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USAID has an important and proud legacy of more than fifty years in providing assistance to developing countries around the world. Today, the environment in which USAID does this work has changed considerably. The Agency's future as the primary development instrument of American foreign policy depends on its ability to continue to meet the challenges that are essential to the achievement of our national interests.
Foreign Service Officers (FSOs) remains at the core of mission staffing and is the prime element in providing shape and forward momentum to the USAID country program. FSOs perform inherently governmental functions and are the essential link between strategic interest and the program content and style selected to achieve that interest. There are a number of other important unique values that an FSO brings to his or her position. Among these are greater responsibility for accountability and oversight; more comprehension of, and better responsiveness to, Agency guidance and direction; corporate memory; and the knowledge, experience and “weight” to work effectively with other USG agencies.
USAID seeks to recruit new Foreign Service Officers through the Junior Officer (JO) Program. Approximately 415 of the Agency's nearly 1,000 FSOs are newly employed officers, that is, employees with less than three years' of experience. Many new officers previously have worked in international development or as USAID contractors and are prepared to assume duties as office directors. Because of the expanded demand for USAID involvement worldwide and the limited availability of staff resources to continue to provide developmental assistance (e.g. food, health, child survival, basic education, conflict mitigation), the JO program will help address some of the Agency's future staff development needs.
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