Vetting Officer

Position Location:     Ramallah, Palestine

Background: Creative Associates International is a dynamic, fast-growing global development firm that specializes in education, economic growth, governance, and post-crisis stabilization. Based in Washington, D.C., Creative has a field presence in more than 25 countries with a strong client portfolio that includes the U.S. Agency for International Development and the State Department, among others. Since its founding in 1977, Creative has earned a solid reputation among its clients and is well-regarded by competitors and partners alike.  

Summary: Creative Associates seeks a Vetting Officer for the anticipated USAID-funded West Bank and Gaza (WBG) Basic Education Activity, which will strengthen education services for Palestinian children of KG 1 through Grade 6 that enable them to thrive and reach their full developmental potential. Under the Basic Education Activity, USAID seeks to work with the private sector, non-formal, non-governmental, community-based, UN, and civil society partners to strengthen early childhood and primary educational opportunities through high quality early childhood education services and supplemental support structures to strengthen foundational pre-primary and primary education for children in the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem. Specific areas of focus anticipated include strengthening foundational skills in literacy, numeracy, social emotional learning (SEL)/soft skills, building teacher and student resilience capabilities and assets, and strengthening pathways between non-formal to formal education.

**Please note this is a local recruitment and only citizens from Palestine will be considered**

Responsibilities: The Vetting Officer will work closely with the WBG-BEA security team to support all vetting processes of staff, vendors, consultants, partners and any/all recipients of project funding. The vetting officer will act as the primary point of contact for matters related to vetting under Mission Order 21 as well as verification of documents submitted by partners, stakeholders, and beneficiaries including background documents and grantee files. Specifically, responsibilities include:

 

• Conduct all vetting, provide oversight, and ensure compliance with USAID and Creative’s Mission Order 21 policies and procedures.
• Oversee and maintain Mission Order 21 account management, including ensuring adequate and compliant inputter and approver requirements.
• Prepare all vetting forms by collecting all necessary information and data from the applicable entity to be vetted.
• Ensure all necessary documents and information, including Partner Information Forms (PIFs), from entities required for vetting are complete, accurate, and submitted to the project on a timely basis.
• Perform data entry related to the online submission of PIFs.
• Maintain master files of vetting documentation, as well as a comprehensive tracker of vetting status, eligibility date, validity period, and related information of all entities vetted.
• Prepare and maintain the vetting tracker on a daily basis and share with applicable staff on a weekly basis and as needed.
• Maintain continual communication with organizations vetted to monitor any changes in key individuals within these organizations. Upon any changes of key individuals, work with project management to ensure immediate notification to USAID and prepare the documentation required for re-vetting the organization and its key individuals.
• Monitor vetting validity periods for all entities vetted, provide notification on timelines for vetting renewal requirements, and process all vetting renewals.
• Closely liaise with Procurement, Operations, Technical, and Human Resource teams to ensure MO21 vetting requirements are considered in project planning, including trainings and activities.
• Ensure no awards are signed until positive confirmation that the entity has passed vetting, and the project has received the relevant eligibility notice.
• If a vetting result for an entity is returned as ineligible, work with project management to immediate cease working with this entity, including adjusting work plans as necessary.
• Closely coordinate with the Finance team in the monthly preparation of the project’s Subaward Report, which is due to USAID by the 5th of each month and includes a cumulative list of all project expenses over $500. Ensure this report accurately reflects all entities vetted for the month.
• Train project and partner staff on Mission Order 21 policies and procedures on vetting, mandatory provisions, and the anti-terrorism clause (ATC) upon hire and thereafter on a bi-annual basis for continued learning.
• Provide continual guidance to staff on vetting, mandatory provisions, and ATC timelines, requirements, etc.

 

EDUCATION

• Minimum Bachelor’s Degree in Business or equivalent years of experience. 

WORK EXPERIENCE

• Minimum of 4 years’ experience working in an administrative/operations role with an international development organization, preferably with USAID projects.
• Previous experience and working knowledge of USAID’s Mission Order 21 requirements and procedures.

SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE

• Fluency in English and excellent writing and communication skills in English and Arabic.
• Strong ability to multi-task, attention to detail, including organization, tracking and reporting skills.
• High level of interpersonal and diplomatic skills required.
• Ability to maintain and build strong professional relationships with a wide range of beneficiaries and organizations.
• Familiarly with education issues in West Bank and Gaza preferred.
• Experience using computers and Microsoft Office 265 Suite: MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, etc.  

Deadline: 19 December 2023

 

 Apply at: [email protected]

 

Only finalists will be contacted.  No phone calls, please.

Creative Associates International Inc. is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer (gender/race/disability/veteran) and provides equal opportunity to all individuals regardless of their race, color, creed, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by state, federal, or local law. Please view Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Posters provided by OFCCP here.