Jobs

PROJECT MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST (MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH-MCH)

Deadline: 13 October, 2020

Location: Democratic Republic of Congo

Type of Job: Not specified

1.       STATEMENT OF DUTIES

  1. General Statement of Purpose of the Contract

Under the overall supervision of the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Team Leader, the Child Health Specialist is responsible for ensuring quality implementation and monitoring of the Child Health (CH) activities in the USAID health portfolio. The target group includes newborns, infants, and children under age 5 years, which roughly represents 20% of the DRC population. The Specialist is a senior technical CCN and a key member of the USAID/DRC Health Office responsible for providing leadership and vision; strategic and technical health sector analysis; and guidance and advice on the design, implementation, monitoring and reporting of USAID/DRC Child Health portfolio with special focus on preventable child illnesses and infectious diseases. S/he plays a major role in developing programmatic strategies and approaches, as well as overseeing the management of USAID’s child health activities.

  • Statement of Duties to be Performed

1. Technical Leadership (40%)

The incumbent serves as a leading senior resource and expert to the Health Office Leadership providing expert technical assistance and strategic advice in the development, design, implementation and oversight of a range of child health programs in the USAID/DRC Health Office drawing on expertise in USAID systems and procedures, program development, and program monitoring. The Child Health Specialist serves as a consultant to USAID Leadership, host government, and other in-country partners in matters related to national activities aimed at child health services. S/he shall consider the macro picture of the health portfolio while focusing on child survival and immunization activities and work with the entire health team to achieve child morbidity and mortality reduction goals as related to vaccine preventable child illnesses, infectious diseases, vector borne diseases, water-borne diseases, and nutrition-related illnesses. S/he will actively share with the host government counterparts and in country partners any updates on global initiatives as related to child survival and immunization. The Child Health Specialist will contribute to the analysis and assessment of the child health needs and activities in the DRC related to USAID’s health program while staying abreast of current issues and technical updates relevant to the child health portfolio. The Specialist is expected to ensure leadership, continuity, and expert technical guidance on a wide-range of development and health sector issues and will provide day- to-day direction and oversight of design, procurement, and management for a range of health development activities under the child health program areas.

2.   Program Management and Oversight (40%)

The Child Survival Specialist, in collaboration with the MCH team, is responsible for management and oversight of USAID / DRC’s child survival and immunization programs and activities, including planning, organizing, implementing, coordinating, and monitoring for results. The Specialist is expected to provide particular technical leadership in the design and overall program monitoring and results reporting of child health activities and critical analysis on an array of issues in a complex and fast-changing health sector and to translate this analysis into programmatic action. The incumbent is responsible for directing, coordinating, and monitoring activities necessary to attain specific results, manages daily activities through interface with implementing partners, conducts site visits and inspections, and maintains up-to-date information on developments in health initiatives. The candidate must be familiar with the baby well being clinic (CPS), monitoring baby growth, including Nutrition (vitamin A supplementation, breastfeeding, complementary feeding etc), immunization, under five disease prevention: malaria, diarrhea, pneumonia and communication about key family practices.

Specifically, the Child Health Specialist serves as the Activity Manager for all polio and immunization activities with WHO and UNICEF, the liaison focal person with child survival and immunization programs with the USAID bilateral implementing partners and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the focal person responsible for identification and design of USAID-supported Child Health activities; development of the USAID’s health strategies and activity frameworks, conducts comprehensive field and operational evaluation of health projects under his/her purview, and review all incoming child health reports, proposals, and provide an analysis of their conformity with Mission goals, objectives and strategies; serves on technical panels as needed within the Health Office and the Mission as a whole; keeps technical skills current by attending technical

meetings; reading technical articles and publications, and maintaining communication with other public health professionals in order to be as informed as possible about new child health technical developments and their relevance to DRC.

3.   Strategic Coordination and Liaison (20%)

The Child Health Specialist provides substantive technical and management leadership in conceptualization, strategic planning, and monitoring of USAID/DRC child health activities. The incumbent has a broad working knowledge of all the health issues and programs managed through USAID resources. The incumbent obtains support from and coordinates involvement of implementing partners and stakeholders (including DRC national, provincial, and local government) to identify health strategies, activities, and achievable results. The incumbent serves as a member of technical review teams for the Mission’s child health-related concept papers, proposals, and other programmatic initiatives for USAID-funded activities.

The Child Health Specialist:

  • participates in donor coordination and planning meetings related to child health and immunization, serves as a key focal person for child health and vaccination updates and briefers, leads efforts to identify key technical challenges and design interventions to promote effective community mobilization for healthy behavior outcomes.
  • develops, maintains and strengthens working relationships with key external partners, including national ministries, provincial and local governments, international organizations and other donors, the private sector, local communities, NGOs, universities and academic institutions, to identify and implement efforts to increase synergy among key stakeholders and promote collaborative planning toward long term sustainable health outcomes;
  • serves as a member of the Interagency Coordinating Committee (ICC) to plan, monitor and evaluate the country’s immunization programs including Gavi assistance and the Polio Humanitarian Action committee.
  • represents USAID on the WHO/AFRO Regional Immunization Technical Advisory Group (RITAG) meetings.
  • serves as a member of the Reproductive Maternal, Newborn, Child Health (RMNCH) Task Force committee of the National Leadership Council; communicates with USAID/Washington as needed, including providing updates on data related to child health and immunization; carries out other advisory tasks, as required, to support the achievement of USAID/DRC Health Office mandate and objectives.

The contractor is eligible for temporary duty (TDY) travel to the U.S., or to other Missions abroad, to participate in the “Foreign Service National” Fellowship Program, in accordance with USAID policy.

  • Supervisory Relationship:

The incumbent works under the overall supervision of the MCH Team Lead. The incumbent operates independently, and the work is reviewed primarily in terms of results achieved. Incumbent sets priorities and fixes deadlines for job objectives in consultation with the MCH Team Leader.

  • Supervisory Controls:

The position has no supervisory responsibilities.

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

II.             MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION

Determines basic eligibility for the position. Offerors who do not meet all of the education, experience and language factors are considered NOT qualified for the position.

  1. Education: Master Degree in Public Health or related field is required.
  • Prior Work Experience: At least five years relevant experience in the actual development, implementation and evaluation of international type health activities is required. Familiarity with international institutions and programs that address child health issues is required. Substantial relevant experience in sub-Saharan Africa, specifically DR Congo, is essential.
  • Language Proficiency: Fluency in written and spoken English (Level IV) and French is required.

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.

The Evaluation Factors listed below will be the basis for evaluating and ranking applicants for the position. Applicants will be scored based on the documentation submitted within the application. Applicants must submit a supplemental document outlining their responses to the evaluation factors in order to be considered.

QUALITY RANKING FACTORS (QRFs):

JOB KNOWLEDGE (60 points)

  • In-depth professional-level knowledge of a broad range of issues about public health and development, especially development principles related to maternal and child health, as well as family planning/reproductive health is required.
  • In-depth knowledge of the health sector and challenges in DRC is required.
  • Advanced knowledge of USG/USAID regulations, procedures, programming and strategies in the health sector is required.
  • Knowledge of how USG/USAID interfaces with the larger global program of HIV/AIDS, infectious diseases and malaria and how it affects the incumbent’s area of Child Survival.
  • The incumbent must have a working knowledge of strategies, programs, and working methodologies of other development partners (bilateral and multilateral) in the health sector in DRC.
  • In depth knowledge of routine immunizations and infectious disease eradication/elimination programs and outbreak response activities.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES (40 points)

  • Expert technical abilities in the health sector are required.
  • Strong leadership and interpersonal skills to work in a team setting to accomplish program goals are required.
  • Ability to advise the Mission Leadership on DRC developments and issues across a wide range of health-related topics and their implications for USAID programs is required.
  • Ability to conceptualize and articulate health strategies, design health programs, and organize, analyze, and interpret health sector data is required.
  • Ability to effectively and clearly communicate complicated policy, strategy, and program issues orally and in writing is required.
  • Ability to write in a clear, concise, and well-organized way is required.
  • Excellent interpersonal, coordination, and bureaucratic skills are required.
  • Ability to coordinate successfully with varied stakeholders (both government and non- government) to advance USAID health program interests is required.
  • Ability to handle sensitive issues diplomatically, represent USAID authoritatively, and use good judgment in speaking on behalf of USAID in meetings with government, NGOs, and other donors and in conferences, seminars, workshops, etc., is required.
  • Good organization management skills and experience contributing to very effective teamwork.
  • Computer skills: skill and experience with MS Office and Google platforms is essential.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills are a necessity, as this job will often require facilitating and negotiating different approaches and helping establish common agendas among a variety of parties.
  • Cultural sensitivity: USAID working environment is a cultural melting pot where cultural sensitivity is an asset.

Satisfactory Professional Reference Checks-Pass/Fail (no points assigned) Total Possible Points: 100 points

SELECTION PROCESS

After the closing date for receipt of applications, a committee will convene to review applications that meet the minimum requirements and evaluate them in accordance with the evaluation criteria. Applications from candidates who do not meet the minimum requirements will not be evaluated and scored. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted. No response will be sent to unsuccessful applicants.

As part of the selection process, the most qualified candidates may be requested to complete a writing sample and be interviewed either in person, by telephone or videoconference at USAID’s discretion.

Reference checks will be made only for applicants considered for selection. The applicant’s references must be able to provide substantive information about his/her past performance and abilities. Note: Please be advised that references may be obtained independently from other sources in addition to the ones provided by an offeror. Any offeror not receiving satisfactory reference checks will no longer be considered for the position.

The security clearance and medical clearance are required for the top-ranking candidate, after conducting and receiving the positive reference checks at the conclusion of evaluations.

IV.             SUBMITTING AN OFFER

  1. Eligible Offerors are required to complete, sign and submit the offer form- DS-174 Application for U.S. Federal Employment with a cover letter and CV. All the three documents must be in English. The DS-174 Application form can be found in the US embassy website https://cd.usembassy.gov/embassy/jobs/usaid-jobs/
  • Offers should also include a supplemental document of up to two pages that demonstrates how prior experience and/or training directly address the Quality Ranking Factors stated above (Job Knowledge and Skills & Abilities).
  • Offers must be received by October 13, 2020 at 17:00 (Kinshasa Time) submitted to the Point of Contact in Section I.
  • Offeror submissions must clearly reference the Solicitation number on all offeror submitted documents.
  • Offers must be submitted ONLY via [email protected] and the email subject line must say :72066020R10014 USAID Project Management Specialist (Maternal and Child Health-MCH). Make sure to include your name and the solicitation number at the top of each page.
  • Please submit the Offer only once; and
  • Late and incomplete Offers will not be considered.

V.            LIST OF REQUIRED FORMS PRIOR TO AWARD

The Contracting Officer (CO) will provide instructions about how to complete and submit the following forms after an offeror is selected for the contract award:

  1. Medical History and Examination Form (Department of State Forms)
    1. Security Clearance

VI.             BENEFITS AND ALLOWANCES

As a matter of policy, and as appropriate, a PSC is normally authorized the following benefits and allowances:

  1. BENEFITS: 13th month bonus; 14th month bonus; Anniversary Bonus; Severance Pay; Defined Contribution Plan (DCP); Medical Benefits; Funeral/Death Plan, Annual and Sick Leave; Casual Leave; Maternity Leave (for female employees)
  • ALLOWANCES (as applicable): Housing Allowance; Miscellaneous Benefits Allowance; Family Allowance.

VII.             TAXES

The  employees  are  responsible  for  calculating  and  paying  local  income  taxes. The USAID/DRC does not withhold or make local income tax payments.

VIII.             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
    1. 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 as described below:

LINE ITEM

ITEM NO (A)SUPPLIES/SERVICES (DESCRIPTION) (B)QUANTITY (C)UNIT (D)UNIT PRICE (E)AMOUNT (F)
0001Compensation, Fringe Benefits and Other Direct Costs (ODCs) Award Type: CostProduct Service Code: R497Accounting Info: TBC1LOT$ _TBD  $_TBD at Award after negotiations with Contractor_
  • 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
    • 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

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT> https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Solicitation_Project_Mgt_Specialist_MCH_Health_Office_092020.pdf

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African Union Commission Scholar || Founder @ Youth Opportunities Hub || Former RBA COST/Sahel Team at UNDP || TEF Alumni ||

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