USAID Development Assistance Specialist (HIV/AIDS Treatment) Full-Time

INTRODUCTION

The USAID Development Assistance Specialist (HIV/AIDS Treatment) is the senior and lead CCN responsible for providing strategic technical leadership, guidance, and in-depth analysis for Mission planning, implementation, monitoring, and coordination for HIV/AIDS clinical-based care and treatment activities for adult populations. The Specialist’s primary focus is ensuring that USAID/USG clinical-based care and treatment initiation and retention goals are implemented in accordance with WHO, Government of the Republic of Mozambique (GoRM), and President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) guidelines. The Specialist is assisted with this goal by a lower-graded Specialist, under the Job Holder’s guidance.

In support of HIV/AIDS clinical-based care and treatment activities for adult populations, the Development Assistance Specialist plans, leads, and executes a range of responsibilities related to the design, implementation, coordination, and evaluation of a broad range of USAID-funded activities, with a focus on the delivery of and demand for HIV clinical care and treatment services. The Specialist is heavily involved in clinical service delivery quality improvement efforts, evaluation and research activities, technical policy development, HIV stigma reduction, and behavior change activities as they relate to adult HIV clinical care and treatment services. The Specialist plays a lead role in ensuring that best practices and evidence-based practices are implemented, measured, and disseminated nationally.

The Specialist maintains frequent contact with high-level host-country counterparts in the Ministry of Health (MOH), the National AIDS Council, with implementing partners (IPs), Global Fund partners, and local and international nongovernmental organizations in the conceptualization, implementation, coordination, and evaluation of adult HIV care and treatment programming.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Education

• Completion of a US equivalent Master’s Degree in medicine, public health, reproductive health, health care management, or in a closely related field involving HIV prevention, is required.
• A related equivalent may be substituted, provided there is a very strong clinical component in the training received.

Prior Work Experience

• The work requires a minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible, professional-level experience in HIV programming (design, implementation, and management).
• At least three (3) years must have been in a developing country context, which included clinical HIV treatment, care and retention as well as experience and/or familiarity with donor-funded health and HIV programs, or related experience, for US Government, other donor agencies, host-country organizations, or private-sector institutions which included project design, performance monitoring, and/or the analysis and interpretation of large amounts of data.

Language Proficiency

Level IV (fluent) English language proficiency, speaking and writing, as well as Level IV written and spoken Portuguese proficiency, is required. (Language proficiency will be tested).

Job Knowledge

• Comprehensive knowledge of the Mozambican public health, social, cultural, economic, and political contexts, as well as in-depth knowledge of the health system in Mozambique is required.
• The work requires close familiarity with GoRM systems for HIV treatment, HIV treatment guidelines and approaches to effectively address needs of adults, adolescents and pediatric patients well as an understanding of the overall HIV/AIDS prevention, retention, and care and treatment contexts in sub-Saharan Africa.
• The Job Holder must have in-depth professional-level knowledge of development principles, concepts, and practices, especially as they relate to the assignment and to public health, civil society, and HIV/AIDS programs in Mozambique and the region. Knowledge and understanding of the economic, political, social, and cultural characteristics of Mozambique, and the economic development problems, resources, resource constraints, and development prospects and priorities of Mozambique and the region is required.
• The Specialist must have a good knowledge, or the potential to quickly acquire a good 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.
• A good knowledge and understanding of the organization and respective roles of the different branches of the GoRM is required, in order to enhance effective communication, and to develop consensus on program/project/activity strategy and implementation plans.

Skills and Abilities

• The ability to plan, organize, manage, and evaluate program activities is required.
• Verbal 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 GoRM officials, and with public and private organizations, such as primary USAID technical contacts in the development area.
• Verbal communication skills are also used to explain and interpret host-country attitudes, priorities, and concerns to USAID officials, and to negotiate plans and resolve issues with appropriate host-country organizations, technical advisors, IPs, counterparts, and peers.
• Writing skills are required in order to prepare regular and ad hoc reports, project documentation, and briefing papers.
• Analytical ability is required 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 project programming, policies, and plans, and in developing strategies for implementation, is desired.
• The ability to work effectively in a team environment, and to achieve consensus on policy, project, and administrative matters is required. Good computer skills are required to manage activity goals and achievements, both technical and financial.