U.S. Embassy Recruitment for Project Management Specialist - Clinical Laboratory

Basic Function of the Position

• This position is for a senior Nigerian, or locally hired third-country national, medical professional to serve as the recognized resident authority and manager for USAID‘s HIV/AIDSand TB Laboratory diagnosis and monitoring activities in Nigeria.
• The position works within USAID’s Office of HIV/AIDS & TB, in the Continuum of Care Group.

Major Duties and Responsibilities
Program/Project Management - 50 %:

• The Clinical Laboratory Program Manager serves as COR/AOR or Alternate, and is responsible for the management of service delivery projects valued at more than $600 million over a five year period. The Clinical Laboratory Program Manager is responsible for timely implementation, evaluation, and monitoring of assigned aspects of the HIV/AIDS/TB Team program/project portfolio. The Clinical Laboratory Program Manager is responsible for advising the Group Lead, Team Leader and Deputy Team Leader, Mission Director, and others on local matters of importance to the PEPFAR care and treatment programs and on program/project monitoring
• activities. The Clinical Laboratory Program Manager is also responsible for providing management oversight of implementing partners (IPs) implementing laboratory programs. The work requires the Program Manager to remain current on clinical laboratory practices,
• epidemiological, political, and global trends related to public health work and to analyze those trends in relation to their impact on managed PEPFAR programs.

Additional specific responsibilities include:

• Ensures collaboration among USAID partners involved in prevention, care, and treatment programs and takes the lead in promoting the use of internationally-recognized best practices in laboratory diagnosis and monitoring for HIV and TB among USAID sponsored programs in Nigeria.
• Ensures that sustainable, appropriate, low-cost, high-quality laboratory technology is used responsibly at the wide variety of secondary and primary sites that USAID partners support.
• Provides guidance and advice about comprehensive laboratory services and their link to the support for HIV-infected persons.
• Facilitates a well coordinated laboratory/clinical interface to ensure increased uptake and prompt patient management of Viral load test results

Data Collection and Analysis - 25%:

• The Program Manager is responsible for monitoring and reporting on developments in the HIV/AIDS/TB sector, especially those that impact the ability to successfully implement HIV/AIDS/TB Team laboratory activities.
• The Program Manager monitors, analyzes, and reports on relevant aspects of host-Government policy, law, and regulation, and on HIV/AIDS/TB and development issues. Based on an in-depth understanding of USAID policy and program objectives and priorities, the Program Manager prepares technical and policy
• analyses, evaluates sectoral issues, and provides input to Mission activities outside of the HIV/AIDS/TB portfolio, but particularly with respect to the assigned sector. The Program Manager summarizes information and conclusions in written and oral form for presentation to senior USG, and other, decision makers, and for incorporation into other USAID Mission activity documents, as appropriate.
• The Program Manager organizes field trips to meet with state government counterparts, conduct monitoring visits, hosts conferences, and attends workshops to understand emerging trends.
• The Program Manager prepares written reports that reflect a sound understanding of assigned areas of responsibility, and that clearly document that a wide variety of sources and points of view have been consulted in undertaking analyses, and in drawing conclusions.
• The Program Manager prepares oral and written briefings for the Team leadership, Mission Director, Embassy staff, and others, on request.

Additional specific responsibilities include:

• Liaison with the USG Team, the GON, and donors to lead the USAID effort in rapidly increasing field of HIV/AIDS and TB laboratory diagnosis and monitoring ( including HIV testing diagnostic algorithms, CD4 and Viral Load monitoring, GeneXpert Technology s), and associated sample transport Laboratory Network programs in Nigeria
• Analyze lab equipment instrument use and provide recommendations on the more efficient use of new and existing lab technologies.
• Provide technical assistance in the development of protocols and guidelines to ensure their understanding, adaptation and use in Nigeria and specifically, by partners working with USAID, based on international best practices.
• Test kit and reagents logistics - collaborating closely with the Drugs and Logistics Manager and the ART Manager on improved use of lab logistics data in determining needs and ensuring uninterupted supplies of commodities
• Coordinate with USAID partners on efficient laboratory referral and sample transport mechanisms for HIV/AIDS and TB management.
• Evaluate laboratory information and report results in relation to optimizing PLHIV enrolled in treatment and monitored for viral suppression, early infant diagnosis, TB diagnosis among other lab services.

Performance Monitoring-25%:

• The Clinical Laboratory Program Manager works in cooperation with the Strategic Information Technical Work Group to ensure that performance-monitoring systems are in place for all Laboratory Technical Work Group activities and that reliable indicators of portfolio impact are established and measured. Collects and monitors performance data on an ongoing basis, and prepares reports of program/project progress for use within the Work Group, the Team, the Mission, the Region, and for USAID/Washington. Assesses progress in achieving outputs and results for the Laboratory Work Group activities, and evaluates and assesses activities as needed.
• Continually strives to enhance the achievement of results by periodically reviewing the development context, results indicators, and activity implementation progress, identifying problem areas, and suggesting solutions.

Additional specific responsibilities include:

• Participate in Quality Assurance and Quality Control of the Laboratory activities for the
• HIV/AIDS and TB portfolio.
• Review laboratory quality measures captured in the Site Improvement Monitoring
• System (SIMS) and track remediation of problems by implementing partners.
• Convene regular Lab meetings with IPs and GON to review program implementation and inform standardization procedures.

Physical Demands:

• The work requested does not involve undue physical demands.

Minimum Qualifications Required for the Position

• Education: A Minimum of Bachelor’s degree in Medicine (MD, MBBS) or Medical Laboratory Science (BMLS) is required.

Prior Work Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years of experience in laboratory fields related to HIV/AIDs and TB with in-depth knowledge of diagnostic aspects of HIV and TB, in particular knowledge of Best Practices for diagnosis and monitoring of HIV+ patients on ART, including diagnosis of opportunistic infection.
• Demonstrable experience with CD4, Viral load testing and GeneXpert technology. Working level experience in diagnosing HIV and TB and related opportunistic infections in resource poor settings at a health facility is required.

Post Entry Training:

• Familiarization training in USAID-specific procedures, regulations, and methods will be provided. Orientation to working from a donor-Agency perspective, etc., will be provided. Formal COR/AOR certification courses, training to maintain professional capability in the field, and other courses offered for professional USAID staff, will be provided as appropriate; and, courses, seminars, conferences, and other activities in fields related to the function, and needed to maintain and update professional qualifications, will be provided as they become available, subject to availability of funds.

Language Proficiency:

• Level IV (fluent) English language proficiency, verbal and written is required.

Job Knowledge:

• In depth knowledge of diagnostic aspects of HIV and TB, in particular knowledge of best practices for diagnosis and monitoring patients for HIV/AIDS and TB. Knowledge of the deployment of technology, sample transport systems as well as quality assurance and improvement (QA/QI) in the lab setting are required. Knowledge of the clinical management of HIV/AIDS and TB is required.

Skills and Abilities:

• Incumbent must have strong interpersonal skills, including ability to work effectively in a team and with mid and senior level public and private sector officials such as NGOs, GoN, IPs and other donors. Incumbent must demonstrate: that they are able to develop effective project manager relationships with IPs; excellent organizational skills and the ability to multi-task and stay organized in a complex, frequently changing environment is a requirement; advanced analytical skills and problem solving, as well as the ability to effectively manage stress and conflict is required.
• Experience in managing and supervising professional project management staff within a culturally diverse/international setting is desirable. Incumbent expected to have the following minimum computer skills requirements: 1 ) Fully functional in Windows, MS Excel, word processing, Power Point, and spreadsheet software is required; 2) Fully functional in using the internet to solve problems and research information, such as regulatory guidance.

Evaluatiion and Selection Factors
Applications will be required to have the minimum qualifications expressed in Section II.

Qualified applicants possessing skills above the minimum requirements will be assessed based on the following factors:

• Education (10 points)
• Work Experience (20 points)
• Knowledge (30 points)
• Language Proficiency (10 points)
• Skills and abilities (30 points).

Market Value

• N11,581,095.00 equivalent to FSN-11 In accordance with AIDAR Appendix J and the Local Compensation Plan of
• United States Mission, Nigeria (Effective September 04, 2016). Final compensation will be negotiated within the listed market value.

List of Required Forms for PSC Hires
Once the CO) informs the successful Offer or about being selected for a contract award, the CO will provide the successful Offer or instructions about how to complete and submit the following forms:

• Medical History and Examination Form (Department of State Forms)
• RSO Security Questionnaire
• BI Guide Questionnaire
• THOR Enrollment Intake Form

Benefits/Allowances
As a matter of policy, and as appropriate, a PSC is normally authorized the following benefits and allowances:

Benefits:

• Health Insurance
• Annual Salary Increase (if applicable)
• Annual and Sick leave
• Annual Bonus

Allowances (as applicable):

• Transportation Allowance
• Meal Allowance
• Miscellaneous Allowance
• Housing Allowance

Taxes:

• The Mission emphasize to its employees of the fact that they are obliged to observe Nigerian Laws, including those concerning income and related tax obligations. Payment of such taxes is a matter between the individual employee and the Nigerian Government. In the absence of a specific international agreement, the U.S. Government will not withhold local taxes from an employee’s salary.

Application Closing Date
30th May, 2017.

• Application for US Federal Employment (DS - 174); or a current resume or curriculum vitae that provides the same information as a DS - 174;
• Any additional documentation that supports or addresses the requirements listed above (e.g.transcripts, degrees, NYSC certificate/exemption etc.)
• A type - written and signed application letter specifically applying for this position, and addressing the minimum requirements as advertised.  Please reference the job title and announcement number on the application letter.
• Limit all electronic (e - mail) submissions to one entry/e - mail not larger than 5MB.  Please submit attachments in PDF and Word formats, not pictures.
• E - mails received without the appropriate subject line and incomplete applications will not be considered.
• Offers must be received by the closing date and time specified in Section I, item 3, and submitted to the Point of Contact in Section I, item 11.
• To ensure consideration of offers for the intended position, Offerors must prominently reference the Solicitation number in the offer submission.

Note:

• Per this scoring rubric, Work Experience, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities are the most important factors.
• Applications will initially be screened for conformity with minimum requirements and a short list of applicants developed. USAID reserves the right to interview only the highest ranked applicants in person or by phone OR not to interview any candidate.
• After the closing date for receipt of applications, a committee will be convened to review applications and evaluate them in accordance with the evaluation criteria. Applications from candidates which do not meet the required selection criteria will not be scored.
• Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.
• No response will be sent to unsuccessful applicants. As part of the selection process, finalist candidates may be interviewed either in person or by telephone at USAID’s discretion.
• Reference checks will be made only for applicants
• considered as finalists. If an applicant does not wish USAID to contact a current employer for a reference check, this should be stated in the applicant’s cover letter, and USAID will delay such reference check pending communication with the applicant.
• Only finalists will be Contacted by USAID with respect to their applications