Health Finance Advisor at Abt Associates

Abt Associates, a global leader in research and program implementation, is recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Position: Health Finance Advisor

Location: Abuja

Job Description

Background

• The U.S. Agency for International Development selected Abt Associates, Inc. to implement the new Health Finance and Governance Project (HFG), a five-year $209 million flagship project that will increase the use of priority health services by strengthening health finance and governance systems in developing countries.
• The HFG project team, led by Abt Associates, brings proven experience working with country partners, such as ministries of health, to build their capacity to strengthen their health systems.
• A principal area of HFG focus is to develop the capacity of partner countries to increase their domestic resources for health, manage those resources more effectively, and make wise purchasing decisions.
• Designed to fundamentally strengthen health systems, the HFG project supports its partners as they advance their health system priorities.
• In Nigeria, the HFG project team will work together with USAID and the Government of Nigeria (GON) to support sustainability and country ownership of Nigeria's HIV/AIDS.
• The project will work on improving sustainable HIV and AIDS financing by building the capacity of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) to increase domestic financing for HIV/AIDS programs.
• HFG expects this activity to be multi-year in nature.

There are four primary components in our multi-year strategy to support these objectives:
1.) Generate financial evidence on the costs, impact, and sustain ability of HIV programming;
2.) Use this financial evidence to mobilize additional resources for implementation of national HIV and AIDS program including putting in place of a resource mobilization strategy;
3.) Build local capacity to mobilize resources, and
4.) Ensure efficient, effective, and equitable use of national HIV programming resources.

• To provide ongoing coordination and technical assistance, a full-time health economist will be embedded within the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA)'s Resource.
• Mobilization Department (RMD) to assist in the implementation of the HFG project's activities, liaise between" the project and the RMD, and mentor RMD staff. HFG will provide international technical assistance for various activities and one of the roles of the embedded advisor will be to coordinate these activities and provide regular and consistent follow-up.
• The Health Economist will be appointed for an initial period of12 months, with renewal or extension based upon availability of funding.
• The Health Economist must be Nigerian and will be located in Abuja, Nigeria.

Specific Job Responsibilities

• Assist project team in the day-to-day implementation and coordination of activities supporting the RMD and provide the necessary technical support to ensure completion of project deliverables.
• Conduct an assessment of the technical capacity of NACA's Resource Mobilization Department and work with project staff to further strengthen the department's technical capacity.
• Involve in national data collection and analysis in areas of costing, resource mapping and financing
• Organize and facilitate stakeholders consultation workshops;
• Coordinate with key stakeholders at NACA, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Finance
• Serve as project liaison to the RMD
• Prepare weekly progress report to update project team on implementation of activities and institutional capacity building

Qualifications and Skills

• 10+ years of experience or the equivalent combination of education and experience.
• An advanced degree (minimum MA/MSc with a PhD desirable) in health economics, public health, public policy, or equivalent, and at least 10 years of relevant work experience.
• Prior working experience in health financing in Nigeria
• Work experience and familiarity in HIV and AIDS financing
• Familiarity with the government planning and budgeting process.
• Strong quantitative and analytical skills.
• Proven ability to develop and implement policies and strategies for institutional strengthening and technical capacity building.
• Strong conceptual and research skills, with ability to think strategically and rapidly analyze and integrate diverse information from varied sources into conclusions and recommendations.
• Proven planning, networking, team-building, and organizational skills.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English.

Application Closing Date
3rd September, 2013

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should forward their cover letter and CV to: [email protected] detailing suitability to the job requirements all in a single document with "Health Finance Advisor" as the subject line.