Project Management Specialist (Health Economist)

I. GENERAL INFORMATION

1. SOLICITATION NO.: 21-174 **

2. ISSUANCE DATE: November 1, 2021**

3. CLOSING DATE/TIME FOR RECEIPT OF OFFERS: November 12, 2021 (4:30 PM East Africa Time)

4. POSITION TITLE: Project Management Specialist (Health Economist)**

5. MARKET VALUE: Equivalent to FSN-PSC11 (Step 1 4,792,523.00 KSH to Step 13 8,147,267.00 KSH per annum)**.** In accordance with AIDAR Appendix J and the Local Compensation Plan of USAID/Kenya and East Africa. Final compensation will be negotiated within the listed market value.*

6. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: Initial six (6) months probationary period, with an additional six (6) months upon successful completion of probation period. Additional four (4) option years contingent on fully successful or better performance rating, funds availability and the continued need to retain the position.**

7. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Nairobi, Kenya; with possible travel as stated in the Statement of Work.**

8. SECURITY CERTIFICATION REQUIRED: Prior to joining USAID, the selected candidate will be required to:**

· Undergo a comprehensive background investigation

· Undergo a health check to obtain medical clearance and;

· Obtain and retain an embassy issued Security Certification.

9. STATEMENT OF DUTIES: (See Below).

10. AREA OF CONSIDERATION: Open to qualified Kenyan Citizens and current employees of the U.S. Government. USAID provides equal opportunity and equitable treatment for employment of all people without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, political affiliation, marital status or sexual orientation.

11. PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The position requirements do not involve rigorous physical demands.

II. BACKGROUND

USAID/Kenya’s Office of Health Population and Nutrition (HPN)) invests in population and health programs that aim to improve the survival, well-being and productivity of the Kenyan population-especially in poor, marginalized and underserved communities. USAID partners with the Government of Kenya (GOK) at the national and county levels to reduce the burden of major infectious diseases such as HIVIAJDS, malaria and tuberculosis, and address the main causes of maternal, neonatal and child illness and death. This includes cross-cutting work to strengthen healthcare systems and capacity, and to support the national government to formulate key policies and guidelines while assisting counties to better plan, manage and finance quality health services to meet local needs.

Health systems strengthening (HSS) is key to advancing the country ownership and sustainability goals of both the U.S. Government and the Government of Kenya. USAID is the largest donor in this area, supporting a wide range of activities to improve health policy formulation and implementation, human resources management, building partnerships in health, heath financing, quality assurance, leadership development and institutional capacity building. This work underpins all the Mission’s efforts to improve services for HIV/AIDS, malaria, maternal/neonatal/child health, family planning, nutrition and water and sanitation. It also advances the principles of the Global Health Initiative, President’s Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), USAID Forward, “Ending Preventable Child and Maternal Deaths”, and an “AIDS-Free Generation” — all of which recognize that in the absence of effective governance, qualified health staff, institutional capacity and adequate financing, and effective partnerships Kenya cannot deliver the health services that the country needs nor can Kenya effectively reduce its dependency on external donor financing for health.

The Health Economist Health Insurance Specialist (HEHIS) in the Office of Health Population and Nutrition at USAID/Kenya is the Senior Advisor on the development and management of USAID-funded activities that concern the promotion of health insurance reforms consistent with the Government Agenda on UHC and Kenyan Constitutional provisions on the right to health and social protection for all Kenyans. The jobholder will work in two broad areas: i) Social Health Insurance/NHIF (SHI), including assistance to develop feasible options in the implementation of major health financing functions (revenue generation, risk pooling, purchasing of services), legal and institutional arrangements, expansion of insurance coverage and risk pooling especially to the poor and vulnerable, risk analysis, financial sustainability, and provider payment mechanisms that promote efficiency and productivity that support Kenya’s goals for the realization of Universal Health Coverage (UHC), and ii) providing data driven Technical Guidance to the GOK including relevant regulatory bodies on priority health insurance reforms that promote equitable access to priority health care services by the poor and vulnerable groups. This will also entail creating a conducive policy environment and incentives that will allow expansion of the private health insurance market share in financing delivery, and coverage of a basic package of essential health services.

The Specialist is a key member of the HPN Office and the Health Policy and Financing Team. The Specialist serves as an advisor and provides strategic, technical, analytical, and management support on health insurance reforms. S/he will serve as a Contracting Officer’s Representative/Agreement Officer’s Representative (COR/AOR) and/or Activity Manager supporting health insurance financing and social health insurance activities. The Specialist provides senior-level technical guidance to Health Office staff and leaders, the broader USAID Mission, implementing partners (IPs), the host government, and represents USAID with the interagency, in technical working groups, and other fora. The jobholder reports to the Health Policy and Financing Team Leader and has no formal supervisory responsibility.

III. MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

a. Technical Leadership (55%)

· Serve as USAID/Kenya’s lead technical expert in matters of SHI including NHIF, advising the HPN Director, Mission Director on social health protection concerns/risk pooling in Kenya as they relate to USG health and development goals and objectives.

· Support a full range of consultative, advisory, strategic planning and evaluation activities for HPN, working as a lead technical advisor and keeping abreast of current and new social health protection issues in Kenya and those emerging from USAID/Washington, Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator (OGAC), and global technical fora in health care financing, and provide recommendations on options in shaping USAID health programs in this area.

· Participates at the national level discussions/technical assistance on the development of strategies for financing UHC under devolution focusing on expanding social health insurance coverage through pre-payment schemes especially for the poor and indigents, aligning NHIF to the UHC agenda.

· Leads the provision of the technical assistance to MOH on new policy developments targeting efficiency improvements in raising money for health spending, pooling and purchasing arrangements for essential benefit package and major costing models, provider payment mechanisms, cost containment measures.

· Jointly with other national level players, leads the formulation of National policy and strategies for enhancing equitable access to quality healthcare services in the Country.

· Represent USAID/Kenya at various forums on social health protection and/or (SHI)/risk pooling including but limited to coordination meetings with USG implementing partners, donors, Government of Kenya (GOK) representatives and USG agencies; through relevant stakeholder forums and technical working groups; and at international conference events requiring technical representation of USAID/Kenya’ s strategic and programmatic interests in these areas.

· Coordinate with other donors, international agencies and GOK counterparts addressing concerns around social health protection and/risk pooling, including through Interagency Coordination Committees, Intergovernmental Relations Coordination structures i.e. COG Health Committee and Technical Working Groups as well as through policy engagement with senior Ministry of Health, NHIF and other private health insurance actors and County leadership.

· The specialist also works on leveraging USAID resources i.e. financial and non-financial on other stakeholders including GOK to maximize on AID effectiveness.

b. Program/Project/Activity Management (30%)

· The Health Economist NHIF Insurance Specialist (HEHIS) will serve as a Contracting Officer’s Representative/Agreement Officer’s Representative (COR/AOR) and/or Activity Manager with program technical and administrative oversight roles for specific NHIF/SHI related contracts and grants.

· S/he will lead and/or participate in the development and management of NHIF/SHI and acquisition and assistance mechanisms, including coordination, management and reporting of all actions and functions required to support key activities and programs of USAID interest.

· S/he will advise HPN staff and implementing partners on various strategies of ensuring timely and effective planning, implementation and monitoring/ evaluation of programs and on initiatives required to achieve stated goals and targets.

· The specialist will lead the development of scopes of work/program descriptions, budgets, and work schedules for solicitations.

· S/he will provide technical support to USAID’s Contracting Office as needed with regard to institutional contractors; monitor implementation progress, ensuring that actions are completed on schedule or are adjusted to meet changing conditions, and making routine visits to project sites.

· S/he will monitor disbursements, certifying contractor’s invoices, maintaining up-to-date records of project disbursements and expenditures, and reviewing and managing project pipelines.

· Provide technical input on implementing partners’ annual work plans and reviewing and approving these work plans and other key deliverables.

· Review performance reports to ensure that partners are in compliance with bilateral government agreements and with the performance expectations outlined in their work plan and in their contract/agreement with USAID.

· Ensure that implementing partners are in compliance with all relevant USAID and OGAC regulations and procedures.

· Based on observations, assessment reports, performance statistics and other available data, make programmatic recommendation s to HPN.

· S/he will also support other CORs/AORs and Activity managers as deemed appropriate by the Health Policy, financing and partnerships team leader and approved by the HPN Director.

c. Monitoring and Results Reporting (15%)

· Monitor HPN and PEPFAR partners’ progress in the area of NHIF/SHI; evaluate plans for feasibility, effectiveness, efficiency and economy; and, if necessary, develop alternative methods to achieve goals.

· Serve as HPN and/or PEPFAR Kenya representative on NHIF/SHI and related project performance and results reporting to USAID/Kenya offices, USAID/Washington, and Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator (OGAC).

· Support USAID regular and ad-hoc reporting needs including preparing relevant sections of key planning and reporting documents such as the Annual/Semi-Annual Performance Reports, Country Operational Plan, Health Implementation Plan, and portfolio reviews. Draft USAID communication document s, including presentations, success stories, briefers and other information as requested**

IV. POSITION ELEMENTS:

a. Supervision Received: Directly supervised by the Health Policy Financing and Partnerships Team Leader, under the overall guidance and direction of the HPN Deputy Director. The jobholder must exercise independent judgment in planning and carrying out tasks, resolving problems and conflicts, and taking steps necessary to meet deadlines. Work is reviewed primarily in terms of performance against planned objectives described in annual performance evaluation reports (PERs).

b. Supervision Exercised: The jobholder exercises no administrative supervision over others.

c. Available Guidelines: Available guidelines include USG program/project/activity guidance, rules, and requirements; USAID Mission Orders, Mission Strategy, and other relevant reports; the Automated Directives System (ADS); USAID Mandatory and Standard Provisions, and the FAR and AIDAR; and Country Operational Plans, host-government Five-Year Strategic Plans (or equivalent), and other published and unpublished guidelines. Guidelines are often general in nature and not specific to the situation at hand, requiring considerable interpretation.

d. Exercise of Judgment: Extensive and substantive management responsibility in the formative stages of program elements. Substantive meetings with USG partners, host­ government officials and representatives of implementing agencies. Decisions have extensive impact on the USG health programs in Kenya and in turn on national policy development and implementation.

e. Authority to Make Commitments: The Specialist exercises the authority given to activity managers and CORs/AORs, and may make administrative arrangements consistent with ADS guidance and Mission and Office policy. The Specialist takes action and establishes priorities based on available guidelines and professional judgment. Guidance is sought when needed, and superiors informed of activity and project status. Within the scope of the authority delegated, the Specialist may indicate to ranking counterpart and IP officials that they will make a recommendation to USAID on a specific activity, issue, or problems. The jobholder cannot make financial commitments on behalf of the U.S. Government. The jobholder’s recommendations, however, will lay the basis for making commitments.

f. Nature, Level, and Purpose of Contacts: Contacts will be at highest working levels with the Ministry of Health (e.g. Cabinet Secretary, directorate heads, technical staff) and country government (Governor, County Health Executive and County Health Teams), U.S. Government agencies (CDC, DOD, Peace Corps, PEPFAR Coordination Office, US Embassy), USAlD/Kenya and USAlD/Washington (leadership, technical and program staff), institutional contractor staff, private voluntary and non-governmental organizations, and bilateral and multilateral donor representatives. Contact will be of a continuous nature through day-to-day meetings, technical working group forums and/or program performance reviews. Many of these contacts will be for the purpose of obtaining or providing information on relevant NHIF/SHI concerns as they relate to USAlD program priorities.

g. Time Expected to Reach Full Performance Level: One year.

V. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION

Any application that does not meet the minimum requirements stated below will not be evaluated. Only short listed applicants will be contacted. If you have not been contacted within one month from the closing date of this advertisement, please consider your application unsuccessful.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

a. Education: Minimum of a master’s degree in Economic, Health Economics, Public Health, International Health or a relevant Social Science.

b. Prior Work Experience: A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible professional experience in health care financing with emphasis on social health insurance and private sector programming and policy development is required.

c. Post Entry Training: On-the-job familiarization training in USAID procedures, regulations, and methods, and orientation to working from a donor-Agency perspective, etc., will be provided. Formal COR/AOR certification is required for successful performance and will be provided. Other courses, training to maintain professional capability in the field, and courses offered for professional USAID staff as appropriate; and, courses, seminars, conferences, and other activities in fields related to the function and needed to maintain and update professional qualifications as appropriate, will be provided as they become available, and subject to availability of funds.

d. Language Proficiency: Level IV (fluent) English language proficiency, speaking and writing, and Level IV (fluent) Swahili language are required. The jobholder must possess a high degree of proficiency in both written and spoken English. Excellent written communication skills in English are required to prepare regular and ad hoc reports, activity documentation and briefing papers.

e. Job Knowledge: Advanced specialist knowledge of health economics, health financing, health insurance mechanisms, and policy formulation. Must have a comprehensive understanding of health financing issues including social health and private health insurance, knowledge of the landscape of the local health actors and stakeholders in health economics and financing and public health programming in Kenya, data collection, analysis and presentation. A detailed knowledge of health financing and private sector issues and strategic directions under the devolved health system is required. The position requires strong familiarity with health system strengthening and a track record of technical expertise in cost analysis, and health care services at all levels of the health sector and capacity building in developing countries. A thorough knowledge of the Kenyan public sector health system, donor environment and related sector programs is required. Must have a detailed specialist knowledge of general development procedures, laws and regulations, as well as budgeting and reporting requirements.

f. Skills and Abilities: Demonstrated management skills and technical leadership capacity to effectively guide and oversee USAID strategic investments in these areas. Excellent interpersonal and communications skills to establish and maintain effective contacts within USAID, the interagency PEPFAR Team, USG implementing partners, relevant GOK counterparts, other donors, private sector and civil society organizations.

Excellent analytical, writing and organizational skills. Strong initiative to obtain, evaluate, and interpret factual data and to prepare concise, accurate, and complete reports, as well as to recognize significant developments and data trends. Excellent technical writing skills. Competence in using various computer software applications including Microsoft Office programs. The jobholder must be able to work in a demanding and often high-stress environment to meet deadlines or ensure inter-agency engagement and consensus. Must be a self-starter with strong diplomatic and leadership qualities. Sound judgment combined with a mature and profession al demeanor is required.

VI. EVALUATION AND SELECTION FACTORS

Applicants must submit a resume/cv which describes how their relevant professional experience and education has prepared them to meet the specific challenges of the duties and responsibilities described above. As part of the interview process, those applicants ranked highest may be required to submit a timed writing sample on a topic provided. The selection committee may conduct reference checks at any time during the selection process.

Applications that do not meet the required minimum qualifications will not be scored.

• Prior work experience (30 points)
• Language (Pass/Fail)
• Job Knowledge (40 points)
• Skills and abilities (30 points)

Total possible points: 100

Candidates meeting the above required qualifications for the position will be evaluated based on information presented in the application and reference checks. References will be asked to assess the applicant’s technical knowledge, work performance, communication skills, and group dynamics, using the above criteria. USAID reserves the right to conduct interviews with the top ranked short-listed applicants. The interview will be one of the determining factors in the final selection.