OPEN TO:  All Interested Candidates

POSITION:  Senior Technical Advisor

OPENING DATE: March 4, 2019

CLOSING DATE:  March 22, 2019

WORK HOURS:    Full-time; 40 hours/week

SALARY RANGE:  FSN-11 (ZMK 450,209.84 p.a. — ZMK 704,098.28 p.a.)

BASIC FUNCTION:

This position is located in the newly formed USAID/Zambia Provincial Health Office.  The Senior Technical Advisor oversees the technical and managerial functions of the office.  The provincial office will comprise a total of four (4) individuals, including a Technical Advisor, Monitoring and Evaluation Advisor, and an Administrative Assistant/ Chauffeur.

The Senior Technical Advisor will serve as the main U.S. Government liaison to the Government of the Republic of Zambia (GRZ) and other key stakeholders in the province.  The Provincial Medical Officer (PMO) and the District Community Medical Officers (DCMOs) will be the core GRZ contacts for the Advisor.  The incumbent will also support technical leadership and coordination with the Clinical Care and the Communicable Diseases sections within the Provincial Health Office (PHO).  In addition, s/he will organize and lead quarterly coordination meetings with the GRZ and U.S. Government partners to ensure collaboration of activities to minimize overlap and to convey USAID and PEPFAR priorities for programming.  The Advisor will extend this support to priority districts within Central and Northern provinces.

Under the direction of the Decentralized Services Division Chief and the Health Office Chief, the Senior Health Advisor will communicate key USAID/U.S. policies and requirements to the districts and province and will communicate back to the Health Office the key challenges and successes.

The incumbent will oversee and coordinate government-to-government (G2G) activities within the province.  S/he will work at a senior level in a high-priority program, possessing significant technical knowledge, the in-depth proven track record of positively influencing G2G collaboration, and an ability to function independently in a highly demanding, frequently changing environment.

The Senior Technical Advisor will report to the Decentralized Services Division Chief.  Because of the close collaboration with the PHO to better integrate the USAID-supported activities into the other provincial health activities, the Advisor will also report on the integrated work plan to the PMO.  The position will include extensive travel within the three provinces (approximately 35% of the time), meeting with the DCMOs and other leadership on project coordination and other issues.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Supervision, Oversight and Technical Leadership (45%)

• Serve as the technical lead for the provincial office, functionally overseeing all health programming under the general direction of the Decentralized Services Division Chief.
• Supervise three FSN hires.  Carry out various functions including administrative, staff development, and coordination responsibilities.
• Provide expert technical guidance on HIV and other health issues to implementing partners and government counterparts within the provinces supported.
• Work with other Health technical staff to ensure that strategies, interventions, and implementation approaches form a coherent and holistic response to the needs of the health system in Zambia, particularly to support priority health and HIV/AIDS programs as identified in USAID/Zambia’s Operational Plans and based on commitments made to the GRZ.
• Working with the Decentralized Services Division Chief, identify technical assistance expertise required for field activities, assist in preparing scopes of work, identifying appropriate consultants, and reviewing findings to target follow up interventions.
• Contribute to the health and HIV/AIDS components of the Mission’s annual reports.  Coordinate periodic updates on the health needs at the regional level, and prepare briefing documents as required.
• Provide technical and programmatic guidance to implementing partners on linking HIV/AIDS activities with maternal and child health, family planning and reproductive health, and other Mission activities.

Activity Management (15%)

• Serve as a technical representative for the Agreement Officer/Contracting Officer or an activity manager for specific G2G activities, providing day-to-day oversight, as well as strategic and technical input and direction on annual work plans and performance monitoring plans. Verify the completion of milestones.
• Review financial and performance reports to ensure that partner(s) are in compliance with bilateral government agreements and with the performance expectations outlined in their work plan and contract/agreement(s) with USAID.
• Ensure compliance with PEPFAR, Global Health Initiative (GHI), USAID regulations and host government agreements as they relate to the specific mechanisms managed.  Maintain specific and in-depth knowledge of applicable USG laws and legislative directives, as well as regulations regarding allowable use of funds (e.g., family planning, HIV/AIDS).

Developing Linkages and Coordination (25%)

• Work with the Clinical Care, Communicable Diseases, and other Specialists within the PHO to ensure USAID-supported activities are implemented in line with national strategies for the delivery of quality healthcare within the province.
• In collaboration with the Decentralized Services Division Chief and Health Office Director, organize and lead quarterly meetings with GRZ and USG partners to track activity implementation and ensure collaboration of activities and minimize overlap.
• Actively participate in PHO technical and planning meetings to ensure alignment and harmonization of USAID-supported activities with the GRZ mandate.
• Serve as the main link between the Lusaka office and the PHO, District Health Office and other health institutions in the province,
• Catalyze linkages with other development partners implementing HIV/AIDS and health activities (reproductive health, maternal health and child survival, malaria, and tuberculosis) in the province.  Recommend potential streamlining when appropriate.

Monitoring and Evaluation (15%)

• In collaboration with the Health M&E Team and AOR/CORs, conduct field visits to monitor the activities of implementing partners within the province; track progress against program descriptions, implementation plans and annual work plans.
• Conduct site improvement through monitoring systems (SIMS) visits to monitor capacity at facility, community and above-site levels to provide high-quality HIV/AIDS services in all program areas.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Health Office Chief or Decentralized Services Division Chief.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:

A. Education: A Master’s degree in a relevant discipline such as international development, public health, health care management or other field related.

B. Prior Work Experience:  At least seven years of progressively responsible experience managing and implementing public health programs in developing countries, with an emphasis on health systems strengthening is required.  At least three years of supervisory experience. Demonstrated experience working with developing country program managers, policy-makers and a broad array of health service providers and community leaders. Demonstrated experience working in programs that support HIV/AIDS, maternal child health, and related programs.

C. Post Entry Training: The Job holder will need COR/AOR training.  Through on-the-job training (formal, informal and self-taught), the Senior Technical Advisor will become familiar with USAID systems and requirements of the overall Health portfolio.  S/he will obtain a clear understanding of USAID, PEPFAR, PMI, Saving Mothers, Giving Life, GHI, Feed the Future and other health initiative policies, procedures and regulations, including the Automated Directives System, Mission Orders, and the annual planning and reporting databases. Training in USAID implementation, auditing and financial management will be provided as needed.

D. Language Proficiency (level and specialization): Level IV (fluent) written and oral English proficiency is required.  Candidate must have the ability to present information, analysis, and recommendations in clear written and oral formats.

E. Job Knowledge: Strong technical knowledge of HIV/AIDS, maternal/child health and public health service delivery programs and systems in Zambia is required.  Knowledge of reproductive health/family planning, malaria, tuberculosis, is also required.

F. Skills and Abilities: 1) Excellent interpersonal skills, required to establish and maintain a wide range of working-level contacts with Health programs in government, non-governmental, and private-sector circles.  2) Demonstrated positive and productive teaming abilities are absolutely critical; must be able to get along with others and help elevate and empower those around.  3) Experience supervising or leading teams of professionals is required.  4) Strong management and analytical skills are required to strategize, develop and implement effective USAID-supported Health programs; and strong financial management and administrative skills used to track the performance of implementing partners.  5) Demonstrated ability to interpret, apply, and explain program policy, guidelines, regulatory directives and related guidance.  6) Demonstrated ability to organize and present information and to draft clear, concise documents.  7) Excellent computer skills, including ease in using a database, word processing, spreadsheet and presentation software applications, and e-mail.

POSITION ELEMENTS:

1. 1. Supervision Received:  Work will be performed under the general supervision of the Decentralized Services Division Chief of the Health Office USAID/Zambia.  Performance is evaluated annually with regard to progress toward objectives.

1. 2. Supervision Exercised:  Will exercise direct supervision over three professional staff to achieve the goals of the provincial health programs.

1. 3. Available Guidelines:  Available administrative guidelines establish a broad pattern of operation that requires frequent need to exercise judgment and interpretation, and provides an opportunity for initiative and innovation.  Relevant guidelines include the USAID Automated Directives System (ADS), PEPFAR and PMI guidelines, Country Operational Plans, Malaria Operational Plans, Health Investment Plan, Country Development Cooperation Strategy, National Health Strategic Plan, Mission Orders and other directives.

1. 4. Exercise of Judgment:  An exceedingly high degree of judgment based on technical expertise will be required to provide guidance and assistance to a wide variety of high-level professionals at the provincial level.  As a recognized expert and highly qualified professional, substantial reliance will be placed on the incumbent to independently plan, prioritize, and carry out the specific activities entailed in fulfilling major duties and responsibilities to achieve sustainable programming.  The incumbent will be expected to resolve problems that arise by determining the approaches to be taken and methodologies to be used; making independent judgments that can be defended as necessary.  The political environment requires a high degree of sensitivity and diplomacy in establishing dialogue and developing interventions to encourage improved Health programs in a sustainable manner.  The position requires managing for results in collaboration with a wide range of Zambian government officials and departments, training institutions, NGOs, international PVOs, and other international organizations.

1. 5. Authority to make commitments: The incumbent will have no independent authority to commit USG funds on behalf of the U.S. Government or USAID/Zambia.

6. Nature, level and purpose of Contacts:  The position requires considerable influencing skills to negotiate and persuade, but also justify, defend, negotiate, and settle matters among decision makers at the provincial level.  The incumbent will maintain contacts and work with USAID staff in USAID/Zambia, with considerable interaction with PEPFAR/Zambia staff at the State Department, CDC, DOD, Peace Corps to provide policy and procedural guidance and to obtain information relative to programs and activities.

The incumbent will be involved in establishing a common understanding among high level decision makers in the related GRZ ministries to find satisfactory solutions that address their various objectives and concerns. In addition, s/he will work closely with senior technical officers from other donors working in related areas within.

   G. Time Required to Perform Full Range of Duties after Entry into the Position:  One Year.

TERMS OF APPOINTMENT:

Subject to availability of funds, this will be a five-year contract, with an option to extend, depending upon continuing need of the services.

BENEFITS:

The position has been classified at a FSN – 11 levels.  The actual salary of the successful candidate will be negotiated within that range depending on qualifications and previous earnings history.