Development Assistance Specialist - Budget

Closing Date of The Position: April 25, 2016

Vacancy Announcement Number: 16/064

WORK HOURS: Full-time; 40 hours/week

Ordinarily Resident (OR): FSN- 10 (Step 1- TZS 49,443,118 through Step 13- TZS74,164,666 per annum)

Not-Ordinarily Resident (NOR): FP- 5 (steps 5 through 14)*
*Final grade/step for NORs will be determined by Washington

ALL ORDINARILY RESIDENT (OR) APPLICANTS (See Appendix A for definition) MUST HAVE THE REQUIRED WORK AND/OR RESIDENCY PERMITS TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR CONSIDERATION

The US Mission in Dar es Salaam is seeking eligible and qualified applicants for the position of Development Assistance Specialist - Budget at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). 

BASIC FUNCTION OF POSITION 

The Development Assistance Specialist (Budget) is responsible for maintaining operational oversight and control of all budget planning and implementation within the Health Office. The Development Assistance Specialist (Budget) is responsible for the oversight of budget related activities at the office and activity level, including accruals reporting, incremental funding and other procurement actions, Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), President Malaria Initiative (PMI), and other health activities data entry related to planning, implementing and reporting processes; and quality assurance of data received from Agreement Officer’s Representatives/Contracting Officer’s Representatives (AORs/CORs) and partners. The Development Assistance Specialist (Budget) manages funds allocation in accordance with budget databases; developing and maintaining budget tracking instruments that allow for the sound monitoring of budget changes including reprogramming and plus-ups; developing and maintaining automated tools to track funding obligations to partners; interpreting and managing guidance on annual planning and reporting and advising Health Office staff on implementation.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Health Office Program Budget and Finance
35%

1. Provides operational program planning and programmatic support to the Health Office in overall portfolio and project implementation, leading program budgeting, monitoring and accounting of more than $285 million per year.
2. Acts as principal budget and financial advisor to the Health Office, including the Office Director, Deputy Office Director, Program & Operations Officer, and Team and Unit Leads, as well as all Agreement Officer Representatives (AORs) and Contracting Officer Representatives (CORs) on financial management, budgeting, and related program planning, implementation, monitoring, reporting, and procurement. Advises the Health Office on USAID programming, implementation, financial management, and procurement procedures and is responsible for understanding and interpreting guidance, policies and procedures related to operational planning, presidential initiatives, and earmarks, and applying this knowledge to budget analysis and budget and financial management.
3. Crafts overall Health Office portfolio five-year planning budget, each fiscal year overall budget, budgets for new projects and activities and modifications, and addresses any office budget needs. Maintains real-time budget status report. Monitors implementation of budget and suggests adjustments as needed.
4. Creates complicated budget analyses of multi-year, multi-funding sources/earmarks and makes recommendations to improve financial efficiencies.
5. Supervises and maintains the Health Office financial and programmatic management database, and internal tools to track funding obligations, disbursements and pipeline by partners throughout the life-of-project. Tracks annual budget allowances for Health Office bilateral and field support obligations, including Family Planning, Maternal and Child Health, HIV/AIDS, Malaria, and TB.
6. Tracks pipelines, updates the Health Office on pipeline status, and identifies issues related to pipeline.
7. Leads financial performance reviews and budget allocation exercises as part of the Operational Plan (OP) and HIV Country Operational Plan (COP), COP reprogramming, semi-annual and annual results reports, Mission financial reviews and portfolio reviews, and oversees Health Office contributions to financial reporting. Identifies and recommends solutions to financial/budget issues that arise during data cleaning, Malaria Operational Plan (MOP), OP, COP, Semi-Annual Program Results (SAPR) and Program Results (APR), Performance Plan and Report (PPR), quarterly financial reviews, and portfolio review processes.
8. Leads the annual PEPFAR Expenditure Analysis exercise. Serves as the Health Office lead on ensuring accurate partner reporting and AOR/COR review, and utilizing the Expenditure Analysis result to prepare budgets.
9. Oversees and validates financial data entry from partner organizations into report databases, in coordination with data review and analysis by AORs/CORs.
10. Works with Health Office and U.S. Government staff, as well as Government of Tanzania counterparts to report on USAID’s Health expenditures and projected budget. Oversees the Health Office’s contributions to the Mission’s reporting to the Ministry of Finance.
11. Creates annual field support tables and ad hoc field support actions to ensure funds are correctly allocated.
12. Updates the Procurement Plan on an ongoing basis by working with activity managers, unit and team leads, and the Director, as well as with the Program Office, Finance, and the Contracts Offices.
13. Prepares charts, graphs, and briefing materials concerning USAID/Tanzania and interagency HIV/AIDS programs based on the OP, MOP and COP, annual and semi-annual reports, and other financial and budgetary data.

2. Health Office Activity-Level Budget and Finance and Support to AOR/CORs 
35%

1. Crafts budgets for new activities and modifications and prepares reports to address activity budgetary needs.
2. Monitors implementing partners’ financial performance and results, and verifies that they conform to the technical requirements and standards agreed to in the terms and conditions of the agreement. This may include contributing to the approval of work plans and monitoring and evaluation plans.
3. Trains Health Office staff and implementing partners on accruals, pipelines and other reporting required by the Mission to improve understanding of Mission’s complex financial and reporting mechanisms.
4. Prepares the Health Office summary of quarterly pipeline analysis, with analysis, sound justification, advice, and recommendations at the portfolio and activity level. Proposes sound approaches and recommends solutions to identified issues.
5. Monitors disbursement of funds, unused funds, un-sub-committed, and un-sub-obligated funds. Supervises the de-sub-obligation and de-sub-commitment of unused funds for reprogramming.
6. Leads monitoring budget data, e.g. Congressional earmarks, commitments and expenditures, on grants, cooperative agreements and contracts on a routine basis.
7. Ensures that advance requests, liquidations, and payment requests from implementing partners are prepared and managed appropriately and in accordance with the Financial Management Integrity Act.
8. Oversees up to three Program and Financial Management Specialists (PFMS) on activity-level finance, including quarterly accruals and pipeline status reports. Ensures accruals are in line with policy and leads analysis of reports.
9. Works with AORs/CORs and partners to prepares and revise budgets for GLAAS actions; and oversees the preparation of requisition forms for Health Office management and staffing actions.
10. Provides financial data to the Program Office, Financial Management Office, and Front Office for Annual Budget Submissions, Operating Year Budgets (OYBs), the Mission’s Cost of Operations Budget (COB), Quarterly Financial Reviews, and Portfolio Reviews. Identifies existing and potential problem areas and implements solutions.
11. Represents the Health Office in activity-level financial reviews with OFM’s financial analysts and follows up on documented findings and recommendations with CORs, AORs and partners to ensure implementation.
12. Ensures that all funding actions comply with the Agency’s forward funding guidelines.

3. Health Office Procurement Support
30%

1. Leads the office in financial planning for both new and on-going activities.
2. Prepares and assists office members to prepare independent government cost estimates (IGCEs) and budgets for procurement documents such as Requests for Applications (RFAs), Requests for Proposals (RFPs), Requests for Quotes (RFQs), purchase orders, MAARDs and GLAAS requests.
3. Participates in the evaluation of applications and proposals, including cost evaluation.
4. Supervises PFMS to ensure MAARD/GLAAS requests include accurate budget codes, funds availability certification, illustrative budgets, pipeline analyses, and statements of work attached.
5. Supervises PFMS to ensure USAID clearance of financial documents; tracks follow-up actions to ensure that contracts, cooperative agreements (CAs) and modifications are received and recorded as commitments, and documented and distributed appropriately.
6. Acts as Program Manager (PM) for Global Acquisition and Assistance System (GLAAS) actions, including overseeing the preparation GLAAS packages and development of activity budgets and waivers, as necessary.
7. Serves as the Health Office’s GLAAS Subject Matter Expert (SME).
8. Advises Health Office staff on the preparation of Modified Acquisition and Assistance Request Documents (MAARDs), Purchase Order requests, and other documentation for the procurement of services and commodities.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED

All applicants must address each required qualification listed below with specific and comprehensive information supporting each item. Failure to do so may result in a determination that the applicant is not qualified.

1. Education: 
   A completion of a four year Bachelor Degree in one of the following fields: Business Management, Marketing, Accounting, Supply Management or any other purchasing and procurement related field is required.
2. Experience: 
   Four years of progressively responsible experience in procurement is required. At least one year experience in procurement with a US Government (USG) or International organization is required.
3. Language:
   Level IV (fluent) in English and Kiswahili (writing, reading and speaking) is required. (This will be tested)
4. Skills and Abilities: 
   The incumbent must demonstrate excellent negotiating skills and ability to inspire confidence. The incumbent must demonstrate excellent tact and diplomacy skills, interpersonal skills, and maintain effective working relationship inside and outside the USAID/Tanzania Mission and the State Department. The incumbent must demonstrate a high level of accuracy, attention to details, punctuality, excellent multitasking skills, time management and excellent ability to operate under pressure. The incumbent must demonstrate excellent analytical skills needed to analyze options, select best practices and perform tasks. The incumbent must be able to track budget expenses, conduct market surveys, and demonstrate knowledge about manufacturing methods and procedures. The incumbent must maintain good working relationships with various vendors; have excellent customer service standards and operative in a high functioning team. The incumbent must demonstrate a high level of professionalism in attitude and appearance as s/he will represent the United States Government when dealing and meeting with vendors and service providers. The incumbent must have demonstrated excellent time management skills to ensure total work objectives for section are attained. The incumbent must demonstrate proficiency in the entire MS Office application suite (Work, Excel, Access, Outlook and PowerPoint) is required. (This will be tested).
5. Job Knowledge: 
   The incumbent must have comprehensive knowledge of procurement regulations including simplified acquisition and the commercial act, procedures, instructions and forms, GSA catalogues, U.S. Federal Specifications & Standards, and contracting procedures and practices. Shipping instructions and procedures are required. The incumbent must possess excellent knowledge of the local market practices together with the capability and reliability of local suppliers. The incumbent must understand local pricing customs and practices are required

SELECTION PROCESS: Wen qualified, applicants who are U.S. Citizen Eligible family Members (USEFMs) and/or preference-eligible U.S. Veterans are given a preference in hiring. Therefore, it is essential that these applicants make themselves known as having a hiring preference and specially address the required applications above in their application.

HIRING PREFERENCE ORDER: 
1. USEFM who is ALSO a preference-eligible U.S. Veteran
2. USEFM OR a preference-eligible U.S. Veteran
3. FS on LWOP

ADDITIONAL SELECTION CRITERIA:

1. Management will consider when determining successful candidacy: nepotism, conflicts of interest, budget, and residency status.
2. Current OR employees serving a probationary period are not eligible to apply. Current OR employees with an Overall Summary rating of Needs Improvement or Unsatisfactory on their most recent Employee Performance report (EPR) are not eligible to apply.
3. Current NOR employees hired on a Family Member Employment (FMA) or a Personal Service Agreement (PSA) are not eligible to apply within the first 90 calendar days of their employment, unless they have a When Actually Employed (WAE) work schedule.

HOW TO APPLY: applicants must submit the following documents to be considered:

1. Universal Application for Employment (UAE)(Form Ds-174), which is available on our website or by contacting Human resources, (see “For Further Information” above); and
2. Any additional documentation that supports or addresses the requirements listed above (e.g. transcripts, degrees, etc.)
3. Copy of Passport, or, National ID, Resident/Work Permit.

IMPORTANT: Applicants claiming a U.S. Veteran’s preference must submit written documentation confirming eligibility (e.g., Member Copy 4 of Form DD-214, Letter from the Veteran’s Administration, or certification documenting eligibility under the VOW Act with an expected discharge no later than 120 days after the certification is submitted) by the closing date of the vacancy announcement. If the written documentation confirming eligibility is not received in the HR office by the closing date of the vacancy announcement, the U.S. Veteran’s preference will not be considered in the application process. Specific criteria for receiving a U.S. Veteran’s preference may be found in HR/OE’s Family Member Employment Policy (FMEP).

WHERE TO APPLY: 

American Embassy
Human Resources Office
P.O. Box 9123
Dar es Salaam