Human Resources (HR) Assistant Job – United States US Embassy, US Mission in Uganda

Job Title:    Human Resources (HR) Assistant

Organisation: United States US Embassy, US Mission in Uganda

Duty Station: USAID / Uganda, Kampala, Uganda

Salary Range: UGX 70,307,688 – 102,814,437 per annum equivalent to FSN-08

About US Embassy:

The United States Embassy in Kampala, Uganda has enjoyed diplomatic relations with Uganda for over 30 years.  Ambassador Natalie E. Brown 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:

• United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
• Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
• Peace Corps

Job Summary:  The Human Resources (HR) Assistant is a member of the Executive Office (EXO) HR team and is responsible for providing Human Resource Management support to the USAID Mission. The HR Assistant provides clerical, administrative, and technical support for the Mission to all levels of USDH (U.S. Direct Hires), Cooperating Country National Personal Services Contractors (CCNPSC), Offshore and Resident-Hire U.S. Personal Services Contractors (USPSC) and Third Country Nationals Personal Services Contractors (TCNPSC). The HR Assistant’s responsibilities will include preparing position classification, recruitment, contract management, new employee orientation, and official personnel/contract files management. In addition, the HR Assistant will be expected to regularly update the position and personnel data in the Mission personnel management system etc., coordinating and managing USAID incentive and On-the-Spot Award Programs, and supporting the arrival, travel, visa and accreditation, and departure processes. The HR Assistant prepares and submits periodic staffing patterns and staffing numbers to the U.S. Embassy and USAID Mission management as needed. The HR Assistant reports to the HR Specialist (or the Executive Officer in lieu of HR Specialist) and serves as a backup for other HR staff, as needed.

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Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Position Classification, Recruitment, and Contract Administration

• Position Classification. The HR Assistant performs the initial review of position descriptions, drafts edits, and provides feedback to stakeholders. The HR Assistant may review position classification packages for accuracy and up to date documents. Facilitates preparation of job discussion help sheets, collects, and prepares classification package documentation for further review and submission for classification action.
• The HR Assistant administers segments of the recruitment process for locally and internationally-hired contract employees to include the following: a) drafts solicitations/vacancy announcements based on the most current approved and classified Position Descriptions, specifies evaluation and selection criteria, and ensures appropriate publication of solicitations and prompt distribution within USG Mission community and outside of the Mission; b) collects and reviews applications received, screens them for meeting the publicized minimum qualifications, and shortlists applications for review by the appropriate Mission Technical Evaluation Committees; c) arranges interviews and may serve as the HR representative on TEC panels; d) drafts all correspondence required under the hiring process and communicates with applicants regarding selection matters, corresponds with the selected candidate under the direction of the supervisor.
• Personnel and Contract Administration: The HR Assistant prepares budgets, submits requisitions, drafts, and issues solicitations. Facilitates recruitment processes and advises hiring managers of contracting policies and procedures. Prepares and processes personnel and contracting actions. Monitors contract obligations, prepares funding actions, tracks periods of performance, and processes termination, closeout, and renewal actions.

Performance Management, Awards Activities, and Benefits

• Performance Management: The HR Assistant ensures the performance evaluations of all CCNs are checked for completion and accomplished in a timely basis; is responsible for maintaining accurate and current performance evaluation files and tracking when evaluations or reviews are due; follows through with employees and supervisors to ensure that evaluations are submitted on or before due dates, and that narratives are consistent with the official duties and responsibilities of the respective position, and ensures that annual performance evaluations for CCNs as well as work objectives for the next rating cycle are completed and submitted to the HR Office within the timeframe set by the EXO. Regularly checks the list of departing rating officers and requests interim reports, as appropriate. Responds to general questions and provides information to assist employees and/or supervisors in completing reports. Reviews completed reports to ensure accurate and thorough completion, requests/explains necessary modifications, processes completed reports and updates the database system accordingly.
• Incentive Award Programs: The HR Assistant tracks the administration of nominations when submissions are requested for the Interagency Mission Award Program (IMAP), On-the-Spot, Special Act, or the USAID Incentive Awards Program. The HR Assistant provides guidance, collects award nominations; is responsible to review nominations to ensure eligibility and nomination completeness for all types of awards within the assigned portfolios and in accordance with policy, in coordination with the nominee’s supervisor and nominator. The HR Assistant ensures funding availability for all nominations and submits the completed and approved nominations to the interagency awards committee or to the Bureau/Office of Administrative Management Services (AMS), as appropriate. Once awards are approved, the Assistant informs the nominee and submits the approved awards to the appropriate payroll office to facilitate cash payment processing.
• Benefits Administration: The HR Assistant assists in the administration of compensation and benefit programs. Advises employees on applicable salary plans, allowances, benefits, entitlements, and other relevant program elements based on the employment mechanism. Tracks policy changes and implements updates to procedures accordingly.

Reporting, HR Files, Information and Data Management

• Staffing and Organizational Reporting: The HR Assistant regularly updates the staffing reports on Human Resources Information Systems prepares and submits periodic staffing patterns, personnel numbers, and other ad-hoc HR reports for USAID Mission or Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Embassy. Personnel Records Management: Maintains, organizes, updates, and performs close-out of Official Personnel Files (OPFs) for PSC staff and ensures their completeness, accuracy and compliance with HR and contracting content requirements and organization. Maintains, organizes, and updates a variety of other HR files and records, including subject files, chronological and historical files to ensure the maintenance of complete and accurate records. Searches files and records to extract data and/or assemble information required for various documents and/or reports or to provide information. Maintains and updates the personnel record in Agency Secure Image and Storage Tracking (ASIST) System.
• Personnel Entry and Exit Support: The HR Assistant prepares the check-in and check-out forms for new and separating American and CCNPSC employees and TDY staff, and reviews completed actions to ensure accuracy and thoroughness, collects all necessary related documents and processes for signature by the Executive Officer and files documents accordingly. Maintains and updates the Mission’s welcome orientation packets for all USDH and all offshore and locally recruited contract employees and assists with new employee orientation. Drafts and processes arrival/departure notice cables for all USDH staff.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

• The applicant for the USAID Human Resources (HR) Assistant job should have completed Secondary School with an additional two years of post-secondary studies in Human Resources, Business Administration, Management, Public Administration, or related degree. Required.
• A minimum of three (3) years of administrative, human resources, personnel assistance, public administration, or customer service-related experience is required.
• Good knowledge and understanding of USAID’s personnel-related policies, regulations, and procedures.
• Knowledge of standard recruitment practices, performance management systems, personnel records management and local labor laws.
• Good understanding and knowledge of HR best practices, reporting, HR data management and standards of confidentiality and transparency.
• Thorough knowledge of standard office management procedures and practices.
• Strong customer service, interpersonal and communication skills (e.g., oral and written) to be tactful and discreet, and to be able to work as a part of a team and to maintain excellent working relationships with all Mission personnel.
• Ability to follow oral instructions and be able to organize, prioritize and follow through on all assignments with minimal oversight, a strong focus towards attention to detail, and a demonstrated proficiency in using word processing and spreadsheet software.
• Strong ability to maintain strict confidentiality relating to all areas of USAID Mission personnel matters.
• Ability to quickly learn the structure and functions of the USAID Mission in the host country and familiarity with its programs and objectives, quickly acquire the USAID and USG specific knowledge related to HR policies and procedures.
• Language Proficiency: Level IV (fluent) English language proficiency, speaking and writing is required. Local language proficiency (Level IV) is required.

How to Apply:

Offers must be submitted as detailed in Section IV of the solicitation document and shall include:

• A typed and signed (hand or electronic signature) (around Section 6 – Declaration) DS-174 Employment Application for Locally Employed Staff or Family Member (https://eforms.state.gov/Forms/ds174.pdf;).
• Cover letter (addressed to the USAID Supervisory Executive Officer) clearly indicating the position for which you are applying and describing how you meet the minimum requirements.
• Completed curriculum vitae/resume as detailed in the solicitation document.
• Supplemental [separate] document specifically addressing each QRF as outlined in the solicitation.
• Copies of Academic Transcripts

All offers must be e-mailed to: kampalausaidjobs@usaid.gov

Offers should be in Adobe Acrobat (.pdf). No other file types will be accepted. All documents should be scanned into one (1) document (one (1) ATTACHMENT) which should not exceed 10MB.

For this position, the subject line of the email MUST read:

SOL NUMBER TITLE OF POSITION, LAST, FIRST CANDIDATE NAME – Ex: 72061723R10007 Human Resources Assistant, Smith, Jose

NB: Only electronic submissions will be accepted and only short listed offerors will be contacted.

Deadline: 30^th January 2023