Project Management Specialist (Strategic Information) at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)

The United States Government, represented by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is seeking to employ a suitable and qualified candidate for the position below:

Job Title: Project Management Specialist (Strategic Information)

Solicitation No.: 72062019r10007
Location: Abuja
Period of Performance: Five (5) years renewable
Security Level Required: Sensitive But Unclassified (SBU)

Basic Function of the Position

• The USAID Project Management Specialist (Strategic Information) (PMS SI) reports to the Senior SI Advisor in the Office of HIV/AIDS & TB.
• S/he analyzes performance trends across the USAID and PEPFAR interagency HIV/AIDS & TB portfolio, ensuring use of quality data by Implementing Partners (IPs) and helping to improve design and delivery of HIV and TB services in Nigeria
• The job holder is required to perform work-related travel.

Major Duties and Responsibilities
Technical Support (60%):

• The PMS SI provides technical expertise for program monitoring and evaluation; data use and analysis of large complex data sources; and surveillance and health informatics for the USAID Mission, the broader PEPFAR inter-agency and host country stakeholders
• S/he serves as a key member of the Mission’s M&E Team coordinated by the Mission’s Program Office; and as a reviewer of Mission evaluation designs and reports, participating on Mission evaluation teams.
• The job holder guides USAID IPs and collaborates with development partner stakeholders and host country counterparts on mutually identified critical operational research and/or targeted public health evaluation questions; provides assistance in development of strategies and protocols to address those questions; and helps disseminate findings to the broader community within USG, development partners and host country stakeholders
• As a technical expert, the job holder will provide technical support other SI team members and staff throughout the HIV/AIDS & TB Office to strengthen SI technical expertise, data quality and data analysis and use.

Program Management (25%):

• The PMS SI responds to strategic information inquiries; ensures SI Team events are coordinated; gathers and compiles regular updates for USAID/Washington; assists CORs/AORs by interfacing directly with implementing partners on data reported to USAID or
• to the GON; addresses program-related vulnerabilities; and shares pertinent information on other development partner programs. S/he conducts regular site visits to review program implementation and meet with beneficiaries.

Representation & Public Speaking (15%):

• The PMS SI attends external meetings, committees and task teams, including GON-facilitated technical working groups, as needed to represent the SI team
• S/he develops and presents research publications and abstracts for national and international conferences and symposiums
• The job holder presents USAID program performance results, research results and M&E plans to USAID/Washington, USAID/Nigeria, PEPFAR interagency stakeholders and external stakeholders that include other development partners, private sector partners, GON, USG counterparts from other countries and USAID IPs.

Supervisory Relationship:

• The PMS SI works under the direct supervision of the Senior SI Advisor who provides overall objectives and expected results to be achieved, assigns specific tasks, provides suggested approaches to consider and reviews completed reports and assignments. Assignments are made orally and in writing
• Achievements are regularly reviewed and feedback provided.

Supervisory Controls:

• Full supervision of other USAID staff is not contemplated. The exercise of administrative supervision and technical guidance to technical office staff on strategic information management techniques is contemplated.

Area of Consideration:

• Offerors must be Nigerian citizens.

Physical Demands:

• The work requested does not involve undue physical demands.

Minimum Qualifications Required for this Position
Education:

• Minimum of a Bachelor's Degree in Mathematics; Epidemiology; Statistics; Demography; Public Health; or other related discipline is required

Prior Work Experience:

• A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in strategic information and/or monitoring and evaluation in the field of public health with an international organization is required
• Must have knowledge of and experience using statistical packages and/or scripting languages for the management and manipulation of data
• Must have experience managing, manipulating and conducting analysis from large, complex data sources in the health sector and in a decentralized health systems context
• Experience with strategic information management and use in HIV/AIDS or TB program design, planning, management, implementation and evaluation.

Language Proficiency:

• Level IV fluency in English for speaking, reading and writing is required.

Job Knowledge:

• Detailed knowledge of development principles, concepts and practices related to this assignment and to public health, especially regarding HIV/AIDS and TB in Nigeria, is required
• The job holder must have detailed knowledge of program monitoring and evaluation; data use and analysis; and surveillance; and health information systems
• S/he must have practical knowledge about providing technical support and capacity-building for strategic information management to host-country governments (central and local level) and civil society, with strong skills for conducting technical skills transfer and mentoring.

Skills and Abilities:

• The job holder must have the ability to plan, organize, manage, and evaluate HIV-AIDS and TB activities
• S/he must have strong verbal communication skills and diplomatic skills in order to form good working relations with high level national and local government officials, other development partners and external stakeholders
• Verbal communication skills must be sufficient to explain complex data analyses and interpret PEPFAR attitudes, priorities, and concerns
• Writing skills must be sufficient to prepare and edit regular and ad-hoc reports in keeping with Agency and PEPFAR requirements.
• The job holder must have advanced ability to use IT software specific to health programs and statistics (e.g., STATA, SAS, R, SQL, Python); and must be proficient in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, Word and email platforms
• S/he must have strong capacity to manage activity goals and achievements, both technical and financial; must have skills in project programming and strategy development; and must be able to work effectively in a team environment to achieve consensus on policy, project and administrative matters
• The job holder must have the ability to acquire knowledge of USAID programming policies, procedures, regulations and documentation; and of the objectives and methodology of assigned activities.

Evaluation and Selection Factors

• After the closing date for receipt of applications, all applications will initially be screened for adherence to application instructions and conformity with minimum qualifications expressed in Section II, and a short list of applicants will be developed.
• Following this initial review and short listing, a Technical Evaluation Committee (TEC) will be convened to review eligible applications and evaluate them in accordance with the evaluation factors. Applications from candidates which do not meet the minimum requirements will not be scored
• Those applications from qualified offerors meeting the required minimum qualifications will be assessed based on the following selection/evaluation factors:
  • Education (10 points)
  • Prior Work Experience (20 points)
  • Language Proficiency (10 points)
  • Job Knowledge (30 points)
  • Skills and abilities (30 points)
  • Total Possible Points: 100 points
• Applications determined to be competitively ranked may be further evaluated based on interview performance, written assessments and/or satisfactory professional reference checks.
• USAID reserves the right to interview only the highest ranked applicants in person or by phone OR not to interview any candidate.
• Reference checks will be made only for offerors considered as finalist.

Market Value
N11,335,349.00 – N17,089,363.00 equivalent to FSN-10; 40 Hours per week. In accordance with AIDAR Appendix J and the Local Compensation Plan of United States Mission, Nigeria (Effective July 8, 2018). Final compensation will be negotiated within the listed market value.

List of Required Forms for PSC Hires
Once the CO informs the successful Offeror about being selected for a contract award, the CO will provide the successful Offeror instructions about how to complete and submit the following forms:

• Medical History and Examination Form (Department of State Forms)
• RSO Security Questionnaire
• BI Guide Questionnaire
• THOR Enrollment Intake Form

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

• Health Insurance
• Annual Salary Increase (if applicable)
• Annual and Sick leave
• Annual Bonus

Allowances (as applicable):

• Transportation Allowance
• Meal Allowance
• Miscellaneous Allowance
• Housing Allowance

Taxes:

• The Mission emphasize to its employees of the fact that they are obliged to observe Nigerian Laws, including those concerning income and related tax obligations
• Payment of such taxes is a matter between the individual employee and the Nigerian Government. In the absence of a specific international agreement, the U.S. Government will not withhold local taxes from an employee’s salary.

Application Closing Date
5th April, 2019.

• Application for US Federal Employment (DS - 174) ; or a current resume or curriculum vitae that provides the same information as a DS - 174;
• Any additional documentation that supports or addresses the requirements listed above (e.g.transcripts, degrees, NYSC certificate/exemption etc.)
• A type-written and signed application letter specifically applying for this position, and addressing the minimum requirements as advertised. Please reference the job title and announcement number on the application letter.
• Limit all electronic (e-mail) submission to one entry/email not larger than 5MB. Please submit attachments in PDF and Word formats, not pictures.
• E-mails received without the appropriate subject line and incomplete applications will not be considered.
• Offers must be received by the closing date and time specified in Section I, item 3, and submitted to the Point of Contact in Section IV.
• To ensure consideration of offers for the intended position, Offerors must prominently reference the Solicitation number in the offer submission.

Note

• Per this scoring rubric, Work Experience, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities are the most important factors. Applications will initially be screened for conformity with minimum requirements and a short list of applicants developed.
• USAID reserves the right to interview only the highest ranked applicants in person or by phone OR not to interview any candidate.
• After the closing date for receipt of applications, a committee will be convened to review applications and evaluate them in accordance with the evaluation criteria. Applications from candidates which do not meet the required selection criteria will not be scored. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted. No response will be sent to unsuccessful applicants.
• As part of the selection process, finalist candidates may be interviewed either in person or by telephone at USAID’s discretion. Reference checks will be made only for applicants considered as finalists. If an applicant does not wish USAID to contact a current employer for a reference check, this should be stated in the applicant’s cover letter, and USAID will delay such reference check pending communication with the applicant.
• Only finalists will be contacted by USAID with respect to their applications.

Note: Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted. No response will be sent to unsuccessful applicants.