Project Management Specialist (Youth) Johannesburg
Listing reference: usaid_000128
Listing status: Under Review
Apply by: 2 April 2024
Position summary
Industry: Medical, Health & Social Care
Job category: Health, Fitness, Medical and Optometry
Location: Sandton
Contract: Permanent
Remuneration: R829,377 – R1,161,126 per annum, equivalent to FSN GRADE 11. In accordance with AIDAR Appendix J and the Local Compensation Plan of USAID/Southern Africa, final compensation will be negotiated
EE position: No
Introduction
GENERAL INFORMATION
1. SOLICITATION NO.: 72067423R10031 - Re-advertisement
2. ISSUANCE DATE: March 19, 2024
3. CLOSING DATE/TIME: April 2, 2024 - 12:00 midnight, Local Time, Pretoria, South Africa
4. POINT OF CONTACT: Noluthando Magudulela email at nmagudulela@usaid.gov
5. POSITION TITLE: Project Management Specialist (Youth) Johannesburg
6. MARKET VALUE: R829,377 – R1,161,126 per annum, equivalent to FSN GRADE 11
In accordance with AIDAR Appendix J and the Local Compensation Plan of USAID/Southern Africa. Final compensation will be negotiated within the listed market value.
7. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: Five years renewable contract subject to funds availability and need for the position.
8. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Johannesburg, South Africa, with possible travel as stated in the Statement of Duties.
9. SECURITY LEVEL REQUIRED: Facility access
10. AREA OF CONSIDERATION: Internal and external applicants
11. PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The position will be based in Johannesburg and daily travel to Pretoria, where the USAID office is situated, will be required for the first 3 – 6 months for onboarding and orientation.
Job description
Basic Function of Position:
The US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) represents the US government response to the global HIV/AIDS epidemic and is the largest commitment by any nation to address a single disease in history. Thanks to American leadership and generosity, alongside the work of many partners, PEPFAR has saved millions of lives, averted millions of infections, and changed the course of the epidemic. One important component of PEPFAR is implementation of the Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-Free, Mentored, and Safe (DREAMS) program; with the aim to reduce the risk of HIV among Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW).
The USAID Project Management Specialist (Youth) (the “Specialist”) will serve as a Contract Officer’s Representative/Agreement Officer’s Representative (COR/AOR) or Activity Manager and provide senior-level programmatic and technical guidance to the planning, implementation, and monitoring of Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) DREAMS related programs. The DREAMS (Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored and Safe) program aims to address the HIV risk that surrounds AGYW in a holistic manner, focusing on the AGYW themselves, their male sexual partners, their families, and their communities. As a senior-level resource, the Specialist provides technical and programmatic guidance to the Bilateral Health Office, other offices in the Mission, U.S. Government Agencies, the PEPFAR Coordinating Office, host country government, and other development partners to support a coordinated, strategic approach in HIV prevention for AGYW and DREAMS related programming.
Major Duties and Responsibilities:
Technical Guidance and Leadership
● Serves as a senior-level technical resource for the Health Office in the area of comprehensive HIV prevention for AGYW to ensure development of key systems that effectively integrate across the entire health portfolio.
● Works collaboratively with the PEPFAR program technical leads across US agencies and with host country agencies to identify opportunities for collaboration and ensure
complementarity among AGYW programming, including prevention of and response to gender-based violence.
● Provides technical assistance, monitoring and technical oversight to implementing partners to ensure that the DREAMS activities are carried out in alignment with approved work plans and PEPFAR DREAMS guidance and priorities.
● Stays abreast of state-of-the-art knowledge on programming and coordinates exchanges and sharing of best practices among USAID, USG, and other stakeholders to strengthen AGYW interventions.
● Guides USAID and host country government on strategic decisions and policy formulation to strengthen interventions for AGYW.
Program/Project/Activity Management
● Serves as a COR/AOR and/or Activity Manager for HIV prevention for AGYW programs/projects/activities awarded through the Health Office, providing financial and programmatic oversight to ensure contracts and grants achieve anticipated results, and are linked to and enhance attainment of the Health Office, Mission, and USG objectives.
● Participates in activity design of new PEPFAR funded activities for AGYW, including developing program descriptions and other technical components for new procurements.
● Conducts site visits as required to monitor progress, and to provide technical and programmatic recommendations to ensure effectiveness, efficiency, and judicious use of U.S.
Government (USG) funding.
Representation and Reporting
● Represents the Health Office, Mission, and USG at district, national and/or international technical and programmatic meetings, within various working groups, the interagency, senior host country officials and other social sector donors, government officials, and Implementing Partners (IPs).
● Conducts data and trend analysis and provides technical recommendations to improve the performance of the DREAMS programs at both site and national levels.
● Prepares ad hoc reports as required for the Mission, USAID/Washington, Bureau of Global Health Security and Diplomacy (GHSD), donor coordination groups, and others.
● Drafts talking points and/or speeches for the Office Chief, Mission Director, Ambassador, and others, as required, and prepares briefing papers, presentations, and coordinates site
preparations for important site visits.
● Provides leadership on DREAMS-related inputs to the development of the annual PEPFAR Country Operational Plan (COP) and ensures strong monitoring and oversight of the DREAMS portfolio through the quarterly PEPFAR Oversight and Accountability Review (POART), Semi Annual Performance Report (SAPR), and Annual Performance Report (APR).
● Supports annual budget allocation for DREAMS programming, and maintains DREAMS activities financial tracking, including that obligations, expenditures, and budget pipelines
conform to action plans.
● Prepares information sheets, presentations, and other documents about US government funded AGYW programs. Draft briefing materials, progress reports, memoranda, and other
Front Office communications materials as needed. Identifies and submits success stories, best practices, and images to be highlighted by USAID media.
CCN PSCs may participate in temporary duty (TDY) travel to USAID/Washington and other Missions in order to participate in the Foreign Service National Fellowship Program described in ADS 495maa.
POSITION ELEMENTS
Job Knowledge:
● Senior-level knowledge related to planning, designing, implementing, and providing technical guidance on HIV prevention, adolescent, youth and/or community-based social welfare initiatives.
● Detailed knowledge of the health sector in the host country, including institutions, strategies, policies, objectives, development perspectives, political structure, and environment.
Skills and Abilities:
● Project management skills, including data and information management, administrative, and monitoring skills used to track the performance of implementing partners and activities.
Excellent communication skills both orally and in writing, especially in being able to present information, analyses, and recommendations to individuals with nontechnical background.
● Ability to respond professionally and adjust in fluid situations in order to meet deadlines in the face of competing priorities and time pressures.
● Ability to work both independently and to collaborate and work as part of a team.
● Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to establish and maintain relationships with a wide array of contacts.
● Diplomacy and tact, ability to negotiate difficult issues and build consensus to achieve results with a wide range of individuals.
● Excellent computer and software skills.
Post Entry Training: Familiarization training in USAID-specific procedures, regulations, and methods. On-the-job training regarding USAID, PEPFAR and PMI policies, procedures and regulations including the Automated Directive Systems (ADS), Mission Orders, and all planning and reporting databases. Successful completion of formal COR/AOR training is necessary for proper job performance and will be provided. Training to maintain professional capability in the field, and other courses offered for professional USAID staff, as appropriate; and courses, seminars, conferences, and other activities in fields related to the function and needed to maintain and update professional qualifications may be provided as they become available, subject to availability of funds.
Supervision Received: Works under the general supervision of the designated 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.
Supervision Exercised: Continued supervision of other Mission staff is not contemplated.
Available Guidelines: Available guidelines include USG program/project/activity guidance, rules, and requirements; USAID Mission Orders, Mission strategy, and other relevant reports; the ADS; USAID Mandatory and Standard Provisions, and the FAR and AIDAR; and PEPFAR operational plans, Country Operational Plans, host-government Five-Year Strategic Plans (or equivalent), and other published and unpublished guidelines. Guidelines are often general in nature and not specific to the situation at hand, requiring considerable interpretation.
Exercise of Judgment: The Specialist exercises expert judgment is required for developing, coordinating, managing, and reporting program and project activities. High level sound judgment is required to make decisions based on careful analysis of facts and variables, possible alternatives and potential political and development implications and impact. Expert judgment must be exercised to complete work independently, monitor implementation of activities and maintain accountability for results achieved.
Authority to Make Commitments: The Specialist exercises the authority given to activity managers and COR/AORs and may make administrative arrangements consistent with ADS guidance and Mission and Office policy. The Specialist takes action and establishes priorities based on available guidelines and professional judgment. Guidance is sought when needed, and superiors informed of activity and project status. Within the scope of the authority delegated, the Specialist may indicate to ranking counterparts and IPs that they will make a recommendation to USAID on a specific activity, issue, or problem. The Specialist has no independent authority to commit the USG to the expenditure of funds but may negotiate ad referendum for the supervisor.
Nature, Level, and Purpose of Contacts: The job holder has a full range of contacts within the Mission at all levels and maintains contact implementing partners regarding program
implementation. Within the Embassy, contacts are with counterparts and senior staff at USAID, CDC, DOD and State Department. Frequent and substantive personal contacts with mid- and high-level officials of the GON, other donors, and civil society, are for the purpose of explaining and defending PEPFAR and USAID policies, objectives, and procedures; to transmit and interpret host country government and private-sector attitudes and concerns to senior USAID officials; and to directly influence the host country government, USG inter-agency and development partner investments and activities in the sector. In addition, the Specialist provides technical assistance and guidance on best practices to USG staff, and host-government and partners.
Time Expected to Reach Full Performance Level: One year.
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 following factors, and points for each, will be the basis for the evaluation of applications meeting the required minimum qualifications. All applications will be evaluated based on the documentation submitted with the application. USAID reserves the right to contact your previous employers for relevant information concerning your performance and may consider such information in its evaluation.
FACTOR #1 - Relevant Work Experience – 30 points:
● A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in developing, implementing, and/or monitoring social welfare programs to provide a comprehensive HIV
prevention package, or related health issues, for AGYW.
● At least 5 years of experience coordinating with host country government at the national, district, or local level on relevant public health challenges for AGYW, including HIV/AIDS,
gender-based violence response and prevention, education, or other similar issues.
● Experienced with data and trend analysis collection to provide technical recommendations to improve the performance of the DREAMS programs at both site and national levels.
FACTOR #2 – Job Knowledge – 40 points:
● Senior-level knowledge related to planning, designing, implementing, and providing technical guidance on HIV prevention, adolescent, youth and/or community-based social welfare initiatives.
● Detailed knowledge of the health sector in the host country, including institutions, strategies, policies, objectives, development perspectives, political structure, and environment.
● Senior-level technical knowledge in the area of comprehensive HIV prevention for AGYW to ensure development of key systems that effectively integrate across the entire health
portfolio.
FACTOR #3 – Skills & Abilities – 30 points:
● Project management skills, data, and information management, administrative, and monitoring skills used to track the performance of implementing partners and activities.
● Presentation skills to present information, analyses, and recommendations to individuals with nontechnical background.
● Writing skills to prepare talking points and speeches, prepares briefing papers, presentations, and coordinates site preparations for VIP site visits. Draft information sheets and other documents about US government funded AGYW programs, briefing materials, progress reports, memoranda, and other Front Office communications materials as needed. Identifies and submits success stories, best practices, and images to be highlighted by USAID media.
● Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to establish and maintain relationships with a wide array of contacts.
● Diplomacy and tact to negotiate difficult issues and build consensus to achieve results with a wide range of individuals.
● Excellent computer and software skills.
● Financial management skills to support annual budget allocation for DREAMS programming, and DREAMS activities financial tracking, including that obligations, expenditures, and
budget pipelines conform to action plans.
Total Factor Points - 100 points
Interview Performance - 100 points
How the Selection will be made:
The successful candidate will be selected based upon the following:
- A preliminary review of the applicant's submitted package (which includes the cover letter and CV) to establish that minimum educational, work experience and English writing fluency requirements are met.
- Assessments to include English writing skills, and Microsoft Office proficiency that might include any of the following: Word, Excel, PowerPoint; and any technical skill test that might be deemed appropriate
- A personal face to face interview
- Reference checks
USAID/SA’s Human Resources Section will perform the preliminary review (Step 1 above) to eliminate those applications that do not meet the minimum educational and written English language requirements before forwarding the rest to the Technical Office or Technical Evaluation Committee (TEC) for further review and assessment.
The TEC will review each of the forwarded applications against the established evaluation criteria to develop a shortlist of applicants to be tested and possibly interviewed. Applicants will be contacted for testing (Step 2) and/or possibly interviews. Based on the results of the tests an applicant may be dropped from the interview list.
Following the interview (Step 3), during which the applicant will be evaluated against the established criteria, the TEC will make a preliminary determination of candidates to be considered for employment and forward that list to HR. The TEC Chairperson will conduct and document reference checks (Step 4) and advise the TEC members of the results of these checks. Please note that references may be solicited from current as well as former supervisors in addition to the references you provide in your application package. References will only be solicited for those interviewed applicants who are being considered for ranking.
Based on this final input, the TEC will make its final decision on candidate ranking, prepare a selection memo for the review and approval of the Contracting Officer, after which an offer of employment will be made to the successful candidate. Unsuccessful candidates who were interviewed will be contacted and advised of their non-selection. As positive medical and security clearances are a condition of employment, the selected candidate will undergo stringent investigation prior to employment with USAID/SA.
Submitting an Offer:
• All interested and eligible candidates should visit http://usaid.ci.hr to apply. Applicants with P-net accounts can log-in from the above website to apply and first-time users will be required to register on the site before they can apply.
• Offeror submissions must clearly reference the Solicitation number on all offeror submitted documents.
• Kindly note that when you apply via cellphone you are not able to complete the required questionnaire. And if you do not complete the required questionnaire for the position, you will automatically be eliminated from further review.
• For an application to be considered complete, please include a high-quality cover letter, explaining why you are qualified for the position and a CV of no more than 4 pages. Failure to comply with these instructions may result in your application being considered “non-responsive” and eliminated from further consideration.
• Offers must be received by the closing date and time specified in Section I.
• To ensure consideration of offers for the intended position, Offerors must prominently reference the Solicitation number in the offer submission.
• The U.S. Mission in South Africa provides 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. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) also strives to ensure equal employment opportunity in all personnel operations.
• Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. Applicants who do not follow the application instructions may be dropped from further consideration.
Points of Contact:
● Noluthando Magudulela, Telephone: (012) 452-2287
● Kim Sias, Telephone: (012) 452-2206
● Lavinia Denation, Telephone: (012) 452-2054
● Thabang Mothupi, Telephone: (012) 452-2198
● Engeline Sebego, Telephone: (012) 452-2188
● Odessa Sifora, Telephone: (012) 452-2112
● Carol Masemola, Telephone: (012) 452-2058
● Mary-Jane Molema, Telephone: (012) 452-2358
Applicability:
This position is open to South African citizens and South African permanent resident permit holders. USAID Southern Africa management will consider nepotism/conflict of interest, budget, need for continuity, and residency status in determining successful applications. Current USG employees on probationary status (i.e., within their first year of employment) are not eligible to apply.
The EEO complaint procedure is not available to individuals who believe they have been denied equal opportunity based upon marital status or political affiliation. Individuals with such complaints should avail themselves of the appropriate grievance procedures, remedies
for prohibited personnel practices, and/or courts for relief.
References:
Three (3) references, who are not family members or relatives, with working telephone and e-mail contacts. The references must be able to provide substantive information about your past performance and abilities. USAID reserves the right to contact your previous employers for relevant information concerning your performance and may consider such information in its evaluation of the application.
COMPENSATION
This position will be compensated in accordance with the U.S. Mission for South Africa’s Local Compensation Plan (LCP). The successful candidate’s salary level will be based on prior job-related experience and salary history.
REQUIRED FORMS FOR CCNPSC HIRES
Once the Contracting Officer 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 forms.
BENEFITS
The plan includes basic salary, miscellaneous allowance, pension fund and medical aid subsidy.
TAXES
Every CCNPSC staff member in the Mission regardless of agency affiliation is required as a condition of employment, to pay their taxes to the South African Government.
USAID REGULATIONS, POLICIES AND CONTRACT CLAUSES PERTAINING TO CCNPSCs
USAID regulations and policies governing CCNPSC 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
2. Contract Cover Page form AID 309-1 available at https://www.usaid.gov/forms will be used for this contract.
3. Acquisition and Assistance Policy Directives/Contract Information Bulletins (AAPDs/CIBs) for Personal Services Contracts with Individuals available at http://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/aapds- cibs .
4. 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 Regulations .
5. PSC Ombudsman The PSC Ombudsman serves as a resource for any Personal Services Contractor who has entered into a contract with the United States Agency for International Development and is available to provide clarity on their specific contract with the Agency. Please visit our page for additional information: https://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/personal-service-contracts-ombudsman.
The PSC Ombudsman may be contacted via: PSCOmbudsman@usaid.gov.
6. FAR Provisions Incorporated by Reference
52.204-27 - PROHIBITION ON A BYTEDANCE COVERED APPLICATION - JUN 2023
Minimum requirements
Education: A completed Master’s Degree in Public Health, International Development, Health, Social or Behavioral Sciences, Organizational Development, Epidemiology, Biology, Infectious Disease, Political Science, or Business Administration or other closely related field is required.
Prior Work Experience: A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible, professional-level experience in developing, implementing, and/or monitoring social welfare programs to provide a comprehensive HIV prevention package, or related health issues, for AGYW. Experience coordinating with the host country government at the national, district, or local level on relevant public health challenges for AGYW, including HIV/AIDS, gender-based violence response and prevention, education, or other similar issues, is required.
Language Proficiency: Excellent English (minimum Level IV – fluent) writing, speaking, and listening ability is required.