Contracts Officer at the Management Sciences for Health (MSH)

The Management Sciences for Health (MSH), a global health nonprofit organization, uses proven approaches developed over 40 years to help leaders, health managers, and communities in developing nations build stronger health systems for greater health impact. We work to save lives by closing the gap between knowledge and action in public health. Since its founding in 1971, MSH has worked in over 150 countries with policy makers, health professionals, and health care consumers to improve the quality, availability and affordability of health services.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Contract Officer

Job ID: 13-9513
Location: Nigeria
Grade: I
Reports To: Senior Director, Business Operations

Overview

• The Contracts Officer (CO) provides contract compliance, management and administration support services to assigned Country and Project portfolios.
• Assigned portfolios can include multiple MSH locations, so services may be through both physical and remote approaches.
• Whether MSH is the prime or sub, activities include monitoring and reporting compliance with contract terms and conditions, contract negotiation and management, and supporting proposal submissions.
• In addition, the CO provides training to project and support staff in contracts compliance, various donor regulations, and MSH policies and Standard Operating Procedures.
• The CO is aware of, adheres to, and educates staff on the MSH Code of Business Ethics and Conduct in all activities. International and domestic travel is required (up to 30% - percentage of time to be determined based on assigned portfolio).

Specific Responsibilities
General Administration (15%):

• Manage the compliance and implementation processes from award through close-out of a multi-country and multi-project portfolio of contractual agreements (Contracts, Cooperative Agreements, Grants) and sub-awards to those agreements in support of project teams.
• Actively identify and provide guidance to project and support staff on operational solutions or approaches available to be compliant with donor (USAID or other), MSH or national policies and regulations.
• Facilitate the additional communication or review required with the appropriate compliance oversight offices in headquarters as needed to ensure timely resolution of compliance concerns.

Award Administration (40%):

• Ensure compliance with the award (Contract, Cooperative Agreement, Grant) and any subagreement (Task Orders, subcontracts, subawards) terms and conditions, and the management of the project subcontractor process.
• Working in close coordination with the Project Director or Deputy Director, communicate with the USAID Contracts Officer in the management of the contract.
• Establish and maintain a positive working relationship with USAID and Project staff, ensuring a client-service approach.
• Assist program and finance staff in formulating Project response to USAID requests and identifying issues that require prior approval to be inserted into the response/submission.
• Coordinate with and provide support to the project team which monitors contract deliverables and performance; develop and administer subcontracts and consultant contracts; and collaborate with the procurement and freight forwarding units to complete vendor agreements for procurements.
• Disseminate contract information and interpret contract terms and regulations, advise and guide staff during negotiations, in collaboration with other technical units as appropriate.
• Review and update Project policies and procedures to ensure compliance with up-to-date USAID regulations, in collaboration with other technical units as appropriate.
• Serve as an on-call resource for the project regarding contractual issues as well as monitor and disseminate USAID regulatory and contractual updates.

Subaward Administration (20%):

• Assist project teams in the preparation of subaward solicitation documents, and assist in management of the solicitation process when required.
• Review preaward survey results, and assist to create the compliance monitoring plan
• After completion of the delegation process, develop, negotiate and sign subawards and modifications, including determining any special conditions based on the risk analysis.
• Develop amendments to subawards in accordance with regulatory changes, changes mandated by the project reductions or increases to the SOW.
• Perform integrity checks for subaward budgets for increase or decrease in scope of work and internal purpose and/or end of project pipeline budgets
• Educate subawardees on donor regulations, monitor compliance with the terms and conditions of the subaward, perform spot checks and provide follow up training as necessary.
• Review and approve subaward invoices for assigned projects, coordinate with the project FP&A lead as required.
• Review provisional and indirect cost rate adjustments and reconciliation for subcontract invoices as needed.
• Assist in training of project staff in subaward compliance related topics as assigned or needed
• Facilitate subawardee indirect rate approvals by Deputy CFO or designee
• Maintain electronic and hardcopy files to demonstrate compliance for projects in portfolio
• Document subawardee monitoring in accordance with the subawardee monitoring plan.
• After completion of the MSH certification and delegation process, determine daily rates of compensation for consultants proposed for work on assigned projects.

Support to Proposals (10%):

• Lead and coordinate cost and business proposal support to proposals, including participation in Business Development planning meetings on the proposal schedule and timeline as required.
• Responsible for review of procurement documents for contractual ‘red flags’ (including any lead contracts, e.g., IQC for task order, LWA for associate awards) (examples include eligibility, staffing restrictions or approvals, construction, GUC, overhead caps, unallowable costs, etc.)
• Responsible for final review and sign-off of the final budget prior to submission.  Obtain Technical Strategy Lead signoff on final budget.
• Propose cost strategy to the Chief Finance Officer and Director of CPU (MSH Cost Proposal Unit) for approval of cost strategy that may include: fee ceilings, overhead ceilings; cost sharing, etc.
• Correspond with specific collaborating partners on questions related to the proposal including drafting Teaming Agreements, Memorandum of Understanding etc.
• Finalize pending cost proposal with donors and negotiate terms and conditions of resultant award as applicable.
• Provide training and obtain certification on Procurement Integrity and Conflict of Interest regulations to all staff participating in all current and planned proposals in Business Development.

Compliance Support (5%):

• Perform integrity checks for subaward budgets for increase or decrease in scope of work and internal purpose and/or end of project pipeline budgets.
• Provide desk reviews and guidance to support teams on compliance with USAID and MSH regulations and policies on COMU systems and documentation (inventory management, procurement, administration) as required.
• Perform on-site compliance checks in all offices within assigned portfolio.

Research and documentation (5%):

• Research, and document Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Agency for International Development Acquisition Regulation (AIDAR), and 2 CFR 200, and maintain documentation and files for reference. In addition perform research, and prepare written responses to questions posed by internal stakeholders (for example: allowable costs, compliance with regulations, etc.).
• In coordination with the appropriate compliance offices in headquarters, prepare initial responses to internal and external audit questions. Final responses to external audit questions must be submitted to the MSH CFO for review and submission.

Training (5%):

• Provide direct training (on location and virtual) in compliance requirements, administration and review as required by project and support staff.
• Provide a summary presentation of award requirements and regulations (“Contracts Readings”) to project staff at the beginning of each project, and periodically as required.
• Identify training needs of support staff based on desk reviews of compliance functions, and provide training to mitigate concerns.
• Actively maintain professional competency levels through research on changes in donor, MSH, and national regulations, and provide updates and training to project counterparts on key issues.
• Attend quarterly Corporate Contract Office staff meetings (virtual), and present on assigned topics as required.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

Qualifications and Experience
Required Minimum Education:

• Master's Degree in Business Administration, Financial Management, Internal Audit, Accounting, or other relevant discipline.
• Contracts management certification (i.e., CFCM, CPCM or CCCM), or equivalent experience.

Required Minimum Experience:

• Minimum of 7 senior-level experience managing contracts compliance in organizations of similar scale as MSH required.
• Demonstrated success in developing countries required
• Demonstrated success in managing compliance systems and award management in insecure environments.
• Demonstrated success contract management and support in challenging compliance environments.

Preferred Experience:

• 9 years of senior-level experience managing contracts compliance in organizations of similar scale as MSH.
• Experience working for international organizations with US Government funding strongly preferred.
• Prior work experience with non-USG, foundations, and other donors a plus.
• Experience managing or coordinating USG proposals and budgets a plus.

Knowledge and Skills:

• Strong knowledge of US Government procurement processes, contracting procedures, regulations, policies (i.e. FAR, CFR, OMB Circulars) and the ability to be creative and strategic with compliant solutions.
• Ability to work both independently and within a team, assess priorities, and manage a variety of activities with attention to detail.
• Strong conceptualization, facilitation, and planning skills.
• Excellent demonstrated interpersonal, written, and oral presentation skills. Excellent cross-cultural communication and active listening skills.
• Deep knowledge of effective management practices that lead to reliable internal controls and compliance with donor regulations, local laws and USAID policies and procedures required.
• Persuasive negotiation skills.
• Fluency in English required. P
• rofessional Proficiency in additional languages (French, Portuguese, Spanish) is preferred.

Competencies
Navigating the Environment:

• Managing through Systems, Peer Relationships, Political Savvy
• Ensuring Delivery of Results:
• Action Oriented, Business Acumen, Drive for Results, Information Sharing, Managing and Measuring work, Negotiating, Priority setting, Problem Solving

Leading with Credibility:

• Decision Quality, Functional/Technical skills, Listening, Managerial Courage, Time Management, Presentation skills, Motivating and influencing others, Conflict Management, Delegation, Developing Direct Reports and Others

Core Personal Competencies:

• Ethics and Values, Integrity and Trust, Interpersonal, Savvy

Core MSH competencies:

• Adaptability, Communication, Problem Solving, Creativity and Innovation, Quality and Timeliness of Work, Quality of work and Team Relationships, Resource Utilization

Application Closing Date
Not Specified.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online