Health Policy Advisor at University of Nairobi Enterprises and Services (UNES)

Contract terms: This is a Short-Term Technical Assistance consultancy position

Remuneration: Daily rates subject to number of days allocated by month

The Duties and Responsibilities

The role of the Health Policy Advisor will be:

1. Policy synthesis, review and alignment to GOK and global digital health environment.
2. Policy dissemination, training and HealthIT strategy formulation and alignment with the bigger GOK policy orientation
3. Partnerships and Stakeholder engagement and alignment with:
   1.  National GOK (Ministries of Health, Labor and Social Protection, ICT Youth and Innovation, other public institutions), and the private sector
   1. County Stakeholder Engagement at the Council of Governors, county leadership and county Government stakeholders

Tasks and Responsibilities

The key tasks for this position include:

1. Support GoK in formulation of policy on digital health where relevant, necessary and appropriate and provide technical advice to HealthIT project
2. Review, develop and ensure alignment of HealthIT priorities, strategies and plans to the County’s legal, regulatory, policy, and strategic directions, USAID digital strategy as well as any global development in digital transformation to inform HealthIT Strategic Implementation Framework.
3. Develop and maintain an updated and synthesized repository of all digital health related legal, regulatory and policy documents including any changes or amendments.
4. Keeping abreast of all policy developments in the health sector sector and related fields, particularly relating to Digital Health and keeping the HealthIT team and partners informed and up to date about said developments.
5. Providing contextualized analysis of the policy environment for Digital Health, through research and scoping of existing initiatives, gaps in the sector other key stakeholders such as Ministry of ICT, Communications Authority of Kenya, etc.
6. To lead on shaping and developing a clear HealthIT digital policy orientation building on what has been started. In particular this will involve:
   1. Developing and sustaining HealthIT social capital by networking and maintaining key relationships with Key GoK Ministries (MOH, MOICT, MoLSP), Departments, Agencies (MDAs) and key stakeholders in the sector
   1. Proactive development of collaboration opportunities, joint research on digital health policy with Government, Universities, and other initiatives
7.  Representing HealthIT in GoK Working and Advisory Committees, Technical Working Groups and intergovernmental forums.
8. Develop and maintain effective and efficient procedures and processes for UNES and HealthIT partnerships with its partnering institutions.
9. Oversee, facilitate and coordinate all aspects of partnership life cycle management, from stakeholder analysis, partner identification, due diligence, project development, agreement, start-up, implementation, monitoring through to close-out, coordinating effectively with all program, operations and finance components.
10. Coordinate due diligence process with respect to all new partnerships, including through appropriate vetting, coordinating the pre-award assessment with other departments, analysis of risks associated with the award, identification and implementation of appropriate measures to manage those risks, working with other UNES and the project team.
11. In collaboration with UNES and the project leadership develop Project Support Plans (PSPs) for each partner/project.
12.  Ensure the timely review of partners’ financial and narrative reports in accordance with the terms of their partnership agreements in consultation with other project technical and leadership teams
13. Contributing to project planning and management. Reporting to Project leadership, contributing to Project team, and providing financial and narrative reports

   Minimum Qualifications and Skills Required

1. A Master’s degree in Policy and Public Administration or equivalent qualification
2. At least 10 years’ experience in policy formulation and implementation
3. Experience in health information systems is desirable
4. Experience working in or with the Ministry of Health or public sector is preferable
5. Passionate commitment to Digital Health and social change.
6. Strong understanding of issues affecting Digital Health in Kenya
7. Demonstrable knowledge and experience of policy, partnerships and operations research
8. Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate and represent the HealthIT Project externally empathetically and clearly
9. Strong writing skills including ability to summarize information into policy briefings or proposals
10. Resourceful with an ability to think creatively, see opportunities and take initiative
11. Flexible approach to work including excellent time management and self-motivation
12. Excellent team working skills and the ability to act independently when necessary.
13. Willingness to travel regularly around the country as and when necessary