Environment Special Assistant, USAID TOPS

Position Description

EnCompass is seeking an Environment Special Assistant (USAID TOPS) to provide administrative assistance and support to USAID’s Environment related Centers in the Resilience, Environment and Food Security Bureau, specifically the Centers for Energy, Infrastructure and Cities; Climate Positive Development and Natural Environment, although the position will be placed in the Center for Natural Environment.

The Special Assistant will offer support for a wide range of climate and environmental activities, and will be tasked with coordination, organization, logistics, and administrative duties, including support on communications and other management tasks. The Assistant will learn about climate, energy and environment initiatives and build relationships across the Agency by managing the incoming daily, quick action tasks for clearance. Approximately half of the Assistant’s time will directly support the Center for Natural Environment on organizational and knowledge management tasks.

The Special Assistant needs to be highly organized, detail-oriented, proactive, and able to manage multiple requests at once. The ideal candidate will also be comfortable with outreach and follow-up needed to get feedback and move requests along. Interest in international development and the nexus between development and climate and environment issues is required.

This full-time role will be fully embedded within USAID (in Washington D.C.) for a period of 1-2 years; The Agency expects this role to be telework eligible several days a week. The ability to telework may change, depending on USAID’s needs or requirements. Regardless of telework status, the Special Assistant will be expected to support teams and events in-person as needed. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the US for any employer without sponsorship for a work visa or permit and must be eligible to obtain and maintain facilities security clearance.

The position is funded through the Technical, Operational, and Program Support (TOPS) contract, a United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded institutional support contract for USAID’s Bureau of Resilience, Environment and Food Security (REFS), designed to help the Agency meet the pressing challenges caused by climate change. TOPS aims to help USAID meet the increasing complexities of global development by recruiting top-notch technical assistance providers to work in USAID’s offices and provide direct support to USAID teams.

Position Duties and Responsibilities

Essential functions include:

• Approximately 50% of the time, acting as the Action Officer for the three REFS Bureau environment related centers by managing the tasker system for these centers:
  1. Ensuring that daily, incoming quick action tasks (taskers) for clearance are tracked and organized appropriately
  2. Forwarding taskers as needed for review and follow-up to ensure they receive informed feedback
  3. Ensuring that taskers are processed/sent for additional clearance in a timely manner
  4. Backstopping for and coordinating with central REFS tasking and communication teams.
• Acting as Special Assistant for the Center for Natural Environment:
  1. Working with the Center for Natural Environment management team and divisions to implement basic knowledge management and virtual file organization
  2. Helping with trackers and follow up on management tasks
  3. Assisting with planning, design, and implementation of meetings and events (in person or virtual)
  4. Synthesizing notes and decisions from meetings
• Drafting, editing, and formatting materials, documents, and correspondence as needed
• Other duties as assigned

Position Requirements

Qualifications

Academic Qualifications

• Minimum of Bachelor’s degree and 1-3 years of relevant experience. Will consider an equivalent combination of relevant education and experience. Preferred areas of study include environmental/natural resource management, climate or other climate-related fields, business, international development, public policy.

Experience and Skills

Required:

• Demonstrated interest in the environment and climate sectors is required. Demonstrated interest may include related coursework, participation in online learning events, etc.
• A commitment to advancing the mission of USAID’s environment centers
• Strong verbal and written English language skills; highly skilled at writing and editing documents, materials and/or correspondence
• Strong teamwork and int