Solicitations open to: Ukrainian Nationals (Residency/Ukrainian Work Permit)  Solicitation No.: 720-121-24-R-10014 Position Title:   Project Management Specialist (Cybersecurity)  Issuance date:   December 13, 2024  Closing date and time: December 27, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. Kyiv Time Work hours:   40 hours (Full time) Position Grade: FSN-11 Market Value:  Basic Annual Rate (in U.S. Dollars): $43,147 - $56,088.  In accordance with AIDAR Appendix J and the Local Compensation Plan of USAID/Ukraine.  Final compensation will be negotiated within the listed market value. Place of Performance: Kyiv, Ukraine Period of Performance:  Five-Year Period of Performance with possibility extension Security Level Required: Facility Access

STATEMENT OF DUTIES:

The USAID Mission in Ukraine develops and implements U.S. assistance programs for Ukraine and Belarus. USAID/Ukraine partners with Ukrainian citizens, civil society, media, and government to help Ukraine resist Russia’s full-scale invasion, promote transparent and effective recovery processes, and support reforms to integrate Ukraine further into Europe. The Office of Democracy and Governance (ODG), one of the Mission’s three Kyiv-based technical offices, plans, monitors, and evaluates a large, dynamic portfolio of contracts and cooperative agreements spanning some of the country’s highest-priority reform, recovery, and reintegration issues. This position is housed within ODG under the supervision of the Digital Unit Lead, with guidance from the Mission Digital Development Advisor. The Cybersecurity Specialist will focus on USAID programs advancing Ukraine’s digital transformation, including anti-corruption and transparency initiatives. The principal role of the Cybersecurity Specialist is to design, implement, and evaluate the effectiveness of activities to strengthen cybersecurity in Ukraine. This Specialist will serve as the Contracting or Agreement Officer’s Representative (COR/AOR) for one or more complex activities implemented primarily by U.S. non-governmental organizations, development contractors, and/or Ukrainian organizations. The Specialist supports the DDA to lead the overall strategic direction and manage/monitor complex activities requiring a high level of technical and professional judgment regarding this highly sensitive, nuanced, and cross-office technical portfolio. The incumbent has direct, substantive contacts with Government of Ukraine (GOU) stakeholders in line ministries, the Verkhovna Rada, Ministry of Digital Transformation (MDT), the State Special Communications Service of Ukraine (SSSCIP), the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC), regional and local government, the private sector, NGOs, and media; and directly negotiates activities and approaches within his/her portfolio with them. The Specialist works with other donors active in his/her subject area, coordinating USAID assistance to complement other donor initiatives as appropriate. The Cybersecurity Specialist will also engage regularly with the U.S. Embassy and other donors, serving as a technical representative during coordination meetings and public events and providing briefings and consultations to executive leadership. This role requires excellent project management, communication, and analytical skills; a strong understanding of Ukraine’s cybersecurity threats and needs; flexibility; and the ability to engage across USAID teams and with a wide range of Ukrainian stakeholders.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Activity Management (60%): The Specialist’s primary responsibility is to manage and assist in the management of ODG technical assistance and grant activities. This primarily involves serving as COR/AOR or alternate for a number of complex, sensitive activities within this portfolio, providing USAID and its implementing partners with technical direction on cybersecurity and digital transformation issues in order to make programmatic decisions. Activity management may include:

● Serving as the contracting/agreement officer’s representative (i.e, lead project manager) or alternate for a number of complex, sensitive activities within this portfolio.

● Providing USAID and its implementing partners with technical direction on key cybersecurity and digital transformation issues in order to make programmatic decisions.

● Reviewing vouchers, sub-grants, annual implementation plans, performance monitoring plans, key personnel, and other issues requiring USAID involvement.

● Conducting financial management tasks related to ODG activities, such as monitoring spending, tracking accruals, and preparing regular pipeline analyses.

● Conducting site visits to monitor ODG activities, which may require travel within Ukraine, as well as regular in-person interactions and correspondence with partners and stakeholders.

● Tracking partner performance against activity- and strategic-level objectives and results.

● Tracking partner reporting and deliverables, with an emphasis on oversight of taxpayer funds and communicating USAID’s work in Ukraine to local and external audiences.

● Maintaining award management files.

● Drafting daily activity bullets, program briefs, readouts from meetings and events, briefers for other USAID and USG officials, and other reporting as required.

● As requested, occasionally supporting other programs in the ODG portfolio and general office needs, such as organizing meetings and events, participating in working groups, arranging Embassy services, and/or acting as a site officer for Mission or USG official trips.

B. Technical and Strategic Leadership (20%): The Specialist will help shape ODG’s input into Mission strategic planning by providing analysis and recommendations on cybersecurity. Working closely with the Mission Digital Development Advisor, Digitalization Specialist, and other technical offices (in particular the Office of Critical Infrastructure and Office of Economic Growth) the incumbent works closely and collaboratively with GOU counterparts, other donor institutions, USAID implementing partners, and USAID/Embassy colleagues in the Mission and in Washington. At all times, the incumbent will support the Mission Digital Development Advisor to continue to monitor for new opportunities and address potential threats to USAID priorities. Provide expert analysis and recommendations on cybersecurity challenges specific to post-conflict or wartime environments in Ukraine.

The Specialist will:

● Analyze emerging cybersecurity threats and their potential impact on USAID programs;

● Identify opportunities for innovation in cybersecurity, particularly in areas related to export security and digital transformation;

● Contribute to the development of cybersecurity strategies aligned with NATO standards and U.S. government cybersecurity policies;

● Provide expert advice on aligning USAID cybersecurity initiatives with U.S. government and Ukrainian national cybersecurity strategies.

● Providing technical guidance on cybersecurity best practices to USAID staff and implementing partners;

● Conducting cybersecurity risk assessments for USAID projects;

● Developing and implementing cybersecurity policies and procedures for USAID activities;

● Identify opportunities for public-private partnerships in cybersecurity innovation.

C. Coordination, Representation, and Communication (20%): The Specialist supports the Mission Digital Development Advisor to serve as the Mission’s key cybersecurity liaison with the GOU (including the Ministry of Digital Transformation, State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection, and National Coordination Center for Cybersecurity), international donors, the USG interagency, NGOs, and private institutions. The incumbent plays a key role in identifying and coordinating synergies among USG stakeholders, serving as a trusted technical advisor to senior Mission management, and advocating for key priorities for assistance to Ukraine within the USG. S/he may be required to represent USAID in external meetings related to the coordination of donor efforts in this field. The Specialist will also collaborate across Mission technical offices to provide insight on the implementation of digitalization components within sector-specific projects and activities.

The incumbent plays a key role in:

● Identifying and coordinating synergies among USG stakeholders;

● Serving as a trusted technical advisor to senior Mission management;

● Advocating for key cybersecurity priorities for assistance to Ukraine within the USG;

● Representing USAID in external meetings related to cybersecurity efforts;

● Collaborating across Mission technical offices to provide insight on the implementation of cybersecurity components within sector-specific projects and activities;

● Fostering public-private partnerships to enhance Ukraine’s cybersecurity capabilities.

The contractor is eligible for temporary duty (TDY) travel to the U.S., or to other Missions
abroad, to participate in the “Foreign Service National” Fellowship Program, in accordance with USAID policy.

Supervisory Relationship: The Cybersecurity Specialist is directly supervised by the Democracy Officer, with guidance from the Mission Digital Development Advisor.

Supervisory Controls: This professional will provide guidance to Implementing Partners in their capacity as a Contracting or Agreement Officer’s Representative (COR/AOR).

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The work requested does not involve undue physical demand.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR EFFECTIVE PERFORMANCE:

Education: This position requires at least a university degree (B.A. or B.S.), preferably in cybersecurity, information and communication technologies (ICT), computer science or a related field.

Prior Work Experience: This position requires at least seven (7) years of experience in the area of cybersecurity project management or cybersecurity policy development, either through the development and implementation of technology projects, and/or development of public policy related to use of technology in public administration or governance related to the utilization of cybersecurity tools and technologies (this includes, but is not limited to cybersecurity frameworks (e.g., NIST, ISO 27001), threat intelligence and/or cyber threat landscape projects, etc).

Language Proficiency: Level IV (fluent) English ability for reading, speaking, and writing is required; native facility in Ukrainian (Level IV).

EVALUATION AND SELECTION FACTORS:

The Government may award a contract without discussions with offerors in accordance with FAR 52.215-1. The Contracting Officer reserves the right at any point in the evaluation process to establish a competitive range of offerors with whom negotiations will be conducted pursuant to FAR 15.306(c). In accordance with FAR 52.215-1, if the Contracting Officer 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 Contracting Officer may limit the number of offerors 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.

The technical evaluation committee may conduct reference checks, including references from individuals who have not been specifically identified by the offeror, and may do so before or after a candidate is interviewed.

Selection Process and Basis of Evaluation: Offerors who meet the minimum education and work experience qualification requirements will be further evaluated through review of the offeror’s submitted required documents (see points below) and ranked based on the evaluation and selection factors. A competitive range may be established of the highest-ranked offerors, who may be further evaluated through technical/language tests, interviews, and reference checks to determine the most qualified/highest-ranked offeror. Reference checks may be conducted with individuals not provided by the offeror, and without prior notification to the offeror. Any offeror not receiving satisfactory reference checks will no longer be considered for the position. Negotiations may be conducted with the most qualified/ highest-ranked offeror at the conclusion of evaluations.

40 points – Knowledge: The position requires a detailed understanding and in-depth knowledge of cybersecurity frameworks (e.g., NIST, ISO 27001); an understanding of threat intelligence and cyber threat landscape; and familiarity with broader cybersecurity tools and technologies.In addition to a sound knowledge of cybersecurity in the public sector, the position will require a competent grasp of emerging technology issues, including technologies such as cloud computing and mobile applications, and innovations and trends application of cybersecurity in the private sector. The Cybersecurity Specialist must also have broad knowledge of the GOU’s cybersecurity-related and digital transformation/development policy priorities and reform and recovery agenda as well as the corresponding perspectives of civil society on these matters and broader political and social trends in Ukrainian society. This professional should have substantial technical knowledge of institutions and key players in areas relevant to this position, including in the GOU (namely the Ministry for Digital Transformation, State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection, and National Security and Defense Council); and among civil society, professional associations, and the private sector. The Cybersecurity Specialist should have a strong understanding of the importance of cybersecurity reforms to Ukraine’s integration into Euro-Atlantic and European institutions and processes.

60 points – Skills and Abilities: The following are essential for this position:

• Excellent listening, written, and verbal communication skills, particularly for working across USAID teams and with external stakeholders including government officials at varying levels, representatives of civil society and the private sector, and members of the international community in Ukraine;
• Strong learning agility, critical thinking, and ability to adapt to new or changing situations and responsibilities;
• Ability to synthesize data and trends from multiple sources, recognize significant developments, and clearly communicate their impact on USAID programs and Ukraine’s reform and recovery priorities;
• Ability to plan and manage complex projects and draft relevant USAID-required documentation with a great deal of independence;
• Excellent teamwork skills, including the ability to work collaboratively in a multicultural, team-based environment;
• Ability to handle sensitive issues with professionalism, tact, and diplomacy;
• Strong organizational and time management skills, including the ability to prioritize and balance both complex and administrative tasks under tight deadlines;
• Ability to read, understand and analyze budgets;
• Good working knowledge of MS Office and Google suite.

TOTAL POSSIBLE POINTS: 100 points

HOW TO APPLY:

Eligible Offerors are requested to submit a complete application package which must include all the required documents in English electronically to [email protected] with Subject line: Project Management Specialist (Cybersecurity) (720-121-24-R-10014).

ANY/ALL application submissions received after the closing date will not be considered.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:

1. Cover Letter: A memo or email that outlines how your qualifications and experience meet the selection criteria.
2. Application for Employment (DS-174): The form can be downloaded from this link https://eforms.state.gov/Forms/ds174.pdf.

Offerors must thoroughly complete the DS-174 form in English and are advised to include all of their current and previous work experience related to this position. Offerors may use continuation pages to further explain their relevant work experience, if needed. AND;

3. Current Resume/Curriculum Vitae (CV): The CV/resume must contain sufficient relevant information to evaluate the applications in accordance with the stated technical evaluation criteria, listed above.
4. Sexual Misconduct Self-Certification Form: The form can be downloaded from this link

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SoLv-MWLAh_LjzScO5mqm965DdTqE3lCPpIZVPis0JQ/edit?tab=t.0. Offerors must sign this form related to sexual misconduct when submitting the offer. The signed form will be filed in the award file. If the offeror fails to submit a signed-certification, the offeror will be determined to be non-compliant to submission requirements and will not be considered for award.

IMPORTANT:

IN ORDER TO HAVE YOUR APPLICATION CONSIDERED, YOU MUST SUBMIT ALL FOUR REQUIRED DOCUMENTS. IF YOU OMIT ANY OF THE REQUIRED DOCUMENTS, COVER PAGE, CV or DS-174 FORM, YOUR APPLICATION WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.

Note:

• This vacancy is open to Ukrainian Nationals (Residency/Ukrainian Work Permit Required).
• Applications with insufficient, incomplete and inconsistent information to make a determination will not be considered.
• No in-person appointments or telephone calls will be entertained.
• Offerers who are applying for this position must fully meet the education requirement (graduated and degree and/or diploma already received) as specified. At the time of applications, candidates must also meet in full the experience requirement.
• Short-listed candidates will be requested to provide educational documents such as degrees, diplomas, certificates and other pertinent documents (passport, proof of residency or work permit) as needed. Failure to provide the required documentation will result in the rejection of their application from further consideration.
• The Agency retains the full right to cancel or amend the solicitation and associated actions at any time.

BENEFITS/ALLOWANCES: </spa