Vacancy

III. Interagency Coordination (15%)
As a regional and international expert on matters pertaining to HIV/AIDS care, treatment and support, the incumbent represents USAID/PEPFAR/Lesotho at technical, policy and strategic planning meetings, including meetings with collaborators and donor agencies. Briefs senior agency officials, Partnership Framework Management Team, PEPFAR country team and interested officials of other USG agencies as appropriate on the results of such meetings and prepares written reports for submission to other interested parties.
Incumbent represents the agency in discussing and developing financial commitment targets for HIV care, treatment and support programs at administrative and strategic planning meetings. This includes all USG PEPFAR implementing agencies (Departments of State, Defense, Labor, Commerce, and Health (including Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Food and Drug Administration), USAID and Peace Corps).
Incumbent serves on the technical working groups to ensure effective coordination of work plan development, implementation strategies, and evaluation plans for all USG-funded care, treatment and support activities in Lesotho.  Incumbent may participate with other PEPFAR professionals on in-country committees for HIV/AIDS care, treatment and support issues. The purpose of such committees is to assess program needs and issues at the local level and develop strategies for communicating these needs/issues to the national level. The committees help to ensure consistency in the implementation of best practices for HIV care, treatment and support on a national level.
Incumbent will be required to perform other duties as assigned by the agency.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED

a. Education:  Masters Degree {Master of Public Health (MPH), Master of Science Public Health (MSHP)} or host country equivalent in public health, health policy, behavioral or social science field is required.  Doctoral level degree, Doctor of Public Health (DrPH), Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) or host country equivalent degree in medicine, public health, epidemiology, behavioral or social science field is given preference.

b.  Prior Work Experience:  Three years of clinical experience in HIV/AIDS care and treatment; PLUS five years of mid-to-senior level public health experience in developing, implementing and evaluating HIV/AIDS care, treatment and support programs or other relevant public health programs that involve coordination with an international agency or implementing partner is required. One additional year of experience at the managerial level with multiple staff is preferred.

c. Post Entry Training: Ongoing education/training opportunities include: professional certification seminars focusing on changing care, treatment and support protocols; PEPFAR and agency-specific training in approaches to program design, implementation and reporting; and participation at conferences and workshops dealing with the AIDS pandemic. Agency-specific leadership development training, and COTR or Project Management of grants/cooperative agreements/contracts training are required.

d. Language Proficiency: Level IV: (fluency – speaking/reading/writing) English is required.
Level III: (good working knowledge, speaking, writing) of Sesotho is preferred.

e. Job Knowledge: Comprehensive knowledge of current HIV/AIDS issues in care, treatment and support, counseling and interventions, behavior change, testing, and treatment is required. An in-depth knowledge of the range of care, treatment and support programs, policies, regulations and precedents applicable to development and administration of national/international public health program is required. Strong skills in the clinical management and treatment of HIV/AIDS are required. Comprehensive knowledge of the host government health care system and structures including familiarity with MOHSW policies, program priorities and regulations is highly preferred. In-depth specialist knowledge of USG HIV/AIDS public health programs, strategies, methods, processes and techniques used to plan, develop, implement and evaluate results of care, treatment and support programs is required. Good working knowledge of team management techniques to plan, organize and direct multidisciplinary project teams and activities is required. Good working knowledge of overall administrative requirements, budgeting and fiscal management in support of contracts/cooperative agreements/grants/purchase requisitions is required.

F.  Skills and Abilities: Strong oral and written communications skills are required to develop and maintain effective, sustainable working relationships with national and international working partners. Strong leadership skills are required to lead results-driven project teams and workgroups. Ability to analyze, understand and discuss new program design, management and implementation approaches is required. This includes the development of evaluation designs, use of reliable and valid instruments, and methods for data collection, analysis and reports. The incumbent will be expected to exercise considerable ingenuity and tact in applying guidelines to unique and different settings, as the work is highly complex and can be intimidating to stakeholders. Considerable innovation will be required to influence other collaborative organizations engaged in HIV/AIDS care, treatment and support programs to adopt appropriate strategies for their program activities. Intermediate user level of word processing, spreadsheets and databases is required. Strong skills in interpretation of program monitoring and evaluation data are required.

16.  POSITION ELEMENTS

a. Supervision Received: Framework Option A: Directly supervised by the USAID Country Director at PEPFAR/Lesotho.

b. Available Guidelines: Generally accepted HIV/AIDS international medical and ethical standards for care, treatment and support, Lesotho Partnership Framework, PEPFAR strategic objectives and operating provisions are available. The Country Operational Plan (COP), U.S. Government (including agency and PEPFAR) and Ministry of Health rules, regulations, and policies issued both in writing and orally should also be followed.

c. Exercise of Judgment: Incumbent works with minimum supervision and must exercise
wide and independent judgment in interpreting and enforcing guidance and regulations. Incumbent must be able to analyze very complex, sensitive issues and make recommendations to senior management; must use independent and professional judgments on the quality and effectiveness of HIV/AIDS care, treatment and support programs and must develop strategies for eliciting cooperation and commitment for implementation and evaluation activities from implementing partners of the US, senior level staff of other agencies and the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.

d. Authority to make commitments: Position has no authority to make financial commitments; however, in the course of program management responsibilities position has authority and responsibility to make technical recommendations on changes in scope of work, funding allocations, reporting and supplemental agreements to the agency headquarters grants, contracts and cooperative agreements office. Incumbent has limited authority to make non-contractual commitments related to project support and the provision of training and technical assistance. As Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) or Cognizant Technical Officer (CTO) incumbent will have authority and responsibility as delegated by the signed COR/CTO or agency grants/contracts office to carry out agency grants, contracts or cooperative agreement support commitments. Position has no authority to make financial commitments. 

e. Nature, Level, and Purpose of Contacts: Incumbent will have daily contact with agency directors, and PEPFAR counterparts in complementing all HIV/AIDS programs to coordinate and standardize care, treatment and support programs that achieve results specified in Partnership Framework goals and PEPFAR strategic objectives. External contacts are with senior program managers in the MOHSW, and other ministries, development partners, implementing partners, NGOs and other program collaborators. Purpose is to support and develop the highest technical quality of HIV/AIDS care, treatment and support specialist programs. Contacts also include professional program and clinical staff including physicians, nurses, laboratory technicians, NGO directors, supply chain managers, pharmacists, and other public health professionals for purposes of program collaboration, implementation and evaluation.

f. Supervision Exercised: Position has no direct supervisory responsibilities but as the senior technical expert provides work guidance to all PEPFAR staff and has a results-oriented working relationship with approximately 30 implementing/cooperating partners, contractors and/or host country employees.

g. Time Required to Perform Full Range of Duties:  One year.

When equally qualified, Appointment Eligible Family Members (AEFMs) and U.S. Veterans will be given preference.  Therefore, it is essential that the candidate address the required qualifications above in the application.

ADDITIONAL SELECTION CRITERIA:

1.  Management will consider nepotism/conflict of interest, budget, and residency status in determining successful candidacy. 

2. Current employees serving a probationary period are not eligible to apply.
3.  Currently employed AEFMs who hold a FMA appointment are ineligible to apply for advertised positions within the first 90 calendar days of their employment.

TO APPLY:

Interested candidates must submit the following, or the application will not be considered:

1. Application for U.S. Federal Employment (SF-171 or OF-612); or

2. A current resume or curriculum vitae that provides the same information as an OF-612; plus

3. Candidates who claim U.S. Veterans preference must provide a copy of their Form DD-214 with their application. All forms are available from the Embassy Human Resources Office.

4. Any other documentation (e.g., essays, certificates, awards, copies of degrees earned) that addresses the qualification requirements of the position as listed above.

SUBMIT APPLICATION TO:

Human Resources Office
P.O. Box 333,
Maseru. 100.
Tel: 22-312-666
Fax: 22-310-116

E-mail:  infomaseru@state.gov

SALARY RANGE:  166, 462 – 249, 694

OPENING DATE: October 23, 2009

CLOSING DATE: November 06, 2009

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

POINT OF CONTACT

HR Assistant
Telephone: 22-312-666 (ext 4160)
FAX:  22-310-116