Project Management Specialist (Tuberculosis)

Description

• The USAID Project Management Specialist (Tuberculosis) provides technical expertise in the implementation of programs/projects/activities designed to increase the detection, prevention, and treatment of TB in line with overall USG TB strategy and host country TB National Strategic Plan. The work includes serving as a technical expert and activity manager for USAID supported programs, providing technical assistance to the appropriate host-country Ministry in the development of host-country policies, and the design and management of in-country programs/projects/activities, reflecting best practices in TB prevention and treatment. The Specialist works with the host government and other technical partners to ensure a well-coordinated approach to the TB control program and ensures information flows on best practices related to improving TB detection, prevention, and treatment in order to inform decision making by USAID and the USG
• The Specialist works in a complex and rapidly evolving country context. The position requires regular contact and collaboration with counterparts and technical members in the host government, the private sector, other donor organizations, and international organizations, and with other USG entities at all technical levels
• The Specialist exercises extensive judgment in planning and carrying out tasks to resolve problems and conflicts and implementing steps necessary to meet deadlines. The Specialist serves as an Activity Manager with responsibility for activity in the US$10-50M range
• The United States Government, represented by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in Mozambique is seeking offers from qualified persons to provide personal services under contract as described in this solicitation
• SOLICITATION NO.: 72065624R10005 opened to all Mission current employees and external candidates who meet the stated qualifications
• POINT OF CONTACT: Human Resources Section, email at Mission-Maputo-HR@usaid.gov
• MARKET VALUE: USD 59,111 – USD 82,761 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 listed market value
• PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: The base period will be one year, estimated to start on or about July 2024. Based on Agency need, the Contracting Officer may exercise an additional option period for the dates estimated as follows:
• Base Period: July 2024 – July 2025
• Option Period 1: July 2025 – July 2029
• Only interviewed candidates will be informed in writing of the Selection Committee’s final decision.
• This is a local position and compensation will be in accordance with the Local Compensation Plan
• 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 https://www.acquisition.gov/aidar/aidar-appendix-j-direct-usaid-contracts-cooperating-country-national-and-third-country-national-personal-services-abroad and revised AIDAR Appendix J, General Provision contract clauses (GPs) titled “Leave and Holidays” (AAPD 20-08).
• Contract Cover Page form AID 309-1 available at https://www.usaid.gov/forms. Pricing by line item is to be determined upon contract award as described below:
• LINE ITEMS
• Item No
• (A) SERVICES (DESCRIPTION)
• (B) QUANTITY
• (C) UNIT
• (D) UNIT PRICE
• (E) AMOUNT
• (F) 0001 Base Period - Compensation, Fringe Benefits and Other Direct Costs (ODCs) - Award Type: PSC - Product Service Code: R497 - Accounting Info: 1 LOT $ _TBD__ $_TBD at Award after negotiations with Contractor_ 1001 Option Period 1 – Compensation, Fringe Benefits and Other Direct Costs (ODCs) - Award Type: PSC - Product Service Code: R497 - Accounting Info: 1 LOT $ _TBD__ $_TBD at Award after negotiations with Contractor_ 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
• PSC Ombudsman
• The PSC Ombudsman serves as a resource for any Personal Services Contractor who has entered into a contract with the United States Agency for International Development and is available to provide clarity on their specific contract with the Agency. Please visit our page for additional information: https://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/personal-service-contracts-ombudsman
• The PSC Ombudsman may be contacted via: PSCOmbudsman@usaid.gov

Duties

Program/Project/Activity Management

• The USAID Project Management Specialist (TB) serves as a technical expert, with full responsibility for technically guiding the implementation, evaluation, and monitoring of assigned aspects of the TB detection, prevention, and treatment portfolio. The Specialist has activity manager responsibility for USAID-funded TB projects. The Specialist works closely with and liaises with other Health Office Specialists and Implementing Partners (IPs) conducting tuberculosis activities
• The Specialist advises the supervisor, Office Chief, Mission Director, Deputy Mission Director, and others on local matters of importance to the TB Accelerator program. The Specialist provides critical inputs to the achievement of overall results and Mission/USG goals and objectives. This requires that the Specialist to remain current on the economic, political, and social trends of the host government, the host country, and the region, and analyzes trends in relation to their impact on the overall TB Accelerator program. The Specialist also collaborates with technical experts within other donor organizations to assure synergy and complementarity

Provides Technical Assistance in Prevention and Treatment of Tuberculosis

• The Specialist coordinates with other USG agencies to ensure the delivery of systematic and consistent technical assistance to the host government and to NGO partners and IPs in all areas of the TB program, and other health-related issues involving TB detection, prevention, and treatment. The Specialist works the host government to ensure that TB control activities are set up to reach country’s UNHLM and National Strategic Plan targets. In addition, the Specialist provides strategic input on all TB Accelerator programs or other tuberculosis-related components; identifies short-, mid-, and long-range achievable and sustainable strategies for improving tuberculosis detection, prevention, and treatment; and, represents USAID, the USG, and the broader USAID health program at TB technical meetings, seminars, and conferences. The Specialist keeps informed of and collaborates with technical experts in other donor agencies on tuberculosis-related activities; works with the host government to develop technical strategies and approaches that result in improved TB detection, prevention, and treatment; works with other colleagues to harmonize Health Office, USAID, and USG TB Accelerator activities to ensure consistency with host government policy. The Specialist also ensures that programs/projects/activities are consistent with internationally accepted best practices, and that they are relevant in the host-country context

Data Collection and Analysis

• To ensure the ongoing quality of implemented activities, the Specialist monitors and reports on developments in the TB Accelerator and other health sectors, especially as they relate to successful implementation of tuberculosis-related activities; and, monitors, analyzes, and reports on relevant aspects of host government policy, regulation, and programming, and on tuberculosis-related and other health and development issues, based on an in-depth understanding of USAID and USG policy and program objectives and priorities. The Specialist prepares technical analyses, evaluates sectoral issues, and provides input to Mission activities with respect to the TB Accelerator and related sectors; summarizes information and conclusions in written and oral form for presentation to senior USG and other decision makers, and for incorporating into other activity documents as appropriate; organizes field trips, conferences, and seminars to ensure maximum exposure to emerging trends and various points of view, and for monitoring assigned tuberculosis-related activities, providing translation as needed; and, 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 to draw final conclusions. The Specialist prepares oral and written briefings for the supervisor, the Office Chief, the Mission Director and/or Deputy Mission Director, Embassy staff, and others, on request

Performance Monitoring

• The Specialist ensures that performance monitoring systems are in place, and that periodic, reliable measures and indicators of portfolio impact are established; and, collects and monitors performance data on an ongoing basis, and prepares reports of program/project/activity progress for use within the Office, the Mission, the USG at post, USAID/Washington and other partners/stakeholders. The Specialist assesses progress in achieving results for tuberculosis-related activities, and evaluates and assesses activities 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

Position elements

• Supervision Received: The USAID Project Management Specialist (TB) works under the very general supervision of the Health Office Chief, and the closer but general supervision of a lower-level supervisor. 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 Office 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
• Supervision Exercised: Continuing supervision of other Health Office and/or Mission staff is not contemplated
• Available Guidelines: Available guidelines include USG program/project/activity guidance, rules, and requirements; USAID Mission Orders, Mission strategy, and other relevant reports; the Automated Directives System (ADS); USAID Mandatory and Standard Provisions, and the FAR and AIDAR; and, USAID Global Accelerator to End TB guidelines, Country Operational Plans, host-government Five-Year Strategic Plans (or equivalent), and other published and unpublished guidelines. Guidelines are often general in nature and not specific to the situation at hand, requiring considerable interpretation
• Exercise of Judgment: Substantial judgment (discretion) is used daily in providing technical opinion and guidance to USG, USAID, and host-government colleagues, to IPs, and in representing USAID in stakeholder forums. Management decisions over certain IPs are at the discretion of the Specialist. Independent judgment is required for developing, implementing, and managing assigned programs/projects/activities, for reporting, and for other assignments. Substantial judgment is required in analyzing and determining whether or not to recommend approval of proposed programs/projects/activities, in choosing among alternative proposals, and in evaluating data for reliability
• Authority to Make Commitments: The Specialist exercises the authority given to activity managers and CORs/AORs and may make administrative arrangements consistent with ADS guidance and Mission and Office policy. The Specialist takes action and establishes priorities based on available guidelines and professional judgment. Guidance is sought when needed, and superiors informed of activity and project status. Within the scope of the authority delegated, the Specialist may indicate to ranking counterpart and IP officials that they will make a recommendation to USAID on a specific activity, issue, or problem. The Specialist has no independent authority to commit the USG to the expenditure of funds but may negotiate ad referendum for the supervisor
• Nature, Level, and Purpose of Contacts: The Specialist has a full range of contacts within the Mission, at all levels, and maintains contact with IPs implementing USAID-funded programs/projects/activities in the sector. Within the Embassy, contacts are with counterpart staffs, and with senior staff as needed. Host-government, local, and other, contacts vary widely with the type of activity being implemented, and may be at any level – including Ministerial-level, Deputy Minister-level, etc. Frequent and substantive personal contacts with senior level 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. In addition, the Specialist provides technical assistance and guidance on best practices to USG staff, and host-government and NGO partners

Requisites

• Minimum qualifications required for this position
• Education: The work requires a Master’s in Public Health (MPH), with a concentration in epidemiology or infectious diseases; or a Master’s in Nursing degree; or, a degree as a Public Health Physician in a field related to clinical and/or field work in education, prevention, and treatment related to tuberculosis.
• Prior Work Experience: A minimum of five to seven years of progressively responsible experience in the field of public health, with a focus on clinical and/or field work in education, prevention, and treatment related to tuberculosis and/or infectious diseases is required. This experience must demonstrate that the Specialist has strong medical/clinical skills in the field. The Specialist must have demonstrated technical leadership in TB Accelerator related education, prevention and treatment, program management, strategic planning, policy experience, and problem-solving skills while working on complex programs/projects/activities in a highly sensitive environment
• Post Entry Training: On-the-job familiarization training in USAID and TB-specific procedures, regulations, and methods, and orientation to working from a donor-Agency perspective, etc., will be provided. Formal COR/AOR certification is required for successful performance and will be provided. Other courses, training to maintain professional capability in the field, and courses offered for professional USAID staff as appropriate; and, courses, seminars, conferences, and other activities in fields related to the function and needed to maintain and update professional qualifications as appropriate, will be provided as they become available, and subject to availability of funds
• Language Proficiency: Level 4 (advanced professional proficiency) English and Portuguese language, both oral and written, is required
• Job Knowledge: The Specialist must have in-depth professional-level knowledge of development principles, concepts, and practices, especially as they relate to tuberculosis-related education, prevention, and treatment activities in the host country and/or region, and the problems and policies in the host country 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 host country; development problems in the health sector in the host country and the region; an understanding of the resources, resource constraints, and overall development prospects and priorities of the host country and the region; and, knowledge of, or the potential to quickly acquire knowledge of, USG legislation, policy, and practice relating to tuberculosis prevention and treatment 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 host government, in order to enhance effective communication, and to develop consensus on program/project/activity strategy and implementation
• Skills and Abilities: The Specialist must have a good knowledge and demonstrated experience in the programming of tuberculosis -related education, prevention, and treatment programs/projects/activities; and, the role of tuberculosis prevention and treatment with other health areas such as health systems strengthening, PEPFAR, maternal and child health, and family planning. 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 TB Accelerator-related planning; and, apply this knowledge to advanced programming in the host country and the region

 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 following evaluation factors are established

• Education: 5 points
• Prior Work Experience: 25 points
• Job Knowledge 30 points
• Skills and Abilities: 30 points
• Language Proficiency: 10 points
• Maximum Points: 100 points

Notes

• A cover letter in English with CV/Applicant Resume as well as academic transcripts/diplomas
• 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. USAID/Mozambique reserves the right to solicit references from other sources as deemed appropriate
• Any application received in Portuguese will not be considered. Only English applications will be considered
• 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
• Per this scoring Skills and Abilities and Job Knowledge are the most important factors, followed by Prior Work Experience, Language Proficiency and Education. Applications will initially be screened for conformity with minimum requirements. 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. A Technical Evaluation Committee (TEC) will be convened to review applications and evaluate them in accordance with the evaluation criteria. Applications from candidates who do not meet the required selection criteria will not be scored. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted and 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. No response will be sent to unsuccessful applicants Professional references will be conducted for the top ranked candidate and will be utilized to supplement the TEC’s recommendation to the Contracting Officer to offer the position to the top ranked candidate. USAID/Mozambique reserves the right to solicit references from other sources as deemed appropriate Final selection will be based on the application package, language abilities, oral interview and reference checks. This is a local position and compensation will be in accordance with the Local Compensation Plan
• 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