Job: Associate, Primary Health Care. Deadline 7th August 2021

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

TITLE: Associate, Primary Health Care

Program: Primary Health Care

Job Location: Kigali

Type: Full-Time Paid

Start date: Immediate

 Overview

The Clinton Health Access Initiative, Inc. (CHAI) is a global health organization committed to saving lives and reducing the burden of disease in low-and middle-income countries, while strengthening the capabilities of governments and the private sector in those countries to create and sustain high-quality health systems that can succeed without our assistance. For more information, please visit: http://www.clintonhealthaccess.org.

The Government of Rwanda strives to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by enabling equitable access to quality health services for its population. Over the years, tremendous progress has been made in improving health outcomes in the country. Rwanda can lead the way to ensure that every Rwandan irrespective of where they live or the circumstances under which they live have access to quality health care without suffering financial hardship. The Fourth Health Sector Strategic Plan (HSSP IV) outlines clear goals, objectives and targets up to 2024 and the GoR also aim to achieve UHC as it works towards the Sustainable Development Goals and its Vision 2050.

Over several decades, Primary Health Care (PHC) has been identified as a vehicle for the attainment of greater coverage and equity. Improving primary health care, including essential public health functions, is the most cost-effective way to save lives. Interventions at health centers and in communities can address an estimated 77 percent of maternal, newborn and child deaths and stillbirths, reduce inequities in health outcomes, and prevent people from being pushed into poverty from health spending. The systems created for PHC increase resiliency to disease outbreaks such as COVID-19. They also create a foundation that can be used to progressively expand service coverage from primary health care toward universal health coverage. In Rwanda, PHC is implemented through district health units that works as autonomous planning and implementation units for health facilities at the district, sector and cell levels and Community Health Workers.

CHAI is supporting the Rwanda Ministry of Health (MoH) to improve PHC as an effective engine for accelerating progress towards UHC. The objective of this work is to enhance and accelerate progress towards the HSSP IV targets and UHC.  

Position

CHAI seeks an Associate who will be supporting a team working with the MoH and a range of relevant government institutions to identify key areas that require upgrades and improvements in primary health care, to develop a comprehensive long-term costed plan for driving investments in and improving PHC, aligned with the vision and priorities of the Government of Rwanda. This will include a credible financing plan for how investments in the health system can be maximized and how external investments in systems can be sustained over time. The scope of work can include but not limited to extensive stakeholder engagements and review of available strategies, the development of robust assessments and analyses, including costing and financing analysis, and report writing.

CHAI is seeking a highly analytical individual with outstanding interpersonal and communication skills. It is expected that the shape of the work will evolve over time and therefore the work will be fast paced and diverse and the position requires a strong ability to adapt and to think creatively. It also required the possession of strong research and planning skills. The Associate must be fluent in English and have excellent relationship building and communication skills. He or she must be able to function independently with minimal oversight and have a strong commitment to excellence with a keen eye for detail. CHAI places great value on resourcefulness, responsibility, tenacity, flexibility, independence, energy, work ethic and humility.

Responsibilities: 

The Associate will be a member of the PHC team and will report to a designated supervisor. His or her responsibility will include, but not limited to the following:  

1. Support high level government officials in the Ministry of Health to facilitate alignment on key priorities for accelerating progress on the current health sector strategic plan. This will require activities including:

• Assessment of current health sector policies, strategies, and plans to determine initiatives, interventions and activities that are planned, in the pipeline, being implemented or can be effectively and efficiently delivered at the PHC level
• Leveraging existing literature and available data to determine established targets, the status of progress towards targets and gaps across the health systems as related to PHC.

2. Assist in data collection and analysis to determine investments relevant to PHC over an extended period.
3. Provide support in the mapping of available resources against costs including projections of external and domestic funds, highlighting funding gaps.
4. Provide analytical support in the development of a robust financing plan
5. Assist in organizing policy dialogues, meetings, and workshops
6. Support in the preparation of background papers, technical briefs, presentations, and reports

Qualifications:

• A Master’s degree with strong quantitative focus in health economics, public health, or other relevant disciplines.
• At least 4-years of experience in an analytical role in a demanding, results-oriented environment in public or private sector,
• Excellent analytical and quantitative skills, including attention to detail and experience in modeling using Microsoft Excel.
• Strong communication skills, including preparation of compelling presentations and documents in Microsoft PowerPoint and Word.
• Effective interpersonal skills, demonstrated ability to build strong professional relationships with a range of stakeholders and excellent organizational skills
• Ability to handle multiple tasks concurrently.
• Strong command of English.

Advantages:

• Educational background in any of the health professions
• Professional experience in clinical settings
• Experience in programs focused on primary health care
• Experience working with governments in Sub-Saharan Africa
• Fluency in French or Kinyarwanda

Application procedure

Interested candidates should send their application to: Associate, Primary Health Care (PHC) - 6 months in | Careers at Clinton Health Access Initiative (icims.com) The deadline for applications is August 7th, 2021. The shortlisted candidates will be contacted.