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 Supervisory USAID Program Management Specialist (Family Healthy) provides supervision and managerial oversight, and is involved in the planning, design, implementation and evaluation of all USAID/Uganda family health activities. Facilitates communication and ensures collaborative working relationships with high-level decision makers, as well as technical staff, in the Ministry of Health, Regional Health Bureaus, USAID/Washington counterparts, with other government entities, and with other donors and non-governmental organizations working in the health sector. The Specialist provides supervision to six team members, including AORs/CORs, mentor and coach the entire HH Office in the areas of family planning, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), as well as maternal and child health issues. The Specialist may be assigned to act for the Office Team Lead and/or Deputy Office Team Lead in their absence or preoccupation.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
1. Strategic and Technical Advisor for Family Health and Ending Preventable Maternal and Child Deaths (EPCMD) – 55%
The Specialist provides policy and strategic leadership, in support of the EPCMD and the overall USAID/USG Family Health program, with a focus on maternal and child health, family planning, nutrition, and WASH including: developing and leading the design of new family health activities; participating in inter-sectoral designs and program management; assuring activity monitoring and evaluation standards are met; providing expert technical and programmatic information and assistance as requested by the Ambassador, the USAID/Uganda Mission Director or Deputy Mission Director, and the HH Office Director relating to the Family Health Division, including content for reporting documents, speeches, cables, analyses, and briefing papers; working with various offices in the Mission to design and commission studies and research relating to family health issues; and, ensuring lessons-learned are compiled and results are dissemination to all health partners.
As the Family Health Team Lead, the Specialist represents USAID/Uganda and the broader USG health community at national and international meetings and technical working groups, including: leading internal and external meetings on issues related to USAID/USG health programs/projects/activities, with emphasis on all elements related to family health; represents USAID/USG at relevant technical and steering committee meetings, such as the Ugandan National Advisory Committee for Health, the Joint Core Coordinating Committee, and the MoH Task Force, and serves on HH Health Management teams; maintaining an extensive range of senior and mid-level GoU official contacts, such as the Minister of Health, senior representatives from other donor agencies and NGOs, and senior USAID and USG staff; and, serving as the lead USG Family Health Division member to the GoU and IPs, ensuring strategic coordination among USG health teams, the GoU, IPs, other partners, and regional programs.
The Specialist works closely with USAID/Washington counterparts, ensuring compliance and constant communication with headquarters including: participation in key headquarter working groups, calls, and trainings; overseeing the development of site visit schedules and effective monitoring plans for the family health program; ensuring schedules are carried out routinely and that end-use checks occur; and, preparing 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 provides senior policy, strategic, and technical advice and guidance to the Ministry of Health (MoH) including: working with senior MoH officials to plan, draft and evaluate the GoU health development plan, and other strategic documents and policies; and, providing advice and guidance to the MoH Director of Planning and Finance in the planning of regional and national (Ugandan) annual review meetings.
2. 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 Family Health portfolio, and supervises and provides guidance to subordinate staff serving as AORs/CORs for additional projects, including: 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; reviewing annual work plans and performance reports to ensure IPs are in 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 Country Development Cooperation Strategy and USAID Operational Plan, as well as participating in the annual PEPFAR Country Operational Plan and Malaria Operational Plan.
3. Family Health Division Budget and Financial Management – 10%
The Specialist is responsible for the financial management of programs/projects/activities assigned to the Family Health Team including: regular budgeting for the Family Health 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, and reporting any financial discrepancies to the HH Office Director 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; reviewing and providing administrative approval for assigned activities; and, ensuring compliance with Non-Federal Audits (NFAS) and the closure of open recommendations, and maintaining monthly project financial management tracking systems.
4. Supervision of Family Health Team Staff – 10%
The Specialist provides oversight of work and supervision of approximately six Foreign Service National and/or expatriate staff and other short-term staff (including AORs/CORs) as required, and mentors the entire office in the various elements that make up the Family Health team.
The Specialist serves as a full supervisor, providing supervision, leadership, mentorship, and guidance to the professional and assistant-level Family Health Division staff, and provides guidance on family health matters to all members of the HH Office, including advising the Office Director/Deputy Office Director, 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.
Performs other duties as assigned or required.
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 US Embassy Supervisory USAID Program Management Specialist (Family Healthy) career opportunity should hold an advanced degree, or the local equivalent, in economics, social science, public health, medicine, management, social science, or anthropology is required. An MPH is preferred.
At least 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.
Previous experience in project design, program planning and budgeting, and/or implementation.
A minimum of 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.
Comprehensive professional-level knowledge of development principles, concepts, and practices, especially as they relate to family health issues 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.
The Specialist must have a 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.
The Specialist must have a good knowledge of, or the potential to acquire such knowledge of, 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.
The Specialist must have 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.
The Specialist must have an 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.
Proven ability to plan, organize, manage, and evaluate family health program activities is required.
Excellent 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.
Good 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.
Skill in program/project/activity programming, policies, and plans, and in developing strategies for implementation, is desired.
The Specialist must have the 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: Level IV (fluent) English. 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:
All those interested in working with the US mission in Kampala should send their applications and strictly adhere to the following:
Download a completed and signed Universal Application for Employment as a Locally Employed Staff, Download it Here.
Any additional documentation that supports or addresses the requirements listed above (e.g. transcripts, degrees, etc.)
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: 6th July 2016