Health Finance Advisor, LHSS Nigeria at Abt Associates

Job Description

Opportunity

The Local Health System Sustainability (LHSS) Project is a 5-year, $209 million global task order that works to strengthen health systems as a means to achieve universal health coverage and improve population health and well-being. Interventions will focus on reducing financial barriers, holding health services accountable for meeting all clients’ needs and making sure that the care patients receive meets minimum standards. LHSS’s Nigeria Activity will support the Government of Nigeria at the Federal level and in three states (Nasarawa, Plateau and Zamfara) to expand sustainable pro-poor health financing options to reduce health inequalities, improve access to essential health services for the most vulnerable populations, and increase government expenditure on health services for greater sustainability of health service delivery. The project will also support HIV/AIDS and TB financing in Lagos State. The Activity has five objectives to accomplish in collaboration with Nigerian counterparts:

1. Increase financial risk protection
2. Improve population health coverage
3. Increase number of fully functional facilities
4. Increase utilization of state health insurance schemes for HIV/AIDS and TB services
5. Increase government funding for HIV/AIDs and TB services

Key Roles and Responsibilities

The Senior Health Financing Advisor will have the following duties and responsibilities:

• Implement Activity’s health financing interventions in Nigeria, which includes strengthening the government’s capacity to regularly produce and use health financing data for decision-making, and improving resource optimization and health financing at the national and sub-national levels
• Convene and manage stakeholder working groups and steering committees, and facilitate coordination and workshops between and within government ministries
• Carry out health financing analysis and ensure the Activity’s health financing engagement activities are conducted in coordination with ongoing donor and government of Nigeria activities
• Support the Activity to establish and cultivate relationships with key stakeholders within the Government of Nigeria and collaborate closely with them throughout the project
• Contribute to implementation of activities in a way that is harmonized with the project’s objectives to ensure complementary and efficient implementation
• Coordinate with home office Senior Technical Advisors and consultants to ensure high quality deliverables, events, and outputs
• Support and coordinate with project staff and partners to implement cross-cutting activities
• Attend relevant meetings, technical working groups, conferences, etc. as necessary to share knowledge generated through the Activity’s interventions and to represent the project.

Within the LHSS project, the Senior Health Financing Advisor will report to the Chief of Party and will be supported by LHSS home office-based technical expertise.

Preferred Qualifications

• The Senior Health Financing Advisor is expected to have the strategic vision, leadership qualities, depth and breadth of technical expertise and experience, professional reputation, management experience, interpersonal skills and written and oral presentation skills to fulfill the diverse technical and managerial requirements of key roles and responsibilities.
• 6+ years of relevant professional experience in managing progressively complex health programs.  Experience in working in USAID programs is preferred.
• Should be familiar with Government of Nigeria budgeting, planning, health financing, timelines, and stakeholders. Proven track record of working effectively with government counterparts at various levels.
• Recognized expertise in heath financing, with demonstrated success in strengthening health financing, including social health protection schemes, public financial management, and domestic resource mobilization.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with USAID, ministry officials, and other development partners and a proven track record of interacting with other projects, high-level host country governments and international agencies.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s Degree + Nine years of relevant experience, or Master’s Degree + Seven years of relevant experience, or PhD + Four years of relevant experience

Abt Associates is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer committed to fostering a diverse workforce. Abt Associates provides market-competitive salaries and comprehensive employee benefits. 

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