Earn 137m as Project Management Specialist (Civil Society/Community Systems) at United States US Embassy / Mission
Job Title: Project Management Specialist (Civil Society/Community Systems)
Organisation: United States US Embassy, US Mission in Uganda
Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda
Salary Grade: UGX 137,483,245 – 202,072,484 per annum (FSN 11)
About US Embassy:
The United States Embassy in Kampala, Uganda has enjoyed diplomatic relations with Uganda for over 30 years. Ambassador Deborah R. Malac 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: The position – USAID Project Management Specialist (Civil Society/Community Systems) – is a key member of the USAID OHH Investing in People Team. Civil society and community based groups assisted directly or indirectly by OHH are typically involved in service delivery as well as advocacy activities. The Specialist will be responsible for program activities that work to strengthen civil society role in supporting the national response to HIV/AIDS, Malaria, MNCH and broader health systems issues, as well as helping USAID and its implementing partners to better understand how to support and strengthen communities systems to become more self-reliant and take a proactive role in finding solutions for their health concerns.
Specifically, the Specialist will serve as the lead on USAID’s efforts to work collaboratively with donors to improve partnerships, donor harmonization to better align with GOU through engagement in various line ministries, support civil society’s response to national efforts within the health sector, and will ensure that the program is aligned with national priorities, strengthens existing systems and structures, and supports innovative approaches to improve long-term sustainability. As the USG PEPFAR program moves towards building partnerships for sustainability, USAID is expected to strengthen its role in building networks with GOU, donors and other stakeholders for increased strategic engagement, resource mobilization and coordination to improve efficiency.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
Program Management – 60% Provide oversight of all activities related to working with GOU, civil society, particularly in HTV/AIDS, TB, Family Health and Malaria service delivery, in USAID/Uganda’s cooperative agreements/contracts. Key program management activities for the Civil Society/Community Specialist include:
Program Planning
- Provide sound technical advice that will strengthen the Mission’s efforts in working with GOU, civil society organizations and other donors on HTV/AIDS service delivery and advocacy. Requires close coordination with the Maternal Child Health, TB and Malaria programs.
- Develop, in collaboration with OHH implementing partners (IPs), detailed plans, goals, and objectives for strengthening GOU engagement and the role of civil society. Particularly, provide technical guidance on standardization of community service delivery systems using a systems strengthening approach.
- Provide planning expertise in delineating program focus and developing program orientation for working with civil society organizations involved in service delivery and advocacy.
- Exercise good judgment and discretion in resolving program-related issues and conflicts.
- Collaborate with other USAID programs including among others the Education, Youth and Child Development and Democracy and Governance offices.
- Keep up-to-date inventory of donor, government and community stakeholders who have direct influence on USAID health programs and operations and develop plans on how the mission can strengthen partnerships and collaboration with these entities.
Technical Oversight
- Contribute to the Mission’s annual planning preparation and reporting, including among others the country development cooperation strategy (CDCS), PEPFAR Country Operation Plan (COP), Malaria Operational Plan, and the mission Operational Plan.
- Provide technical advice during USG discussions on strengthening the role of GOU engagement, civil society and Community Systems strengthening in the health sector, including support for the national community framework for HIV.
- Provide overall technical guidance and leadership to OHH IPs, emphasizing evidence-based best practices at community level including development of sustainable models for integrating HIV into general health care services, as we attain epidemic control.
- Provide technical direction and guidance to all OHH IPs in the area of Community Systems and civil society during the work-plan and reporting processes.
- Provide technical support for improving the HRH initiatives for Community Systems.
- Conduct and analyze program evaluations to redefine concepts and criteria for new and expanding programs.
- Support HHO in documenting and sharing lessons from evolving partnerships and stakeholder engagement processes including ensuring appropriate follow-up from program team when necessary.
Project Management
- Serve as the project/activity manager for activities relating to strengthening GOU and donor engagement, civil society work, and other projects that will be assigned from among USAID projects.
- Provide continuity to current programs and instruction and guidance for the start up of new activities.
- Participate in Mission review of technical proposals from potential G2G, civil society grantees and community programs as well as USAID implementing partner work-plans, to ensure that they are technically sound, realistic, and meet the needs of the various programs working with communities.
- Participate in USAID’s project designs process to ensure that critical Community Systems strengthening initiatives are addressed.
- Prepare required authorization documents for signature of the responsible Mission official, and track disbursements to program partners.
- Prepare and amend USAID documentation, including Action Memoranda, scopes of work, and budgets for assigned activities in a timely and efficient manner and consistent with USAID regulations and policies.
- Support on-going USAID efforts to improve community programming including capacity building for CSOs, governance issues, and quality improvement for community programming among others.
- Prepare briefing materials and/or provide presentations to senior USG leadership at the embassy and in Washington DC as a technical area subject matter expert when required.
Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting
- Supervise the maintenance of project records and the preparation of periodic reports of activity status.
- Evaluate the performance of IP organizations working with civil society groups on HIV/AIDS and health service delivery and advocacy activities. This could potentially include activities within the Education, Youth and Child Development Office.
- Conduct periodic field visits to identify and assess the quality of services and the impact of program inputs, and to ensure regular communication with IPs and counterparts at all levels.
- Monitor activity progress, implementation quality, and adherence to budgets.
- Monitor program resources allocated to activities to strengthen G2G and civil society to ensure that they are being used effectively.
- Report implementation obstacles to relevant OHH team members, and make appropriate recommendations to resolve them.
- Participate in routine field monitoring visits to follow up IPs with Community Systems programs to ensure they are aligned to the approved standards.
- Designing Community Systems evaluation questions to enrich the body of knowledge for improving communities’ roles in service delivery.
- Provide technical support in strengthening community health information and supply chain system.
Coordination with USG and Key Stakeholders – 40%
- Maintain close contact with relevant regional, district and local government officials, particularly in focal areas regarding partnerships, government engagement, civil society engagement, and Community Systems strengthening for Health and HTV services
- Actively participate in the coordination among USAID, other USG agencies, implementing partners, and key stakeholders such as Development Partners, including civil society groups, involved in improving HIV/AIDS and health services in Uganda both in the public and private sectors.
- Serve as member of USG coordination working groups.
- Represent USAID on key GOU, donor and other technical working groups and fora.
- Maintain regular contact with professional counterparts at the national level.
- Represent the interests of USAID program objectives, using both diplomacy and technical clarity in discussions related to program concerns and issues
- Arrange for and utilize outside technical assistance when required to further enhance implementation of program activities.
- The Specialist should expect adjustments in assigned duties and responsibilities as the USG HIV/AIDS program reaches maturity, and as guidance and requirements evolve under PEPFAR or subsequent initiatives in the Family Health, Malaria team programs. Other duties will also include:
- Organize site visits and prepare orientation documents as required.
- Prepare reports for the Mission website.
- Attend appropriate USAID-sponsored training.
Qualifications, Skills and Experience:
NOTE: All applicants must address each selection criterion detailed below with specific and comprehensive information supporting each item.
- The applicants for the United States US Embassy Project Management Specialist (Civil Society/Community Systems job opportunity should hold a Master’s Degree, or the local equivalent in public health, international development, or the equivalent in a field related to health service delivery, particularly HIV/AIDS.
- At least six years of progressively responsible professional experience working in Uganda in health, HTV/AIDS and/or the development field;
- Experience working in health or HTV/AIDS service delivery or advocacy and working with civil society groups is particularly desirable;
- Work experience should include at least 3 years of planning, developing, managing and evaluating programs and community activities with donor organizations, host-country organizations, and/or non-governmental organizations; and analyzing program data and presenting findings in written or oral form.
- Knowledge of health and HTV/AIDS service delivery in the public and private sector in Uganda and in other sub-Saharan African countries, including the role that civil society has effectively played in service delivery and advocacy;
- Sound understanding of the social, economic and cultural determinants and implications of the health burden and HTV epidemic in Uganda, and design of community health projects;
- Understanding of other donor involvement in supporting health and HTV/AIDS civil society efforts;
- Understanding of community-based counseling, care and support activities as well as other community health areas in nutrition, malaria, MCH etc. as carried out in Uganda; and
- Knowledge of USG and PEPFAR policies, regulations, procedures, and documentation preferred.
- Technical expertise in health and HTV/AIDS service delivery and advocacy in working with civil society groups;
- Ability to develop and maintain effective working-level and management-level contacts within the health and HTV/AIDS service delivery activities of the government and NGOs;
- Ability to work effectively in team and interagency environments, and to train, mentor, and coordinate well with others;
- Ability to interpret directives and related guidance;
- Excellent computer skills including Word, Excel, E-mail, and the internet;
- Strong management skills, including financial management, administrative, and monitoring skills used to track the performance of implementing partners and activities;
- Ability to present information, analyses, and recommendations in clear written and oral formats;
- Ability to travel to regions and districts within Uganda.
- Language Proficiency: Level IV (fluent) English language proficiency, speaking and writing is required.
How to Apply:
All those interested in working with the US mission in Kampala should send their applications and strictly adhere to the following:
- A signed DS-174 Employment Application for Locally Employed Staff or Family Member, Click Here
- Cover letter clearly indicating the position for which you are applying and describing how you meet the minimum requirements
- A Curriculum Vitae/Resume
- Copies of Academic Transcripts
- Names, contact numbers, and e-mail addresses of three (3) professional references. At least one of the references must be a prior or current direct supervisor.
Submit Application To:
Human Resources Office
By email at KampalaHR@state.gov
NB: Your application will be reviewed if you have fulfilled all the requirements including submission of standard file types such as Microsoft Word (.doc) and Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) in a single attachment (No Zipped files, Links or Multiple Attachments) and should not exceed 10MB. Please clearly indicate the position number and title you are applying for on the DS-174 form.
Deadline: 2nd August 2019
The US Mission in Kampala provides equal 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 Department of State also strives to achieve equal employment opportunity in all personnel operations through continuing diversity enhancement programs.
: List of Current Job Vacancies / Opportunities in Uganda