USAID Project Management Specialist – Maternal & Child Health, Nutrition & Family Planning (MCHN-FP) at United States Agency for International Development (USAID)

United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is the world’s premier international development agency and a catalytic actor driving development results. USAID’s work advances U.S. national security and economic prosperity, demonstrates American generosity, and promotes a path to recipient self-reliance and resilience.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: USAID Project Management Specialist – Maternal & Child Health, Nutrition & Family Planning (MCHN-FP)

Solicitation No.: 72062024R10009
Location: Abuja, Nigeria
Eligible Offerors: Open to Cooperating Country Nationals (Nigerian Citizens and Permanent Residents).
Security Level Required: CCNPSC Clearance.

Statement of Duties
General Statement of Purpose of the Contract:

• The Project Management Specialist Maternal and Child Health, Nutrition and Family Planning (MCHN-FP) facilitates communication and ensures collaborative working relationships with high- level decision makers, as well as technical staff, in the Ministry of Health, USAID Missions, USAID/Washington counterparts, with other government entities, and with other donors, development partners and non-governmental organizations working in the health sector.
• The Specialist delivers analytical and technical assistance services to other bilateral/multilateral agencies, cooperating-country government and civil society in developing and implementing policies and programs based on best practices and innovations in MCHN-FP. Representing the U.S. Government, the jobholder participates in national technical working groups and builds alliances with External Development partners and provides essential communication and liaison within USAID offices and with other USG agencies.
• The jobholder provides senior-level programmatic and technical guidance to the planning, implementation, and monitoring of maternal and child health, nutrition and family planning practices and principles, with broad experience working with national stakeholders including government, professional associations, and faith-based organizations.
• The jobholder provides strategic and technical guidance in the design and implementation of USAID family health activities in the cooperating-country. The Specialist has an understanding of global health issues, as well as the entire USAID/USG health portfolio, and serves as an Agreement Officer’s Representative/Contracting Officer’s Representative (AOR/COR) or Activity Manager for selected programs/projects/activities. As an AOR/COR, the Specialist monitors program performance and progress, identifies implementation achievements as well as problems in performance, and initiates appropriate actions in consultation with his/her supervisor, other team staff, and/or the Deputy and Office Director, as appropriate.
• The Specialist is a key member of the Health Office, RMNCH and Nutrition Team. The jobholder reports to the RMNCH Team Lead and has no formal supervisory responsibility.
• NB: This is a Standard Position Description (SPD), designed for use in multiple locations; for this reason, percentages of time for each Major Duty are omitted.

Major Duties and Responsibilities
Program / Project / Activity Management:

• Serve as Contracting or Agreement Officer’s Representative (COR/AOR) or Activity Manager for the Mission’s MCHN-FP activities, including: reviewing and approving annual implementing partners (IPs) work plans, facilitating IP relationships, and coordinating with local stakeholders (e.g. other IPs, cooperating country-government counterparts, non-governmental organizations, other donors, etc.) maintaining a schedule for and conducting regular site visits to review program implementation and meeting with beneficiaries, and based on the information collected during such visits, adjusting or recommending adjustments to programs/projects/activities as appropriate; overseeing Ips compliance with bilateral government agreements, and with performance expectations; ensuring 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; and taking a lead role in the preparation of the strategic and operational planning processes such as the USAID Country Development Cooperation Strategy and USAID Operational Plan. Keep the Team Lead regularly informed of program implementation progress, results, and issues/problems on a timely basis.
• Participate in the design of project mechanisms and activities for improved health service delivery or the enabling environment for MCHN-FP.
• Ensure that sub-partners (sub-awards and sub-contracts) are given appropriate monitoring and oversight.

Technical and Strategic Leadership:

• Serve as a senior-level technical resource on MCHN-FP, providing high level technical guidance to the Mission, the National Government, and other development partners.
• Provide strategic and technical guidance and input on MCHN-FP activities and ensure that activities are appropriately integrated with Health Office and larger Mission activities.
• Provide technical assistance and oversight to IPs, and to sub-partners where appropriate, to ensure that the MCHN-FP activities are carried out in alignment with approved work plans, all applicable USAID and Global Health policies and guidelines, Health Office and USAID Mission guidance and priorities, national guidelines, and global best practices.
• Stay abreast of state-of-the-art knowledge on programming and coordinate exchanges and sharing of best practices among USAID, USG, and other stakeholders to strengthen MCHN-FP approaches. Advise accordingly on how these policies and strategies can most effectively be incorporated to enhance USAID’s approaches.
• In collaboration with Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning colleagues participate in the implementation of the monitoring and evaluation approaches and tools to support measuring the impact and outcomes of MCHN-FP activities.
• Provide technical guidance in the preparation of key annual and mid-term planning and reporting documents including the Operational Plan, Congressional Budget Justifications, Technical Notifications, Quarterly, Semi-Annual and Annual Progress Reports and other ad hoc requests for information.
• Identify short-term technical assistance (STTA) needs and ensure that objectives and outcomes of the STTA are consistent with and support the furtherance of the Mission MCHN-FP portfolio.
• Organize site visits and prepare orientation materials for delegations from USAID Headquarters (HQ), Department of State, other agencies, and Congress.

Representation and Reporting:

• Represent USAID at designated national, regional, and international meetings that relate to Maternal and Child Health, Nutrition and Family Planning, including regular participation in national level technical working groups, professional associations, and related committees.
• As a member of the Health Team, respond flexibly and capably to a wide range of work-related requirements including responding to requests for information from HQ and Congress.
• As requested by the Mission Director, Health Office Director and/or Unit Leader, represent USAID at meetings outside of the MCHN-FP field when needed
• Establish strategic working relationships with senior MOH and other relevant Ministry officials at the national and district level, development partners, civil society organizations, faith-based organizations, private sector health counterparts, and professional associations to enhance regular and timely sharing of information on issues related to private sector engagement, including changes in key policies, and legal and regulatory environments that could affect the implementation of USAID programs.

Supervisory Relationship:

• The Specialist will report to the RMNCH Team Lead in the Health Office in USAID. S/he is expected to work independently in carrying out responsibilities. S/he is expected to develop annual work objectives in consultation with his/her supervisor.
• 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 cooperating country and USAID objectives, and integration with other initiatives in the 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.

Supervisory Controls:

• Continuing supervision of other Division and Office staff is not anticipated.

Physical Demands:

• The work requested does not involve undue physical demands.

Minimum Qualifications Required for this Position
Education:

• Master’s Degree or local equivalent from an accredited program in Public Health, International Development, Health, Social or Behavioral Sciences, Organizational Development, Epidemiology, Biology, Infectious Disease, Medicine, Pharmacy, or Nutrition.

Prior Work Experience:

• A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in MCHN-FP. Prior experience working with or for bilateral or multilateral donors/stakeholders such as the World Bank, the Global Fund, UN agencies, or public/private sector projects and ensuring compliance with U.S. Government rules and regulations.

Language Proficiency:

• Level IV fluency in both oral and written English is required.

Job Knowledge:

• Senior-level knowledge and understanding of MCHN-FP approaches and interventions.
• Demonstrated senior-level knowledge of the overall health sector context as well as the key aspects of US Government foreign assistance to the country.
• Working knowledge of USG and/or USAID’s strategic direction, its chief accomplishments, and its challenges.

Skills and Abilities:

• The jobholder must possess strong technical and analytical skills in maternal/newborn/child health and nutrition and family planning. The jobholder must possess
• strong skills in communication, advocacy, and networking. S/he must have strong conceptual and analytical skills to be able to quickly grasp and translate new concepts into operational plans and results.
• This position requires an outstanding ability to exercise flexibility to be able to accept and react to evolving planning and implementation contexts. The jobholder must demonstrate excellent computer skills including skills with Microsoft Office, web-based databases, and electronic filing. S/he exercises individual judgement in his/her roles.
• S/he takes initiative and offers leadership in reviewing the progress of programs and projects under his/her responsibility, including performance reports, pipeline management, program implementation reviews, as well as fulfilling other USAID and USG reporting requirements.
• S/he demonstrates timely decision-making ability and extensive judgment in planning and carrying out tasks, using diplomacy and tact.

Conditions

• Market Value: $45,283 to $70,183 equivalent to FSN-11; 40 Hours per week in accordance with AIDAR Appendix J and the Local Compensation Plan of United States Mission, Nigeria (Effective September 10, 2023). Final compensation will be negotiated within the listed market value.
• Salary and allowances are denominated in US dollar and paid in Naira at the prevailing U.S. Embassy exchange rate. Continued US dollar denomination and payment of LE Staff compensation is subject to renewal and approval by the Secretary for Management via PID (public interest determination).
• Period of Performance: Five (5) years renewable, estimated to start o/a August 2024.
• Place of Performance: Abuja, Nigeria with possible travel as stated in the Statement of Duties.

Application Closing Date
Not Specified.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should send their Applications to “EXO/HR” via: [email protected] using the Job Title as the subject of the mail.

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