PROJECT MANAGEMENT ASSISTANT (HEALTH) – MALARIA AND EPT At US Agency for International Development

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES **

A. PROGRAM/PROJECT MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE 50%

• The principal responsibility of each PMA is to provide support to the administration and oversight of all assigned activities and projects, to identify problems and recommend corrective actions that may be encountered in the implementation.
• PMAs draft and prepare, with guidance from AORs/CORs and Team Leaders, documents related to program planning, implementation and management, including action memoranda/letters, reports, acquisition and assistance requests and pre-obligation documentation, analysis of ongoing/past/planned activities and results, will prepare Fixed Amount Award Implementation Letters, focusing on Program Descriptions and Budgets, Senior Obligation Alignment Reviews (SOARs), action memos and justifications for exceptions to competition, and will contribute to drafting program/project Scopes of Work (SOW), PDDs, etc.
• PMAs participate fully with AOR/COR/AMs in managing and maintaining project records, both electronically and hard-copy, for projects/activities assigned to them or for all projects in their sections following the requirements of the Agency ASIST system.
• PMAs provide administrative input in coordinating aspects of the HPN development portfolio, specifically providing support related to site visits, program monitoring, and implementation, partner communication and coordination, and interfacing with relevant USAID Life-Line offices as well as other USG agencies.
• PMAs participate and have significant responsibility in the development of evaluation plans and assessments, and actively participate in their implementation.
• PMAs provide assistance to the Team Leader and other relevant team members to prepare briefings, presentations, performance narratives, and routine reports, including all section-specific annual/semi-annual operational plans and reporting (OP, PPR, PMI/MOP, COP, MER, POART, ER etc.), prepare the portfolio’s input to Mission Resource Requests, Congressional Budget Justifications, and Congressional Notifications, and other requirements as needed.
• PMAs collect information from other sources (implementing partners, donors, host government, etc.) as needed to identify opportunities to strengthen team programs/projects.
• In consultation with the Supervisor and the HPN management team, the incumbent may be selected to serve as an Activity Manager, or alternate, for bilateral implementing mechanisms and field support activities. Activity Manager responsibilities include independent site visits, monitoring and reporting, as well as delegation to clear implementing partner vouchers, accruals and administrative approvals.
• PMAs support AOR/COR/AMs, Deputy Team Leaders, and Team Leaders as they provide technical assistance to regional intergovernmental organizations (RIGOs) through regular evaluation of needs to strengthen HIV/RH/MCH or other relevant activities through activity design, implementation, compliance, management, and evaluation, while promoting critical thinking, innovative approaches, and good practices which lead to sustainable programs and initiatives.
• Assist the Team Leader or Deputy Team Leaders to ensure that USG efforts in the East and Horn of Africa for HIV/RH/MCH and related technical areas are complementary to the efforts of other donors and those of other regional non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and public sector regional organizations. Support the Team to actively identify and develop opportunities for improved coordination with other major donors in the region to leverage greater results in HIV/RH/MCH and other relevant technical areas.

B. FINANCIAL/BUDGET/PROCUREMENT PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT 20%

• PMAs work with the Program Office (PO) and Office of Financial Management (OFM) to ensure effective budget management for his/her areas of responsibility. This includes five year/ annual/ quarterly budget preparation, coordination, and monitoring, financial planning and reporting, and conducting budget-related aspects of the operational plan. **
• PMAs monitor and manage budgets for contracts, grants and cooperative agreements within the assigned team. PMAs are administratively responsible for financial operations, they perform financial audit responsibilities and have primary responsibility for budget forecasting, budget formulation, analysis and control for an annual budget of approximately $50 – $100 Million.
• PMAs assist Teams to budget program funds to priority areas and interventions, while ensuring they are in line with the overall budgets defined for respective areas. Incumbents will be required to prepare internal budget documentation and estimates to process procurement actions and forecast expenditures.
• The incumbents participate fully with AOR/CORs in maintaining project records and status reports, including quarterly technical and financial reports, develops pipeline analysis, accruals, expenditure projections, and budget tracking tables, preparing and updating project documentation, and tracking contractor/grantee expenditures and budgets. Using the PHOENIX financial tracking system, they perform an in-depth analysis and track unobligated pipelines, and in consultation with the SPA office, assist in the correction of any problems noted.
• PMAs work with PO and OFM staff to prepare budget reprogramming tables, Operational Plan Change Notices and operational plan update (OPU), and pre-obligation documentation, including forward funding analyses, IGCEs, supplemental certifications, etc., to ensure that funds are allocated according to Agency standard requirements.
• PMAs, in consultation with OAA and OFM, facilitate the close-out of expired awards and subsequent de-obligations, and any other after-action review from the previous QFR meeting.
• PMAs will have procurement-related responsibilities for the HPN Office or for particular project/activities. Such responsibilities include procurement planning, coordination with the Office of Acquisition and Assistance (OAA), monitoring and managing procurement processes for the Team, managing obligation and documentation requirements, etc. Incumbent reviews contracts for the Team’s performance management and evaluation.
• PMAs are responsible for procurement requisitions related to their projects/activities. As the Team’s designated GLAAS requester for all procurement actions associated with the Team’s programs, PMA is responsible for preparing requisitions in GLAAS for goods, services, contracts, and agreements, as well as REQs for CCN personnel.
• PMAs prepare and upload financial requisitions into GLAAS and enter data into the Foreign Assistance Coordination and Tracking System (FACTS Info), the Mission-wide Indicator Tracker and other information collection databases utilized per the guidance from U.S. Government Agencies.
• Incumbent must familiarize him/herself with reporting timelines, specifically for accrual reports and the Mission’s Operational Plan in order to manage program and financial data efficiently and complete the required tasks in a timely manner.

C. MONITORING AND EVALUATION 15%**

• The PMAs advise the Team on performance management policies and procedures, including the HPN Office’s and implementation partners’ compliance.
• PMAs participate in the Activity Management Teams (AMT) for implementing partner performance monitoring, including supporting the Team during field visits and in the development and revision of standard tools for activity monitoring such as the RMNCAH, SIMS and Surge field monitoring tools.
• PMAs provide substantive M&E support such as taking the lead in monitoring compliance with DQA provisions in awards, FP policy and statutory requirements, environmental compliance, financial management, and fraud risk assessment. PMAs assist Teams to manage program/ activity/project/development objective indicators, including quality control, collection and reporting, tracking and analyzing targets against actual results/ performance, drafting performance evaluations, providing input to portfolio reviews, assist in preparing and maintaining Performance Monitoring Plans, and serving as a subject matter expert for the program evaluation processes and developing new M&E approaches.
• Compliance Monitoring: PMAs support AOR/COR/AMs in ensuring that compliance monitoring systems are in place, e.g. Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance, family planning and HIV/AIDS requirements, Initial Environmental Examination, Branding and Marking requirements, and any/all other relevant agency policy or regulation.
• PMAs work with A/CORs/AMs to monitor gender programming in the program portfolio.
• PMAs collect and monitor data from IPS, prepare program/project status reports, and provide information on progress in achieving compliance and results for HPN activities, as needed.
• PMAs help AOR/COR/AMs disseminate PLGHA, PEPFAR and other relevant guidance and requirements to HPN Teams and IPs, and ensure adherence to the requirements, keeping track of the compliance status for each IP, Team and Office-wide staff.

D. INFORMATION MANAGEMENT 15%**

• PMAs play a substantive role in monitoring developments in the relevant sector, helping to maintain data in team database systems (i.e. DATIM, GHSurveys). PMAs upload narratives and indicator information into appropriate databases, collect and verify indicator data and information, and provide input into supporting narratives for the preparation of reporting documents for Agency and Presidential initiatives.**
• PMAs develop, update, and maintain information on HPN programs including but not limited to HIV, Malaria, FP/RH, MNCH, Nutrition, WASH, and gender-related activities, success stories, fact sheets, activity geographical inventory and coverage, briefers, and website materials for public consumption, using software tools such as Microsoft Office, (Word, Excel, PowerPoint,) and to a limited extent basic GIS software.**
• PMAs work with AOR/COR/AMs to collect and update activity, project, and strategic-level data, summarize and synthesize information, and prepare written reports and oral briefings for use by superiors, as appropriate. PMAs generate complete or partial program-related COP, MOP, OP and PPR reports from the Agency’s database for programmatic actions.
• PMAs work with SI staff and AOR/COR/AMs to conduct data quality assessments, draft DQA checklists, finalize DQA reports, and help track corrective actions. PMAs assist Team members in responding to Program Office, Washington DC, and GOK ad hoc information and program related data requests and taskers.

POSITION ELEMENTS

a. Supervision Received: Under the general supervision of the Malaria Team Leader, the incumbent works collaboratively with assigned AOR/COR/AMs. Assignments are made orally and in writing, including a discussion with the Supervisor of any elements of the assignment that are new, or to determine priority. Once the office workflow is established, most assignments will occur in the normal course of the work week, but the incumbent must be aware of situations that must be coordinated with superiors. The AOR/COR/AM, Deputy Team Leader, or Team Leader provides a review of the assignment, the goals and objectives to be achieved, and the results expected. The incumbent must seek advice and assistance as required. Work is reviewed in terms of results achieved.**

b. Supervision Exercised: Continuing supervision of other Mission staff is not contemplated.

c. Available Guidelines: Available guidelines include USAID, PEPFAR, and PMI guidance, rules, and requirements; USAID Mission Orders, the Mission CDCS strategy, other USAID strategies, and other relevant reports and documents; the Automated Directives System (ADS); USAID Mandatory and Standard Provisions, the FAR and AIDAR, and other published and unpublished guidelines. Many guidelines are general in nature and not specific to the situation at hand; in situations where considerable interpretation is required, the incumbent will coordinate with appropriate superiors.**

d. Exercise of Judgment: Good judgment is required to analyze, interpret, and adapt prior experience to this evolving context, particularly as guidelines are updated and new activities developed. Within a range determined by the incumbent and superiors, the incumbent exercises independent judgment in planning and follow-up of program actions and other assignments. The work involves many different, complex and interrelated processes. The very nature of public health programming requires sensitivity and discretion in developing interventions and working with diverse partner organizations. These positions support the assigned section and the full HPN Team, other relevant USAID and other USG agency staff, and the support staff of partners (MOH, other donors, NGOs, and the private sector). The incumbent will exercise significant judgment in resolving operational problems encountered, as well as in determining the need for consultation with superiors when required.**

e. Authority to Make Commitments: The incumbent has limited authority, but within the limits of training and experience-during times of backstopping AOR/COR/AMs – the incumbent exercises the authority given to all USAID activity managers and may make administrative arrangements consistent with ADS guidance and Mission policy. The incumbent takes action and establishes priorities based on available guidelines and practical judgment, but guidance must be sought when needed. Within the scope of the authority delegated, the incumbent may indicate to counterpart and IP officials that they will make a recommendation to USAID on a specific activity, issue, or problem.**

f. Nature, Level, and Purpose of Contacts: The incumbent has a wide range of contacts within the Mission and maintains contact with counterparts and peers in contractor and grantee organizations implementing USAID-funded programs/projects in the sector. Host-government, local, and other contacts vary widely with the type of activity being implemented but are usually at the counterpart level. When traveling with or in lieu of a A/COR/AM, the incumbent has frequent and substantive personal contacts with IPs, local officials, and with the private sector, and may be called upon to explain and defend PEPFAR, PMI, and USAID policies, objectives, and procedures, and upon return to transmit and interpret local official and private sector attitudes and concerns to superiors.**

g. Time Expected to Reach Full Performance Level: One year.