The Senior Acquisition and Assistance Specialist is a key advisor to the Contracting/Agreement Officer and is a mentor and leader to fellow colleagues and A&A Specialists in the Mission.
The responsibilities of the include providing support on all aspects of contract management relating to and affecting USAID assistance programs in DRC. This includes providing policy guidance, project planning, project design, and implementation and the evaluation of on-going programs.

The Senior A&A Specialist is responsible for planning, developing, carrying out, managing, and advising on all aspects of procurement and contract management relating to and affecting USAID/DRC assistance programs, policy and project planning, design, implementation, and evaluation. This includes participation in projects, mission policy formulation, and project design. The Senior A&A Specialist will develop and execute plans for the procurement of and provide contract management support to achieve program objectives.

The Senior A&A Specialist plays an important role in the training and mentoring of A&A specialists colleagues, AORs/CORS, first tour/entry-level Foreign Service Officers, other staff within USAID/DRC/OAA and the larger mission.

In addition to training staff, the Senior A&A Specialist must engage traditional and new implementing partners to communicate requirements and provide effective guidance to the implementation of activities, particularly as it comes to advancing local and sustainable development. The Senior A&A Specialist participates as an OAA expert on financial review teams and conducts on-site training and oversight through field visits to activity locations throughout DRC.

Given the sensitivity, scope, and purpose of the role and position of the Senior Acquisition and Assistance Specialist and the critical nature and complexity of the Mission programs that are being implemented in a very fluid political environment, it is essential to be able to function as an expert in all technical areas of the assignment, and fulfill the position responsibilities with the supervisor’s complete confidence in their understanding of the assignment and ability to integrate issues, conflicts, continually changing working requirements, creative problem solving, and the introduction of new theories and methods to resolve unique problems.