USAID/Mali Project Management Specialist (Health Policy Advisor)
REF No.:   HR-HEALTH-002-2016-PMS12 (must inserted in the subject line of emails)
GRADE LEVEL:   FSN PSC-12 (FCFA 19,116,906 to FCFA 29,631,210)
(If an applicant does not meet all required qualifications for the position and is selected for the position, s/he may be hired at a lower grade than the position classification grade).
BASIC FUNCTION: The Supervisory Senior Health Policy (SSHP) Advisor will serve as the lead technical health systems strengthening expert for USAID/Mali.  S/he will provide strategic direction, technical guidance and leadership on issues related to strengthening health systems and health policy reform in Mali.  S/he will advise USAID/Mali on all aspects of health systems strengthening including health care financing, health reform, decentralization, human resources for health, and health workforce planning. S/he will provide managerial oversight for three of the mission’s six technical and operations clusters including health systems strengthening for the supply chain and health governance and financing and health policy and health reform, HIV/AIDS and operations including monitoring and evaluation for the entire portfolio.  The incumbent will serve as one of the members of the health office’s three- person senior leadership team and may serve as acting deputy director or health office director during absences of these other senior health leadership team members.  The SSHP Advisor functions include providing advisory services to the GOM on decentralization and health care reform.
MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:  
Provide HSS Strategic and Technical Leadership (35%)
The incumbent will provide the strategic vision and technical knowledge and the ability to catalyze linkages within USAID and with the Government of Mali (GOM) and other development partners on HSS issues pertaining to HIV/AIDS, reproductive health maternal and child survival, malaria and health care financing and governance.  S/he will support a range of consultative, advisory, strategic planning and evaluation and design activities related to HSS and health care financing (HCF) issues in Mali and keep abreast of those emerging from USAID/W Office of Health Systems Strengthening and provide recommendations and options in shaping USAID health program in the area.  These issues will include at a minimum, strategies for sustainability financing universal health care coverage, decentralization, health insurance models, results based financing and fees for services arrangements. The incumbent will assist and recommend UDSAID financing of analytic tools for planning, budgeting, resource tracking, financing and formulating national policies and strategies.  The incumbent will serve as a liaison with the mission’s Office of Economic Growth (EG) on financing issues linked to broader macroeconomic considerations.  In order to better link with other activities the incumbent must maintain a working knowledge of 1) national and regional health systems strengthening including human capacity development, health financing, health and civil service reform, and local government reform and the critical factors that make these elements, the epidemiology of USAID priority health issues and modeling /forecasting costs of health trends and needs. 
The incumbent will work with the USAID/Mali’s five technical contractors in HSS including:1) health care financing and governance (HFG); 2) Health Policy; 3) Quality Assurance; 4) Human Resource Capacity Development and 5) supply chain and logistics and ensure that the activities and results are consistent with the USAID//www.malipages.comMali Operational Plan (OP).  The Advisor participates in the preparation of procurement documents for new designs and technical evaluations committees for the HSS team.  S/he will lead the HSS team in developing program budgets, plans and advocacy strategies be the primary liaison with the Ministry of Health’s on health care reform and the Ministry of Decentralization on issues linked to the roles and authorities of local government. An ongoing responsibility of the incumbent is staying abreast of all new MOH policies and regulatory guidance related to health care financing models and approaches, GOM workforce planning and the delegations of authority granted in the health sector to regional and local governments.  The incumbent will serve as a senior representative of USAID/Mali at meetings with government on strategic policy committees and provide input directly or through technical assistance on issues such as ways to promote accountability under decentralization, assistance to local government authorities to prioritize and design cost effective health interventions to improve host country and local government budgeting, financing and contracting and outsourcing to the private sector.
A key advisory responsibility of the position is to ensure that decision-makers in the Office of Health and USAID’s other technical sectors are briefed on new health policies, the overall GOM health care budget and its implications for USAID programming and major external donor financing.  The incumbent is also expected to meet with senior leaders in the private sector for strategic and technical discussions to devise collaborative activities to strengthen health systems in Mali.
Supervise the Health Systems Strengthening, HIV/AIDS and Operations Clusters   (30%)
A critical element of this position is to work collaboratively and oversee three technical clusters and to ensure a cohesive program that capitalizes on USAID’s comparative advantage. The supervisory responsibilities involve personnel management, fiscal and budget administration and program and technical leadership. 
Personnel Management: This function requires setting work priorities of five technical staff and one program assistant and ensures that work objectives and performance plans are in place for all staff and that day to day and monthly workloads are carefully planned.  The incumbent will also identify areas requiring additional temporary staffing support and request these services from USAID/W or other partners.  The incumbent will ensure that ongoing and consistent feedback is provided to staff, will oversee and approve time sheets travel authorizations and vouchers.   The incumbent will responsibly delegate tasks to the team and provide follow-up to support their timely completion. S/he will resolve and document any performance issues, identify and complete recruitment tasks to fill key staffing needs of the three clusters, ensure adequate staff coverage and prepare orientation materials for all new staff on the team.  S/he will identify job-related staff development opportunities to expand staff expertise and schedule and facilitate information sharing among members of the team.
Budget Planning and Procurements: The incumbent will develop and effectively manage the three clusters budget by maintaining updated budget information, ensuring timely obligation, reviewing accrual and analyzing the implications of partner pipelines or budget shortfalls.  The incumbent is responsible for developing the cluster’s procurement plans and tracking progress on new procurements and the timely start-up and smooth launch of new activities.
Program and Technical Leadership:   The incumbent will provide vision and strategic direction and leadership to members of the team and ensure that results and reporting takes place as planned.  S/he will support the team’s use of existing and new program data and reports.  The incumbent will represent USAID/Mali at key technical events and will carry-out site visit to review program implementation.  The incumbent will say abreast of USAID/Global Health policies and guidelines related to the three technical clusters and will ensure that information from data quality assurance (DQAs) and evaluation reports are disseminated across the office and follow-up taken in line with the findings.  The incumbent will ensure that questions and issues related to the work of the three clusters are addressed in a timely manner.
Serve on the Office of Health Senior Leadership Team (20%)
The incumbent will serve on the office’s senior leadership team and will participate in budget planning, office-wide strategic planning, resolution of key issues, application of new USG guidance description of some new activities and the timely completion of the office’s operational plan (OP) and relevant strategic documents such as the interagency HIV/AIDS strategic plan.   The incumbent will support the office director in laying out options for problem resolution.  The incumbent is expected to periodically serve as Acting Office Director, lead staff meetings and respond to short fuse actions by the Embassy, USAID/W or the GOM requiring immediate attention.
Activity Management  (15%)
The incumbent will manage the health care financing and governance and health policy field support buy-ins.  S/he will serve as Activity representative (AOR) and will provide day-to-day oversight as well as strategic and technical input on these two contracts.  S/he will review financial and program reports to ensure that partners comply with performance expectations in the work plans and agreements and contracts with USAID.  S/he ensures that activities are designed, implemented and evaluated in an appropriate manner consistent with USAID/Mali reporting standards.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Applicants MUST meet the minimum qualifications below and ONLY preselected candidates will be contacted:
Malian citizens or local residents at the time of application;
Master’s degree in public health, health policy, or health care financing is required.
At least 7 years work experience in public health policy development or health care financing or governance is required. Three years of health project management in at least one area of health systems strengthening is required. Prior work experience with and knowledge of USAID policy and regulations is desirable but not required. Prior work experience with other bilateral or multilateral health donors is also desirable.  Demonstrated experience in supervisory and leadership positions is highly desirable. Prior experience as a senior manager is also preferred;
French and English fluency at Level IV is required;
Knowledge of the Mali public health context, including the structure and operations of the Ministry of Health is required. Knowledge of the Malian health care financing approaches, the health budgeting process and key health reform measures including decentralization is a requirement. A working knowledge of other health systems strengthening systems including health workforce planning, the commodity and logistics supply chain systems for health products related to malaria prevention and control programs, family planning and reproductive health programs is desirable.  Prior knowledge of AID policies and programs as well as AID regulations is highly desirable, but not required.
Candidate must comply with the minimum age for employment i.e. 18 years and the maximum age i.e. 53 years.
QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:
Education: Master’s degree in public health, health policy, or health care financing is required.
Prior Work Experience:  At least 7 years work experience in public health policy development or health care financing or governance is required. Three years of health project management in at least one area of health systems strengthening is required. Prior work experience with and knowledge of USAID policy and regulations is desirable but not required. Prior work experience with other bilateral or multilateral health donors is also desirable.  Demonstrated experience in supervisory and leadership positions is highly desirable. Prior experience as a senior manager is also preferred.
Language Proficiency: French and English fluency at Level IV is required
Job Knowledge:  Knowledge of the Mali public health context, including the structure and operations of the Ministry of Health is required. Knowledge of the Malian health care financing approaches, the health budgeting process and key health reform measures including decentralization is a requirement. A working knowledge of other health systems strengthening systems including health workforce planning, the commodity and logistics supply chain systems for health products related to malaria prevention and control programs, family planning and reproductive health programs is desirable.  Prior knowledge of AID policies and programs as well as AID regulations is highly desirable, but not require.
Skills and Abilities:  The incumbent must be conversant in key technical areas of HSS including health care financing and governance, health policy formulation, health policy advocacy and health workforce capacity development.  The ability to establish and maintain contacts across technical subject matter with individuals directly responsible for health care polices and health care financing at the central Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Decentralization is preferred. The Advisor must also possess excellent coordination skills with an ability to liaise and maintain contact with the National High Commission Against HIV/AIDS (HCNLS), the MOH Sectoral Unit Against HIV/AIDS (CSLS}, local NGOs, and the various USAID health partners. The ability to communicate well both orally and in writing in both French and English is necessary. Advanced presentation skills for technical and multi-sectoral audiences is also preferred.   Budgeting and project management skills including work with other health donors are desirable.  Strong interpersonal and team skills are required for this crosscutting position.  A high level of demonstrated organizational management skills is also a requirement for this position. The ability to track deadlines and meet various health office and MOH timelines is essential.  Word processing and proficiency in the use of various spreadsheet software is necessary. 
Full Statement of duties and the qualification requirements are available on https://www.usaid.gov/mali/work-with-us/careers
TO APPLY: All cv/resume and cover letter must be in English; otherwise application package will be considered as incomplete and will be rejected.
Interested candidates for this position must submit the following required documents:
A cover letter of not more than two (2) pages describing how the incumbent’s skills and experience fit the requirements of subject position.
A resume or curriculum vitae relevant to the position.
Copy of Diplômas, degrees, certificates, recommendation letters, etc.
Three (3) to five (5) professional references with complete contact information including email addresses and telephone numbers. References should have knowledge of the candidate’s ability to perform the duties set forth in the application and must not be family members or relatives.
Full mailing address with telephone, facsimile numbers and email address and should retain for their records copies of all enclosures that accompany their submissions.
SUBMIT APPLICATION: Indicate the Vacancy Reference Number: HR-HEALTH-002-2016-PMS12in the subject line of your email. If this is not properly indicated your submission would NOT be retrieved.
Email Human Resources Management Section: bamakohrmvacancies@usaid.gov with the above reference in the subject line, or
Local Address for Application Submission: Supervisory Executive Officer, US Agency for International Development -BP 34, Bamako-Mali
CLOSING DATE FOR THIS POSITION IS:  DECEMBER 29, 2016 AT 5:00PM