The USAID Data Management Specialist supports efforts to strengthen PEPFAR-related data systems, and efforts to build institutional capacity within the USAID/South Africa (SA) Health Office to ensure high quality data are collected, available, and accessible. The Specialist provides leadership and guidance to data-related projects/activities in coordination with USAID, USG, implementing partners (IPs), appropriate host-country ministries and the private sector. The Specialist provides technical advice on data collection and management, reflecting best practices designed to improve data quality. The Specialist administers and monitors PEPFAR data systems and is responsible for data collection. Serves as Activity Manager for Technical Support Services Agreement.

 

The Data Management Specialist is responsible for the following:

·        Ensuring accurate data are available for effective and efficient use.

·        Leading data management and reporting support to PEPFAR Technical Working Groups and South African Government counterparts.

·        Providing project management for strategic information-related projects. 

 

 

·        Act as a senior technical specialist and as a senior leader in data management and reporting

·        Provide a comprehensive service that meets the USAID HO needs, as well as supporting senior staff with understanding data management and reporting processes and best practices.

·        Perform robust data extraction from internal and external information systems (e.g., DHIS2, PEPFAR-generated databases).

·        Supports Data Management and Reporting Lead in the implementation of strategies to improve data management and reporting including data collection, data quality assurance, data sharing

·        Develops and collaborates on developing process guides, tools and standard operating procedures for data management and reporting within USAID and its implementing partners.

·        Provides guidance to other Mission colleagues, USG offices, and with IPs in the areas of data management, reporting and use, and host-country data systems.

·        Provides technical leadership to all areas of data management, including ensuring appropriate data collection (manual and automated), inventorying, and cataloging in the USAID/South Africa data system, for all PEPFAR datasets (e.g., financial, programmatic, epidemiological, entomological, supply chain, demographic).

·        Designs, facilitates, and promotes processes to collect, organize, clean, and store, analyze, and share disparate, complex datasets, with attention to security and confidentiality, and with sensitivity to the country context.

·        Conducts data quality assessments on key performance indicators.

·        Participate in the negotiation of data-user agreements with the South African government and other external stakeholders.

·        Supports the development and dissemination of technical guidance to implementing partners in the utilization of health management information systems and their resulting data.

·        Represent USAID to external organizations and audiences at key professional meetings and conferences as assigned.

·        Represent USAID on donor committees and South African government working groups.

 

·        Act as key USAID point person and technical advisor to projects

·        Play a key role in promoting a positive culture that actively encourages learning and development and knowledge sharing within the SI Team and the larger USAID HO.

·        Deputize for the Data Management and Reporting Lead

·        Provide a source of expertise, leading and mentoring colleagues and transferring skills in order to grow data management best practices within the SI Team and USAID HO

·        Act as Activity Manager for contracts and/or agreements in the USAID/Southern Africa health portfolio, including management of budgets as well as administrative, financial, and technical management and oversight of contracts and agreements.

·        Provides management and oversight of vendors in the requirements gathering, development, testing, deployment, and management of the USAID/South Africa data system.

·        Implement interventions to leverage technology and innovation to improve data management and reporting

·        Oversee compliance of USAID/South Africa health and HIV programs with South African government and U.S. Government policies and guidelines.

·        Participate and lead Site Improvement through Monitoring System (SIMS) and other data quality assurance and data quality improvement visits to facility, community, and above-site sites.

 

·        Participate in the U.S. Government Inter-Agency Strategic Information Technical Working Group. Provide support to the Care and Treatment; Health Systems Strengthening; Orphans and Vulnerable Children; and Prevention Technical Working Groups.

·        Establish and maintain close working relationships and technically represent USAID to all levels of staff at relevant USAID operating units, South African government, implementing partners, the Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator (including the Inter-Agency Collaborative for Program Improvement), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Embassy Pretoria and other agencies.

·        Prepare data requirements for the PEPFAR Country Operational Plan (e.g., target setting), quarterly/semi-annual/annual performance reports (e.g., data completeness checks), and other routine PEPFAR processes.

·        Actively participate in interagency data management and reporting discussions with USAID government Inter-Agency and South African Government counterparts and take the lead on technical discussions with regards to technical requirements, indicator calculations, reporting tools and data management quality standards.

 

The job holder will have to perform international travel and Domestic travel.

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.

 

Job Knowledge: Demonstrated knowledge and experience with data management required. Demonstrated advanced professional level experience working with Microsoft Excel and ability to conduct analysis and produce visualizations (e.g., graphs/charts/pivot tables) Knowledge of biostatistics (e.g., STATA), business intelligence (e.g., Tableau, Microstrategy), and database (e.g., Access) tools required. Knowledge of database and information system design is required. 

Skills and Abilities: The ability to operate independently and effectively prioritize schedules and deliverables with limited direct supervision of day-to-day activities is required. Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team and work in a fast-paced environment with demonstrated ability to juggle multiple competing tasks and time-sensitive demands is also required. Advanced analytic skills required. Ability to present the findings from complex data analyses to programmatic staff and leadership in easy to use and interpretable formats is required. Ability to prepare written material in a clear manner and according to professional standards is also required. The ability to orientate, train and guide staff, when appropriate, is strongly preferred. Strong organizational, communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to work within a large cross-cultural team of healthcare technical advisors, program managers and other staff from different USG agencies (USAID, CDC, DOD, DOS, and Peace Corps) are also required. Ability to travel as required. 

Post Entry Training: The Specialist will be required to undergo USAID training in Programming Foreign Assistance, Project Design and Management. 

Supervision Received: Supervised by the Data Management and Reporting Team Lead 

 

Supervision Exercised: None

 

Available Guidelines: Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR); AID Acquisitions Regulations (AIDAR; AID Automated Directives System (ADS Series); Contract Information Bulletins (CIBs); Office of Procurement Acquisition Memorandum (OPAMS); U.S. Department of State Standardized Regulations; Federal Travel Regulations; Office of Management and Budget (OMB); Circulars and Controller General Decisions, USAID Mission Orders, Project Papers, Mission Strategy, and other documents available, USAID policies and procedures, Technical Documents and Policy Papers. 

Exercise of Judgment: The Specialist operates independently, and his/her work is reviewed primarily on the basis of results achieved within the broad constraints of policy and priorities. A COR/AOR must exercise an unusually high degree of sound judgment in handling all aspects of health development actions, as outlined in the position description. 

Authority to Make Commitments: Follows and interprets USAID activity management and implementation guidelines. Approves funds disbursement under Agency Agreement. 

Nature, Level, and Purpose of Contacts: The Specialist has routine and frequent contact with senior officials of the National and Provincial Departments of Health and other government entities (e.g., Medical Research Council). The Specialist also has contact with key NGO Chiefs of Party, USAID/Washington, PEPFAR/Washington, institutional contractors and consultants. 

 

Time Expected to Reach Full Performance Level: One year.

 

 

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.

1.     Work Experience (40 points) 

2.     Job Knowledge (30 points)

3.     Abilities and Skills (30 points) 

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

·       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.

 

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.

• 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.

·       Heather Franklin, Telephone: (012) 452-2028

·        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

·        Kim Sias, Telephone: (012) 452-2206

·        Alicia Veldman, Telephone: (012) 452-2088

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.

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. 

VI. 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.

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.

The plan includes basic salary, miscellaneous allowance, pension fund and medical aid subsidy.

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 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 

Education: A bachelor’s degree in biostatistics, business intelligence, computer science, monitoring and evaluation or a similar related field is required. 

 

Prior Work Experience: Minimum of seven (7) years progressively responsible job-related professional-level experience in areas such as biostatistics, data analytics, monitoring and evaluation and data management which includes the management, analysis and interpretation of large amounts of data, is required. 

Language Proficiency: English language fluency, in oral, reading and written communications.