reference checks. An applicant’s references must be able to provide substantive information about past performance and abilities.
BASIS OF RATING
Applicants are rated as outlined below.
Application Review 30 points
The application will be scored based on information provided outlining the quality of experience supporting the statement of duties as outlined in this solicitation (See Section II. d. Job knowledge and e. Skills and Abilities).
Technical Skills 30 points
A skills test will be administered in the form of an essay to assess the candidate’s technical knowledge, attention to detail, and clarity of response using logic and reasoning.
Interview Performance 40 points
Interview questions will be intended to explore the candidate’s:
Knowledge of the contracting processes and procedures
Capacity to lead or work as a member of a team
Ability to prioritize tasks in fast-paced environments
Understanding of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility concepts
Total Possible Points: 100 points
Reference Check Pass/Fail
A “Fail” Reference Check would result from information regarding confirmed illegal or unethical activities or a preponderance of negative feedback from numerous references; e.g., not a single critical comment.
How To Apply
IV. SUBMITTING AN OFFER
Eligible Offerors are required to complete and submit:
The offer form DS-174 (Application for U.S. Federal employment) which can be found in the U.S. embassy website https://et.usembassy.gov/embassy/jobs/; or https://www.usaid.gov/ethiopia/work-with-us/careers/ds-form-174-ccn-application.
A résumé or CV in English
Letter of application (cover letter) that describes your knowledge, skills, and abilities, and
Contact information for a minimum of three and a maximum of five references, including at least two references with direct knowledge of your past performance.
Further Guidance: To ensure consideration of offers for the intended position, offerors must prominently reference the Solicitation Number in the offer submission. Application must be submitted ONLY via [email protected] with the email subject being: Solicitation 72066324R10021, Administrative Assistant. Be sure to include your name and the solicitation number at the top of each page.
Please do not submit more than one application; and the application must be submitted before or on the closing date at local Ethiopia time 11:59 p.m. (Local Ethiopia, Addis Ababa Time, or EAT). Late and incomplete applications will not be considered.
V. LIST OF REQUIRED FORMS PRIOR TO AWARD
The Contracting Candidates will provide instructions about how to complete and submit the following forms after an offeror is selected for the contract award:
1. Medical History and Examination Form (Department of State Forms)
2. Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive Positions (SF-85)
3. Fingerprint Card (FD-258)
VI.BENEFITS AND ALLOWANCES
As a matter of policy, and as appropriate, a PSC is normally authorized the following benefits and allowances:
1. BENEFITS:group life insurance, medical coverage, annual leave and sick leave
2. ALLOWANCES (as applicable):
Meal allowance and miscellaneous benefit allowance.
VII. TAXES
Cooperating Country Nationals are expected to comply with all relevant Ethiopian laws and regulations.
VIII. USAID REGULATIONS, POLICIES AND CONTRACT CLAUSES PERTAINING TO PSCs