Health Systems Strengthening Director at Childrens Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF)

Purpose of the role:

Health Systems Strengthening Director will lead CIFF Africa’s integrated efforts in Child Health and Development (CHD), NTDs and WASH in Africa. As a strategic and visionary leader, they will leverage their health systems experience to translate the ambition of the Resilient Communities pillar under CIFF’s Africa strategy, into a consolidated and overarching strategy. This strategy will be supported by a pipeline of impact-driven, evidence-based investments in CIFF Africa’s priority geographies (Ethiopia, Kenya and Nigeria), that ensure that children are enabled to reach their full potential and that their communities are supported to thrive.

As the leader of one of three newly constituted pillars under the Africa structure, the Health Systems Strengthening Director will be the vision bearer for CIFF’s resilient communities work. Charged with articulating a clear and compelling vision to key audiences including CIFF’s Executive team, Programme Investment Committee and Board, as well as external stakeholders. They will also be responsible for operationalising the pillar structure, managing and building a high impact team, ensuring effective collaboration with other teams both within Africa and globally, and translating pillar goals into an executable measurable plan, for which they will be held accountable.

As a senior member of the CIFF Africa team, the Health Systems Strengthening Director will actively contribute to Africa leadership decision making including setting direction at overall portfolio level, establishing operational systems and processes to boost effectiveness, and maintaining the welfare and morale of the team.

Responsibilities

As a Senior Member of the Africa leadership Team you will:

• Lead on the development and execution of a Resilient Communities Strategy for implementation in CIFF Africa priority countries.
• Provide up-to-date professional advice to the Executive Team and CIFF Board on related issues to support the development of CIFF strategies, policies and initiatives.
• Provide compelling, consistent and united leadership which creates clarity for all staff and builds a sense of shared accountability for its success and that of the organisation.
• Serve as a central liaison across the organization, representing interests of Africa and Resilient Communities pillar to the broader executive team. Foster collaboration and synergy between sectors, helping to improve and adapt systems in a rapidly changing environment.
• Drive and influence key strategic technical relationships with governments, regional bodies (AU, WHO, ECOWAS, EAC and WAHO) and partners to shift policy and deliver the resilient communities strategic goals.
• Drive Thought Leadership on Resilient Communities within CIFF and externally by adding value to the wider ecosystem.
• Sector knowledge and profile-building
  • Deep knowledge and experience in health systems in Africa in CIFF priority countries.
  • Global and continental influencer on health systems which translates into actionable advocacy wins.
  • The individual should have a solid understanding of and professional experience in at least two of CIFF’s Africa priority countries
  • Understands and is passionate about child health and development, the links to the wider health system and climate.
  • Proactively maintains extensive external networks with experts and opinion-formers within Health Systems to ensure the Resilient Communities work is shaped by the most up-to-date insights and research.
  • Commission and oversee sector-relevant research and analysis to inform the effective development, delivery and evaluation of programmes and initiatives.
• Portfolio design, delivery & performance management
  • Lead the development and implementation of the annual Resilient Communities executable plan and corresponding pipeline.
  • Oversee both the design of investment proposals and implementation with directors and senior managers
  • Conduct regular reviews of investment proposals under development and programmes in delivery, to monitor compliance with agreed due diligence and risk management protocols, ensuring the interests and reputation of CIFF are appropriately and proportionately protected. Intervene to take corrective action where necessary.
  • Ensure all investment proposals and programmes are underpinned by appropriate monitoring and evaluation processes and procedures, in accordance with the frameworks and guidance of the EME Team, to enable the development of rigorous evidence and analysis that supports CIFF’s advocacy, scaling-up and mainstreaming agendas.
  • As a recognised subject-matter expert, provide advice, specialist guidance and mentoring support to colleagues (within and beyond the team) to deepen the skills, capability and professionalism of the organisation.
• Leadership of the team
  • Set and monitor achievement of performance and personal development objectives for all direct reports, so that a culture of continuous improvement and learning is embedded within the Resilient Communities Team.
  • Provide inspiring and motivational leadership that role models CIFF’s leadership framework.
• Stakeholder and partner management
  • Develop and maintain excellent external relationships, acting at all times as a corporate ambassador for CIFF.
  • Help build the organisation’s reputation and profile as a professional, visionary and collaborative philanthropy.
  • Show resilience, navigate challenges and resolve conflicts with internal and external stakeholders with diplomacy, sensitivity and transparency.
  • Create opportunities for resilience partnerships for the region and leverage value from various public, private, and individual interests to improve resilience across the portfolio of programmes

The Talented Individual

Qualifications & Experience

• Educated to post-graduate degree level, or equivalent by experience, within a relevant specialism in public health, health systems and development or related sciences.
• Recognised as a subject-matter expert (as evidenced via publications and/or previous programme delivery) in an area relevant to health systems, CHD focus, preferably with an extensive track record of working in two of CIFF’s Africa priority countries.
• Demonstrated track record of delivering high impact (in terms of enabling large systemic change or benefitting large numbers of people through either a direct or catalytic role).
• Demonstrated experience leading programs/initiatives within and across diverse sectors (for example private sector, academia, government, non-governmental organizations, etc.)
• Experience developing strategies for implementing innovation systems in different settings.
• Experience advocating decision-makers at the highest level, including ministers, heads of state, and leadership of international organizations and catalyzing policy and on the ground change.
• Shows high resilience and strong ability to drive progress, have vision, promote innovation, and display ownership under ambiguous and dynamic conditions.
• Interpersonal relationship abilities, intercultural knowledge and appreciation, and strategic partnership building skills.
• Detailed knowledge and understanding of the international development sector.
• Awareness of charitable sector governance and decision-making processes.
• Detailed understanding of using cost-benefit and ROI methodologies and metrics to inform strategy and business planning – preferably within international development or charitable setting.
• Excellent people leadership skills and proven ability to motivate, develop and hold to account a small- to medium-sized teams of professionals.
• Ability to think critically and analytically to draw sound conclusions on the basis of complex data.
• Highly developed communication and influencing skills.
• Proven track record of building and maintaining strategic relationships and working in partnership.
• Experience in identifying and delivering business process improvements.
• High-level of financial literacy.