USAID Project Management Specialist (MNCH)

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
• Solicitation No. 72065619R10016 opened to all Mission employees and external candidates who meet the stated qualifications
• Market Value: USD51,310 – USD71,836 per annum, equivalent to FSN-11 (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)
• List of Required Forms for PSC Hires:
• 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
• 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 USAID Project Management Specialist (MNCH) is the senior and lead responsible for programs/projects/activities that support the Ministry of Health (MoH) to scale up high-impact interventions to improve maternal, neonatal and child health, including immunization. Those interventions include expansion and strengthening of the Emergency Obstetric Care, the Model Maternity Initiative, the Every Newborn Action Plan (ENAP), the Integrated Management of Neonatal and childhood illness (IMNCI), the integrated community case management (iCCM), the Expanded Program in Immunization and introduction of new vaccines
• The Specialist coordinates with UNICEF, WHO, GAVI and other partners to support the expansion and improvements of the cold chain for vaccines. At the Ministerial level, the Specialist manages USAID and USG support to the MoH to increase management capacity for supply chain modernization and improvement; and, at provincial levels, to support continued training for health workers and reinforce models for supportive supervision at the district and local levels

Program/Project Management – 40 %

• The USAID Project Management Specialist (MNCH) serves as COR/AOR and Activity Manager, and is responsible for management, implementation, evaluation, and monitoring of substantive portions of the IHO, MNCH/FP Subdivision portfolio related to maternal, neonatal and child health, immunization, community health and other activities related to the sub-sector, personally and through IPs. The Specialist fosters and strengthens linkages between programs, and works to leverage support for improving all aspects of child survival at the GoRM, MoH, provincial, district, and local levels
• The Specialist plans, designs, and advocates effective strategies by building human and infrastructure capacity, optimizing local human resources, etc. The Specialist advises the MCH/FP Team Lead, the PCMD Division Chief, the Integrated Health Office IHO Chief, Mission Director, and others on matters of importance to child survival programing and on the monitoring of activities, and on providing effective management oversight of IPs implementing managed programs
• The Specialist is instrumental in the achievement of overall IHO, USAID, and USG Development Objectives; and, remains current on economic, political, and social trends in the GoRM and MoH, analyzing trends in relation to their impact on child survival programs

Provides Technical Assistance in Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health-Related Activities – 40%

• The Specialist coordinates with other USG agencies to ensure the delivery of systematic and consistent technical assistance to the GoRM and to NGO partners and IPs in the areas of maternal, neonatal and child health including immunization. In addition, the Specialist provides technical leadership to the PCMD Division and Health Office on all programs with maternal, neonatal and child health components; serves as a key liaison for strategic maternal, neonatal and child health issues; identifies short, mid, and long-range achievable and sustainable strategies for improving maternal, neonatal and child health within the host-country health sector, with a focus on decentralized areas; and, represents USAID, the USG at high-level meetings, and at seminars and conferences on maternal and child health
• The Specialist remains well-informed on the last technical updates, research, and global guidelines related to MNCH and high-impact interventions, in order to inform and develop implementation plans, guide in-country investments and collaborates with other donors on maternal and child health activities; works with the GoRM to develop policies that result in improved health for mothers and their children; works to harmonize USAID, USG, and PEPFAR maternal and child health activities to ensure consistency with GoRM policy and with the GHI; and, ensures that programs/projects/activities are consistent with internationally accepted best practices and that they are relevant in the Mozambican context

Data Collection and Analysis – 10%

• The Specialist monitors and reports on developments in the sector, especially those that impact the ability to successfully implement effective maternal, neonatal and child health activities; monitors, analyzes, and reports on relevant aspects of GoRM policy, law, and regulation, and on health-related and maternal, neonatal and child health-related development issues; prepares technical and policy analyses, evaluates sector-wide issues, and provides input to Mission activities outside of the health portfolio, but particularly with respect to the assigned sector based on an in-depth understanding of USAID policy, program objectives, and priorities; and, summarizes information and conclusions in written and oral form for presentation to senior USAID, USG, and other, decision makers, and for incorporation into other USAID program and activity documents, as appropriate
• The Specialist organizes field trips, conferences, and seminars to ensure maximum exposure to emerging trends and various points of view, and for monitoring maternal, neonatal and child health activities, providing translation as needed. The Specialist prepares written reports that reflect a sound understanding of assigned areas of responsibility, and that clearly document that a wide variety of sources and points of view have been consulted in undertaking analyses and in drawing conclusions

Performance Monitoring – 10%

• The Specialist ensures that performance-monitoring systems are in place, and that periodic, reliable measures and indicators of portfolio impact are established; collects and monitors performance data on an ongoing basis, and prepares reports of program/project/activity progress for use within the Division, Mission, and for USAID/Washington; and, collects and regularly reports data on wrap-around services that support overall IHO and USAID implementation and on leveraging cash and in-kind contributions
• The Specialist assesses progress in achieving outputs and results for managed programs/projects/activities, and prepares evaluations and assessments as needed; and, continually strives to enhance the achievement of results by periodically reviewing the development context, results indicators, and activity implementation progress, identifying problem areas and suggesting solutions
• Travel: The job holder will be expected to perform work-related travel
• Supervisory Relationship: The USAID Project Management Specialist (MNCH) works under the general supervision of the MNCH/FP Team Lead. The supervisor makes assignments in terms of overall objectives and resources available. Completed work is reviewed in terms of achievement of program/project/activity goals, effectiveness in meeting host-country and USAID objectives, and integration with other initiatives in the PCMD, IHO and Mission portfolio. Some technical direction may come from other professionals in the Office; in general, however, the Specialist will be expected to exercise considerable autonomy and best judgment in discharging the duties of the assignment
• Supervisory Exercised: Continuing supervision of other Mission staff is not contemplated
• 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 US Mission employees and external candidates who meet the stated qualifications

Requisites

• Completion of a Master’s Degree, or the local equivalent, in Medicine, in Nursing, or in a closely related field involving maternal and child health, is required
• The work requires the minimum of five to seven years of progressively responsible, professional-level experience in maternal, neonatal and child health, with a clinical or clinical oversight component, which provided the opportunity for project design, program planning, and/or implementation in maternal, neonatal and child health or closely related health field is required
• At least two years of experience working from a development perspective, or related perspective, other donor agencies, host-country organizations, or private-sector institutions which included project design, performance monitoring, and/or the analysis and interpretation of large amounts of data, is also required
• Level IV (fluent) in both written and spoken English and Portuguese languages is required (this will be tested)
• The Specialist must have in-depth professional-level knowledge of development principles, concepts, and practices, especially as they relate to managing maternal, neonatal and child health activities in Mozambique, and the problems and policies in Mozambique 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 Mozambique; development problems in maternal, neonatal and child health sector in Mozambique and the region; an understanding of the resources, resource constraints, and overall development prospects and priorities of Mozambique and the region; and the potential to quickly acquire knowledge of, USG legislation, policy, and practice relating to child survival and child health assistance and services, 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 GoRM, in order to enhance effective communication, and to develop consensus on program/project/activity strategy and implementation
• The Specialist must have a good knowledge and demonstrated experience in the programming of maternal, neonatal and child health programs/projects/activities; and, the role of maternal and child health with other health areas such as health systems strengthening, malaria, etc.
• The Specialist should be able to facilitate and link culturally appropriate assessments, counseling, treatment deficits, and related issues and facilitation of linkages to food security programs, including water, sanitation, and hygiene promotion; and, be able to use this data for decision making. The Specialist must be able to provide technical leadership in maternal and child health planning; and apply this knowledge to advanced programming in Mozambique and the region
• The Specialist must have the ability to present information, analyses, and recommendations in clear written and oral formats; work effectively in team and interagency environments, and to train, mentor, and coordinate well with others; the ability to interpret regulatory directives and related guidance; excellent computer skills, strong management skills, including financial management, administrative, and monitoring skills used to track the performance of IPs; and, the ability to travel to provinces and within districts

Evaluation and Selection Factors

• Education - 10 points
• Prior Work Experience - 25 points
• Job Knowledge - 30 points
• Language Proficiency - 5 points
• Skills and Abilities - 30 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 short listed candidates will be invited for a language test. Candidates successfully passing the language exam will be invited for an oral interview
• Final selection will be based on the application package, language abilities, and oral interview. 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
• Any application received in Portuguese will not be considered. Only English applications will be received and considered
• 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
• 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