Reference No.: AID-16-08
Position/Salary Range: Program Management Specialist (Care and Support); FSN-12
Additional benefits include allowances for Housing, Transportation,
Meals, Family, and Miscellaneous; 13th and 14th month bonuses;
annual and sick leave and medical coverage
Open To: All DRC citizens
Location: USAID/Democratic Republic of Congo
Kinshasa, DRC
Opening: November 18, 2016
Closing: December 9, 2016
Work Hours: Full-Time; 40 hours/week
USAID/Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), an equal opportunity employer, seeks applicants for the above position.
Completion of a Master in Public Health, or the local equivalent, or in a closely related field involving care and support issues, is required and fluency in English (Level IV) and in French (Level IV) both in oral and written communication are requirements for this position.
Basic Function of Position:
Under the supervision of the HIV/AIDS Team Leader, the USAID Project Management Specialist (Care and Support) is responsible for overseeing and ensuring quality implementation and monitoring of all Care and Support programs/projects/activities related to HIV in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRoC): Adult Care and Pediatric Care and Support (clinical and community-based), TB/HIV, and Orphans and Vulnerable Children. Responsibilities include program/project/activity development, coordination, monitoring and evaluation, reporting, and close collaboration with PEPFAR/DRoC implementing partners (IPs) to ensure implementation is carried out in accordance with program strategic objectives, and internationally recognized best evidence-based practices in Care and Support. The Specialist serves as a permanent member of the PEPFAR/DRoC Country Team. Other partners include other PEPFAR agencies, host-government ministries, and International Organizations (IO) and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) involved in Care and Support of HIV/AIDS in the DRoC. The Specialist is the Care and Support Public Health Advisor to the host-country Ministry of Health, IPs, Global Fund Partners, and IOs and NGOs in the implementation of Care and Support programs/projects/activities. The Specialist is crossed trained with the Mission Prevention Specialist, and is responsible for their portfolio (including PMTCT) in their absence or preoccupation.
Major Duties and Responsibilities:
a. USAID and Interagency Program/Project/Activity Planning and Management
The Specialist is responsible for all aspects of USAID Care and Support programs, projects, and activities, including planning, organizing, implementing, coordinating, and monitoring for results. The Specialist will conduct cross-cutting data reviews of USAID and USG PEPFAR care and support activities to identify program strengths and weaknesses, and work with USAID and the interagency PEPFAR team and USAID implementing partners to develop and monitor action plans to address weaknesses. The Specialist serves as a consultant to host-government and other in-country partners in matters related to national activities aimed at HIV/AIDS Care and Support services. The Specialist as a permanent member of the PEPFAR/DRoC Country Team.
In carrying out these responsibilities, the Specialist:
1) Takes an active role in developing specific agency program goals and objectives for Care and Support initiatives; prepares directives, memoranda, policy statements, and proposals to introduce new initiatives and to recommend effective operations, consistent with the strategic objectives of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the Agency’s PEPFAR program in the DRoC.
2) Works closely with senior and mid-level host-government ministry officials, Global Fund partners, and international and non-governmental organizations to coordinate outreach that raises awareness among civic and social organizations of HIV/AIDS issues and Care and Support activities available, provide technical assistance to ensure that Care and Support activities are based on the latest relevant science and that scientific knowledge is translated into guidelines, practices, and program change, and to influence other collaborative organizations engaged in HIV/AIDS Care and Support programs to adopt appropriate strategies for their program activities;
3) Monitors, provides guidance to, and oversees results of activities funded through grants, contracts, cooperative agreements, and other mechanisms to accomplish Care and Support program strategic objectives; monitors implementation activities, including conducting systematic cross-cutting programmatic data reviews and developing and monitoring action plans, and collaborates with each partner organization on a regular basis to ensure program results are achieved and all Care and Support-related study protocols meet human subject requirements, and pass through ethical review with the appropriate Agency authority; performs regular site visits and meets with representatives of each organization to review progress; coordinates activities through development of close working relationships with senior to mid-level public health officials in the Ministry of Health (MoH), Ministry of Social Affairs (MoSA), UN, NGO, and civil society organizations, and other bilateral organizations to make sure that Care and Support programs/projects/activities are carried out correctly and in a timely manner; and, presents findings and recommendations for appropriate remedial action to correct identified program deficiencies to the Team Leader. This includes cross-cutting care and support data analyses and action plan development.
4) Ensures that USG-supported activities conform to international and national guidelines and agency technical strategies concerning all aspects of Care and Support, including integration of HIV and TB treatment services within existing Care and Support and service provision protocols;
supports host-government and the USG in efforts to enhance linkages and collaboration between Care and Support and other relevant technical areas, e.g. PMTCT, TB, treatment, and laboratory, including partnering with Agency and inter-agency PEPFAR colleagues in other health programs to ensure that collaborative service delivery networks include comprehensive Care and Support services and protocols.
5) Provides updated information, best practices, and guidance, through written materials or briefings, to IP staff on data collection methodologies, and monitors process and progress in collecting data; assures appropriate Care and Support objectives are achieved by helping to develop systems for the collection, analysis, and reporting of Care and Support Program activities data; and, assists the Strategic Information (SI) Section in monitoring sentinel surveillance among clinics and hospitals, including HIV, AIDS, STI, and TB surveillance; conducts Site Information Monitoring System (SIMS) visits at the site, community and above-site level and analyzes results across partner, geographic zone, and assessment area, and tracks care and support-related improvements
6) Prepares regular and frequent oral and written reports to the Chief of Party/Country Director, inter-agency PEPFAR committees, and other interested parties on the progress of specific Care and Support program activities; summarizes and writes up findings of research and other Care and Support program findings to be used for reports, proposals, publications, and presentations at national and international meetings; and, provides advice and recommendations to the Team Leader and/or supervisor, and other Agency officials in interpreting data on health objectives and indicators related to HIV/AIDS Care and Support.
7) Carries out COR/AOR and activity manager responsibilities for cooperative agreements, grants, and contracts associated with Care and Support services; and, provides technical direction for proposals that result in a grant, contract, and/or cooperative agreement for Care and Support programs, ensuring consistency with PEPFAR policies and host-country policies and regulations.
8) Oversees the technical public health aspects in development of Scopes of Work, Funding Opportunity Announcements, Requests for Application, or Annual Program Statements, and reviews applications, supplemental awards, and requests for extensions for activities; participates with IPs in the development of work plans for implementation of activities, oversees performance of cooperating partners/contractors, carries out technical reviews, reviews progress, identifies potential issues, and informs the Team Leader, recommending actions for amelioration.
b. Administrative Management
The Specialist is responsible for providing oversight and monitoring of the budgets allocated to Care and Support IPs, including reviewing budget requests for appropriateness, monitoring use of funds for adherence to proposed activities, preparing quarterly pipeline reviews/budget status reports, reviewing and advising IPs on the annual expenditure analysis exercise, participating in PEPFAR DRC expenditure analysis review process, following up on irregular findings, providing advice for realignments of budgets, and preparing quarterly accruals.
The Specialist maintains files and records in the Care and Support data collection, specific to the programs/projects/activities for which responsible, working closely with the Strategic Information team, with responsibility for data integrity and security of information specific to Care and Support data collection that may relate to HIV/AIDS infection (particularly as related to named individuals). Other program files include reports, meeting summaries and minutes, copies of all grants/cooperative agreements/contracts, research determinations, panels, and awards; whenever possible these records will be filed electronically.
The Specialist prepares and occasionally presents briefings for Congressional and Executive delegations, industry leaders, and other high-level visitors, and participates in making arrangements for visits and serves as a spokesperson as required. The Specialist serves as control officer for site visits for agency and inter-agency PEPFAR senior-level officials, as needed.
c. Interagency Coordination
The Specialist represents USAID and the USG at technical, policy, and strategic planning meetings, including meetings with collaborators and donor agencies, briefing senior Agency officials, PEPFAR, and US Mission Country Team members and interested officials of other USG agencies as appropriate on the results of such meetings and prepares written reports for submission to other interested parties.
The Specialist participates as USAID representative at inter-agency administrative and strategic planning meetings, where recommendations for countrywide financial commitment targets for HIV Care and Support programs are developed; such meetings may include representatives of other USG PEPFAR implementing agencies, including the Departments of State, Defense, Labor, Commerce, and Health and Human Services.
The Specialist serves as USAID representative on inter-agency technical working groups (TWGs) for purposes of: assessing existing in-country assets and activities aimed at Care and Support services and developing approaches to strengthening such activities with minimal overlap and unnecessary duplication; developing appropriate assessment tools to collect data related to patient health care needs, risk history, and clinical complications; and, to ensure effective coordination of work plan development, implementation strategies, and evaluation plans for all USG agency Care and Support activities in the DRoC.
The Specialist serves on intra- and inter-branch and Agency PEPFAR working groups and projects, frequently taking the project lead role; such projects are generally short-term in nature, and most often have to do with special requirements for VIP visits, special PEPFAR data requests, etc. The Specialist may participate with other PEPFAR professionals on in-country committees for HIV/AIDS Care and Support issues, for such purposes as to assess program needs and issues at the local level and develop strategies for communicating these needs/issues to the national level. Such committees help to ensure consistency in the implementation of best practices for HIV Care and Support issues on a national level. Based on information received in the national committees, the Specialist may recommend revisions to USAID and PEPFAR program policies and guidelines for Care and Support services.
Performs other duties as assigned or required.
Required Qualifications at the Full Performance Level:
Education:
Completion of a Master in Public Health, or the local equivalent, or in a closely related field involving care and support issues, is required.Training should have included a strong clinical component.
Prior Work Experience:
A minimum of seven to ten years of progressively responsible experience in the development, implementation, and evaluation of HIV/AIDS, Malaria, TB, and other infectious disease programs, preferably at the community level. The candidate will have experience implementing and/or managing Care and Support interventions in the DRoC. Previous experience with presentations or the publication of articles is highly desirable. Specific experience in implementation of community-based activities is preferred.
Language Proficiency:
Level IV English and French (fluent proficiency), both written and oral, is required; plus, a good working knowledge of one or more normally spoken Congolese languages is desired, e.g. Lingala or Swahili.
Knowledge:
The Specialist must have in-depth professional-level knowledge of development principles, concepts, and practices, especially as they relate to the overarching problems of managing Care and Support and HIV-related activities in the DRoC, and the problems and policies in the Congo from the business, political, civil society, and social perspectives. The Specialist must have knowledge and understanding of the economic, political, social, and cultural characteristics of the Congo; development problems in the health sector in the DRoC and the region; the resources, resource constraints, and overall development prospects and priorities of the DRoC and the region; and, a good knowledge, or the potential to quickly acquire such knowledge, of USG legislation, policy, and practice relating to Care and Support and HIV development assistance, of USAID programming policies, regulations, procedures, and documentation, and of the objectives, methodology, and status of assigned activities. The Specialist must have knowledge and understanding of the organization and respective roles of the different levels of the GDRoC in order to enhance effective communication, and to develop consensus on program/project/activity strategy and implementation plans.
Evaluation Criteria and Weights:
Education/Weighted 20% based on initial application review;
English Language Skills/Weighted 15% based on application review, written assessment and interview;
Prior Work Experience/Weighted 20% based on application review and interview;
Knowledge/Weighted 25% based on written assessment and interview; and
Skills and Abilities/Weighted 20% based on written assessment and interview.
How the selection will be made:
The successful candidate will be selected based upon
A preliminary review of the applicant's submitted package to establish that minimum educational and English writing fluency requirements are met.
Tests to include an English writing skills test, a Microsoft Office proficiency test that might include any of the following: Word, Excel, PowerPoint; and any technical skill test that might be deemed appropriate.
A personal or telephone interview.
Reference checks.
USAID/DRC’s Technical Evaluation Committee (TEC) and Human Resources Section will perform the preliminary review (Step 1 above) to eliminate those applications that do not meet the minimum educational and written English language requirements.
The TEC will review each of the applications which meet the minimum qualifications against the established evaluation criteria to develop a shortlist of applicants to be tested and possibly interviewed. Applicants will be contacted for testing (Step 2) and interviews. Based on the results of the tests, however, an applicant otherwise identified for interview could be dropped from the interview list.
Following the interview (Step 3) during which the applicant will be evaluated against the established criteria, the TEC will make a preliminary determination of candidates to be considered for employment and forward that list to HR. HR will conduct and document the reference checks (Step 4) prior to advising the TEC of the results of these checks. Please note that references may be solicited from current as well as former supervisors in addition to the references you provide in your application package.
References will only be solicited for those interviewed applicants who are being considered for ranking.
Based on this final input, the TEC will make its final decision on which candidates to rank order, prepare a Selection Memo for review and approval by the Contracting Officer, after which an offer of employment will be made to the successful candidate, and unsuccessful candidates who were interviewed will be contacted and advised of their non-selection.
As positive medical and security clearances are a condition of employment, the selected candidate will undergo stringent investigation prior to employment with USAID/DRC.
USAID/DRC reserves the right to hire an applicant who does not meet the required experience level at a trainee level. However, an applicant who does not meet the minimum educational requirements cannot be hired at either a trainee or full performance level.
Compensation:
The position will be compensated in accordance with the U.S. Embassy’s Local Compensation Plan (LCP). The successful candidate’s salary level will be based on prior job-related experience and salary history.
To Apply:
ONLY applicants who meet the minimum educational and good working knowledge of English requirements as stated in the solicitation document will be considered. Interested applicants who do not meet these requirements are encouraged NOT to apply since these applications will not be considered.
A complete application package consists of the following:
Application for U.S. Federal Employment, DS-174 - Job Application Form. The form can be found in the US embassy website (http://kinshasa.usembassy.gov/opportunities/jobs.html)
A cover letter demonstrating how prior experience and/or training address the minimum qualifications and selection criteria,
A current resume or curriculum vitae (CV), and
Names and contact numbers of three professional references.
Ensure that all communications (including your Cover Letter) include the Announcement Reference Number (AID-16-08) and the Title of the Position(s) for which you are applying (Program Management Specialist-Care and Support).
Submit the complete application package via email, to [email protected]
Failure to comply with these instructions may result in your application being considered “non responsive” and eliminated from further consideration.
Point of Contact:
Sandra Kiyanga: [email protected]
Only short-listed candidates will be acknowledged.
DEFINITION:
Foreign Service National (FSN): A host country national employed at a U.S. Mission abroad, who is not a U.S. citizen, nor a family member of a direct-hire Foreign, Civil, or uniformed service member under Chief of Mission authority.
Closing date for this position: December 9, 2016.
The U.S. Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo provides opportunity and fair and equitable treatment in employment to all people without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, political affiliation, marital status or sexual orientation. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) also strives to ensure equal employment opportunity in all personnel operations. Women and members of minority groups are encouraged to apply.
