US EMBASSY TANZANIA JOBS - PMTCT Program Officer

OPEN TO: All Interested Candidates/ All sources

POSITION: PMTCT Program Officer

OPENING DATE: May 24, 2017

CLOSING DATE: June 2, 2017

WORK HOURS: Full-time; 40 hours/week

SALARY: Ordinarily Resident (OR):  FSN- 10; (Step 1- TZS 51,002,394 through Step 13- 76,503,594 per annum)

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

The “Open To” category listed above refers to candidates who are eligible to apply for this position.  The “Open To” category should not be confused with a “hiring preference” which is explained later in this vacancy announcement.

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 PMTCT Program Officer at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

BASIC FUNCTION OF POSITIONThe Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) Program Officer works under the supervision of the Care and Treatment Team Lead to provide technical assistance and oversight to Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MOHSW), the National AIDS Control Program (NACP), Zanzibar AIDS Control Program (ZACP), and NGOs in the implementation and expansion of PMTCT activities in Tanzania.  The incumbent serves as the primary CDC contact for implementing partners for all issues related to CDC-supported PMTCT program activities.  Serves as the Project Officer for PMTCT components of three CDC-supported cooperative agreements in Tanzania.  Serves as a primary contributor to the planning, development, and review of the PMTCT components of the annual Country Operational Plan (COP) for Tanzania.  Monitors and evaluates progress of projects, identifying technical, personnel, logistical, and financial problems and makes or recommends revisions as necessary to overcome obstacles and constraints to progress.  Identifies training needs and participates in the development and implementation of training courses for partner organizations.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Planning and Coordination
25%1. Job holder serves as a primary advisor in the planning and development of PMTCT program activities included in the annual COP for Tanzania. In collaboration with other USG partners, compiles and edits program activities for the COP. Participates in reviews of the plan and recommends revisions as needed.  Drafts technical requirements for program announcements for cooperative agreements supporting PMTCT program activities.  Reviews cooperative agreement applications from partner agencies for technical soundness and appropriateness of budget requests.   Participates with partners in the development of work plans for implementation of activities following cooperative agreement awards.

2. Job holder represents CDC Tanzania for PMTCT issues at technical, policy and strategic planning meetings with collaborators. Acts as an expert national resource on matters pertaining to prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV infection.

3. Incumbent serves as a member and advisor on the USG technical working group for coordination of PMTCT activities on a national level. The working group assesses program needs and issues at the local level and communicates these needs/issues to the national level and ensures consistency in the implementation of best practices for prevention of HIV infection in mothers and infants on a national level and recommends revisions to policies and guidelines.

Technical Assistance and Oversight
45%1. Provides technical assistance and oversight to the MOHSW, ZACP and other partners in the implementation of PMTCT activities, including counselling and testing of mothers, prophylaxis for the mother during pregnancy and labor, prophylaxis of exposed infants, breast-feeding counselling for mothers, referral for disease staging and treatment as appropriate, and follow-up of children through the MCH program. Ensures that supported activities at multiple delivery sites conform to national standards, guidelines, and CDC technical strategies. Identifies and corrects problems, barriers, and issues impeding the effective implementation of PMTCT program activities.  Serves as an expert technical resource in the specialized programmatic area to government, NGO, and other collaborating partners.

2. Develops and maintains effective liaisons with program officer staff in implementing partner organizations to ensure that timelines and quality standards for implementation of program activities are met. Identifies staff training needs in implementing partner organizations and facilitates and participates in the planning and development of training programs, teaching modules, manuals, and educational materials to address identified needs.  Builds staff capacity through mentoring.  Keeps up to date with scientific developments, innovations, best practices and new approaches in area of expertise.

3. Participates in the design and development of program guidelines and activities, including protocols for PMTCT activities, strategies for expanding and improving the quality of PMTCT services and strategies for expanding the coverage and acceptance of USG-supported PMTCT services. Provides expert advice and technical assistance to MOHSW and other in-country partners in the development of policy, guidelines and protocols for PMTCT projects.

4. Conducts site visits to provide technical assistance and oversight to partners in program implementation. Ensures adherence to established work plans and CDC and PEPFAR guidelines, policies and priorities.

Monitoring and Evaluation
30%1. Provides technical assistance to the MOHSW and other partners in the design and implementation of tools, reporting instruments, and systems to effectively monitor and evaluate PMTCT program activities. Serves as a programmatic resource in the design and development of information systems and databases to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of PMTCT programs.

2. Maintains effective liaisons with program officer partner staff to ensure that partners meet monitoring requirements for supported cooperative agreement activities (e.g., quarterly reports, continuation applications, and supplemental applications). Reviews cooperative agreement narrative and financial reports to assess progress in meeting stated objectives and the status of expenditures in relation to planned budgets.

3. Conducts site visits to assess progress of partner organizations in meeting program objectives. Analyzes and evaluates program activities and writes reports on findings for presentation at national and international conferences and meetings.  Provides guidance and technical assistance to partners in analyzing and evaluating program activities and developing reports and presentations for conferences and meetings.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIREDAll 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:Medical degree and one-year internship leading to registration as a physician is required.
2. Experience:A minimum of three years of working experience in HIV or maternal and child health program activities (Planning, developing, implementing and evaluating HIV/AIDS or maternal and child health programs) is required.
3. Language:Level IV (fluent) speaking and written communication in English and Kiswahili is required. (This will be tested)
4. Knowledge:A broad and in-depth knowledge of the etiology of HIV infection,    including HIV prevention in mothers and infant children and counseling and testing for HIV infection is required.
5. Skills and AbilitiesExcellent writing skills and computer skills is required.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: The complete position description listing all of the duties and responsibilities can be obtained on our website and/or by contacting the Human Resources Office DarRecruitment@state.gov.

HIRING PREFERENCE SELECTION PROCESS:  Applicants in the following hiring preference categories are extended a hiring preference in the order listed below.  Therefore, it is essential that these applicants accurately describe their status on the application. Failure to do so may result in a determination that the applicant is not eligible for a hiring preference.

HIRING PREFERENCE ORDER: 

1. AEFM / USEFM who is a preference-eligible U.S. Veteran*
2. AEFM / USEFM
3. FS on LWOP**

* IMPORTANT:  Applicants who claim status as a preference-eligible U.S. Veteran must submit a copy of the most recent Member Copy Four (4) of the DD-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, and, if applicable, a letter from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.  If claiming conditional eligibility for U.S. Veterans’ preference, applicants must submit proof of conditional eligibility.  If the written documentation confirming eligibility is not received in the HR office by the closing date of the vacancy announcement, the U.S. Veterans’ preference will not be considered in the application process.  Mission HR’s decision on eligibility for U.S. Veterans’ preference after reviewing all required documentation is final.

** This level of preference applies to all Foreign Service employees 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:Please ensure documents are in Microsoft Word, JPEG, TIFF and/or Adobe Acrobat PDF format.

SkyDrive or Cloud files will NOT be accepted and your application will be determined invalid.

Applicants must submit the following documents to be considered.  Failure to do so may result in a determination that the applicant is not qualified.

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);
2. Any additional documentation that supports or addresses the requirements listed above (e.g. resume, transcripts, degrees, etc.)
3. Copy of Degree.
4. For Tanzanian Nationals: Copy of Passport, or National ID, or Voter ID
5. For Other Nationals: please attach current Resident/Work Permit and copy of valid Passport.

WHERE TO APPLY:  Effective immediately only online applications will be accepted via DarRecruitment@state.gov

Applicants MUST follow instructions in the notice on the website.When sending an online application, please indicate the position title in the subject line.Failure to do so will result in an incomplete application.