Summary
The U.S. Department of State is hiring a PEPFAR Country Coordinator to serve as the Embassy-based expert on all matters concerning the PEPFAR program Coordinator to serve as the housed in the Department of State's Bureau of Global Health Security and Diplomacy (GHSD) in Democratic Republic of Congo. This is a paid, Limited Non-Career Appointment Foreign Service position. To learn more about the Department of State, visit https://careers.state.gov.
This job is open to
Clarification from the agency
Must be a U.S. citizen. Applicants should read the entire announcement to ensure they meet all requirements and understand a Foreign Service Limited Non-Career Appointment (LNA).
Applicants may not reapply for one year after their previous application for the same position.
If a State Department Suitability Review Panel denied suitability in the last two years, you may not apply (except denials for Diplomatic Security Special Agent (SA) candidates based solely on the SA requirements).
Duties
PEPFAR Country Coordinators lead the USG PEPFAR interagency team in the designated country. Responsibilities include:
- Advancing the PEPFAR team's progress towards sustainable control of the HIV epidemic and, ultimately, achieving an AIDS-free generation;
- Ensuring that the PEPFAR program fits within the strategies and regulations of the partner country government and aligns with international policies and recommendations;
- Ensuring accountability, transparency, and impact for the USG resources directed to controlling the HIV/AIDS epidemic in country.
- Communicating USG policy and technical direction to implementing agency leadership;
- Coordinating and facilitating the interagency approach to PEPFAR within the USG;
- Coordinating and facilitating with PEPFAR implementing agencies on the restructuring, reorienting, and recasting of immediate and long-range goals, objectives, plans, and schedules to meet substantial changes in policy, legislation, program authority, and/or funding, and facilitate discussion with the interagency team regarding determinations of projects to be initiated, ended, or refocused;
- Developing annual country operational plans (COPs);
- Overseeing changes in interagency organizational structure;
- Leading the interagency process in-country in long range planning in connection with prospective changes in USG funding, policies, and programs;
- Providing expert guidance and advice to Direct Hire (DH) officers and to Locally Employed (LE) staff who perform reporting and analytical work and provide administrative support;
- Establishing appropriate controls to ensure the integrity—financial, technical, and operational—of all HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and care programs implemented pursuant to PEPFAR;
- Deciding, in coordination with the U.S. embassy leadership and PEPFAR implementing agencies, how best to direct the funds allocated to the country for successful program impact, fully understanding the current levels of expenditure and pipeline, develop budgets, and ensure continued flow of funds necessary to implement the program;
- Ensuring the use of data collection and knowledge-based program management in regard to all aspects (implementation, technology, costing) of treatment, prevention, and care strategies;
- Providing leadership and guidance to other USG interagency leaders in-country who implement and monitor the PEPFAR program portfolio; and
- Analyzing the unique operational context of the PEPFAR program in the designated country and coordinating the interagency process to establish a vision and strategy for responding to this context within the guidelines of the policy and U.S. diplomatic priorities.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- Be a U.S. citizen and accept assignments based on the needs of the FS.*
- Be able to obtain a Top Secret Security Clearance.
- Meet the minimum medical qualification standard.
- Be able to obtain a favorable Suitability Review Panel determination.**
- Be at least 20 years old and at least 21 years old to be appointed.
- LNAs do not lead to permanent employment with the State Department.
Foreign Service PEPFAR Country Coordinators serve as the embassy-based expert on all matters concerning the PEPFAR program housed in the Department of State’s Bureau of Global Health Security and Diplomacy Office (GHSD). The Coordinator represents the PEPFAR program and policies of GHSD in the host country.
The Coordinator leads the U.S. PEPFAR interagency team in the designated country in the conception, formulation, and recommendation of initiatives in response to the epidemic profile in the designated country. The U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator and Senior Bureau Official has responsibility for a PEPFAR program that is appropriate for the local context and will contribute to epidemic control and to a sustainable national HIV/AIDS response. The U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator and Senior Bureau Official ensures coordination and linkage of U.S. government (USG) bilateral assistance with those of the host country, other bilateral donors, particularly the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, non-governmental organizations, and international multilateral organizations engaged in the fight against the global HIV/AIDS epidemic.
The Coordinator also evaluates the relative need, local conditions, and capability of the designated country to develop or improve its infrastructure and programs necessary to provide or strengthen the quality, availability, and sustainability of HIV/AIDS treatment, prevention, and care services.
The Coordinator ensures outreach to and engagement of civil society and private-sector partners, including advocacy groups, faith- and community-based organizations, and businesses in the HIV/AIDS response, and encourages the engagement of these groups by all USG agencies responding to the epidemic in-country.
Qualifications
Applicants must have a minimum of eight years of senior-level experience managing HIV/AIDS, health, or other development programs. Of the eight years, at least five years must be managing and implementing HIV/AIDS programs or working with large, complex international or domestic programs.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
This position requires a highly qualified and experienced individual with exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, the ability to foster teamwork, the capacity for strategic thinking, and an understanding of the technical and policy requirements to achieve the PEPFAR goals in the country. The incumbent must be familiar with and be able to work well in an overseas environment and with a wide range of governmental and non-governmental counterparts. The PEPFAR Coordinator must have the following qualifications and demonstrated abilities:
- Ability to work with partner government to strengthen capacities to lead the response to the epidemic and other health demands;
- Ability to track large amounts of data and manage complex interagency planning, reporting, and performance processes;
- Ability to empower PEPFAR team members to apply available resources and expertise to addressing the local epidemic;
- Ability to integrate and coordinate HIV/AIDS programs with broader global health and development programs to maximize impact on health systems;
- Ability to mediate interagency conflicts and facilitate decisions on complex technical, programmatic, strategic, and financial issues;
- Capacity to promote sustainable country programs;
- Capacity to expand prevention, care, and treatment in both concentrated and generalized epidemics;
- Strong interpersonal, teamwork, facilitation, and negotiation skills;
- Strong managerial skills;
- Strong oral and written communication skills;
- Strong analytical skills;
- Strong capacity to multi-task, including managing, prioritizing, and fulfilling competing demands in real time;
- Cross-cultural sensitivity and awareness;
- Availability and willingness to work outside the regular 40-hour workweek when required/necessary; and
- Willingness to travel to work sites and other offices as/when requested.
Level IV English ability (fluent) is required. Successful applicants must also consistently meet a high standard for English, both written (overall structure as well as grammar, spelling, and punctuation) and spoken (overall structure as well as delivery, clarity, and succinctness).
Level III French proficiency is required. Applicants must demonstrate they speak/read French at the Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) Speaking 3/Reading 3 level. A language proficiency assessment will be provided during the candidacy phase.
Candidates must be eligible for diplomatic privileges and immunities in the country of assignment.
Education
At the time of application, applicants must hold a Master’s degree or higher in a relevant professional discipline such as Public Policy, Public Health, Business Administration, or other related subjects.
You must submit a copy of your university transcript(s) with your application. If you do not submit this documentation to demonstrate your educational achievements, your candidacy will not continue.
Official or unofficial transcripts can be submitted with your application. Your transcript must include your name, the school’s name, the degree, and the date awarded. A transcript missing any of these elements or any pages will not meet minimum qualifications and the candidacy will not continue. Copies of diplomas may not be submitted in lieu of transcripts for education above high school level.
Education from a program or institution within the United States must be accredited at the time of completion by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation.
Education completed in foreign high schools, colleges, or universities can be used to meet the education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. Only accredited organizations recognized as specializing in the interpretation of foreign education credentials that are members of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) or the Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. (AICE) are accepted.
NACES: https://www.naces.org/index
AICE: https://aice-eval.org/
For further information on the evaluation of foreign education, please refer to the Office of Personnel Management and the U.S. Department of Education. The U.S. Department of State neither endorses nor recommends any individual evaluation service.
OPM: www.opm.gov
U.S. Department of Education: http://www.ed.gov
Benefits
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Benefits include health and medical coverage, federal retirement benefits, paid leave, tax-free housing overseas, tax-free education allowance for dependent children between K-12 overseas, and an unrivaled opportunity to see the world and experience different cultures. Not all benefits are available to LNA positions. Student Loan Repayment and Language Incentive Pay (if language is a hiring prerequisite) programs are not included under the LNA program.
The salary shown is taken from the Foreign Service overseas pay scale. For more information on Foreign Service salary, please visit https://careers.state.gov/benefits/fs-entry-salaries/
Review our benefits
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Candidates will be evaluated on their total background including experience, education, awards, training, and self-development as it relates to the position. Selection for this position will be made only from among candidates possessing the best qualifications. Part-time work experience will be prorated. You may preview questions for this vacancy.
Required Documents
It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure the application is complete and all required documents are emailed before the closing deadline of this announcement. An incomplete application or any missing required documents will result in the candidacy not being considered. Send an email, as specified in the How to Apply Section, with all required attachments listed in this section.
1. Resume or CV.
2. Transcripts or other educational documents relevant to the stated educational requirements in the Education Section.
- Official or unofficial transcripts for required education must be submitted. It is essential that your transcript include your name, the school’s name, degree, and date awarded. A transcript missing any of these elements or any pages will not meet the minimum qualifications for the position and your candidacy will not continue.
- If you are selected for an interview you will be asked to bring your official transcripts to the interview. These materials will become the property of the Department of State and will not be returned.
- Copies of diplomas may not be submitted in lieu of transcripts for education above high school level.
- PDF documents are required; illegible documents will not be accepted.
3. Signed and dated Conditions of Employment statement. Click here to download the Conditions of Employment form: https://careers.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Conditions-of-Employment.pdf
4. Copy of your DD-214 if claiming a 5 pt. veteran's preference. If claiming a 10 pt. veteran’s preference, you must submit your VA letter and SF-15, in addition to your DD-214.
5. Word document with your name and responses to each question in the following Accomplishments Questionnaire and Statement of Interest. These required questions provide an opportunity to describe examples and accomplishments from your education, life, and/or work experience that demonstrate your qualifications for becoming a PEPFAR Country Coordinator. Examples can be drawn from any part of your professional or personal experience. Each response is limited to 300 words or fewer (maximum length 2,000 characters). You should compose your replies carefully, as one of the skills necessary to succeed as a PEPFAR Country Coordinator is the ability to write clearly and concisely.
Accomplishments Questionnaire and Statement of Interest
- Give an example of your experience coordinating activities in an international environment on HIV/AIDS public health matters.
- Give an example of a policy-relevant position paper or Government report that you authored within the last 3 years.
- Provide examples of the most significant public health initiatives/programs you have led or managed. Include the nature and purpose of the initiative/program, its budget, impact and its duration. Discuss the number and types of employees and contractors assigned and your leadership responsibilities with respect to meeting initiative/program milestones, deadlines, and budgets.
- Please describe an experience where you were required to facilitate a decision-making process in a challenging environment.
- Describe fully the most difficult negotiation you have ever been tasked with resolving.
Statement of Interest
Required narrative Statement of Interest which discusses your:
- Motivation for joining the PEPFAR Mission.
- Interpersonal and communication skills.
- Ability to foster teamwork.
- Ability to work in an overseas environment with governmental and non-governmental counterparts.
- Experience living or working in a multicultural environment, overseas or in the United States.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from
schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
How to Apply
Applicants should submit applications early, not waiting for the deadline, as application packages must be complete, submitted, and received by the closing date/time to be considered. There are no exceptions.
- Submit a complete application electronically in one email to PEPFAR_LNAinfo@state.gov with the subject line including: “PEPFAR Country Coordinator,” the country or region of the position, and your full name.
- Attach all required and any supporting documentation. Required documentation is listed below in Application Requirements Section.
- Send the email before 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date of this announcement.
- Submit all documents in one email. If you must send any additional documents after your first submission, be sure to include PEPFAR and your full name in the subject line.
Reminder: Application packages must be complete with all attachments and received by the closing date to be considered. There are no exceptions.
To learn more about the Department of State and an LNA position, please visit us at https://careers.state.gov/career-paths/foreign-service/limited-non-career-appointments-lna/ or at our Frequently Asked Questions at http://careers.state.gov/faqs.
Next steps
Notifications to applicants concerning their application status will be sent by e-mail from the U.S. Department of State. We recommend adding the Department of State (@state.gov) as an approved sender.
For more information, contact: PEPFAR_LNAinfo@state.gov
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