22-104 Project Management Specialist (HIV Prevention)

US Agency for International Development

GENERAL INFORMATION

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

  1. SOLICITATION NO.: 22-104
  2. ISSUANCE DATE: July 1, 2022
  3. CLOSING DATE AND TIME FOR RECEIPT OF OFFERS: July 17, 2022 (4:30 PM East Africa Time).
  4. POINT OF CONTACT: USAID Kenya and East Africa Human Resources, e-mail at [email protected]
  5. POSITION TITLE: USAID Project Management Specialist (HIV Prevention).
  6. MARKET VALUE: Equivalent to FSN-11 Step 1 (4,792,523 KSH per annum) to Step 13 (8,147,267 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.
  7. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: The services provided under this contract are expected to be of a continuing nature that will be executed by USAID through a series of sequential contracts, subject to the availability of funds, the continued need for services and successful performance. It is anticipated that the selection of the successful candidate will be completed within an estimated six-month period from the closing date of this solicitation. The base period will be for one year with the commencement date based upon successful medical clearance and security certification. Contingent on Agency needs, the Contracting Officer may exercise four additional option periods from the contract commencement date.
  8. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Nairobi, Kenya;with possible travel as stated in the Statement of Duties.
  9. ELIGIBLE OFFERORS: Open to qualified Kenyan Citizens. Current locally hired employees of the US Mission in Kenya Employees presently on probation are ineligible to apply.
  10. SECURITY LEVEL REQUIRED: Security certification issued by the US Embassy RSO.
  11. STATEMENT OF DUTIES:

General Statement of Purpose of the Contract

The Project Management Specialist serves as a key public health advisor on Key and Priority Populations and HIV Biomedical prevention interventions in the HIV Prevention and Social Services Team in the USAID/KEA Health, Population and Nutrition (HPN) Office. The jobholder provides comprehensive public health technical support, advice and guidance; day-to-day program and administrative management; and coordination and collaboration in support of HIV biomedical prevention activities with a focus on key and priority populations, voluntary male circumcision and HIV testing services and pre-exposure prophylaxis provided under the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) in Kenya. Responsibilities include program management and development, monitoring, reporting and close collaboration with USAID PEPFAR partners to ensure implementation is carried out in accordance with program strategic objectives and internationally recognized best practices. The Specialist will serve as the technical subject matter expert in evidence-based approaches and implementation fidelity for HIV Youth and Key and Priority Populations prevention services. He/She will work in close collaboration with other PEPFAR agencies, host government ministries (including the Ministries of Health; Education; and Public Service, Youth and Gender Affairs [Youth]), Global Fund, implementing partner mechanisms, and civil society organizations involved in the HIV response in Kenya. The jobholder represents USAID/KEA on HIV prevention issues at technical, policy and strategic planning meetings, including meetings with collaborators and other donor agencies.

Statement of Duties to be Performed

1. Technical and Strategic Leadership 60%

  • Serves as a technical advisor for the development, implementation, and monitoring of USG-supported HIV prevention activities in USAID supported counties in Kenya. Provides high level technical guidance and updated technical information to partners as it becomes available to be consistent with PEPFAR policies and guidance and host country policies and regulations.
  • Identifies implementational and capacity needs, designs practical and relevant training and capacity building training as required for various target audiences on how to implement, monitor and evaluate HIV prevention programs, uses M&E data, and reports progress to key stakeholders. Conducts on-the-job training sessions to ensure partner staff is up to date with HIV prevention protocols.
  • Responds to requests from civil society, health care organizations and the private sector for information and technical assistance on HIV prevention strategies.
  • Supervises, coordinates, and provides direct technical support and evaluation for USAID funded HIV prevention activities to ensure that the most current evidence-based interventions are being utilized and high-quality prevention programs at the national, county and site level are established and implemented. Provides recommendations on sound technical strategies to supervisor and PEPFAR Prevention Interagency Technical Teams (ITT) and other HIV team colleagues.
  • Provides technical evaluation of all grants, contracts or cooperative agreement proposals and partner work plans for HIV prevention programs. Works with the Acquisition and Assistance Office and partner representatives to ensure that state of the art HIV prevention protocols is included in the signed agreements. Provides guidance and direction to grantees, program collaborators and contractors on management and implementation of implementing mechanism activities to ensure consistency with PEPFAR policies and guidance and host country policy regulations. Organizes joint annual workplan and semi-annual performance review meetings between implementing partners and external stakeholders including national, county and local government. Provides technical advice to the key government ministries including Health, Education, and Public Service and the National AIDS Control Council (NACC) as well as other non-/government entities as appropriate in furthering their HIV prevention programs, focusing on non-duplication of services provided by USG agencies, cooperative partners, and contractors. Works closely with the host government, county structures, private voluntary organizations including partners funded by the government and /or Global Fund, and civil society organizations to influence other collaborative organizations engaged in HIV Prevention programs to adopt appropriate strategies for their program activities. Represents the USG in key Ministry of Health (MOH) and Government of Kenya (GOK) Committees of Experts (COE) technical working groups (TWG), including: NASCOP Key Populations, VMMC, PrEP HIV Testing Services; NACC convened committee of experts and consultations, Key and Priority Populations Global Fund application processes; and other fora.
  • Working closely with senior and mid-level host government staff and county teams involved in public health programs, private sector providers and implementing partners, the incumbent is required to monitor all programs under his/her purview to assure that the specific objectives for the program are achieved and/or appropriate remedial activities are instituted in conjunction with MOH staff, county team, private sector providers, and implementing partners, as appropriate. In liaison with the Strategic Information unit/advisors, develops program evaluation strategies, methodologies and indicators for monitoring HIV Prevention programs in accordance with standard guidelines and protocols. Provides support and recommendations to the chief of section and supervisor in analyzing and interpreting data on health objectives and indicators related to specific HIV Prevention programs to inform improvements.
  • Monitors activities and collaborates with each partner organization on a regular basis to make sure program results are achieved and all programmatic HIV prevention activities.
  • Participates in identification and design of evaluations, study protocols that meet human subject requirements and pass-through ethical review with the appropriate agency authority.
  • Participates in Site Improvement Monitoring System (SIMS) technical support visits to partner sites, and meetings with representatives of each organization to review progress and provide updated technical information and compile technical reports and support partners in implementing corrective measures. Draws attention to organizational needs such as inadequate medical supplies, equipment, facilities and staffing.
  • Prepares directives, memoranda, policy statements and proposals to introduce new initiatives and to recommend effective operations consistent with overall program objectives in support of the PEPFAR Prevention Program in Kenya.

2. Program/Project Management and Reporting 20%

  • Provides oversight and monitors the budgets allocated to implementing partner awards within the HIV Prevention service delivery portfolio. This includes activity management for both cooperative agreements and contracts. Reviews budgets for appropriateness, monitoring use of funds for adherence to proposed activities, quarterly pipeline reviews and budget status reports, following up on irregular findings, providing advice for realignment of budgets, and accruals monitoring. Participates with partners in the development of work plans for implementation of activities following cooperative agreement awards and continuously reviews the work plans with the implementing partners.
  • Maintains files and records in HIV prevention data collection specific to key and priority populations and community-oriented HIV testing and counseling. Assures data integrity and security of information in the reporting databases that does or may relate to HIV infection (particularly as related to named individuals). Other program files include reports, meeting summaries and minutes, copies of all grants/cooperative agreements/contracts, research determinations, panels, and awards. Whenever possible these records will be filed electronically for recordkeeping purposes.
  • Prepares and presents briefings for Congressional and Executive delegations, industry leaders and other high-level visitors; participates in making arrangements for visits and serves as spokesperson as required. Serves as control officer for site visits for agency and inter-agency PEPFAR senior-level officials.
  • Prepares regular and ad hoc activity reports on progress in HIV Prevention for USAID service delivery partners. These will be included in regular reports to USAID/Washington, OGAC, and ultimately to the U.S. Congress. Reporting responsibilities are monthly, quarterly and annually. Prepares the HIV Prevention and HIV Testing Services components of the annual Country Operational Plan (COP).
  • Through wide study recommends innovative strategies, allocates specific HIV Prevention and Testing Services targets.
  • Provides work guidance to implementing partners and oversees USAID funded projects of short- and long-term duration.
  • Leads site assessments of PEPFAR Prevention programs carried out by implementing partners of the USG, including SIMS visits, focusing on community-oriented program area elements. Collects data and prepares the technical assistance requests to be sent to the PEPFAR Interagency Technical Team and Liaisons and develops scopes of work as needed for the requests. Prepares oral and written reports on the progress of program activities. Readers of these reports include Agency and post management, other PEPFAR officials, U.S. headquarters offices and are ultimately used in reports to the U.S. Congress. Reporting responsibilities are monthly, quarterly and annually.
  • Designated formally as the Agreement/Contracting Officer’s Representative/Alternate (A/COR) for implementing mechanisms. In this capacity, takes a major technical role in development of solicitation materials and the review of applications and proposals, awards, and requests for extensions. Liaises with Agency Agreement/Contract Officers at post and in the U.S. on technical reviews and funding awards as an Activity Manager for cooperative agreements/contracts annually. Once an award is in place, oversees performance of implementing partners, carries out technical reviews, reviews progress, identifies potential issues and informs supervisor, recommending actions for amelioration.

3. Representation and Coordination 20%

  • As an HIV prevention technical specialist, participates at USAID/KEA technical, policy, and strategic planning meetings, including meetings with private sector collaborators and donor agencies. Briefs senior Agency officials, PEPFAR country team and interested officials of other USG agencies as appropriate on the results of such meetings and prepares written reports for submission to other interested parties.
  • Participates in the PEPFAR interagency team (PIAT) in discussing and developing financial commitments and sets targets for HIV prevention programs at administrative and strategic planning meetings. This includes all PEPFAR implementing agencies: Departments of State, Defense, Labor, Commerce, and Health and Human Services (including Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Health Resources and Services Administration, National Institutes of Health, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Food and Drug Administration), USAID, and Peace Corps. Provides technical expertise and guidance to HQ-based epidemic control teams (ECT) and other country teams.
  • Participates in internal and interagency technical working groups to ensure adherence to internationally accepted/directed standards for HIV prevention, care and treatment. Serves as a liaison between USAID/KEA and the PEPFAR ITT on all areas related to HIV prevention. Provides technical expertise and guidance to HQ-based epidemic control teams (ECT) and other country teams.
  • Serves on other USAID and PEPFAR interagency working groups and projects. These projects are generally short-term in nature and most often have to do with special requirements for VIP visits, called technical evaluation groups, special taskers, etc.
  • Serves as the HPN coordinator for at least one county, nurturing government-to-government (G2G) relationships with County Health Management Teams (CHMT), County Executive Committee (CEC) members for Health, Members of County Assembly (MCA), and Governors and Deputy Governors.

Supervisory Relationship

The Project Management Specialist works under the supervision of the Deputy Team Leader, HIV Prevention and Social Services. Assignments are made orally and in writing, with a discussion of any elements of the assignment that may be new or to determine priority. Most assignments are self-generated, and occur in the normal course of the work, but the incumbent determines those that must be coordinated with the supervisor. The supervisor provides a review of the assignment, the goals and objectives to be achieved, and the results expected. Completed work is accepted as technically correct, and the overall assignment is reviewed in terms of results achieved.

Supervisory Controls

Supervision over others is not anticipated.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The work requested does not involve undue physical demands.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION

Any application that does not meet the minimum requirements stated below will not be evaluated.

  1. Education: A Bachelor’s Degree in public health, medicine, or nursing, is required.
  2. Prior Work Experience: At least five (5) years of mid-to-senior level public health experience in developing, implementing, and evaluating HIV prevention including biomedical and key and priority populations as well as social services programs or other relevant public health programs that involve coordination with an international agency or implementing partner is required. Experience should demonstrate ability to manage high-level coordination and relationships with bilateral and multilateral donors, host country organizations, implementing partners and/or international organizations. Demonstrated experience in designing person centered innovative HIV prevention strategies for different populations.
  3. Language Proficiency: Level IV fluency (speaking/reading/writing) in English and Kiswahili is required.

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.

Job Knowledge (55 points)

Comprehensive knowledge and experience in HIV prevention strategies, HTS, PrEP, VMMC and Combination HIV prevention, is required. A detailed knowledge of the range of programs, policies, regulations and precedents applicable to development and administration of national/international public health HIV prevention programming is required. Strong skills in Combination HIV prevention, care and treatment are required. Comprehensive knowledge of the Government of Kenya health care system and structures including familiarity with Ministries of Health, Labor and Devolution policies, program priorities, and regulations is required. Detailed knowledge of U.S. government public health programs and strategies on HIV prevention in general including key and priority populations for HIV prevention and reproductive health services is required. Good working knowledge of team management techniques to plan, organize and direct multi-disciplinary project teams and activities and overall administrative requirements, budgeting and fiscal management in support of contracts/cooperative agreements/grants/purchase requisitions is required.

Skills and abilities (45 points)

Due to frequent interaction with external stakeholders in high stakes environments, the jobholder must be able to perceive, use, understand, manage, and handle emotions and communicate effectively to ensure positive working relationships are maintained. Strong oral and written communication skills are required. Ability to analyze, interpret, discuss new program design, management, and implementation approaches is required. This includes the development of evaluation designs, use of reliable and valid instruments, and methods for data collection, analysis, and reports. Ability to lead project teams and workgroups and to develop effective working relationships with national and international working partners is required. The incumbent will be expected to exercise considerable ingenuity and tact in applying guidelines to unique and different settings, as the work is highly complex. Considerable innovation will be required to influence other collaborative organizations engaged in HIV prevention programs to adopt appropriate strategies for their program activities. Intermediate user level of word processing, spreadsheets, and databases is required. Strong skills with interpretation of program monitoring and evaluation of data are required. The incumbent must have strong management skills and be able to order priorities and manage several activities simultaneously.

Total possible points: 100

LIST OF REQUIRED FORMS PRIOR TO AWARD

The CO will provide instructions about how to complete and submit any required forms after an offeror is selected for the contract award.

BENEFITS AND ALLOWANCES

Benefits and allowances are offered in accordance with the Local Compensation Plan (LCP).

TAXES

The Contractor must observe Kenyan laws including those concerning income and related tax obligations.

USAID REGULATIONS, POLICIES AND CONTRACT CLAUSES PERTAINING TO PSCs

USAID regulations and policies governing CCN and TCN PSC awards are available at these sources:

  1. 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
  2. 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.
  3. 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
  4. 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
  5. 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: [email protected]

How to apply

SUBMITTING AN OFFER

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

Step 2: Completethe job application atwww.myjobsinkenya.com.

Step 3: Internal Offerors/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 as one attachment and upload them to MyJobsInKenya.

OR

External Offerors/Not Current USG Employees: Attach an updated curriculum vitae/resume (no more than five pages) and copies of all relevant certificates. Scan and attach all the documents as one attachment and upload them to MyJobsInKenya.

Offerors must provide a list of minimum three (3) professional references who are not family members or relatives, with complete name, title, organization where he/she works, description of relationship, with working/accurate telephone numbers and email addresses. The offeror’s references must be able to provide substantive information about his/her past performance and abilities.

Note to Applicants:

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

2. Submissions will only be accepted throughwww.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.

3. All Applicants must provide at least three professional references, who are not family members or relatives, with working telephone and e-mail contacts. The references must be able to provide substantive information about your past performance and abilities. USAID reserves the right to contact your previous employers for relevant information concerning your performance and may consider such information in its evaluation of the application.


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