The Ugandan Jobline

Job Title:    Supervisory Project Management Specialist (Health Systems Strengthening)

Organisation: United States US Embassy, US Mission in Uganda

Duty Station: USAID, Kampala, Uganda

Salary Range: UGX 219,900,268 to 324,611,127 per annum, equivalent to FSN-12.

About US Embassy:

The United States Embassy in Kampala, Uganda has enjoyed diplomatic relations with Uganda for over 30 years.  Ambassador Natalie E. Brown currently heads the U.S Mission to Uganda.  The Mission is composed of several offices and organizations all working under the auspices of the Embassy and at the direction of the Ambassador.

Among the offices operating under the U.S Mission to Uganda are:

• United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
• Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
• Peace Corps

Job Summary:  USAID/Uganda is seeking for qualified individuals to fill the Supervisory Project Management Specialist (Health Systems Strengthening) position located in the USAID/Uganda Office of Health and HIV/AIDS (OHH), Health Systems Strengthening Unit.

The Supervisory USAID Project Management Specialist (Health Systems Strengthening [HSS]) is a senior member of the OHH. The OHH is divided into six divisions: Health Systems Strengthening, Family Health, HIV/AIDS, Strategic Information, Malaria, Global Health Security. The OHH is headed by a U.S. Foreign Service Officer who reports directly to the Mission Director. Managing a budget of over US$275 million in fiscal year 2021 funds, OHH has a significant portfolio in the Mission. The Specialist reports directly to the OHH Chief, with responsibility for providing technical leadership to the entire USAID/Uganda Mission and to the USG Mission to Uganda as a whole, in the areas of HSS, health legislation and policy, planning, healthcare financing, strategic information, human resources, and logistics and commodities. The Specialist is recognized by the USG and the Government of Uganda (GOU) as an expert in HSS, and serves as a key Advisor to Mission Management, the USG Mission to Uganda, to the GOU, and implementing partners (IPs) . The Specialist provides supervision and managerial oversight, and is involved in the planning, design, and implementation and evaluation of all USAID/Uganda HSS activities. The Specialist provides day-to-day technical management and oversight of the HSS portfolio.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Strategic and Technical Advisor for HSS and Global Health Initiative (GHI) – 55%

• The Specialist provides policy and strategic leadership, in support of the overall USAID/USG health program, with a focus on health systems strengthening, health-care reform, and health-care financing, as well as health information systems and human resources for health;
• Develops new HSS activities; assures monitoring and evaluation standards are met; and, provides expert technical and programmatic information and assistance as requested by the Ambassador, the Mission Director/Deputy Mission Director, and the Office Chief relating to health systems strengthening, including content for reporting documents, speeches, cables, analyses, and briefing papers.
• The Specialist works with various offices in the Mission to design and commission studies and research relating to HSS. As HSS Division Chief, the Specialist represents USAID/Uganda and the broader USG at national and international meetings, and leads internal and external meetings on issues related to USAID/USG health activities with emphasis on all elements related to HSS; meeting senior and mid-level GOU officials, such as the Minister of Health, senior representatives from other donor agencies and NGOs, and senior USAID and USG staff.
• The Specialist serves as the USG HSS lead in coordination of the GOU, with health-sector IPs, to put appropriate procedures in place for better coordination among health teams, partners, regional programs, and the GOU.
• The Specialist provides senior policy, strategic, and technical advice and guidance to the Ministry of Health (MoH) in areas such as HSS, health-care reform, and health-care financing; works with senior MoH officials to plan, draft, and evaluate the GOU health development plan and other strategic documents and policies; and provides advice and guidance to the MoH Director of Planning and Finance in planning regional and national (Ugandan) annual review meetings.
• The Specialist represents USAID/USG on the Ugandan National Advisory Committee for Health Management Information Systems, the Joint Core Coordinating Committee, and the MoH Task Force, and serves on HH Health Management teams.
• The Specialist works closely with USAID/Washington counterparts, ensuring compliance and constant communication. The Specialist oversees development of site visit schedules and effective monitoring plans for the HSS program, ensuring schedules are carried out routinely and that end -use checks occur; prepares for VIP visits, including preparing briefers, scene setters, arranging for site visits and accompanying delegations on visits to USAID programs, and briefing VIPs on Uganda, the country’s health challenges and programs, and on USAID and USG support.
• The Specialist coordinates the compiling of lessons learned, and the dissemination of results to all health partners.
• The Specialist represents USAID/Uganda in the Health Development Partners Group and the Health Policy Advisory Committee to the Ministry of Health.

Program/Project/Activity Management and Monitoring – 25%

• The Specialist serves as AOR/COR or Activity Manager for a variety of programs/projects/activities in the HSS portfolio, and supervises and provides guidance to subordinate staff who serving as AORs/CORs for additional projects;
• Provides oversight for various studies and surveys; conducts regular site visits to review program implementation and meet with beneficiaries, and, based on the information collected during such visits, adjusts or recommends adjustments to programs/projects/activities as appropriate;
• Reviews performance reports to ensure IPs are in compliance with bilateral government agreements and with the performance expectations outlined in their work plans and in agreements with USAID:
• Ensures IPs are in compliance with all relevant USAID regulations and procedures, communicating regularly with IPs regarding USAID rules and regulations as well as their obligations to USAID.
• The Specialist ensures monitoring and evaluation systems are in place to capture IP results and contributions to overall portfolio targets; approves annual work plans for HSS Division IPs; and maintains a regular schedule of HSS project site visits at headquarters, as well as at the field level.
• The Specialist participates fully in the preparation of the annual PEPFAR Country Operational Plan, the Malaria Operational Plan, and the USAID Operational Plan.

HHS Division Financial Management – 10%

• The Specialist is responsible for the financial management of programs/projects/activities assigned to the HSS Division, including regular budgeting for the HSS program, ensuring that that obligations, expenditures, and budget pipelines conform to action plans;
• Ensuring appropriate and timely incremental funding of activities; ensuring program activities are in compliance with USAID financial regulations, reporting any financial discrepancies to the OHH Chief and Financial Analyst, the Mission Controller, and the Office of Acquisition and Assistance, keeping the Controller and Financial Analyst informed on the liquidation of advances; and, reviewing and providing administrative approval for assigned activities.
• The Specialist ensures compliance with Non-Federal Audits (NFAS) and the closure of open recommendations, and maintains monthly project financial management tracking systems.

Supervision of HSS Division Staff – 10%

• The Specialist provides oversight of work and supervision of approximately of four Foreign Service National staff and two expatriate staff, and other short-term staff (including AORs/CORs), and mentors the entire Division in health systems strengthening, health care reform, and health care financing.
• The Specialist serves as a full supervisor, providing supervision, leadership, mentorship, and guidance to the professional and assistant-level HSS Division staff, and provides guidance on HSS matters to all members of the OHH, including advising the Office Chief/Deputy Office Chief, as well as the Mission Director and Deputy Mission Director.
• The Specialist participates with considerable weight in selection decisions within the Division, and performs the full range of training, evaluation, and other supervisory responsibilities expected at the full professional level.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

• The ideal applicant should hold an advanced degree, or the local equivalent, in medicine, public health, social science, or anthropology. Required.
• A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible, professional-level experience in health-sector program management, with at least four years of that time in strategy and policy development, is required.
• At least two years of experience in development-related work or related fields for USAID, other donor agencies, GOU organizations, or private-sector institutions which included project design, performance monitoring, and/or the analysis and interpretation of large amounts of data is desired.
• In addition, two to four years of previous successful supervisory experience is desired.
• Experience must have provided the opportunity for project design, program planning, and/or implementation.
• In-depth professional-level knowledge of development principles, concepts, and practices, especially as they relate to health systems strengthening in Uganda and the region, is required.
• Mastery of a variety of health development areas, including HSS, health care reform, health care financing, health information systems, human resources development, logistics systems and commodity supply, maternal and child health, and family planning is expected.
• Knowledge and understanding of the economic political, social, and cultural characteristics of Uganda; and, the economic developments, resources, and resource constraints, and development prospects and priorities of Uganda and the region.
• Good knowledge of, or the potential to acquire such knowledge, USG legislation, policy, and practice relating to development assistance; USAID programming policies, regulations, procedures, and documentation; and, of the objectives, methodology, and status of assigned activities.
• Knowledge and understanding of the organization and respective roles of the different branches in the GOU, in order to enhance effective communication, and to develop consensus on program/project/activity strategy and implementation plans.
• In-depth knowledge of GOU institutions, policy directions, objectives, and priorities relating to USAID activities in the sector; and a sound knowledge of the political, economic, social, and cultural characteristics and developments in Uganda.
• The ability to plan, organize, manage, and evaluate HSS program activities is required.
• Verbal communication skills, tact, and diplomacy are required to establish and develop sustainable working relations and a high level of trust with senior and middle-level GOU officials, and with public and private organizations, such as primary USAID technical contacts in the development area.
• Verbal communication skills are also used to explain and interpret GOU attitudes, priorities, and concerns to USAID/USG officials, and to negotiate program/project/activity plans and resolve implementation issues with appropriate host-country organizations, technical advisors, IPs, counterparts, and peers.
• Excellent writing skills are required in order to prepare regular and ad hoc reports, project documentation, and briefing papers.
• Analytical ability is required in order to interpret public policies, and to assist in the development of revised policies, as required; and, to develop and monitor the performance of budgets, and the development of periodic work plans.
• Skills in program/project/activity programming, policies, and plans, and in developing strategies for implementation, is desired.
• Ability to work effectively in a team environment, and to achieve consensus on policy, project, and administrative matters.
• Good computer skills are required to manage activity goals and achievements, both technical and financial.
• Language Proficiency: The ability to communicate effectively in both written and spoken English is required. Knowledge of one or more Ugandan languages will be highly useful.

How to Apply:

Offers must be presented as detailed in Section IV of the solicitation document and shall include:

• A typed and hand signed (around Section 6 – Declaration) DS-174 Employment Application for Locally Employed Staff or Family Member (https://eforms.state.gov/Forms/ds174.pdf; Version Exp. 06/2022).
• Cover letter (addressed to the USAID Supervisory Executive Officer) clearly indicating the position for which you are applying and describing how you meet the minimum requirements.
• Completed curriculum vitae/resume as detailed in the solicitation document.
• Supplemental [separate] document specifically addressing each QRF as outlined in the solicitation.
• Copies of Academic Transcripts.
• All offers must be e-mailed to: KampalaHR@state.gov on or before March 1, 2022:4:45 PM local time.
• Offers must be in a standard file type such as Microsoft Word (.doc) or Adobe Acrobat (.pdf). All should be in one document which should not exceed 10MB.

NB: Only electronic submissions will be accepted and only.

Deadline: 1^st March 2022

For more of the latest jobs, please visit https://www.theugandanjobline.com or find us on our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/UgandanJobline

Related Jobs