Associate / Grants Advisor Full-Time

The International Development Division focuses on improving the lives and economic well-being of people in lower and middle-income countries. We command technical expertise in health, agriculture, climate change, food security and governance—as well as in international evaluation. Our multi-layered health portfolio includes policy, health promotion and disease prevention, health finance, and health systems management. In partnership with government clients and local experts, our high-quality programs in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East are known for impact and innovation.

Opportunity

The five-year, $210-$250M USAID Mozambique ECHO proposal will aim to support the Government of Mozambique’s (GRM) achievement of HIV/AIDS epidemic control and establishing a sustainable, government-led HIV response by 2023 in provinces where USAID is the primary clinical support partner. The project is estimated to be awarded and start on or around February 2019.

ECHO Objectives:

1. Strengthen public health services necessary for HIV epidemic control at the national, provincial and district level;
2. Reach 95% HIV treatment coverage in designated geographic regions in Mozambique (Sofala, Zambezia, Tete, Niassa, and Manica provinces);
3. Reach at least 95% viral suppression among people receiving antiretroviral therapy and maintain this level of suppression during the life of the activity in designated geographic regions in Mozambique;
4. Ensure Mozambique is utilizing the latest evidence for rapid scale up and maintenance of effective HIV interventions; ECHO will routinely review global experience and annually adjust, adopt, and implement priority interventions; and
5. Generate evidence and provide the GRM with data, measured findings, and recommendations necessary to make key service delivery decisions supporting the achievement of Mozambique’s annual targets for epidemic control.

ECHO will support grants under contract (GUC) to government and non-government bodies in Mozambique at the provincial, district and facility levels. The objective of the GUC is to help prepare national actors – both governmental and non-government, to effectively manage the government-led HIV response by 2023. ECHO grants must show a measurable, progressive reinforcement of the capacity of local government and non-government organizations (NGOs) and communities to respond to the national HIV epidemic, as well as progress towards the sustainability of the activities. ECHO will allocate the entirety of its community-based care and support program activities to local non-governmental organizations, including community–based organizations. Approximately 20-25% of the overall budget of ECHO must be allocated for grants under contracts to local government and non-governmental organizations.

Position Description

The Grants Advisor will be based in Beira for the first year of the project and will oversee the project’s grant portfolio and strategy in the first year including the development of the grants manual, selection criteria, and establishment of the grants award, compliance, and monitoring system. S/he will work with the DCOP of Management and Operations and the Grants Director to design a grants template for community-based organizations (CBOs), and Ministry of Health (MOH) authorities at the provincial, district, and health facility-levels in compliance with USAID and Abt rules and regulations.  The Grants Advisor will establish a risk management system with clear protocols and associated project staff responsibilities to ensure strict compliance. S/he will supervise and build the capacity of the Grants Director, who will take over the overall management of the grants component upon the end of the Grants Advisors’ term.

The position term is for one year, and is contingent upon USAID approval and award to Abt.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in public health, international development, financial management and accounting, business, or related field; Master’s preferred
• 7-10 years of experience supporting grants for donor-funded programs; experience managing grants under contracts (GUC) required;
• Prior experience developing a grants manual and supporting GUC during start-up required;
• Expertise in USAID grants compliance required;
• Demonstrated experience working with CBOs from grantee award to monitoring grantee performance;
• Demonstrated experience managing and training field staff in grants administration and management;
• Experience supporting grants for HIV/AIDS programs highly preferred;
• English proficiency required; Portuguese proficiency highly preferred;
• Prior experience working in a similar development context as Mozambique required (short, mid, or long-term assignments); experience working in Southern Africa or Mozambique highly preferred.

Abt Associates is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer commited to fostering a diverse workforce.  Abt Associates provides market-competitive salaries and comprehensive employee benefits.