USAID Development Assistance Specialist (Community Care)

Description

• The United States Government represented by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in Mozambique is seeking applications from qualified persons to provide personal services under contract as described in this solicitation
• Offers must be in accordance with Attachment 1, Sections I through V of this solicitation. Incomplete offers will not be considered. Offerors should retain copies of all application materials for their records
• This solicitation in no way obligates USAID to award a PSC contract, nor does it commit USAID to pay any cost incurred in the preparation and submission of the offers
• Solicitation No. 72065620R10005 opened to all Mission employees and external candidates who meet the stated qualifications
• Market Value: USD44,385 – USD62,139 per annum, equivalent to FSN-10 (Step1-12)
• In accordance with AIDAR Appendix J and the Local Compensation Plan of USAID/Mozambique). Final compensation will be negotiated within the market value
• Period of Performance: One year. The contract will be renewed as long as there is a need for this position; funds are available, and subject to satisfactory performance
• Security Level Required: Employment Certification (RSO Certification) This is a local position and compensation will be in accordance with the Local Compensation Plan
• USAID Regulations, Policies and Contract Clauses pertaining to PSCs:
• USAID regulations and policies governing CCN/TCN PSC awards are available at these sources:
• USAID Acquisition Regulation (AIDAR), Appendix J, “Direct USAID Contracts With a Cooperating Country National and with a Third Country National for Personal Services Abroad,” including contract clause “General Provisions,” available at https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1868/aidar_0.pdf
• Contract Cover Page form AID 309-1 available at https://www.usaid.gov/forms
• Acquisition & Assistance Policy Directives/Contract Information Bulletins (AAPDs/CIBs) for Personal Services Contracts with Individuals available at http://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/aapds-cibs
• Ethical Conduct. By the acceptance of a USAID personal services contract as an individual, the contractor will be acknowledging receipt of the “Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch,” available from the U.S. Office of Government Ethics, in accordance with General Provision 2 and 5 CFR 2635. See https://www.oge.gov/web/oge.nsf/OGE%20Regulations

Duties

• The Development Assistance Specialist (Community Care Advisor ) is one of two Community Care Advisors who are responsible for providing technical leadership, guidance and analysis for the Mission to plan, implement, monitor, coordinate the Mission’s HIV/AIDS community care and treatment activities for all sub-populations (children, youth, adults (males & females), & pregnant and lactating women). The Community Care Advisor 2’s primary focus is ensuring that USG community care and treatment adherence and HIV viral load suppression goals are implemented in accordance with WHO and PEPFAR guidelines. The Advisor’s counterpart (Community Care Advisor 1) within her/is team will focus on ensuring that USG community care and treatment retention and treatment uptake goals are implemented in accordance with WHO and PEPFAR guidelines
• In support of the HIV/AIDS community care and treatment activities for all sub-populations in Mozambique, the Community Care Advisor 2 will carry out a range of responsibilities related to the design, implementation, coordination, and evaluation of a broad range of agency-funded activities with a focus on the community aspects of HIV service delivery and demand. The Community Care Advisor 2 will be the strategic leader and expert for USAID HIV treatment community based treatment adherence and viral load suppression activities, strategies and implementation monitoring. The Community Care Advisor 2 will focus on community and individual level barriers to HIV treatment adherence, creating an enabling environment, civil society engagement & capacity building for HIV community level service delivery, community level service delivery quality improvement efforts, HIV stigma reduction and behavior change activities as they relate to HIV treatment adherence, viral load suppression and health seeking behaviors for all sub-populations

Technical Leadership and Direction (60%)

• Provide technical leadership, guidance and analysis for HIV/AIDS community care and treatment activities for all sub-populations to USAID Agreement Officer's Representative (AOR), Contracting Officer's Representative (COR), PEPFAR interagency colleagues, and PEPFAR implementing partners. Tasks may include:
• Contribute to the development of the annual in-country guidance (informed by latest PEPFAR global guidance) for the preparation of the Country Operational Plan (COP) and contribute to the development of semi-annual report and annual report guidance for HIV/AIDS community care and treatment activities investments as they relate to HIV treatment adherence and HIV viral load suppression
• Review, analyze and synthesize planning and budget documents submitted by USG partners for technical quality and help prepare community care and HIV treatment adherence and HIV viral load suppression technical area narratives and summaries
• Based on COPs and USG partner reporting data, make recommendations to partners to strengthen community based HIV treatment adherence and HIV viral load suppression performance as well as enhance linkages between community prevention, behavior change, HIV testing, and facility-based HIV, TB and antenatal care service delivery activities
• Provide sound technical direction to the IHO, particularly the HIV/AIDS Division on HIV treatment adherence and HIV viral load suppression activities, quality improvement and effective portfolio investments across divisions and projects
• Through participation in the HIV Treatment and Laboratory Interagency Technical Working Groups and sub-groups (both in-country and US-based), help ensure that USG resources are effectively coordinated and optimally used to achieve PEPFAR Mozambique goals and objectives
• Provide strategic technical leadership, and act as the primary focal point in the preparation of USG and GRM community level strategy updates, program area analysis, presentations, and briefing materials focused community care and HIV treatment adherence and HIV viral load suppression activities in Mozambique
• Stay abreast on the latest technical updates and global guidelines related to community care and HIV treatment adherence and HIV viral load suppression activities and high-impact interventions to inform PEPFAR project managers and help lead in-country investments
• Provide technical leadership and direction to members of IHO's HIV/AIDS and Preventing Child and Maternal Deaths Divisions to strengthen HIV community care efforts, identify synergies to integrate HIV community treatment activities across IHO when appropriate, including quality improvement, demand creation and behavioral change communication activities
• Actively engage with divisions across the IHO to ensure that HIV community care efforts are covered and addressed appropriately. Specific focus areas include but not limited to: quality of care (quality assurance/quality improvement), adult, pediatric and adolescent facility based HIV treatment, integration of community health services to enhance treatment adherence outcomes; inclusion of diverse community service delivery channels, including TB and MCH services across all settings, synergies with broader USG health sector investments, as well as ensuring the quality of community based prevention and community sensitization services
• Serve as alternate AOR/COR, alternate activity manager and technical advisor in strategic projects within the HIV/AIDS Division

Technical Leadership and Engagement with Government, Donors and HIV/AIDS Partner Organizations (20%)

• Serve as the primary liaison and thought leader on HIV community care and treatment with GRM and external counterparts with a focus on community based efforts related to HIV treatment adherence and HIV viral load suppression. Enhance coordination and alignment of USG HIV community based treatment, care and adherence activities with GRM through active engagement with high level and key Ministry of Health leaders and technical focal points, ensure USG participation in appropriate technical working groups, establish strong working partnerships at the national levels and sub-national levels with technical cooperating partners, implementing partners, and donors investing in HIV treatment in Mozambique
• Participate and inform the development of national and subnational community based HIV treatment adherence and HIV viral load suppression strategies, guidelines, plans and technical priorities with GRM and other external partners, including donors, foundations, universities, and implementing partners to improve HIV adherence to bolster HIV treatment outcomes
• Provide technical and policy level guidance to the USG PEPFAR interagency team based on engagement with GRM, technical expertise, and advanced knowledge of the country context to enhance the effectiveness of USG programming for HIV community care and treatment
• Lead the HIV/AIDS Division and USG PEPFAR interagency investments to employ evidence-based community HIV treatment adherence approaches informing service delivery approaches, sub-national plans, quality of care in community based settings, community worker training guidelines, as well as community treatment and care modalities for various USAID-supported cooperative agreements and contracts that are implementing such activities across the IHO portfolio

Monitoring and Evaluation of HIV Community Care and Adherence Activities (20%)

• Provide technical direction and analysis by working closely with the Strategic Information Team and Project Management Team in the monitoring and evaluation of HIV treatment adherence and HIV viral load suppression activities. The Advisor will ensure that the monitoring and evaluation of activity outputs and impact are analyzed regularly and the data is used to support AORs/CORs and activity managers in guiding partner performance
• Analyze program results against targets and provide recommendations for corrective action, if required assess and potential barriers to achievement of results; and recommend program modifications to address problems to AORs/CORs and activity managers
• Conduct regular field visits to monitor the activities of implementing partners within her/his portfolio, and assess progress; identify implementation problems; and work with AOR/COR/activity managers to guide partners to make the most effective use of available program resources and adherence to best practices in HIV community care and treatment programming
• Analyze, synthesize and disseminate key "lessons learned and best practices" from partner activities; apply findings to future program and project design, strategy, inform project management teams, and prepare reports documenting these findings, ensuring that these reports are effectively communicated and disseminated. This may include dissemination through peer-reviewed journals or technical conference abstracts
• Supervisory Relationship: The Community Care Advisor is supervised by the HIV Technical Advisor in the HIV/AIDS Division. Desired results are outlined in broad terms. The incumbent has discretion and authority to adjust and plan daily work according to priorities and liaise with external organizations as needed. The incumbent should require minimal supervision in carrying out routine responsibilities and only general guidance for most tasks. The scope and flexibility of the duties will demand a great deal of initiative to identify and test innovative approaches and solutions to complex situations and the ability to work independently
• Supervisory Exercised: Supervision of other Integrated Health Office and Mission staff is not contemplated
• Travel: The job holder may be expected to perform occasional work-related travel
• Area of Consideration: To meet basic eligibility requirements, the applicant must be a cooperating country citizen, or a non-cooperating country citizen lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the cooperating country. Applicants must submit a complete application as outlined in Section IV. This position is open to all Mission employees and external candidates who meet the stated qualifications

Requisites

• Education: A US-equivalent university degree in public health, nursing, social work, behavioral science, social sciences or a closely related field is required
• Prior Work Experience: Minimum of five (5) years of relevant experience in HIV programming (design, implementation and management), of which at least three (3) years have been in a developing country context. Experience working in Mozambique and/or other parts of sub-Saharan Africa, particularly on HIV/AIDS care and treatment and/or community-based programming for HIV treatment adherence and viral load suppression
• Language Proficiency: Level IV English and Portuguese, fluency in speaking and writing, is required. (Language proficiency will be tested)
• Job Knowledge: Must have sound knowledge of HIV/AIDS care and treatment needs, community-based health service delivery, HIV/AIDS counseling and testing, and service delivery HIV treatment, as well as an understanding of the overall HIV/AIDS prevention, retention care and treatment contexts in sub-Saharan Africa; and an excellent understanding of Mozambican social, cultural and political contexts
• Skills and Abilities: The incumbent will have specialized knowledge and demonstrated expertise in the areas of HIV/AIDS prevention, including:
• Technical knowledge of the behavioral aspects of HIV treatment adherence and viral load suppression, including strategies to improve use of services, retention, and appropriate care
• Understanding of community-based approaches to provide critical health services
• Understanding of service delivery aspects and community based structures to strengthen HIV treatment, adherence and care
• Understanding of the role and principles of HIV/AIDS treatment and care, with particular attention to linkages between HIV diagnosis and referrals to community and clinical resources
• Understanding of the programmatic considerations for HIV treatment adherence of various sub-populations including differences among rural and urban populations, gender and age

Evaluation and Selection Factors

• Education - 10 points
• Prior Work Experience - 25 points
• Job Knowledge - 30 points
• Language Proficiency - 10 points
• Skills and Abilities - 25 points
• Maximum Points: 100 points

Notes

• Only applicants who meet the minimum qualification requirements for the position will be considered. Candidates will be evaluated based on relevant education, prior work experience, knowledge, language proficiency, skills and abilities demonstrated in their application packages. Only the shortlisted candidates will be invited for a language test. Candidates successfully passing the language exam will be invited for an oral interview and may also be required to pass a written test
• Final selection will be based on the application package, language abilities, oral interview, and the results of the written test (if applicable). This is a local position and compensation will be in accordance with the Local Compensation Plan
• A cover letter in English with CV/Applicant Resume in English
• Names, contact numbers, and e-mail addresses of three professional references from individuals who are not family members or relatives. Reference checks will be conducted for the final selected candidate for the Contracting Officer to make a responsibility determination
• To ensure consideration of offers for the intended position, Offerors must prominently reference the Solicitation number in the offer submission
• Only candidates selected for interviews will be informed in writing of the Selection Committee’s final decision
• Any application received in Portuguese will not be considered. Only English applications will be received and considered
• Any questions must be directed in writing to the Point of Contact specified in the attached information
• Once the Contracting Officer (CO) informs the successful Offeror about being selected for a contract award, the CO will provide the successful Offeror instructions about how to complete and submit the required forms.
• Please note that USAID and the U.S. Government NEVER require payment of any money in connection with a job application
• Physical Demands: The work requested does not involve undue physical demands
• Point of Contact: Mission-Maputo-HR@usaid.gov