SOLICITATION_SOW- 72036720R00007-US_TCNPSC Senior HIV Advisor- USAID_Nepal.docx

SOLICITATION NUMBER

72036720R00007

POSITION DESCRIPTION: SENIOR HIV ADVISOR

1. Introduction and Background

USAID/Nepal requires the services of a Senior HIV Advisor (Advisor) hired through a Personal Services Contract. The Advisor position is a new position which the Global AIDS Coordinator, Ambassador Birx, approved when Nepal became a PEPFAR country in 2018. At the same time, Nepal’s HIV funding was increased from under $3 million per year to about $10 million per year. The only staff currently working on HIV is the HIV, Family Planning, and Social Marketing Team Leader, an FSN 12 position, which devotes about 1/3 of their time to HIV. Along with the increased funding, Nepal was recently identified by the Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator as an “Accelerate and Achieve” country in the Asia region, with the goal of attaining HIV epidemic control imminently.

The Advisor will be a member of the HIV, Family Planning, and Social Marketing Team within the Health Office. This position’s primary responsibility is to manage the USG engagement in the HIV sector. The Advisor will coordinate with other USAID/Nepal Offices, development partners, the Government of Nepal (GON), and civil society, and serve as a liaison with the Global Fund to advance the GON’s, USG’s, Global Fund’s, and other stakeholders’ shared plan to achieve epidemic control. S/he will contribute to the design of all new HIV programs, and the adjustment of current programs to accelerate to achieve epidemic control. S/he will coordinate data quality reviews, management, and evaluation of all USAID/PEPFAR HIV investments. S/he will advise USAID senior management on all HIV strategy and operations, and will incorporate evidence-informed programming, maximizing impact by coordinating across sectors, and leveraging investments of other development partners and all levels of the GON. The Advisor will provide expert technical advice on HIV technical questions. The Advisor is expected to provide leadership and represent the USG to shape the national HIV response leading to the attainment of epidemic control and beyond.

A. MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Advisor will provide technical guidance and advice to USAID; support program management including PEPFAR administrative requirements, M&E & partner management; and represent USAID within the sector, including coordination with donors and GON, etc.

Provide expert programmatic and public health advice and guidance on HIV prevention, treatment, control, and support programs. (50%)

· Provide expert technical guidance and advice to the USG in Nepal.

· Provide expert technical guidance and advice to relevant stakeholders outside the US Embassy, including the government of Nepal, other donors, civil society, and others. Engage in the national dialogue on HIV, moving the national response forward technically and programmatically.

· Identify target sites/or districts/provinces for future USAID support based on data analysis; research; and political, donor, and USAID programming landscape analysis.

· Work with development partners and the GON to target and align PEPFAR programs with epidemiological and program data and areas of unmet need for HIV services.

· Develop scale-up plans for accelerating achievement of epidemic control, including case finding, ART enrollment and retention, and viral load testing.

· Provide technical guidance and advice on the design of new HIV activities to ensure their relevance to epidemic control and sustainable financing.

· Strengthen HIV donor coordination and technical collaboration to achieve the greatest synergies with available resources. Strengthen coordination and collaboration among USAID’s PEPFAR IPs, the GON, and other donors, including the GF. USAID is the only USG Agency with HIV programming in Nepal.

Provide programmatic and administrative oversight of HIV activities (50%)

· Identify and work to scale-up the capacity of local implementing partners and lead the development of a local partners’ strategy.

· Working with USAID M&E staff, lead USAID/PEPFAR’s data quality assurance.

· Work with the GON on setting annual targets and ensure that IPs successfully communicate performance against targets, key challenges and suggestions to overcome obstacles.

· Design and regularly update USAID’s HIV data presentations as new information becomes available.

· Provide advice and guidance on the on-going monitoring, evaluation, and partner management for all HIV activities, ensuring that adjustments are made to increase effectiveness and address problems promptly as needed.

· Facilitate engagement and information sharing among technical staff at USAID.

B. MINIMUM REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND SELECTION CRITERIA

In order to be considered those qualifications marked "Required" must be met. Candidates will be evaluated and ranked based on the following selection criteria:

a. EDUCATION (10 POINTS): An advanced degree public health, epidemiology, medicine, or another relevant field is required.

b. EXPERIENCE (45 POINTS):

· At least seven years of senior-level experience in the field of HIV/AIDS public health programming is required.

· Prior work experience working within PEPFAR is required, preferably recently. Work within a concentrated KP epidemic PEPFAR program is preferred. Work within USAID is preferred.

· Experience working in an interdisciplinary and/or multi-cultural team environment is preferred.

c. LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY (5 POINTS):

· Level IV (fluent) in English both in writing and speaking required.

d. KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES (20 POINTS):

· Extensive knowledge/mastery of public health principles, concepts, method and techniques including HIV and health systems strengthening is required.

· Knowledge of PEPFAR monitoring and evaluation process and associated data systems is required.

· Knowledge on health research methodologies is preferred.

· Advanced knowledge of program/project management, design, and planning processes is preferred.

· Advanced knowledge of USAID design, procurement, and implementation procedures preferred.

e. SKILLS (20 POINTS):

· Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with counterparts from USAID; USAID implementing partners; Government of Nepal, multi-lateral organizations (eg Global Fund), and non-governmental organizations required.

· High quality analytical skills and the ability to assess ongoing public health interventions to evaluate their efficacy and efficiency is required.

· Ability to communicate, influence and convince verbally and in writing required.

· Excellent interpersonal skills and an ability to work in a team environment required.

Maximum Points Available: 100

C. SUPERVISION RECEIVED: The incumbent will be supervised by the HIV/AIDS, Family Planning, and Social Marketing Team Leader.

D. AVAILABLE GUIDELINES: Annual PEPFAR Regional Operational Plan guidance, the USAID Automated Directives System, Department of State Standardized Regulations, Foreign Affairs Manuals, USAID Inspector General Audit Guidance, Agency Policy Determinations, Foreign Assistance Act, Government Auditing Standards, Comptroller General, U.S. Government handbooks, guidelines, regulations and laws, OMB Circulars, Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, Guidelines for Financial Audits, and Mission Orders.

E. EXERCISE OF JUDGEMENT: Exercises a high degree of independent judgment. Heavy reliance is placed on the independent judgment of the incumbent in analyzing, evaluating and formulating conclusions and recommendations for all HIV matters related to USAID/Nepal.

F. NATURE, LEVEL AND PURPOSE OF CONTACTS: Frequent and direct contact with senior management of USAID/Nepal, as well as senior level contacts of the interagency team. Contact with implementing partners, donors, Government of Nepal, USAID's Program Area/Technical Teams, mostly regarding HIV issues, will be at the highest levels.

G. MEDICAL AND SECURITY CLEARANCE: The selected applicants must be able to obtain and maintain a medical clearance and a Facility Access security clearance.

PERIOD OF SERVICE

Initial two (2) years from o/a September 2020 through o/a September 2022, with the possibility of extension, based on performance, continuing need for the position and availability of funding.

As a matter of policy and as appropriate, a USPSC is normally authorized the following benefits and allowances: If applicable

1. Benefits

a. Employee’s FICA Contribution

b. Contribution toward Health & Life Insurance

c. Pay Comparability Adjustment

d. Eligibility for Worker’s Compensation

e. Annual & Sick Leave

f. Access to Embassy medical facilities, commissary and pouch mail service

2. Allowances (as applicable)

a. Temporary Lodging Allowance (Section 120)

b. Living Quarters Allowance (Section 130)

c. Post Allowance (Section 220)

d. Supplemental Post Allowance (Section 230)

e. Post Differential (Chapter 500)

f. Payments during Evacuation Authorized Departure (Section 600)

g. Danger Pay (Section 650)

h. Educational Allowance (Section 270)

i. Separate Maintenance Allowance (Section 260)

j. Educational Travel (Section 280) USPSCs are not exempt from payment of Federal Income Tax.

Application Submission Instructions:

Send your application by e-mail to: usaidnepalhr@usaid.gov

The application must include following:

1. Resume

2. Form AID 309-2

3. Names and contact details for three references.

4. A brief narrative demonstrating how education, experience, and skills address the requirements listed in the solicitation

Hard copies may be sent to the following address:

Executive Officer USAID/Nepal U.S. Embassy G.P.O. Box 295 Maharajgunj Kathmandu, Nepal

U.S. Agency for International Development G.P.O. Box 295 U.S. Embassy, Maharajgunj

KATHMANDU, NEPAL

Tel: 977-1-4007200 Fax: 977-1-4007285 http://nepal.usaid.gov

U.S. Agency for International Development G.P.O. Box 295 U.S. Embassy, Maharajgunj

KATHMANDU, NEPAL

Tel: 977-1-4007200 Fax: 977-1-4007285 http://nepal.usaid.gov image1.png