PEPFAR

Foreign Service PEPFAR Country Coordinators serve as the Embassy-based expert on all matters concerning the Department of State’s Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator (S/GAC).  The PEPFAR Country 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 Coordinator 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 Coordinator ensures coordination and linkage of U.S. Government bilateral assistance with those of the host country, other bilateral donors, particularly the Global Fund for AIDS, TB and Malaria, non-governmental organizations, and international multilateral organizations engaged in the fight against the global HIV/AIDS epidemic.

These are paid, Limited Non-career Appointment (LNA) Foreign Service positions.  The PEPFAR program is not an alternate entry method to the Foreign Service or the Department of State, i.e., this service does not lead to onward employment at the Department of State or with the U.S. government.  PEPFAR Coordinator LNAs are welcome to apply to become Foreign Service Specialists, Foreign Service Generalists, or Civil Service employees, but they must complete the standard application and assessment processes.

If you have additional questions about the PEPFAR Coordinator program, please post a message to PEPFAR_LNAinfo@state.gov.

As a member of a diplomatic team, the PEPFAR Country Coordinator will not only help to accomplish the mission of the Department of State, but will also be a representative of the United States to the people of other nations. This position involves uncommon commitments and occasional hardships, as well as unique rewards and opportunities. A decision to accept this appointment should be based on extraordinary motivation and a firm dedication to public service.

While overseas work with the State Department may appear glamorous with overseas travel to exotic locations, government-provided housing, and generous pay and benefits, service abroad can be challenging and sometimes dangerous. Health and sanitation facilities in foreign countries may be limited, air and water quality may not be up to U.S. standards, sporadic power and water outages may occur, internet service may be unreliable and/or expensive, and access to U.S.-branded goods may be limited. We seek motivated individuals who can maintain their composure, while continuing to exercise sound judgment – even in the face of potentially stressful circumstances and living conditions.

In addition to the general requirements for employment 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 which are required. Also applicants must have a minimum of eight years of progressively 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.

Service time and benefits earned as a PEPFAR Coordinator can be counted as federal employment, and credited towards federal retirement eligibility.

Candidates earning a job offer must be able to obtain medical, security, and suitability clearances, including a country-specific clearance for the locale(s) of assignment. Suitability may include a review of specific factors of an employee’s appropriateness for assignment to a specific post, including, for example, whether the candidate has an immediate family member still residing in the country of proposed assignment, or whether the candidate’s spouse, children, parents, etc., have such relations.

Additional benefits include: Tax Free Housing Overseas, Tax Free Educational Allowance for eligible family members, overtime compensation, Accrual of Annual and Sick Leave, Life Insurance, inclusion in the Federal Employees’ Health Benefits Plan (FEHB), inclusion in the Federal Employees’ Retirement System (FERS), and the possibility of hardship pay (where applicable). Details about these benefits can be found at Benefits. Not all benefits are applicable to LNA positions. For example, Student Loan Repayment and the Language Incentive Pay program, if language is a hiring prerequisite, are not included under the PEPFAR LNA program.