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Project Management Specialist (HIV/AIDS)

JOB SUMMARY

Company USAID GHANA
Industry NGO/IGO/INGO
Category Public Health
Location ACCRA - GHANA
Job Status Contractor/Co...
Salary GHC 108,292.0...
Education Bachelor̵...
Experience 5 years
Job Expires Feb 02, 2021
Contact ...
 

Job Description

GENERAL INFORMATION
1. SOLICITATION NO.: 72064121R100004- REISSUED
 
2. ISSUANCE DATE: January 19, 2021
 
3. CLOSING DATE AND TIME FOR RECEIPT OF OFFERS: February 02, 2021 at 11:59 pm Accra time.
 
4. POINT OF CONTACT:  GhanaApplications@usaid.gov
 
5. POSITION TITLE: PROJECT MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST (HIV/AIDS)– HEALTH, POPULATION AND NUTRITION OFFICE.
 
6. MARKET VALUE: GHC 108,292.00  – GHC 162,445.00 equivalent to FSN-10
In accordance with AIDAR Appendix J and the Local Compensation Plan of USAID/Ghana. Final compensation will be negotiated within the market value.
 
7. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE:  The period of performance is five (5) years, estimated to start o/a July, 2021.  The services provided under this contract are expected to be of continuing nature executed by USAID through a series of sequential contracts, subject to availability of funds, satisfactory job performance and need for continued services.
 
8. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Accra, Ghana with possible travel as stated in the Statement of Duties.
 
9. ELIGIBLE OFFERORS: All interested candidates eligible to work in Ghana. Cooperating Country National (CCN) is defined as an individual who is a cooperating country citizen, or a non-cooperating country citizen lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the cooperating country.
 
10. SECURITY LEVEL REQUIRED:  Regional Security Office Background Check
 
11. STATEMENT OF DUTIES
1. General Statement of Purpose of the Contract
The Project Management Specialist (HIV/AIDS), is an integral member of the USAID/Ghana health team and also the USG President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) Ghana interagency team. This is a full time programmatic, administrative and financial management support position, with primary responsibilities in assisting the  HIV/AIDS team with project management, coordination and monitoring; liaison and communications with implementing partners (IPs), USG agencies including the USG PEPFAR Ghana team, other USAID offices as well as external partners;  technical reporting requirements and; analysis and reporting of health data and statistics, including budget information. Responsibilities include providing technical leadership to design and implement interventions to promote accountability through community monitoring mechanisms, and to lead USAID’s technical assistance to optimize procurement and supply chain and ensure an interrupted supply of HIV commodities. Responsibilities also include providing Agreement/Contracting Officer’s Representative (A/COR) management and coordination of funding, reporting and administration of grants, contracts and cooperative agreements for USAID activities being conducted by Implementing Partners (IPs) under Contracts, Cooperative Agreements and/or Grants. The position will also serve as Activity Manager for designated USAID/W Global Health Bureau central mechanisms implemented in Ghana. This position is one of substantial complexity given the high level of influence of  USAID in management, representation, strategy and results for USG PEPFAR Ghana. The position requires the ability to coordinate, plan, implement, follow-up and work with limited oversight both independently and within a multi-agency and multi-organizational team setting. The job holder is expected to be highly productive and to meet tight deadlines. The ability to operate sensitively and effectively given the contextual variables affecting HIV/AIDS in Ghana is absolutely essential. Flexibility, customer orientation, diplomacy, discretion, the ability to logically organize and analyze information (including program data), attention to detail and the capacity to complete tasks with limited oversight are all critical to successfully fulfilling the position requirements. This position is located in the Health, Population and Nutrition Office (HPNO) at USAID/Ghana in Accra and will require travel both in Ghana and internationally.
 
2. Statement of Duties to be Performed 
A. Project Management Support (65%)
Management – Serves as the A/COR for designated USAID-funded, multi-year health contracts, grants and cooperative agreements. The job holder will have direct management responsibilities for grants to local organizations. In FY2020, the job holder will assume alternate AOR responsibility  for the Mission’s bilateral flagship HIV/AIDS project. The Project’s TEC is more than $33 million and the annual budget is approximately $5.2 million. The Project’s end date is Sep. 30, 2023. The job holder will also assume the role of Activity Manager for a mechanism focused on community monitoring with an estimated annual budget between $40,000 and $200,000.  This role is pivotal to ensure accountability in providing quality HIV/AIDS services as well as efficient use of HIV/AIDS resources. This role is important to advance the USAID/Forward goals of building sustainable capacity in local nongovernmental organizations (NGO) for HIV/AIDS programming. Additionally, the job holder will serve as Activity Manager for designated USAID/W Global Health Bureau central mechanisms implemented in Ghana. For example, in FY 2021, the job holder will serve as the Activity Manager for USAID/W’s Central Contraceptive Procurement mechanism, which provides supply chain and logistics support for   health and HIV/AIDS commodities to the USAID/Ghana health and HIV projects as well as to The Global Fund program for HIV, Malaria and TB. In such capacity, the job holder will work in collaboration with USAID/W, the new Global Health Supply Chain Procurement and Supply Management (GHSC-PSM) award and relevant implementing partners to accurately forecast and monitor commodity needs to ensure product availability and distribution at central, regional and facility level and to support  community-based service delivery.  The annual budget for the HIV component under GHSC-PSM is between $700,000 and $1,700,000. The job holder will also be responsible for ensuring compliance with the USG Statutory Requirements for Family Planning and HIV (as applicable) among USAID/Ghana HIV service delivery projects. 
 
This role as A/COR and/or Activity Manager will require provision of oversight, management, administration and technical guidance to implementing partners in order to ensure adherence to work plans, timely completion of project activities and deliverables to increase efficiency and impact of HIV activities. The job holder will provide guidance on USG policy, procedures and processes related to management, planning and implementation of activities to ensure consistency with USAID/Ghana, PEPFAR and Ghana Government strategic frameworks, protocols, policies and regulations. The job holder will work closely with the USAID/West Africa RAAO and Regional Office of Financial Management (ROFM) to ensure that all implementing partners adhere to all administrative requirements. 
 
The job holder will assist the HIV/AIDS Team Leader in financial management of HIV funding to the various mechanisms within the USAID/Ghana portfolio and outlined in the annual PEPFAR West Africa Regional Operational Plan (ROP) budgets. Related tasks include oversight of major obligating and reporting documents which includes ensuring that obligations, expenditures, and budget pipelines conform to workplans; ensuring appropriate and timely incremental funding of activities; tracking both financial and material resources (including tax exemptions to implementing partners); preparing quarterly accrual estimates; ensuring proper distribution and tracking of project vouchers for timely review and payment and; ensuring accurate and timely reporting of program finances and progress status.
 
The job holder will attend multiple national-level fora (including national-level Technical Working Groups (TWGs)) with Ghana government officials, multilateral organizations, bilateral donors, and civil society stakeholders for critical analysis and discussion on HIV/AIDS policy priorities, program initiatives, advocacy platforms, dissemination of newly gained technical knowledge such as best practices and revisions to nationally accepted strategies, policies and guidelines for HIV/AIDS programming.      
 
Strategic Planning and Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting – Provides guidance on USG policy, procedures and processes and also assists in the coordination of USAID/Ghana implementing partners for the preparation of planning and reporting requirements for USAID and PEPFAR, including the Operational Plan (OP), Regional  Operational Plan (ROP),  PEPFAR Oversight and Accountability Response Team (POART) Performance and Planning Report (PPR), semi-annual and annual progress reports (SAPR & APR) including portfolio reviews, and Congressional Notifications. The job holder will review, analyze and synthesize all inputs submitted by USAID/Ghana implementing partners with respect to data quality control requirements and assists in preparation of program area narratives and summaries.
 
Contributes to substantial review, technical insights and direction to implementing partners in the tracking, development and monitoring of workplans; use of standardized indicators; tracking and reporting of results and progress; program compliance; documentation of lessons learned and best practices; and reporting of activity performance and data in quarterly and annual progress reports. Participates in and conducts periodic site visits (including the Site Improvement Monitoring Systems (SIMS) as required by PEPFAR), Data Quality Assessments (DQA) and routine meets with implementing partners to monitor program implementation, analyze data and/or results and discuss any barriers to achievement.
 
Provides programmatic and administrative assistance in the preparation and compilation of planning and required documentation to support USAID/Ghana HIV program activities, including Project Appraisal Documents (PAD), scopes of work and accompanying budgets, action memoranda, procurement and assistance instruments, meeting minutes, closeout plans, final reports, equipment disposal, and implementation of evaluation and audit recommendations. Negotiates the necessary clearances and processing for these documents through the appropriate USAID, implementing partners and/or government channels, often in absence of instructions or precedents. 
 
Contributes to reviews of USAID/Ghana’s HIV mechanisms to ensure accurate representation in descriptive information, summary results and analyses generated from the PEPFAR Ghana Expenditure Analysis, Data for Accountability, Transparency and Impact (DATIM), SIMS and other data-driven processes and systems required by PEPFAR.
 
Communication – Coordinates preparations of briefings and logistics for VIP visits as well as the development of informational materials, press releases, interviews, speeches, talking points, etc., for or as part of Congressional delegations, technical working group members or similar delegations on site visits to USAID/Ghana and its partners.
 
Coordinates with the USAID/Ghana Development and Outreach staff, U.S. Department of State PEPFAR Ghana Country Coordinator and Public Affairs staff on development of basic communication information on USAID/Ghana HIV/AIDS activities, including but not limited to program events, success stories, fact sheets, and other documentation.
 
B. Administrative Management Support (35%) 
Coordinates and liaises with USAID and U.S. Embassy offices on administrative and human resources issues, procurement, security, travel and access systems as well as on-boarding of all new and TDY staff.
 
Manages the USAID/Ghana HIV/AIDS team calendar arranging and/or confirming participation in meetings, conferences and workshops. The job holder will also attend meetings, record proceedings and report outcomes to team members.
 
Manages logistics for international and local travel for the USAID/Ghana HIV/AIDS team, including preparation and processing of travel authorizations (in conformity with the E-2 Solutions system), airline tickets, hotel and transport reservations and, submission of visa applications and Electronic Country Clearances (ECC) for staff traveling to other countries.
 
Manages and coordinates arrangements for international visitors including Electronic Country Clearances (ECC), RSO approvals, hotel and transport reservations, IT and office space support, scheduling of meetings both internal/external to USAID/Ghana and provision of informational materials.
 
Coordinates and manages logistical and administrative tasks for scheduled meetings/events, USAID/Ghana TDYs, and other in-country visitors in showcasing the HIV/AIDS health portfolio. Processes RSO Visitor Access Requests and acts as escort for visitors.
 
Drafts routine correspondence on HIV program activities, e.g., letters, reports, memos, emails, invitations, etc., as well as activity announcements and/or requests for information to implementing partners and other Ghana stakeholders. Maintains an updated list of points of contacts in government, bilateral and multilateral donors, regional organizations, implementing partners and other key HIV stakeholders.
 
Organizes and maintains comprehensive files and records specific to the USAID/Ghana HIV/AIDS program activities, in conformance with Agency directives. Responsible for data integrity and security of information in the reporting databases that may relate to HIV/AIDS infection (particularly with respect to named individuals). Other program files include reports, meeting summaries and minutes, copies of all grants/cooperative agreements/contracts, budget-related actions, email communication, audit reports, research determinations, panels, and awards. Whenever possible, these records will be filed electronically.
 
Manages data entry related to HIV/AIDS program activities into USG and USAID systems, e.g., Global Acquisition and Assistance Systems (GLAAS) and Foreign Assistance database (FACTS Info), as well as into PEPFAR reporting systems, e.g., Data Accountability, Transparency, Impact Monitoring (DATIM), Site Improvement Monitoring System (SIMS), etc.
 
Conducts skill-based training on USAID and PEPFAR reporting systems requiring data entry at the implementing partner level, e.g., DATIM, AIDTracker Plus, etc.
 
Provides administrative support to USAID/Ghana in collaboration with the HPNO Program Management Assistants.
 
The contractor is eligible for temporary duty (TDY) travel to the U.S., or to other Missions abroad, to participate in the "Foreign Service National" Fellowship Program, in accordance with USAID policy.
 
12. PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The work requested does not involve undue physical demands.
 
III. EVALUATION AND SELECTION FACTORS
The Government may award a contract without discussions with offerors in accordance with FAR 52.215-1.  The CO reserves the right at any point in the evaluation process to establish a competitive range of offerors with whom negotiations will be conducted pursuant to FAR 15.306(c).  In accordance with FAR 52.215-1, if the CO determines that the number of offers that would otherwise be in the competitive range exceeds the number at which an efficient competition can be conducted, the CO may limit the number of offerors in the competitive range to the greatest number that will permit an efficient competition among the most highly rated offers.  The FAR provisions referenced above are available at https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far.
 
The evaluation and selection criteria of the selected candidate will be based on a review of his/her qualifications, work experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, and level of language required.  The applicants who obtain the highest score based on the criteria defined will be interviewed and may also be required to pass a written test (depending on the TEC Chairperson’s decision).  The security clearance and medical clearance is required for the top-ranking candidate, after conducting and receiving the positive reference checks.
 
a. Prior Work Experience (20%): 
A minimum of three years experience in public health programming that include analysis, activity design, program planning and monitoring of public health programs is required. Experience in financial program administration including budget management of large projects with a minimum annual budget of $50,000 is required.
 
b. Job Knowledge (30%): 
Working knowledge in international development principles, including programming principles, concepts, practices, methods, and techniques of development assistance. Working knowledge in one or more of the following areas: governance, administration, and financial management. Working knowledge of the current epidemiology, emerging political/social/cultural/economic contextual issues and policy changes related to HIV/AIDS in Ghana (and in Africa) in order to enhance the design and implementation of USAID’s strategy is required. Working knowledge of the Ghana’s health care system and structures including familiarity with Ministry of Health/Ghana Health Service’s policies, program priorities and regulations is required. Strong knowledge of managing contracts, agreements and/or grants is required. 
 
c. Skills and Abilities (50%):  
Excellent written and oral communication skills in English, including the ability to synthesize and succinctly present material is required. On occasion, the job holder will need to act as an interpreter/translator; therefore, the ability to speak at least one of the following Ghanaian languages (Twi, Ga and/or Fante) is required.
Excellent organizational and collaborative skills with competency in effective communications, facilitation and negotiation between various stakeholders resulting in measurable, positive outcomes are required. Ability to demonstrate considerable ingenuity, diplomacy and tact in establishing and maintaining working relationships at low to high levels throughout the government, management, medical, scientific, public, and private sectors of the broad HIV/AIDS response community to gather and exchange information is required. Ability to quickly synthesize and adapt information and ideas (including program and budgetary data) from diverse sources and to concisely articulate through written products and/or public speaking (e.g., speeches, presentations, etc.) is required. Ability to adapt to effectively work in an environment that is complex, uncertain, politically charged, in flux, and with extreme time constraints and pressure is required. Demonstrated initiative and the ability to plan and think strategically about program design and opportunities for investment; setting realistic goals, objectives and implementation plans; effectively balancing multiple priorities; and excellent time management skills are required. Advanced proficiency in word processing, spreadsheets and databases (e.g., Microsoft Office suite, including Word, Excel and PowerPoint, etc.) is required. Strong team orientation, positive attitude, integrity, self-motivation, discipline, and reliability are also required. Willingness to travel both locally in Ghana and internationally is required. 
 
Total Possible: 100%
 
After the closing date for receipt of applications, all applications will initially be screened for conformity with minimum requirements and a shortlist of applicants developed. Applications from candidates which do not meet the required selection criteria will not be scored. 
 
A committee will be convened to review the shortlisted applications and evaluate them in accordance with the evaluation criteria.  Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted. No response will be sent to unsuccessful applicants. 
 
USAID reserves the right to interview only the highest ranked applicants in person virtually OR not to interview any candidate.  
 
The Agency retains the right to cancel or amend the solicitation and associated actions at any stage of the recruitment process.
 
Reference checks will be conducted by Human Resources only for the successful candidate. If a candidate does not wish USAID to contact a current employer for a reference check, this should be stated in the application letter. 

Required Skills or Experience

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION
a. Education: A Bachelor's degree in social science, public health, program management, public administration, international development or health services administration is required. 
b. Prior Work Experience: A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience working in development programs in a developing country context is required. 
c. Language Proficiency: Fluency in English (reading, writing, and speaking) is required. (Language proficiency may be tested.)
 

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