Jobs in Zambia and Zimbabwe

USAID Zimbabwe: Project Management Specialist

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Open to:- All U.S. Mission Locally Employed Staff (LES) – All Agencies

Current employees serving a probationary period are not eligible to apply

All Zimbabwean citizens or legal Zimbabwean permanent residents, with the required visa/permit to work and live in the country (proof of this paperwork will need to be provided)

Official Title: Project Management Specialist (Tuberculosis)

Office: Health, Population and Nutrition

Position Grade: FSN-12

Salary Range: US$56,885 – US$82,485 basic salary grade range)

(Candidates may be selected at a lower grade (at the trainee level) and be promoted when eligible and have met the full job requirements of the position)

The US Mission in Zimbabwe provides equal opportunity and fair and equitable treatment in employment to all people without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, political affiliation, marital status, or sexual orientation.

Opening Date: March 23, 2015

Closing Date: April 20, 2015 (1700 hours local time)

Work Hours:

Full time; 40 hours per week

BASIC DESCRIPTION OF THE POSITION:

The Public Health Specialist (Tuberculosis) is responsible for guiding the strategic direction of USAID’s assistance to the national TB control program in Zimbabwe and also provides technical advice for the integration of TB services within HIV/AIDS mitigation programs. Incumbent’s responsibilities include: keeping current with the latest technical approaches globally for TB control; monitoring and managing USAID-supported TB activities in Zimbabwe; coordinating and collaborating with other USAID/Zimbabwe and the inter- Agency President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) staff to ensure that project implementation addresses program strategic goals and internationally recognized public health standards and best practices; and, maintaining constant and clear communication with implementing partners (including host government ministries, non-governmental and international organizations) for all issues related to the agency’s TB program activities. The incumbent provides technical support, advice and guidance to implementing partners for TB control and TB/HIV co-infection services. He/she assures that projects are conducted in accordance with the implementing agreement and that United States Government (USG) funds are appropriately utilized. Duties include day-to-day program and administrative management and coordination and collaboration with colleagues of other agencies and public health entities that administer USG-funded programs related to TB control in country. Both the advisory and managerial roles require public health technical leadership, results-oriented analytical skills, advocacy, and constant and clear communication with implementing partners, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and host country ministries responsible for public health programs. Job holder represents USAID/Zimbabwe on TB control and TB/HIV co-infection issues at technical, policy and strategic planning meetings, including meetings with collaborators and donor.

SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Program Management (80%)

The incumbent:

  • Has primary responsibility for developing, implementing, coordinating and monitoring results of activities conducted in the areas of TB and TB/HIV co-infection services.
  • Takes an active role in developing specific USAID program goals and objectives for TB and TB/HIV co-infection initiatives. This includes collaboration on TB and TB/HIV co-infection initiative proposed in the country operational plans, annual work plans, and regular progress reports related to the delivery of TB and TB/HIV co-infection services. Incumbent prepares directive, memoranda, policy statements, and proposals to introduce new initiatives and to recommend effective operations consistent with strategic objectives of the TB control and PEPFAR program in Zimbabwe. The annual USAID budget for TB and TB/HIV programs in Zimbabwe in FY14 is approximately $5M.
  • Works with senior- and mid-level stakeholders and partners (including Health Ministry officials) to facilitate the USAID assistance for TB control and TB/HIV co-infection services. The incumbent also recommends to the USG and Ministry of Health and Child Care (MOHCC) counterparts approaches to enhance and improve TB control and TB/HIV co-infection services and activities in Zimbabwe. In collaboration with various stakeholders, he/she is responsible for identifying TB control and TB/HIV co-infection priorities for the USG team, and helping to ensure that the USG strategy for TB control and TB/HIV co-infection service delivery is in line with national policies and priorities.
  • Provides technical direction for proposals that result in a grant, contract, and/or cooperative agreement for interventions that deliver TB control and TB/HIV integrated services. This ensures consistency with USG, PEPFAR and host country policies and regulations. Incumbent works with USAID procurement, grants and/or contracts office, as well as partner representatives, to ensure that most current TB and TB/HIV integration program guidelines, policies and procedures that reflect international and national standards of TB control and TB/HIV care and treatment are included in the signed grant, contract, or cooperative agreement. He/she provides technical guidance and direction to grantees, program collaborators and contractors on management and implementation of cooperative agreement activities to ensure consistency with the goals of USAID health sector assistance as well as PEPFAR policies, guidance and host country national TB-related programs.
  • Will have a leadership role and management responsibility for monitoring and evaluation of TB and TB/HIV activities. Job holder monitors implementation activities and collaborates with each partner organization on a regular basis to ensure program results are achieved and all TB and TB/HIV programmatic activities and study protocols meet human subject requirements and pass through ethical review with the host government, other international donors, and regular site visits and meetings with representatives of each organization to review progress. Based on these activities, the job holder makes recommendations to the supervisor and USAID leadership changes or shifts in program operations.
  • Provides TB control and TB/HIV programmatic guidance to staff at all levels, and assists ministry officials to develop evaluation tools for TB control and TB/HIV activities. Working in collaboration with mid-level and senior ministry staff and implementing partners, the incumbent monitors all programs under his/her purview to assure that specific objectives are achieved and/or appropriate remedial activities are instituted when required. In conjunction with the members of the USAID and PEPFAR Strategic Information team, the incumbent develops TB control and TB/HIV program evaluation strategies, methodologies and helps to select indicators for monitoring TB control and TB/HIV in accordance with standard guidelines and protocols. He/she ensures that appropriate data management systems to monitor health objectives and indicators for TB control and TB/HIV programs are in place. The incumbent provides advice and recommendations to USAID’s HPN Office Director in interpreting data related to TB control and TB/HIV objectives and indicators. He/she also conducts periodic site visits to monitor and assess the quality of TB control and TB/HIV services carried out by implementing partners supported by USAID.
  • Provides technical assistance to the national TB control and HIV/AIDS mitigation programs and generally monitors TB control and TB/HIV quality assurance activities. In doing so, he/she assesses progress related to impact and sustainability of TB control and TB/HIV interventions within the national context. He/she provides technical guidance on TB and HIV/AIDS care and treatment linkage/integration issues, particularly in clinical settings such as TB clinics. The incumbent collaborates in the development of standard national TB control and TB/HIV training protocols and national TB control and TB/HIV guidelines in accordance with appropriate international standards (and applicable
  • Helps to build the TB control and TB/HIV capacity of counterpart organizations and works with implementing partners in the design and implementation of strong supervision systems for TB control and TB/HIV sites that help strengthen TB control and TB/HIV quality assurance. He/she conducts periodic site visits to: (1) assess TB control and TB/HIV program efficiency, effectiveness, and compliance; (2) review and encourage capacity building of sustainable TB control and TB/HIV services; (3) monitor TB control and TB/HIV implementation progress of partners; (4) identify any unaddressed TB control and TB/HIV needs; and, (5) conduct PEPFAR Site Improvement through Monitoring System (SIMS) assessments (applying applicable SIMS tools).
  • Analyzes data related to TB and TB/HIV services summarizes and reports the findings of operational research to be used for reports of record, proposals, publications, and for presentations at national and HIV/AIDS international meetings. Provides advice and recommendations to supervisor in interpreting data on health objectives and indicators related to TB and TB/HIV.
  • Designated formally as the COR/AOR or Activity Manager for at least one project. In this capacity plays a major technical role in development of the request for proposals/applications, review of applications, supplemental awards, and requests for extensions. Liaises with the USAID grants, contracts, and cooperative agreement technical specialists at post and/or in the U.S. on technical reviews and finding awards estimated between $25M-$40M over five years. Once implementing agreements are in place, oversees performance of partners, carries out technical and financial reviews, monitors progress, identifies potential issues and informs supervisor, recommending actions for amelioration.

Administrative Management (20%)

The incumbent:

Has responsibility for providing oversight and monitoring the budgets allocated to TB and TB/HIV implementing partners within the job holder’s portfolio. This includes reviewing budget requests for appropriateness. Monitoring use of funds for adherence to proposed activities, quarterly pipeline reviews/budget status reports, following up on irregular findings providing advice for realignment of budgets and accruals. The incumbent provides technical advice to program collaborators and contractors on management and implementation of contracts and cooperative agreements involving TB control and TB/HIV to ensure consistency with USAID and PEPFAR policies and guidance. He/she participates with partners in the development of work plans for the implementation of TB control and TB/HIV activities (following contract and/or cooperative agreement awards). The incumbent maintains up-to date statistics and project data for projects assigned to him/her and prepares performance reporting for those projects for use within the USG. He/she reviews implementing partners’ quarterly plan and assists in preparation of monthly and quarterly activity plans for effective program implementation. The incumbent maintains files and records in the TB control and TB/HIV data collection and reporting processes specific to the activities and programs for which he/she is responsible. He/she is responsible for providing oversight and monitoring the budgets allocated to TB control and TB/HIV within assigned USAID awards (as a Contract Officer’s Representative or Agreement Officer’s Representative). This includes reviewing budget requests for appropriateness, monitoring use of funds or adherence to proposed activities, quarterly pipelines reviews and budget status reports, following up on irregular findings, and providing advice for realignments and/or redirection of budgets.

  • May also represents USAID at national/regional technical working groups (TWGs) and other TB control and TB/HIV program specific taskforces. Exercises full supervisory responsibility for at least one program staff. Provides work allocation and on-the-job training to at least one TB and TB/HIV staff. Monitors and reviews the results achieved by at least one TB and TB/HIV-specific implementing partners.

QUALIFICATIONS:

1. Education: Doctoral Level (DrPH, MD or PHD) degree) in medicine, nursing, public health, epidemiology, behavioral or social sciences is required.

2. Prior Work Experience:    7 years of mid-to-senior level clinical and/or public health experience in developing, implementing and evaluating TB control programs or other relevant public health programs that involve coordination with an international agency or implementing partners is required. One additional year of experience at the managerial level with multiple staff is required. Experience working in Zimbabwe on health–related activities strongly desired.

3. Language Proficiency:

Level IV English (high proficiency in verbal and written expression) is required; good working knowledge of local languages is required.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Microsoft Office skills are required. Knowledge of spreadsheet development, graphics applications and quantitative or numerical skills for data analysis are required.
Scoring of the selection criterion detailed above will be done through paper review, an oral interview and/or written exercise.

TO APPLY:

Interested applicants must address all the above qualifications in their application. An application should be addressed to the Human Resources Office and include:

1. An application letter, detailing how the applicant meets the above qualifications. Please type in the letter your response to each item, e.g. Education, and state how you meet the requirement. Failure to do this will result in you not being shortlisted. Your letter must address each of the qualifications listed above.

2.A current resume relevant to the position (no more than 2 pages)

3. Any other documentation that addresses the qualification requirements of the position listed above.

SELECTION PROCESS:

After an initial application screening, the best qualified applicants may be invited to a testing process, which may include an oral interview and a written exercise. The written exercise may consist of a timed session, where the candidate will work on the computer and answer a specific question, using either word or excel or both.

The final phase of the selection process is the probationary period of one year. Medical and security clearances are also required before employment can begin.

Please note: only short listed candidates will be contacted with the results of the final selection. If you do not hear back from us by May 28, 2015, you were not shortlisted. Due to the great number of applications received, we are not able to contact each applicant.

PLEASE FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMISSION:

Both email and hand delivered applications are accepted. Please submit email applications via email to: [email protected].

Please note: Applications should not be more than 1mb in size if emailed.

Applications can also be hand delivered or by courier to:

USAID/Zimbabwe
EXO/HR
No 1. Pascoe Avenue
Belgravia
Harare

OR

Sent via the postal service to:

USAID/Zimbabwe

EXO/HR
P.O. Box 6988
Harare

Please indicate Reference: 15-07 Project Management Specialist (Tuberculosis) in the subject line of the application email and in the subject line of your application letter.

Applicants who fail to follow all the application requirements stated above will not be short listed.

For any queries, contact the HR Office on 252420 Ext. 235 or 256.