USAID Project Management Specialist (Child Health/WASH)

I. 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.: 22-78**

2. ISSUANCE DATE: May 12, 2022**

3. CLOSING DATE AND TIME FOR RECEIPT OF OFFERS: May 26, 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 (Child Health/WASH).**

6.MARKET VALUE: Equivalent to FSN-10 Step 1 (3,341,686.00 KSH per annum) to Step 13 (5,680,858.00 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.

8. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Nairobi, Kenya; with possible travel as stated in the Statement of Duties.

9. ELIGIBLE OFFERORS: Open to qualified Kenyan Citizens and 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 (Child Health/WASH) position in the Office of Health, Population and Nutrition (HPN), USAID/Kenya and East Africa, serves as one of several CCN Specialists responsible for the formulation, management, monitoring and evaluation (M&E), and documentation and reporting of USAID/Kenya and East Africa health portfolio, which includes the interagency Global Health Initiative to “End Preventable Child and Maternal Death” in 24 priority countries and the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). As a member of the Family Health Center of Excellence and the Nutrition and Child Health Team, the Child Health/WASH Specialist works under the direct supervision of the Child Health and Nutrition Team Leader, to provide technical, operational, and management support to the Child Health and Nutrition portfolio.

The Project Management Specialist (Child Health/WASH) supports the Child Health and Nutrition team to coordinate child health and nutrition policy issues with the GOK, the US Government Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), USAID colleagues, other donors, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). She/he serves as a resource person in child health and WASH practices and principles for USAID Kenya and East Africa and assists the Office of Health Population and Nutrition in the design and implementation of Child Health, WASH and Nutrition priorities and activities in Kenya. The Child Health/WASH Specialist provides technical assistance in cross-cutting approaches to child health, including prevention and treatment of childhood illnesses, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, and strengthening of community-based preventive and promotive health.

Statement of Duties to be Performed

Technical Guidance and Program Planning (40%)

· Provides technical assistance and inputs in the design, operationalization, execution and evaluation of USAID-funded child health activities to ensure that they support high quality, equitable and sustainable essential services at the national and county systems, facility and community levels to children in target counties. Provide recommendations to the Supervisor, Family Health CoE Director and the Office of Health, Population and Nutrition Leadership on priority actions to improve quality and effectiveness in these services.

· Provides technical guidance and direction to implementing partners on high impact child health, WASH and nutrition interventions. Leads coordination of Child Health, WASH and nutrition policy issues with GOK.

· Supports the Child Health and Nutrition Team Lead to strengthen linkages between the USAID maternal newborn and child health and nutrition program and other health programs, including Maternal and newborn health, HIV/AIDS, Malaria, and Health systems strengthening.

· Leads USAID’s effort to increase access and demand for WASH services in Kenya as part of the wider USAID KEA WASH team. The employee is responsible for providing technical and strategic leadership at all levels from policy analysis to program design in developing sound approaches for Mission WASH activities from a health perspective. Working with USAID/Kenya’s Office of Economic Growth and Integration (OEGI) and USAID partners in the public, private, and civil society sectors, s/he is responsible for compiling experiences and tools on WASH outcomes, designing programs, supporting design and implementation of strategies, undertaking relevant policy analysis, and developing advocacy efforts based on these with aim to increase access and demand for WASH services and reduction in preventable childhood infections.

Project/Activity Management (30%)

· Serves as the Agreement Officer’s Representative (AOR) or Contracting Officer’s Representative for reproductive health, maternal, child health and nutrition projects or Activity Manager for centrally funded Maternal, Newborn, Child Health and nutrition projects and activities.

· Responsible for reviewing and approving implementing partners’ (IPs) annual work plans, facilitating IP relationships and coordinating with local stakeholders (e.g. other IPs, cooperating country-government counterparts, non-governmental organizations, other donors, etc.); maintaining a schedule for and conducting regular site visits to review program implementation and meeting with beneficiaries, and based on the information collected during such visits, adjusting or recommending adjustments to programs/projects/activities as appropriate; overseeing IP compliance with bilateral government agreements, and with performance expectations; ensuring IPs are in compliance with all relevant USAID regulations and procedures, communicating regularly with IPs regarding USAID rules and regulations as well as their obligations to USAID and, taking a lead role in the preparation of the strategic and operational planning processes such as the USAID Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) and USAID Operational Plan (OP).

· Provides oversight and monitor budgets allocated to implementing partners within the portfolio. This includes reviewing budget 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.

· Conducts regular field visits to monitor the implementation of, child health, WASH, nutrition and community activities and keeps the Team Lead regularly informed of program implementation progress, results, and issues/problems on a timely basis.

Project Monitoring and Evaluation (15%)

• In coordination with the Child Health and Nutrition Team Lead, the incumbent ensures that all partners for which she/he is responsible are following guidelines and best practices. Reviews and gives feedback on all data generated by partners on a quarterly basis. Develops partner specific strategies to address challenges in implementation based on the data reviews.
• In collaboration with Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning staff participates in the development of innovative monitoring and evaluation approaches and tools to support measuring the impact and outcomes of Child Health/WASH activities.
• Contributes to data quality assessments to ensure the quality and reliability of program data.
• Participates in site visits to USAID supported programs to assess the quality of services, provide guidance to implementing partners on newly emerging approaches to child health, nutrition, and WASH.
• Monitors project activities and makes recommendations to resolve implementation obstacles to ensure judicious use of USG funds and effective implementation of Child Health/WASH interventions.
• Contributes to and participates in Child Health/WASH related program evaluations to document and scale up proven best practices.

Representation and Reporting (15%)

• Works closely with the GOK (particularly the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation (MOWSI)), development partners, NGOs and private sector partners to ensure maternal newborn and child health are being carried out as designed. This includes participation in relevant GOK led interagency coordinating committees.
• Contributes to the preparation of documents for Mission reporting, administration and planning needs, including the Operational Plan, the Performance Plan Report, Country Operational Plan, Technical Notifications and Portfolio reviews.**
• Assists the HPN Office Director, the Family Health Center of Excellence Director, and the Child Health and Nutrition Team Lead with building the capacity of new staff and teams, technical evaluation of proposals, responding to requests from the Embassy, USAID/Washington, and others, and handling VIP visits.

Supervisory Relationship

As a member of the Family Health Center of Excellence, the PMS (Child Health/WASH) works under the direct supervision and leadership of the Child Health and Nutrition Team Leader. Assignments are made orally and in writing, with a discussion of overall objectives and expected results to be achieved. The supervisor assigns specific tasks, provides suggested approaches to consider and reviews completed reports and assignments. Achievements are regularly reviewed, and feedback provided.

Supervisory Controls

The position has no supervisory responsibility over others.

12. PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The work requested does not involve undue physical demands.**

II. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION

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

1. Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Public Health, Social Sciences, Epidemiology, Nursing, Nutrition, or Infectious Disease, or a relevant health or social science field.
2. Prior Work Experience: At least three (3) years of progressively responsible experience in public health or in the management of child health, WASH, and/or nutrition programs is required.
3. Language Proficiency: Level IV English and Kiswahili proficiency, with proven English writing skills.

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.

– Job Knowledge (60 points)

Must possess thorough knowledge of the technical areas of this position. Must have a demonstrated understanding of state-of-the-art child health, WASH, and nutrition interventions and the current priorities at national and global level. A thorough knowledge of country’s development and child health/WASH/nutrition dynamics, particularly the social, economic and cultural determinants in the country. Must possess a detailed knowledge of Government of Kenya and NGO service delivery policies and programs in the health sector, especially Child Health.

• Skills and abilities (40 points)

Able to advise, monitor, gather and evaluate information of broad scope and complexity in the areas of Child Health, WASH, and Nutrition. Ability to present information, analyses, and recommendations in clear written and oral formats. Ability to independently conceive, plan, organize, manage, and evaluate important, diverse and complex work projects, to drive high-level performance and outcomes of USAID child health, WASH, and nutrition programs. Demonstrated ability to apply policy directives to activity design, implementation and monitoring and evaluation. Excellent analytical, technical and project management skills to review and provide substantive feedback on concept papers, proposals, program descriptions/scopes of work, performance reports, and other technical and programmatic documents. Must be able to communicate effectively both orally and in writing. Must have good interpersonal skills. Must be willing to travel. Must be proficient in Microsoft Office suite applications.

Total possible points: 100