GENERAL INFORMATION

1. SOLICITATION NO.: 20-112

2. ISSUANCE DATE: November 6, 2020.

3. CLOSING DATE/TIME FOR RECEIPT OF OFFERS: November 20,        2020 (4:30 PM East Africa Time).

4. POSITION TITLE: Project Management Specialist (HIV Care and            Treatment) X 2

•   Pediatric – PMTCT Experience
•  Adult Care and Treatment Experience                        

5. MARKET VALUE: Equivalent to FSN-PSC 10: Step 1: 3,203,516.00          KSH to Step 13: 5,445,968.00 KSH per annum). In accordance with        AIDAR Appendix J and the Local Compensation Plan of USAID/              Kenya and East Africa. Final compensation will be negotiated within          the listed market value.

6. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: Initial 1-year probationary period with      4 additional option years contingent on performance, position need,        and funds availability.

7. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Nairobi, Kenya; with possible travel as        stated in the Statement of Work.

8. SECURITY CERTIFICATION REQUIRED: Prior to joining USAID, the      selected candidate will be required to:

•  Undergo a comprehensive background investigation
•  Undergo a health check to obtain medical clearance and;
•  Obtain and Retain an embassy issued Security Certification.

9. STATEMENT OF DUTIES: (See Below).

10.  AREA OF CONSIDERATION: Open to qualified Kenyan Citizens             and current employees of the U.S. Mission.  Employees currently on         probation are ineligible to apply. USAID provides equal opportunity           and equitable treatment for employment of all people without                 regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability,             political affiliation, marital status or sexual orientation.

11. PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The position requirements do not involve            rigorous physical demands.

BACKGROUND

The US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) represents the US government response to the global HIV/AIDS epidemic and is the largest commitment by any nation to address a single disease in history. Thanks to American leadership and generosity, alongside the work of many partners, PEPFAR has saved millions of lives, averted millions of infections and changed the course of the epidemic. As countries progress towards HIV/AIDS epidemic control, the point at which new HIV infections have decreased and fall below the total number of deaths among HIV-infected individuals, PEPFAR is now undertaking the challenge of controlling the pandemic.

The USAID Project Management Specialist (HIV/AIDS Care and Treatment) will provide programmatic and technical guidance in comprehensive HIV/AIDS care and treatment. The incumbent will serve as an Agreement Officer’s Representative/Contract Officer’s Representative (AOR/COR) or Activity Manager and provide oversight and direction to programs conducted by Implementing Partners (IPs) under Contract, Cooperative Agreement, and/or Grant. The incumbent will work collaboratively with other staff in the Health Office, other offices in the Mission, the Ministry of Health, and other development partners to support a coordinated, strategic approach to HIV/AIDS care and treatment programming.

The position is located in the USAID Office of Health, Population and Nutrition.  The incumbent reports to the HIV/AIDS Team Lead and has no supervisory responsibility.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

1.  PROGRAM MANAGEMENT TECHNICAL GUIDANCE AND                     PROGRAM PLANNING                                                     50%

• Provide technical guidance on HIV/AIDS care and treatment interventions, including providing guidance in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of HIV/AIDS care and treatment programs.                                                                     
• Provide technical guidance in quality and performance improvement, working with key stakeholders to improve the quality of facility and community-level HIV Care and Treatment services, by applying evidence-based guidelines, approaches, and tools.                              
• Through literature review, research and regular communication with local and international stakeholders, stay abreast of emerging developments in the national and global HIV Care and Treatment landscape, and advise accordingly, on how policies, strategies, and technical guidelines can most effectively be incorporated to enable the Mission to maintain fidelity and relevance in its HIV/AIDS Care and Treatment programs.                                                                     
• Provide technical guidance to other PEPFAR agencies, technical counterparts in Ministry of Health, and to other national stakeholders to advance USAID, USG and PEPFAR strategic objectives related to key HIV/AIDS care and treatment interventions. 

• Provide on-going technical assistance to USAID local partners to ensure that activities are evidence-based and that services are transparent, equitable, of high quality and responsive to client needs; that partners practice sound management and robust accounting; and that local partners are prepared to assume and sustain leadership. Work closely with other staff in the Health Office and across the Mission to optimize opportunities for cross-sectoral integration and leveraging of resources across the different program components.                                                                     
• Effectively communicate and demonstrate technical leadership in interagency PEPFAR technical working groups to ensure USAID strategic priorities are represented, including participation in routine interagency technical discussions, presenting relevant sections of the quarterly PEPFAR country performance reviews, and annual PEPFAR COP strategic planning meetings.

 PROJECT MANAGEMENT                                                      25%

• Serve as an AOR/COR or Activity Manager on designated HIV/AIDS care and treatment programs.                                                             
• Work with IPs to develop strategic work plans with realistic and measurable targets to support effective implementation of the Mission’s and PEPFAR HIV/AIDS care and treatment program.                            
• Review and approve annual work plans, monitoring and evaluation plans, quarterly reports and other key documents of assigned projects. Monitor program resources allocated for HIV care and treatment activities to ensure that they are being used rationally and that there are no cost overruns. 

• Ensure quality of HIV/AIDS care and treatment services at facility and community-level through monitoring compliance to national and international guidelines, approaches and tools and provision of supportive supervisions to IPs. 

• Provide technical and organizational development guidance to local organizations entailing transfer of knowledge and skills in HIV/AIDS care and treatment programming, implementation, monitoring and reporting, and quality improvement.  

• Participate in project design for new activities, including drafting and obtaining approval for concept papers, writing scopes of work, evaluating applications/ proposals, and starting up new projects.

 3.  PROJECT MONITORING AND EVALUATION                      15%

•  In collaboration with Strategic Information staff, regularly analyze and interpret HIV care and treatment data to generate key results and trends to assist the Mission maintain a highly nimble HIV/AIDS care and treatment program with proven achievement across PEPFAR treatment indicators.                                                               
• Contribute to data quality assessments to ensure the quality and reliability of program data.                                                                     
• Participate in site visits to USAID supported programs to assess the quality of services, provide guidance to implementing partners on newly emerging and highly efficacious approaches to HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment interventions.                                                  
• Monitor project activities and make recommendations to resolve implementation obstacles to ensure judicious use of USG funds and effective implementation of HIV/AIDS care and treatment interventions.                                                                                  
• Contribute to and participate in HIV/AIDS related program evaluations to document and scaling up proven best practices.

 4.  REPRESENTATION AND REPORTING                              10%

• Contribute to key annual and mid-term planning and reporting documents including the Country Operational Plan, Operational Plan, Congressional Budget Justifications, Technical Notifications, Quarterly, Semi-Annual and Annual Progress Reports, among others.                                                                                                           
• Prepare reports and responses to a wide range of requirements including responding to requests for information from USAID/ Washington, Congress and OGAC.                                                  
• Ensure that USAID successes, best practices and approaches are shared widely with partner country officials, private sector, civil society and other donors.                                                                    
• Represent USAID and PEPFAR as needed at designated national, regional and international meetings that relate to HIV/AIDS.                         
• Prepare briefing papers, presentations and assist with site preparations for visits by delegations of high-level USG officials.

POSITION ELEMENTS

A. Supervision Received: Works under the general supervision of the HIV/AIDS Team Lead. Assignments are made orally and in writing, with a discussion of overall objectives and expected results to be achieved. The supervisor assigns specific tasks, provides suggested approaches to consider and reviews completed reports and assignments. Achievements are regularly reviewed, and feedback provided.

B. Supervision Exercised: This position has no supervisory responsibilities.

C. Available Guidelines: The Specialist follows USAID operating policies, Mission Orders, guidance provided by the Automated Directive System (ADS), USAID Mandatory and Standard Provisions, the FAR and AIDAR, and other published and unpublished guidelines. Guidance is also available from the Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator, which directs the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR); the Interagency Care and Treatment Technical Working Groups; and relevant MOH documents relating to HIV/AIDS care and treatment.

D. Exercise of Judgment: Professional-level judgement in planning and executing work. Substantial reliance will be placed on the incumbent to independently plan, prioritize and carry out the duties and responsibilities of the position. The incumbent will be expected to analyze and address problems by applying relevant guidance (for management/administrative issues) and evidence-based strategies (for technical issues) to advance the Mission’s objectives. The use of initiative, discretion, cultural sensitivity, collaboration and teamwork is expected of the incumbent to resolve challenges for which there are no clear or immediate solutions. If no formal guidance exists, the incumbent will use her/his own personal, well-informed judgment, making independent decisions that can be defended as necessary and seeking input when appropriate.

E. Authority to Make Commitments: The incumbent exercises the authority given to AOR/CORs and may make administrative arrangements consistent with USAID Automated Directive System (ADS) guidance and Mission policy. The incumbent acts and establishes priorities based on available guidelines and professional judgment. Use of initiative, discretion, cultural sensitivity, collaboration and teamwork is expected of the incumbent to resolve challenges for which there are no clear or immediate solutions.

F. Nature, Level, and Purpose of Contacts: The incumbent shall be able to develop and maintain contact with all levels of staff in the Mission. Host-government, local, and other, contacts vary widely with the type of activity being implemented and may be at any level. Frequent and substantive personal contacts with officials of the host government, and with the private sector, are for the purpose of explaining and defending Health Office and USAID policies, objectives, and procedures, and to transmit and interpret host-government and private-sector attitudes and concerns to senior USAID officials.

G. Time Expected to Reach Full Performance Level: One year.

Prior Work Experience: At least three (3) years of progressively responsible, professional experience in HIV/AIDS. Of that experience, at least one (1) year with the USG, other multi-lateral or bi-lateral organizations, and/or NGOs. Increasingly responsible experience in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of HIV/AIDS care and treatment initiatives in developing countries and/or in generalized epidemics. Experience in analyzing HIV/AIDS epidemiological data and translating data into practice.

Job Knowledge: Demonstrated understanding of state-of-the-art HIV/AIDS care and treatment interventions, PEPFAR initiatives and the current priorities at national and global level. Demonstrated knowledge of country’s development and HIV/AIDS program dynamics, particularly the social, economic and cultural determinants and implications of the HIV epidemic in the country. Demonstrated knowledge of PEPFAR processes through which HIV/AIDS programs are planned, reviewed, approved, implemented and evaluated.

Skills and Abilities:

• Ability to present information, analyses, and recommendations in clear written and oral formats.                                                                          
• Ability to independently conceive, plan, organize, manage, and evaluate important, diverse and complex work projects, to drive high-level performance and outcomes of USAID HIV treatment programs.                     
• Demonstrated ability to apply policy directives to activity design, implementation and monitoring and evaluation.                                       
• Excellent analytical, technical and project management skills to review and provide substantive feedback on concept papers, proposals, program descriptions/scopes of work, performance reports, and other technical and programmatic documents.                                    
• Ability to respond professionally and adjust in fluid situations in order to meet deadlines in the face of competing priorities and time pressures.                                                                                         
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including diplomacy and tact, to work effectively with people at all levels, from senior officials to support staff, in a culturally diverse environment, accepting divergent points of view and help find consensus to achieve team goals.                                               
• Excellent computer skills including in Microsoft Office, web-based databases, and electronic filing, including the ability to help others and to learn new programs quickly.

     •  Ability to travel to regions and districts within the host country, up to          20% of the time.

EVALUATION AND SELECTION FACTORS

Applicants must submit a resume/cv which describes how their relevant professional experience and education has prepared them to meet the specific challenges of the duties and responsibilities described above.  As part of the interview process, those applicants ranked highest may be required to submit a timed writing sample on a topic provided.  The selection committee may conduct reference checks at any time during the selection process.

Applications that do not meet the required minimum qualifications will not be scored. 

• Prior work experience (30 points)
• Job Knowledge (40 points)
• Skills and abilities (30 points)

Total possible points:  100

Candidates meeting the above required qualifications for the position will be evaluated based on information presented in the application and reference checks. References will be asked to assess the applicant’s technical knowledge, work performance, communication skills, and group dynamics, using the above criteria.  USAID reserves the right to conduct interviews with the top ranked short-listed applicants.  The interview will be one of the determining factors in the final selection.

How to Apply

Step 1: Register in MyJobsInKenya at www.myjobsinkenya.com    

Step 2: Complete the job application questionnaire at                                            www.myjobsinkenya.com  The applicant must answer all the                      questions in the Questionnaire.

Step 3: Internal Applicants/Current USG Employees: Attach an updated curriculum vitae/resume (no more than five pages), a copy of your most recent Performance Evaluation Report, and copies of all relevant certificates. Scan and attach all the documents and upload to MyJobsInKenya.

                                                        OR

External Applicants/Not Current USG Employees: Attach an updated curriculum vitae/resume (no more than five pages) and copies of all relevant certificates. Upload all the documents to MyJobsInKenya.

Note to Applicants:

1. Applications must be received by the closing date and time specified in Section I, item 3, and submitted through myjobsinkenya.com as stated in Section IV.

2. Submissions will only be accepted through myjobsinkenya.com Late and Incomplete applications (those that do not contain the applicant’s most current and up to date detailed CV and relevant education certificates) will not be considered for the position. The closing date for receipt of applications is indicated above.

3. USAID DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING) AND DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS' BANK ACCOUNTS.