Director of Management and Operations

Duties

The DMO position will be located in one of the countries under Peace Corps' geographic regions of operation: Africa (AF), Europe, Mediterranean and Asia (EMA), and Inter-America and the Pacific (IAP). The DMO position reports to the Country Director (CD) and performs the following major duties:

• Ensures that proper procurement processes are followed for the acquisition of goods and services and the execution of contracts and leases and that the integrity of the procurement process is upheld at Post.
• Supervises all procurement, certifying availability of funds and need for all purchases in accordance with CD guidance and the approved annual operating plan.
• Supervises the Administrative Unit composed of host country and third country nationals that typically includes, but is not limited to, a financial assistant, cashier, administrative assistant, general services managers and assistants, drivers, and may include security guards or others.
• Establishes work plans, develops a team approach, and evaluates performance of administrative staff.
• Overseas human resources management at a Post, taking into account appropriate federal government regulations related to Personal Services Contracts, Department of State Local Compensation Plans (LCP), and applicable local labor laws.
• Works with the CD and Post staff to prepare the Post's out-year budget request that aligns with the Post's strategic plan.
• In conjunction with other senior staff, prepares the Post's annual operating plan (budget) and periodic budget reviews.
• Implements approved resource plans, often for multiple funding sources.
• Monitors Post expenditures against budget by maintaining up-to-date electronic records.
• Ensures reconciliation with the official accounting system.
• Assists in determining space needs for the Peace Corps office, staff and Volunteers, training center, and US staff residences.
• Competes available real estate; negotiates, reviews, and finalizes contractual conditions for leases for approval by the CD, the Embassy's Regional Security Officer, and Peace Corps Washington.
• Supervises property management so that all inventory, maintenance, repairs, and disposition are performed according to plan, negotiations, and regulations.
• Responsible for a Post's vehicle fleet that includes vehicle maintenance, monitoring fuel purchases and consumption, administering vehicle use safety policies, and incident reporting.
• Collaborates with the CD, medical, programming and training, and security staff to address issues such as site selection, site visit protocols, Volunteer allowances, safety and security and medical care of Volunteers.
• Ensures that local laws and regulations are followed in connection with status of Volunteers.
• Provides financial and administrative support to Volunteers including the payment of Volunteer allowances and reimbursements.
• Under the direction of the CD, works with the Safety and Security Manager and other staff to establish programming, training and administrative systems that maximize the safety and security of Volunteers in accordance with agency policies and guidelines.
• Ensures that established procedures are followed and criteria are met. Assists the CD, Safety and Security Manager and others to prepare for and respond to incidents and crises impacting Volunteers, trainees, and Peace Corps operations.

Requirements 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.
• An 18-month trial period is required.
• 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 two grade levels:

Specialized Experience at the FP-02: To be minimally qualified for this position at the FP-02 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower level in the normal line of progression, FP-03 or GS-13 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 managing administrative operations to include budget formulation and execution, human resource management, procurement and contracts, and property management; Experience implementing financial, contractual, and administrative regulations, policies and practices, and reporting systems; Experience establishing procedures and management controls for financial payments, allowances, and reimbursements; Experience formulating long-range and short-range plans for administrative management matters; Experience working with diverse internal and external stakeholders, government agencies, and other entities to execute programs and projects and negotiate mutually agreeable goals; and Experience supervising administrative teams, determining professional development needs, assessing employee performance, and managing operational crisis situations.

Specialized Experience at the FP-03: To be minimally qualified for this position at the FP-03 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower level in the normal line of progression, FP-04 or GS-12 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 performing administrative operations involving budget formulation and execution, human resource management, procurement and contracts, and property management; Experience assisting in the implementation of financial, contractual, and administrative regulations, policies and practices, and reporting systems; Experience providing recommendations for establishment of procedures and management controls of financial payments, allowances, and reimbursements; Experience working with diverse internal and external stakeholders, government agencies, and other entities to provide program services and administer projects; and Experience leading administrative teams and providing training and direction to program staff.

Education cannot be substituted for experience at either grade 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: Two (2) years of international development experience working in transitioning or developing countries, or community development experience working with underserved multicultural communities in the United States. Experience may be with private sector, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), or government organizations (local, state, and/or federal). Professional 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.

Additional information

The minimum and maximum salaries listed on this announcement include locality pay.

If you are a current federal employee, your agency may grant you reemployment rights in accordance with Section 310 of the Foreign Service Act, 22 USC 3950. You must request and be granted reemployment rights prior to separation from your current federal agency.

Peace Corps Information:

• This is a federal civilian job in the Excepted Service. Peace Corps employees are paid on the Foreign Personnel (FP) pay scale.
• Telework eligible positions do not guarantee telework. See Peace Corps Manual Section 623 for agency policy regarding telework.
• The Peace Corps uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.
• This is a drug-free workplace and we promote a drug-free environment.
• Additional hiring needs may be filled through this vacancy.

Intelligence Background Information:

Peace Corps Manual Section 611 is applicable to this position:

• This prohibits the employment of certain persons previously engaged in intelligence activities or connected with intelligence agencies within the past 10 years.
• If you have ever worked for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), you are not eligible for employment at the Peace Corps in any capacity, and you should not apply for employment.
• Acceptance of employment with Peace Corps precludes employment by certain intelligence organizations for a specific period of time, determined by the employing agency, after Peace Corps employment ceases.

Applicants who are found to be otherwise qualified will be required to submit a completed Intelligence Background Questionnaire upon request, indicating whether the applicant has been involved in or has had any connection with intelligence activities or related work and, if so, the nature and dates of his or her involvement. Failure to meet this requirement will result in disqualification from further consideration. If you have any other type of possible intelligence connection, your application will not be further considered until you submit this form.

Except when the CIA or the National Security Agency (NSA) is involved (see below), if your connection with an Intelligence Agency involves an immediate family member who works or has worked in intelligence, the immediate family member should complete the form, not the applicant. Usually relying on memory is sufficient to answer most if not all of the questions.

If you have an immediate family member who works or has worked for the CIA, you should not give them this form to complete. Please contact your relative in person-not by phone, email, social networking, or any other means that is not in person- and ask him or her to contact the Office of General Counsel at the CIA.

If you or an immediate family member have been employed by or associated with the NSA, you or your family member must contact the NSA Prepublication Review Office at 443-634-4095.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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.

1. 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.

1. 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):

• Administration and Management
• Financial Management
• Managing Human Resources

Required Documents

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.

1. 1. 1. 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: If you are claiming a Veteran's Preference, you must attach all required documentation at the time of application. 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).