Procurement Support: Technical Expert at Panagora Group

Position Summary

• The Technical Support Services (TSS) Activity helps USAID/Southern Africa and Regional Health Office (RHO) to address technical priorities and develop creative, innovative solutions to strategically allocate resources, strengthen connections with partners, and replicate best practices and effective program models. Through the TSS contract, Panagora Group augments capacity by providing technical, operational, and administrative support to USAID’s largest health portfolio. TSS deploys advisors in response to USAID requests for priority work with government stakeholders, implementing partners, and/or other entities. TSS supports Health Office staff and teams to integrate creative solutions into routine work. TSS also provides international and local expertise for surge support, as needed, for USAID Program Cycle requirements, planning, development, outreach, communications, and Health Office human resource functions. 
• The assignment will focus primarily on time-bound tasks related to the close out of 25 plus implementing mechanisms, supporting the start-up of 15 new implementing mechanisms, transition of grants to contracts, and completing the new five-year initial environment examination (IEE). 
• As part of USAID/Forward, USAID has undergone a series of reforms intended to improve the quality and effectiveness of USAID projects through improved planning and procurement processes. 
• During the past year, USAID/SA Health Office has undergone a major transition to reduce management units and put in place more streamlined and targeted activities to support the Government of South Africa (GoSA) efforts to control the HIV epidemic. In November 2018, approximately 25 implementing mechanisms initiated close out processes while simultaneously over 15 new mechanisms started up. An additional six mechanisms are being transitioned from grants to contracts. The Technical Expert will assist the HO in advancing key procurement-related actions in both administrative and technical elements. 

Primary Responsibilities

The Procurement Support: Technical Expert will support one or more of the following tasks, core activities, and deliverables as listed below and as assigned by their POC based on TSS quarterly workplans with USAID: 

• Provide operational support to HO staff to ensure quality and timeliness of HO procurement-related actions. 
• Liaise with Regional Office of Acquisitions and Assistance (ROAA) staff to maximize efficiencies and timeliness of procurement-related actions. 
• Support AORs in the completion of required close out processes for awards ending, ensure timeliness of all close out processes and procedures, and triage issues that arise during the close out process. 
• Identify areas to be improved of current AOR management of new mechanisms and develop quality control mechanisms and user-friendly systems to support AORs in their management and oversight of the new mechanisms. 
• Provide assistance with ongoing HO technical and administrative priorities, including but not limited to the completion of a new five-year initial environment examination, supporting the fiscal management of COP18 funding, and supporting procurement related tasks in support of the PEPFAR Treatment “Surge” for COP18. 

Deliverables include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• Draft documents for procurement actions, to be reviewed/finalized/approved by HO staff. 
• Draft IEEs for four technical work streams. 

Requirements

• Master’s Degree in public health, health policy, behavioral, social science, or a related field is required 
• A minimum of three to five years of experience working in PEPFAR programs, and/or managing international development programs. 
• Significant knowledge of USAID procurement processes 
• Excellent verbal and written English language skills. 
• Proven capacity to take initiative and willingness to learn new skills as needed.  
• Strong work ethic and the ability to work well independently and as part of a team.