Job Title: Political Specialist; FP-4; FSN-11
Organisation: USAID United States Embassy, US Mission in
Uganda
Uganda
Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda
About Embassy:
Welcome to the
United States Embassy in Kampala, Uganda.
The United States has enjoyed diplomatic relations with Uganda for over
30 years. Ambassador Scott H. DeLisi currently
heads the U.S Mission to Uganda. The
Mission is composed of several offices and organizations all working under the
auspices of the Embassy and at the direction of the Ambassador.
United States Embassy in Kampala, Uganda.
The United States has enjoyed diplomatic relations with Uganda for over
30 years. Ambassador Scott H. DeLisi currently
heads the U.S Mission to Uganda. The
Mission is composed of several offices and organizations all working under the
auspices of the Embassy and at the direction of the Ambassador.
Among the offices
operating under the U.S Mission to Uganda are:
operating under the U.S Mission to Uganda are:
- United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
- Centers for Disease Control
- Peace Corps
Job Summary: The incumbent is the Senior Political and
Social Issues Specialist at Embassy Kampala who serves as the principal LES
handling reporting responsibilities and federal and local government relations,
covering local and national politics, district elections, economic and social
development, human rights, child labor, trafficking in persons, religious
freedom and women’s issues with one of the United States’ most significant
bilateral partners in Africa. Incumbent frequently functions as the de facto
control officer for USG visitors by ensuring all scheduling needs are met and
providing assistance to American officers. The incumbent is a member of the U.S.
Mission’s interagency democracy working group, and is the primary Ugandan
advisor to the Embassy’s interagency Small Grants selection committees, which
are managed by the Political Section.
The incumbent also supervises and provides work and issue related
guidance to Political Assistant LES, who the incumbent backs up.
Social Issues Specialist at Embassy Kampala who serves as the principal LES
handling reporting responsibilities and federal and local government relations,
covering local and national politics, district elections, economic and social
development, human rights, child labor, trafficking in persons, religious
freedom and women’s issues with one of the United States’ most significant
bilateral partners in Africa. Incumbent frequently functions as the de facto
control officer for USG visitors by ensuring all scheduling needs are met and
providing assistance to American officers. The incumbent is a member of the U.S.
Mission’s interagency democracy working group, and is the primary Ugandan
advisor to the Embassy’s interagency Small Grants selection committees, which
are managed by the Political Section.
The incumbent also supervises and provides work and issue related
guidance to Political Assistant LES, who the incumbent backs up.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
1. Research,
Report, and Advise On Political Developments 40%
Report, and Advise On Political Developments 40%
- The incumbent maintains reporting and research responsibilities,
advisory and related services of broad scope, complexity and sensitivity
in the fields of political reporting, democracy, and human rights. Often
at his/her own initiative, the incumbent prepares extensive spot and
in-depth analytical reports on a wide range of sensitive political issues
in the context of national issues, and articulate the implications for
U.S. interests. This includes drafting reports on political developments,
as well as issues of significant interest to the U.S. government, such as
violations of human and minority rights, leadership changes, local
elections and political party activities as well as government-led
anti-corruption efforts. - The incumbent must be able to brief the Pol/Econ Chief, Deputy Chief
of Mission and Ambassador and TDY visitors on developments and issues with
authority and accuracy. This involves oral or written briefings and
inputs, evaluating events in historical perspective and identifying their
relationships to national trends and to the interests of the U.S.
Incumbent must be able to make reasonable projections about the future
course of politics and social changes, demonstrating good judgment and
strong intellectual integration of social, political and economic factors.
- Uganda has a vibrant civil society focusing on human rights, democracy,
government accountability issues, but which is increasingly facing
government intimidation. The incumbent closely monitors relations between
the government and the civil society, changes in NGO-related legislation,
and existing and emerging civil society activities in order to keep the
P/E Section Chief informed about
developments.
2. Draft
Congressionally-Mandated Human Rights and Religious Freedom Reports 25%
Congressionally-Mandated Human Rights and Religious Freedom Reports 25%
- The incumbent is the primary drafter for the
Congressionally-mandated Human Rights and Religious Freedom reports, and
manages the Mission’s outreach activities, including international, and
domestic civil society organizations engaged in the protection of human
rights. - Due to Uganda’s religious diversity, complex social and political
issues, and poor human rights record, compiling the mandated reports
requires an extraordinary amount of organization, effort, professionalism,
and tact, and the incumbent must sort through multiple, often
contradictory claims in a fair and objective manner. - The incumbent must develop and maintain effective working
relationships with a wide range of senior government, police, prisons,
military and civil society representatives involved in human rights
related issues. - Democracy and human rights developments are significant components
of the bilateral relationship and these issues receive high-level
attention from officials in the State Department, National Security Staff,
and White House. Both issues are sensitive, particularly when researching
human rights violations allegations against the Ugandan government or
military, and require the incumbent to exercise discretion, tact, and keen
judgment. - Due to the difficult democratic environment, the incumbent must
coordinate closely with American officers to report on these complex
issues while being conscious of misperceptions by some officials that
democracy and human rights issues threaten the sovereignty and stability
of the Ugandan government.
3. Develop
and Maintain Contacts 25%
and Maintain Contacts 25%
- The incumbent maintains a broad range of contacts in his/her
portfolio. This includes government and political party contacts at the
highest level of government including ministers, legislature, judiciary
and political party leaders as well as top-level contacts in media,
academia, civil society and religious institutions. To maintain and expand
the contacts, the incumbent attends political party meetings, legislative
sessions, court hearings, conferences and seminars of relevance to the
portfolio. - The incumbent is responsible for suggesting contacts, organizing and
accompanying American officers to meetings with key political and social
sector interlocutors. - The incumbent provides orientation support to new American officers
by introducing them to contacts, developing guest lists for representation
events, and advising American officers on the relative importance and
experience of state policy makers. - The incumbent draws on his/her broad base of contacts to assist with
the selection of political and social sector candidates for Public Affairs
programs, as well as to ensure that the section’s reporting and analytical
products reflect a wide range of key decision maker opinion and is as
well-informed and accurate as possible. - The incumbent is responsible for drafting and maintaining extensive
biographic files on senior political, governmental and civil society
leaders. The jobholder must also understand U.S. visa regulations and visa
referral policies in order to make appropriate and tactful use of these
programs. - The incumbent is the primary Uganda advisor to the Political
Section’s Small Grants Office, which manages annual awards of
approximately $700,000 through PEPFAR grants, the Ambassador’s Special
Self-Help program, and interagency democracy and human rights grants. As
the Small Grants Office is staffed by American eligible family members,
the incumbent provides a Ugandan perspective to the process of
identifying, evaluating, selecting and implementing these grants. - The incumbent supervises and provides work guidance to the Political
Assistant, who covers political/military affairs, regional foreign policy
initiatives, and Uganda’s external relations. The incumbent serves as the
Political Assistant’s backup.
4. Travel and
Operational Responsibilities 10%
Operational Responsibilities 10%
- The incumbent may travel with American officers or independently
throughout the country in order to keep updated on political and social
developments of importance to U.S. interests across the board. - Through travel, incumbent keeps the political section better
informed about developments in human rights, internal political party
politics, political personalities and social issues. - As the senior Political LES in the section, the incumbent helps
coordinate work flow of team tasks, briefers and representational plans.
In addition, the incumbent plans and organizes visits by State Department
officials, particularly USG visitors and U.S. delegations that are focused
on political and or social sector contacts, ensuring that they are able to
gather comprehensive information and take full advantage of the travel
opportunity. - The incumbent prepares background and biographic material, and other
tasks, as assigned.
Qualifications, Skills and Experience:
- The ideal USAID US Embassy applicant should hold a good University
level degree in political science, liberal arts, law, international
relations or economics is required. - At least eight years’ experience in political or economic analysis
and report writing, preferably in the fields of politics, journalism or
law. - Additional training courses and seminars on political reporting,
analysis, and report writing such as FSI training for political and
economic officers. - Detailed knowledge of the host country’s political, economic and
social structure. - The applicant must have a comprehensive understanding of U.S.
foreign policy, U.S. interests in Uganda, and U.S. development assistance
to Uganda. - Highly advanced interpersonal, analytical, communication, planning
and organizational skills. Ability to develop and maintain an extensive
range of high-level contacts within the host country government, local
political parties, security forces, local NGOs and civil society. - Must also be able to plan, organize and execute complex research
projects and prepare precise, accurate and factual analytical reports
often on sensitive topics (such as human rights) that require a high
degree of personal courage given prevailing political circumstances in
Uganda.
Language
Proficiency:
List both English and host country language(s) by level and specialization.
Must be fluent in English (level 4)
Proficiency:
List both English and host country language(s) by level and specialization.
Must be fluent in English (level 4)
How to Apply:
All those interested
in working with the US mission in Kampala should send their applications and
strictly adhere to the following:
in working with the US mission in Kampala should send their applications and
strictly adhere to the following:
- Universal Application for Employment as a Locally Employed Staff or
Family Member (DS-174) Download
it Here. - A current resume or curriculum vitae.
- Candidates who claim US Veterans preference must provide a copy of
their Form DD-214 with their application.
Candidates who claim conditional US Veterans preference must submit
documentation confirming eligibility for a conditional preference in
hiring with their application. - Any other documentation (e.g. essays, transcripts/certificates,
awards) that addresses the qualification requirements of the position as
listed above.
Submit Application
To:
To:
Human Resources
Office
Office
By email at
[email protected].
[email protected].
NB: Only electronic submissions will be accepted and only shortlisted
candidates will be contacted.
candidates will be contacted.
Please clearly indicate
the position applied for in the subject area of the email submission.
the position applied for in the subject area of the email submission.
Please use standard
file types such as Microsoft Word (.doc) and Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) and please
send all documents in one file attachment.
file types such as Microsoft Word (.doc) and Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) and please
send all documents in one file attachment.
Telephone: 0414-306001/259-791/5
Deadline: 7th November, 2014
The US Mission in
Kampala provides equal 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 Department of State
also strives to achieve equal employment opportunity in all personnel
operations through continuing diversity enhancement programs.
Kampala provides equal 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 Department of State
also strives to achieve equal employment opportunity in all personnel
operations through continuing diversity enhancement programs.
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