Description
I. Introduction The Senior HIV/AIDS Specialist and Project Manager (the H/A Specialist) assists USAID Mozambique (the Mission) to carry out responsibilities for planning, implementing, monitoring, and overseeing the Missions activities related to HIV/AIDS awareness, behavior change, care and support, and mitigation. These responsibilities include regular contact and collaboration with counterparts in Mozambiques National AIDS Council and government ministries and agencies, as well as in a wide range of civil society and private organizations, other donor and international organizations, and other USG entities working in HIV/AIDS prevention, care, and mitigation. The H/A Specialist is required to exercise extensive judgment in planning and carrying out tasks, in resolving problems and conflicts, and in taking steps necessary to meet deadlines. The incumbent must possess a high level of technical expertise in the areas of HIV/AIDS prevention, care, and mitigation, and a broad and deep understanding of the social, economic and cultural determinants and implications of the epidemic in southern Africa and in Mozambique. II. Supervisory Controls The H/A Specialist is supervised by the Special Projects Coordinator, chief of the Missions Special Projects Unit (SPU).The incumbent is required frequently to interact and coordinate with members of other offices and Strategic Objective (SO) teams to implement successfully the Missions cross-sectoral HIV/AIDS strategy, and particularly with the SO team managing the Missions health programs. Technical guidance for the position is available from the USAID/Mozambique country strategic plan (CSP); from Mission program and project documentation relating to HIV/AIDS and to activities in other sectors; from USAID/Washington policies, guidance, and resources available online; and from key Government of Mozambique (GRM) documents, including the National Strategic Plan for Combating HIV/AIDS, the poverty reduction strategy (PARPA), and sectoral strategies of the government. USAIDs Automated Directives System (ADS) and Mission Orders will provide administrative and regulatory guidance related to USAID-funded assistance. III. Duties and Responsibilities As a senior member of the SPU team, the incumbent contributes to the Missions strategic planning process in the development of a new strategic objective for HIV/AIDS that is expected to be part of the Missions 2004-2010 CSP. The H/A Specialist also is responsible for completing implementation of HIV/AIDS activities under the 1996-2003 CSP, and contributing to the Missions effective transition to new activities under the 2004-2010 CSP. (20%) The H/A Specialist leads, or participates as requested in, the design of new activities. As part of these design responsibilities, the H/A Specialist takes the lead in preparing the full range of documentation related to authorization, negotiation, and implementation of these projects, including implementation letters, MAARDs, and correspondence. The incumbent also collaborates, as requested, with other SO teams as they design new activities, to ensure that all Mission programs capitalize on any opportunities their programs present for reducing HIV/AIDS impact in Mozambique. (15%) The incumbent serves as project manager for the Maputo Corridor AIDS Prevention project, including fulfilling all responsibilities for technical and financial oversight as the Cognizant Technical Officer (CTO) for contracts and grants under that project. In addition, the H/A Specialist is expected to take a lead role in managing the implementation of activities under the Zambezia AIDS Prevention and Mitigation project. The incumbent is assisted in these project management responsibilities by other SPU staff, and provides guidance and supervision to these staff as necessary to complete project management responsibilities efficiently. (50%) The H/A Specialist works with the Special Projects Coordinator, the SPU Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist, and other Mission staff to obtain and analyze data and information about HIV/AIDS and its implications for Mozambique, and contributes substantively to the Missions Annual Report. Successful performance of this responsibility depends upon establishing and maintaining productive collaborative relationships with a wide range of partners and stakeholders, in order to effectively interpret the information needed for performance measurement and results tracking. (5%) The incumbent works with other members of the Special Projects Unit to creatively assist all of the Missions SO teams in their efforts to mainstream HIV/AIDS prevention and mitigation into ongoing and planned activities in all areas of the Missions program. In addition, the H/A Specialist advises on and guides the development and implementation of HIV/AIDS-related activities for the benefit of all U.S. Mission staff in Mozambique and their families. (10%) IV. Education and Experience Required for this Position The following are required qualifications: - A masters degree in social sciences, public health, or a related development field (Note: Relevant professional experience significantly exceeding the required minimum may be considered in lieu of this degree); - At least seven years of increasingly responsible professional experience in development program management and supervision; - Good writing, computer, and interpersonal skills; - Familiarity with U.S. government procurement procedures and with documentation requirements for strategy and project design, implementation, management, and evaluation; and - Native or near-native English fluency. The following additional qualifications are highly desired: - Experience in implementing HIV/AIDS/STI prevention programs; - At least five years experience in implementing public health or related development programs in sub-Saharan Africa; - Ability to collaborate with host-country officials in program implementation; - Experience managing or implementing activities with non-governmental or community-based organizations; and - Portuguese language capability at the 2/2 level. V. Workplan and Reporting Requirements The HIV/AIDS Specialist will develop, and obtain his supervisors agreement with, an annual performance-based workplan which lays out specific work objectives. Even while exerting a high degree of independence in completing these objectives, the incumbent will immediately inform his Supervisor of problems and/or issues that arise that may affect the successful implementation of the Missions HIV/AIDS programs. The incumbents responsibilities and performance will be reviewed by the Special Projects Coordinator annually.