Director, Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) at Amref Kenya

JOB PURPOSE

Amref Health Africa is looking for a highly motivated and dynamic person to serve in this new role as a Technical Director: Social Determinants of Health providing strategic and technical leadership of the global programme portfolio, which has entered the new 8-year strategic period. Working closely with teams across Amref, the successful candidate will provide overall strategic direction and technical leadership, implement the corporate TA strategy (technical assistance), and invest in people-centered health systems, specifically in experience in the social determinants of health including public health security, climate and health: culture and environment, syndemics and health disparities, modern and traditional/indigenous health climate change, human trafficking, violence, migration and natural/human made disasters.

The successful candidate will therefore provide high-quality technical support to teams across Amref and is expected be a thought leader. The role demands high visibility, both internally and externally, including representation and creation of partnerships. The position is a combined technical and managerial role.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide technical expertise on how to strengthen implementation of the SDoH models in the various countries by overseeing national and sub-national technical support to Amref’s Country Offices (COs) and partner countries
• Development, implementation and oversight of programme technical strategies, service delivery models, protocols, guidelines, quality and standards across the organization.
• Building knowledge, thought leadership and develop programs in the following SDoH key areas Income and social protection, Health Education, Unemployment and job insecurity, Working life conditions, Food insecurity, Housing, basic amenities, culture and the environment, Early childhood development, Social inclusion and non-discrimination, Structural conflict, syndemics and health disparities, modern and traditional/indigenous health climate change, human trafficking, violence, migration and natural/human made disasters.
• Identify and grow multi-country projects including enhancing cross-country learning, improving documentation of lessons learned, dissemination/publication and translation of learnings into policy and practice to impact change
• Oversee the design and execution of all SDoH programs, ensuring they are aligned with strategic objectives and donor requirements by technically supporting Amref’s COs and key stakeholders to develop frameworks that aligning with their national context of the relevant social determinants
• Working closely with teams across Amref and Health System Strengthening Directorate, the successful candidate will develop and implement strategic plans related to overall strategic leadership on SDoH areas, ensuring alignment with the organization's overall mission and objectives.
• Monitor and evaluate emerging SDOH trends and integrate relevant insights into the organization's strategies.
• Represent Amref on high level panels, media interviews, meetings and in other forums which position the organization and grow its thought leadership agenda.
• Work closely with stakeholders in driving conceptual and strategic project alignment, overall workplan execution, and deep dives on specific policies while monitoring program budgets, tracking expenditures and identifying potential savings.
• Advise on best practices regarding Universal Health coverage (UHC) and SDoH to ensure highest level of quality for the delivery of health care in Amref’s COs and partner countries.
• Advocate, during strategic discussions with Ministries of Finance and Health and other key decision makers and stakeholders, including Amref’s COs, to influence agenda setting in favor of SDoH.
• Participate in regular weekly HSS meetings, Health section quarterly reviews, and region wide activities (e.g. country office annual reviews and regional office planning).
• Develop and support the generation of evidence through high-quality learning products to include manuscripts for peer review papers while supporting analytics to identify, consider, and propose reforms to strengthen multi-sectoral collaboration towards a unified approach in addressing SDoH
• Develop and support the translation of evidence through high-quality learning products to include policy briefs and other forms of publications that target high-level decision-makers and stakeholders in the health sector.
• Support the institutionalization of reforms on SDoH within government systems; national and subnational.
• Participate and represent Amref Health Africa in policy dialogue forums to disseminate evidence generated on health financing and health systems,

Business Development

• Support program sustainability and pursue opportunities to increase funding and business for HSS directorate and Amref Health Africa at large
• Identify new SDoH programs and funding opportunities through networking, meetings and other channels
• Initiate the resource mobilization concepts for the SDoH programs and participate in proposal writing for potential PHC grants
• Develop and implement strategies to increase program visibility and impact.
• Negotiate with donors to secure funding for SDoH programs and manage SDoH grant proposals and contracts.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Engage and build relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, including government officials, donors, community leaders, and healthcare providers to support implementation of the programs.
• Build consensus on SDoH priorities and strategies and advocate for SDoH policies and programs at the national and regional levels.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Education and Professional Qualifications

• A master’s degree in international development, development economics, education & economics, sociology, public health, social sciences or any other relevant field.

Experience and Competencies

• Minimum ten (10) years of experience working in global development and technical knowledge of policy, advocacy and governance in Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) and related fields.
• Strong knowledge of social determinants of health and their impact on population and health outcome
• Proven leadership in developing strategies, conceptualizing, planning, and implementing projects or programs.
• A strategic thinker with an international perspective and good understanding of development issues and trends impacting Africa’s health agenda.
• Experience in social determinants of health (including public health security, climate and health, etc.), is preferred.
• Experience in research, conceptualizing and technical support and leading stakeholder engagement in the Social Determinants of Health areas.
• Experience working on the development and roll-out of cross-cutting initiatives and programmes across multi-level organizations and stakeholder groups
• Ability to develop plans and proposals collaboratively
• Track record in building partnerships with government health agencies, donors, and other key stakeholders,
• Highly collaborative and accessible leadership style, with experience managing teams. Enthusiastic about working in an open environment with multicultural peers and staff, including global, regional, national, local, public, and private sectors.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including demonstrated ability to effectively facilitate high-level meetings; prepare clear and concise briefs, presentations, and reports.
• Knowledge on DEIB approaches

Compensation
This role attracts internationally competitive benefits including relocation for internationally recruited staff