USAID Program Management Specialist, Budget (Current Mission Employees Only) (72062021R10009) at US Embassy

Announcement Number: Abuja-2021-020
Series / Grade: LE - 4005 11
Hiring Agency: Embassy Abuja
Work Schedule: Full-time - Work Schedule is 40hrs per week
Promotion Potential: LE-11

Overview

• Hiring Path: Open to the public
• Who May Apply / Clarification From the Agency: For definitions, use URL ww.usaid.gov / ads / policy / glossary - Open to Current Mission Nigeria Employees Only.
• Security Clearance Required: Public Trust - Background Investigation
• Appointment Type: Permanent
• Appointment Type Details: Five (5) years renewable, estimated to start on or after August 2021

Marketing Statement:

• USAID is an independent Federal Government agency that receives overall foreign policy guidance from the Secretary of State. With headquarters in Washington, D.C., USAID fosters transformational development around the world. Our work supports economic growth and trade; agriculture and the environment; education and training; democracy and governance; global health; global partnerships and humanitarian assistance. We operate in the following regions of the world: Afghanistan and Pakistan, Africa (all of Africa), Asia, Europe and Eurasia, Latin America and the Caribbean and the Middle East.

For more information about USAID, visit: http://www.usaid.gov

Summary

• The USAID Project Management Specialist, Budget is located within the HIV / AIDS-TB Office and reports to the HIV / AIDS Section Chief / Team Lead. The Specialist is responsible for leading or performing a wide array of budget actions for the entire Health Office portfolio, including budget planning, development, implementation and monitoring of complex, multi-million-dollar health initiatives, a large portion of which includes President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) funds.

Travel Required:

• Occasional Travel
• The job holder may be expected to perform work-related travel.

Duties
Budget Planning and Direction:

• Serves as subject matter expert in leading the Health Office Team in the preparation of annual and multi-year office budgets and ensures program budget planning and development is aligned with Mission and PEPFAR strategy and cross-cutting priorities.
• Provides extensive advisory services to a wide array of stakeholders including project managers, USAID/Washington PEPFAR team as well as other USG agencies implementing PEPFAR funding and implementing partners to ensure annual multi-million-dollar USAID budgets are aligned with USAID priorities in the host country.
• Analyzes budget guidance from a variety of sources, and guides Health Office and Mission leadership to ensure adherence.
• Provides the appropriate fiscal data to be used for new and existing projects.
• Advises the Health Office on budgeting issues and pertinent regulations that apply to the use of USAID funds by source, type, and duration.
• Makes recommendations to the Teams regarding appropriate contractual and financial actions.
• Compiles budget information, project obligation materials and budget scenarios in conjunction with the Office of Financial Management (OFM).
• Coordinate closely with USAID/Washington PEPFAR team on PEPFAR-funded activities to ensure Health Office budget planning and direction aligns with PEPFAR goals and guidance.

Budget Implementation, Monitoring and Analysis:

• Ensures health program budgets adhere to agency requirements, (adequate documentation, forward funding compliance, adherence to earmarks, initiatives, directives, and budget guidelines).
• Updates uncommitted balances regularly and provide technical and programmatic recommendations to Health Office management on the use of un-sub-committed balances for new or ongoing activities.
• Tracks obligations, outlays, accruals, and pipeline and ensure their conformity to action plans, budgets, and U.S regulations, as well as PEPFAR guidelines.
• Analyzes existing financial data, including pipelines, disbursements, accruals, and forecasted expenditures to inform the budget formulation process.
• Prepares field support budget requests, in coordination with the Technical Teams.
• Develops and / or edits obligation documents, action memos, waivers and other documents needed for budget decisions.
• Serves as Health Office subject matter expert (SME) for GLAAS.

Reporting:

• Provides guidance and coordinates Health Office contributions to a variety of plans and reports, including PEFAR Country Operational Plan (COP), Congressional Budget Justification, Mission Resource Request (MRR), and Performance Plan and Report (PPR).
• Organizes and coordinates Health Portfolio Reviews and assists in preparing the necessary document and presentations for Mission Portfolio Reviews. Helps track and follow-up action items from the portfolio reviews.
• Identifies existing and potential program implementation and management problems as evident from tracking efforts and work with respective program managers to resolve problems/take corrective action.
• Serves as a key liaison with the Mission’s Program Office (PRO) responding, on behalf of Health Office, to regular and ad hoc reporting and programmatic requests.

Qualifications and Evaluations
Education Requirements:

• A Bachelor's degree or host country equivalent in Financial Management, Business Administration, Accounting, Management, Economics, Statistics, Computer Science, Public Health, or related field is required.

Requirements:

• Physical Demands: The work requested does not involve undue physical demands.

Evaluations:

• Knowledge: 10 points
• Skills and abilities: 10 points
• Communication and Language skills: 10 points
• Interview Performance: 70 points
• Total Possible Points: 100 points

Applications that do not meet the required minimum qualifications will not be scored. Candidates meeting the required qualifications for the position will be evaluated based on information presented in the application. USAID reserves the right to conduct interviews with the top ranked short-listed candidates. If the interview is conducted, the interview will be one of the determining factors in the final selection.

Reference checks will be made only for the successful candidate. If a candidate does not wish USAID to contact a current employer for a reference check, this should be stated in the application letter.

USAID is an Equal Opportunity Employer:  

• All qualified candidates will be considered regardless of age, race, color, sex, creed, national origin, lawful political affiliation, non-disqualifying handicap, marital status, sexual orientation, affiliation with an employee organization, or other non-merit factor. Management may consider the following when determining successful candidacy: nepotism, conflicts of interest, budget, and residency status.

Qualifications:

• Prior Work Experience: Minimum Five (5) years of progressively responsible work in financial management, budgeting, accounting, and / or audit and compliance.  At least two years must be related to preparing and/or monitoring development project budgets and expenditures. Must have experience working with USG, implementing partners, host country government, and/or another international donor organization.

Job Knowledge:

• Senior-level knowledge of professional accounting principles, theories, practices, procedures, and regulations, including the principles and accepted practices of federal governmental and / or business financial accounting, budgeting, and reporting.
• Knowledge of theoretical and practical aspects of program / project management, performance management frameworks and tools in the delivery of development objectives.
• Working knowledge of Federal agency regulations, USAID and PEPFAR policies and procedures, especially as related to budget and financial management.
• S / he must be intimately familiar with HIV / AIDS prevention, care, and treatment activities to accurately price and track activities and commodities.

Skills and Abilities:

• Expert-level skills in financial management and budgeting are required. Excellent computer proficiency, including skills with Microsoft Excel, spreadsheet development and management, pivot tables, data visualization, web-based databases, and electronic filing.
• Skilled attention to details and ability to ensure accuracy of documents, analyses, and reports. Good interpersonal skills, including ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
• S / he must have strong conceptual and analytical skills to be able to quickly grasp and translate new concepts into operational plans which are reflected in the budget.
• This position requires an outstanding ability to exercise flexibility and prioritization skills to be able to accept and react to evolving planning and implementation contexts. Ability to exercise sound judgement, take initiative and offer leadership.

Language Proficiency:

• Level IV fluency in English, and in the appropriate host-country business language, both written and spoken, is required.  Language competence may be tested.

Benefits and Other Info

Benefits
Agency Benefits:

• As a matter of policy, and as appropriate, a PSC is normally authorized the following benefits and allowances:

Benefits:

• Health Insurance
• Annual Salary Increase (if applicable)
• Annual and Sick leave
• Annual Bonus

Allowances (as applicable):

• Transportation Allowance
• Meal Allowance
• Miscellaneous Allowance
• Housing Allowance

Other Information:

• USAID Acquisition Regulation (AIDAR), Appendix J, “Direct USAID Contracts With a Cooperating Country National and with a Third Country National for Personal Services Abroad,” including contract clause “General Provisions,” available at: https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1868/aidar_0.pdf
• Contract Cover Page form AID 309-1 available at: https://www.usaid.gov/forms
• Acquisition & Assistance Policy Directives/Contract Information Bulletins (AAPDs/CIBs) for Personal Services Contracts with Individuals available at: http://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/aapds-cibs
• Ethical Conduct.  By the acceptance of a USAID personal services contract as an individual, the contractor will be acknowledging receipt of the “Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch,” available from the U.S. Office of Government Ethics, in accordance with General Provision 2 and 5 CFR 2635.  See https://www.oge.gov/web/oge.nsf/OGE%20Regulations   

Taxes:

• The Mission emphasize to its employees of the fact that they are obliged to observe Nigerian Laws, including those concerning income and related tax obligations.  Payment of such taxes is a matter between the individual employee and the Nigerian Government. In the absence of a specific international agreement, the U.S. Government will not withhold local taxes from an employee’s salary.

Salary
NGN 15,890,203 Annually