Statement of Duties to be Performed
Technical and Strategic Leadership
The Specialist provides a high level technical guidance, including clinical HIV Care and Treatment recommendations, to the Mission and the Ministry of Health in HIV/AIDS Care and Treatment including counterparts and senior level officials; provides direction in the design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of HIV/AIDS Care and Treatment programs/projects/activities and interventions; and/ provides oversight to the annual HIV/AIDS Care and Treatment budget, ensuring costs remain within budget planning levels, and that efficiency is maximized. The Specialist works closely with other units within the Health Office, and across the USAID Mission, to optimize opportunities for cross-sectoral integration, and the leveraging of resources across the different program components; and, works closely with the Health Systems Strengthening Team to ensure adequate planning towards uninterrupted availability of key HIV commodities, including antiretrovirals (ARVs), test kits, and essential laboratory reagents. The Specialist provides technical leadership in quality and performance improvement, working with key stakeholders to improve the quality of facility and communitylevel HIV Care and Treatment services, by applying evidence-based guidelines, approaches, and tools; and, liaises with the other technical advisors and MOH staff to institutionalize and scale up quality improvement for HIV Care and Treatment service delivery
Through literature review, research and regular communication with local and international stakeholders, the Specialist keeps abreast of emerging developments in the national and global HIV Care and Treatment landscape, and advises accordingly on how policies, strategies, and technical guidelines can most effectively be incorporated to enable the Mission to maintain fidelity and relevance in its HIV/AIDS Care and Treatment programs. The Specialist provides advice and guidance to other Health Office and HIV/AIDS Team colleagues on matters relating to HIV/AIDS Care and Treatment, and how best the other program components could contribute to ensure an effective service cascade.
The Specialist provides oversight and guidance to USAID IPs newly emerging and highly efficacious approaches to HIV/AIDS Care and Treatment program/project/activity implementation; with the Strategic Information Team, advise on the development of tools (dash boards, league tables, etc.) that support continuous learning and adapting to further improve and evolve the USAID knowledge base and data management capability related to HIV/AIDS Care and Treatment activities; and, advises on targeted analyses of HIV/AIDS data to inform program/project/activity planning and implementation.
In addition, the Specialist provides technical assistance to USG financial teams and technical working groups in completing the PEPFAR Funding Allocation to Strategy Tool (FAST), and any other new tools that may be provided for use in the planning processes.
Program/Project/Activity Management
The Specialist serves as a Contracting or Agreement Officer’s Representative (COR/AOR) for Mission HIV Care and Treatment programs; keeps the supervisor informed regularly of program implementation progress, results, and issues/problems on a timely basis; perceives, determines, and arranges for procurement of Short Term Technical Assistance (STTA), ensuring that objectives and outcomes of the TA are consistent with and support the furtherance of the Mission HIV/AIDS Care and Treatment portfolio; participates in and ensures the effectiveness of Site Improvement Monitoring System (SIMS) and other field visits to improve service delivery quality, including provision of clinical recommendations on HIV Care and Treatment; and, organizes site visits and prepares orientation materials for delegations from OGAC, USAID Headquarters, the Department of State, and other agencies, and plays a leading role in advising other Health Office colleagues on quality assurance/improvement methodologies and techniques in order to improve the performance of all health service providers.
Representation and Reporting
The Specialist represents USAID and PEPFAR at designated national, regional, and international meetings, in particular those relating to HIV/AIDS Care and Treatment, including regular participation in national-level HIV/AIDS technical working groups and related committees; represents USAID on the inter-agency USG PEPFAR Inter-Agency Technical Team, along with the Team Leader; represent USAID at meetings outside of the HIV/AIDS field, as requested by the Mission Director, Health Office Chief, or the Team Leader; responds to a wide range of workrelated requirements as a member of the PEPFAR Team, including responding to requests for information from USAID Washington, OGAC, and the Congress; establishes strategic working relationships with senior host-government officials at the national and district level, donor agencies, civil society organizations, private-sector health counterparts, and Medical Associations in order to enhance the sharing of information on HIV/AIDS Care and Treatment, including changes in key policies, and legal and regulatory environments that could affect the implementation of USAID programs/projects/activities; and, serves as a USAID representative on inter-agency forums related to HIV/AIDS Care and Treatment.
The Specialist provides strategic and technical leadership in the preparation of key annual and mid-term planning and reporting documents, including the Country Operational Plan, Operational Plan, Congressional Budget Justifications, Technical Notifications, Quarterly, and Semi-Annual and Annual Progress Reports; and, supports the annual PEPFAR budget preparation processes.
Supervisory Relationship. The Specialist works under the very general supervision of the Health Office Chief, and the closer but general supervision of the HIV Program Team Lead. 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 Health 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.
Supervisory Controls. Continuing supervision of other Health Office and/or Mission staff is not contemplated. Oversight of short- and medium- term technical contractors and TDYers is contemplated, requiring the Specialist to prepare interim performance assessments for long-term TDYers and contractors. The Specialist provides mentoring and coaching in key areas of HIV/AIDS Care and Treatment, especially on newly emerging evidence and approaches to foster common knowledge across the portfolio.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION
EDUCATION: The work requires the equivalent of a US-style Master’s Degree in Public Health, in a field related to HIV, Health, Social Work, International Development, Social or Behavioral Sciences, Epidemiology, Biology, Infectious Disease, Organizational Development, Political Science, Business Administration or a closely related field.
PRIOR EXPERIENCE: A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in the field of public health programming in developing or middle-income countries, with a focus on HIV/AIDS Care and Treatment, is required. This experience must demonstrate that the Specialist has strong clinical skills in HIV/AIDS Care and Treatment. The Specialist must have demonstrated technical leadership in public health program management, planning, policy experience, and problem-solving skills while working on complex programs/projects/activities in a highly sensitive environment.
LANGUAGE: Level 4 (fluent proficiency) English and local language proficiency, both oral and written, is required.
CLOSING DATE/TIME: 12/03/2020
