Cultural Heritage Program Consultant

Responsibilities

Serve as the SCA Bureau’s subject matter expert and primary point of contact regarding all cultural heritage grants and programs between the United States and Afghanistan, Pakistan, and other countries within South and Central Asia, including India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, the Maldives, and Bhutan.

Represent the office in discussions with grant award recipients. Review award recipients’ financial and performance reporting to monitor and evaluate progress toward grant and/or cooperative agreement objectives.

Conduct site visits to evaluate grant recipient performance and provide advice and technical support. Review a broad range of recipient actions to ensure projects adhere to international standards and charters in heritage preservation.

Contribute to negotiations necessary for revisions to grants and cooperative agreements due to changes in the program or unforeseen matters affecting the SCA/PPD office or SCA Bureau, the recipient, and/or the Public Affairs Sections (PAS) within the regional embassies.

Function as subject matter expert and technical advisor for grants officers, grants officer representatives, and Public Affairs Sections on program activities, objectives, and goals as they relate to Inter Country Strategies and Mission Policies.

Screen ranked grant applications against eligibility criteria, review and analyze proposed program activities and plans for feasibility and practicality in various operating environments across SCA countries.

Assess qualifications of possible grant implementing partners for ability and capacity to adhere to international standards in heritage preservation.

Independently develop unique grants and cooperative agreements that relate to the specific program objectives of PAS sections within regional embassies, along with the strategic goals of SCA/PPD and the SCA Bureau.

Advise and assist the Public Affairs Sections of U.S. Embassies in South and Central Asia in planning, development, and implementation of existing and new cultural heritage initiatives, including providing expert advice, coordinating proposal reviews, preparing grant documentation, assisting with reports, budgets, and other planning and logistical issues, with frequent travel to the region for project monitoring, consultations, and support.

Articulate U.S. policy in support of cultural heritage in the SCA region with U.S. and international museums, university and college archaeology departments, civic organizations, and other entities involved in the restoration, preservation, and protection of cultural heritage.

Oversee efforts to expand regional cooperation and coordination in the field of cultural heritage in the SCA region, with emphasis on projects linking experts and professionals from Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Represent the SCA Bureau in all issues relating to cultural heritage, including the Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation and independent U.S. Embassy cultural heritage grants and programs.

Engage with U.S. military partners on issues relating to the protection of cultural heritage and training of U.S. forces in cultural heritage awareness programs. Cooperate with U.S.-based law enforcement officials and security agencies on issues relating to illegal trafficking in cultural heritage items and advise and assist, as appropriate, with potential cases of looting and smuggling.

In partnership with bureau leadership, represent and advance bureau interests in planning, development, organization, funding, and management of cultural heritage grants and exchanges. Engage in substantive discussions with senior Department of State officials, representatives of U.S. and international museums, NGO officials, and archaeology department heads in colleges and universities to promote interest and support for cultural exchanges.

Conceptualize, develop, and implement special programs to bring U.S. and international subject matter experts to the SCA region to teach and study at cultural heritage organizations. Initiate, propose, negotiate, and obtain funding for partnerships to promote the exchange of faculty, students, and relevant expertise between the U.S. and SCA cultural heritage entities.

Establish and maintain liaison with cultural heritage institutions and civic organizations in the United States and internationally to support the expansion of cultural heritage exchange programs among the U.S., international partners, and countries across the South and Central Asian region and nations bordering SCA.

Coordinate participation of appropriate State Department offices, as well as other USG and non-USG institutions, in planning, implementation, and follow-up relating to visits to the U.S. by South and Central Asian partners in cultural heritage.

Serve as the Bureau’s primary point of contact for U.S. and international museums, universities, college archaeology departments, NGOs, and civic organizations involved in cultural heritage grants and exchanges in support of the cultural heritage sector in SCA. Introduce U.S. and international institutions to appropriate SCA counterparts and provide guidance to SCA posts in determining the most productive areas of cultural exchange activity.

In coordination with the Bureau’s press section, conduct on-the-record and background interviews with media outlets to inform audiences of U.S. support for the reconstruction of the SCA cultural heritage system and publicize opportunities for individuals and institutions to participate in exchange programs. Deliver presentations on U.S. and SCA cultural heritage grants and exchange partnerships to audiences ranging from roundtables to large international conferences. Coordinate preparation of briefings and visual materials. Contribute material, including short articles and photographs, for the State Department and other publications, as appropriate.

Draft and maintain a SCA regional Bureau-wide policy by achieving consensus from Public Diplomacy Officers in 13 countries for cultural heritage initiatives that align with evolving foreign policy objectives and realities.

Serve as the primary guide for all SCA Embassies to initiate bilateral groundwork for the establishment of Bilateral Cultural Property Agreements. Serve as the main point of contact for information sharing and coordination across these legally complex, multi-year processes.

Provide additional managerial responsibilities in program oversight in the absence of locally engaged staff employed in Afghanistan. Routinely coordinate with implementing partners, process payment requests, and liaise with the grants officer to ensure grants stay in regulatory compliance.

Provide critical coordination to Afghan cultural heritage contacts and facilitate P1/P2 referrals for hundreds of Embassy Kabul grantees and program alumni. Field inquiries, often from desperate Afghan refugees, for resettlement referrals. Afghanistan and Pakistan would cover 50% of the contract, and SCA would cover 50%.

Qualifications

Education

Mastery of international relations, social sciences, humanities, or other related professional fields at a level typically obtained through completion of a doctoral degree.

Other Qualifications

Must be a U.S. citizen and possess or obtain/maintain a Secret clearance.

Ability to prepare talking points, briefings, and other presentations used in securing support and funding for bi-lateral exchange programs.

Ability to support effective working relationships with senior governmental and non-governmental officials and organizations in the United States and with diverse cultural, regional, and ethnic groups in South and Central Asia.

Ability to collaborate with staff of public, private, and governmental institutions in the U.S. to secure cooperation, funding, and support for cultural heritage exchange programs between South and Central Asia and the U.S.

Ability to work cooperatively with staff from different functional offices, other Federal agencies, and military departments in pursuit of mutual objectives.

Ability to work effectively both independently and as a team member, under conditions of exceptional stress and severe time constraints.

Ability to support policy and operational plans and decisions that often require reconciling competing priorities, different bureaucratic cultures, and dissenting views.

Ability to advise on decisions based on experience, local factors and conditions, and analysis of relevant information.

Superior skill in oral and written communications to prepare reports and program assessments.

Pay Range
USD $180,000.00 – USD $181,000.00 /Yr.

EEO

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