Development Assistance Specialist – Kampala – United States Embassy

About US Embassy:
Welcome to the United States Embassy in Kampala, Uganda. The United States has enjoyed diplomatic relations with Uganda for over 30 years. Ambassador Scott H. DeLisi currently heads the U.S Mission to Uganda. The Mission is composed of several offices and organizations all working under the auspices of the Embassy and at the direction of the Ambassador.

Among the offices operating under the U.S Mission to Uganda are:
United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
Centers for Disease Control
Peace Corps

Job Summary: The USAID Development Assistance Specialist will oversee the entire Health and HIV/AIDS Office financial portfolio valued at approximately $250 million annual budget with over forty major activities funded through both bilateral and field support mechanisms; assist the Team leader in developing the annual program budget: assist the Financial Analyst in developing the Team’s Cost Operations budget: oversee procurement actions, track procurement documents, and update the Team’s procurement plan across sub-teams: complete financial reporting requirements for Presidential Initiatives and other USAID funding and assisting the Team leader and Health and HIV/AIDS Sub-Team Leaders with responding to additional financial needs as requested.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:
1. With limited supervision, provides programmatic and administrative leadership in structuring, updating, and overseeing the entire DO 3 Team financial portfolio, which is currently $250 million in FY 2014 funding, and has been increasing substantially on an annual basis over the past several years. The incumbent is responsible for monitoring the President’s
Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) funds, which constitute high percentage of the entire DO3 budget, monitoring the President’s Malaria Initiatives (PMI) funds, Population funds and miscellaneous funds from various other sources (70% time). The responsibilities include:
Working closely with the DO 3 Team Leader, the DO 3 Sub-Team Leaders and the Financial Analyst (FA) who is the Financial Management Office representative to DO 3, to construct DO 3
Program Budgets by Program Area and Element Level and by congressional earmarks for planning purposes. Works closely with activity managers within the various Sub-Teams to identify and budget appropriately for activities under the different categories of funds (PEPFAR, PMI, Population, Maternal and Child Health, TB)
Works in consultation with the Sub-Team leaders for Health and HIV/AIDS along with the FA to construct budgets for the PEPFAR Country Operational Plan, the Malaria Operational Plan, and other program area and element area budgets for planning purposes.
Support the Sub-Team Leaders and other team members in providing financial data and analysis for quarterly, semi-annual and annual reports for the PEPFAR, PMI and other health program areas and elements.
Engages activity managers in monitoring program funds through projections from the activities and from the actual expenditures in the Financial Management Office database, oversee the quarterly accruals and expenditure reporting process to Financial Management Office, and updates the DO 3 Team Leader on a quarterly basis.
Receives the quarterly financial Pipeline Report from FA, reviews activities with activity managers and Sub-Team Leaders, and provides an oral pipeline analysis to DO 3 Team Leader in preparation for quarterly Mission pipeline and procurement plan review.
Actively participates in quarterly Mission pipeline and procurement plan reviews, responding to DO 3 related financial management issues that are identified in the review. Provides follow-up to any identified financial management issues that require action.
Works closely with the FA to plan budgets for DO 3 program-funded USAID management costs (Cost of Operation’s Budget), which includes FSN and Personal Services Contractors’ costs, office supplies and management, Motorpool, etc.
Support activity managers in formulating budget projections, both bi-lateral and field support, taking into consideration activity mortgages and pipelines.
Regularly send budget updates to the Team Leader, Sub Team Leaders, Activity Managers, Financial Management Office, and the Program and Policy Development Office as appropriate or requested.
Works hand in hand with the Program Office on the DO 3 Congressional Budget Justification (CBJ), annual obligations budget program area, on documentation for obligation into the DO 3 Development Objective Agreement (DOAG) and DOAG amendments/modifications, and on preparing the field support budget for USAID/Washington.
Regularly reviews DO 3 budgets and reports from Phoenix with the FA, reviews grantees, and contractors’ advances and liquidation administrative vouchers for the Team Leader’s approval for those activities of a general nature which do not fall under any of the sub-teams
Participates, as requested, in meetings with the Team Leader, in Sub-Team meetings, and/or in meetings with the USAID/Kampala Mission Director and Deputy Mission Director where DO 3 financial issues are under discussion.
As and when requested, compiles financial information for the Government of Uganda
2. Provides programmatic and administrative oversight to procurement actions across DO Sub-teams. While these are similar to some of the responsibilities listed above, they are specific to procurement actions. (30% time)
Works closely with activity managers to provide financial data for preparation of documentation on sub-obligations in to specific implementing partner instruments and other mechanism of a general and overall nature through financial requisitions, Strategic Objective Implementation Letters (SOILs), and other mechanisms
Actively participates in the clearance process of financial requisitions and other documents by reviewing and clearing off on the documents before they go to the Team Leader and/or Deputy Team Leader.
Works closely with activity managers, Sub-Team Leaders and the DO 3 Acquisitions and Assistance (A &A) Office representative to update the DO 3 procurement plan on a quarterly basis in preparation for the quarterly Mission pipeline and procurement plan review
Actively supports in program/pipeline/procurement (PPP) Mission review, responding to DO 3 budget-related procurement issues.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:
NOTE: All applicants must address each selection criterion detailed below with specific and comprehensive information supporting each item.
The ideal candidates for the USAID US Embassy Job Opportunity should hold a Bachelor’s degree preferably in Financial Management, Business Administration, Accounting, Social Science or related field.
At least two to three years of progressively responsible work in financial management, budgeting, accounting, business administration, program management, project development, social economic and/or social cultural analysis or related field is required. Prior experience working with USAID or USAID implementing partners in budgeting, financial management or related work is highly desirable.
Past experience in a responsible position of accounting, budgeting, financial management, or business administration with other international donor organization is desirable.
Computer literacy skills and knowledge of accounting and budgeting practices and procedures is required.
Working Knowledge of USAID policies, goal, procedures, and programming methods is desirable
Possess a high degree of computer proficiency, including spreadsheet development and management is required
Strong skills in financial management and budgeting are required.
Excellent interpersonal skills, ability to meet tight deadline, dependable, discreet, must be able to write clearly and concisely in the English language and function well in an environment that requires responding to ad-hoc requests and deadline with tittle lead time
Language Proficiency: (List both English and host country language(s) proficiency requirements by level (II, III) and specialization (speaking/read). Demonstrated outstanding competence in spoken and written English (level 4) is required.

How to Apply:
All those interested in working with the US mission in Kampala should send their applications and strictly adhere to the following:
Universal Application for Employment as a Locally Employed Staff or Family Member (DS-174) Download it Here.
A current resume or curriculum vitae.
Candidates who claim US Veterans preference must provide a copy of their Form DD-214 with their application. Candidates who claim conditional US Veterans preference must submit documentation confirming eligibility for a conditional preference in hiring with their application.
Any other documentation (e.g. essays, transcripts/certificates, awards) that addresses the qualification requirements of the position as listed above.

Submit Application To:
Human Resources Office
By email at KampalaHR@state.gov

NB: Only electronic submissions will be accepted and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Please clearly indicate the position applied for in the subject area of the email submission.
Please use standard file types such as Microsoft Word (.doc) and Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) and please send all documents in one file attachment.
Telephone: 0414-306001/259-791/5

Deadline: 24th February 2015

The US Mission in Kampala provides equal opportunity and fair and equitable treatment in employment to all people without regard to race, color religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, political affiliation, marital status, or sexual orientation. The Department of State also strives to achieve equal employment opportunity in all personnel operations through continuing diversity enhancement programs.

[yuzo_related]