Medical/Social Anthropologist at Amref Kenya

JOB PURPOSE

Amref Health Africa is seeking an experienced professional who will be responsible for providing expertise and guidance on social determinants of health (SDoH) to enhance health initiatives and interventions for improved health outcomes, including delivery of TA, evidence generation and translation to grow the SDoH portfolio. The successful candidate should have global exposure in any of the following areas of social determinants in health: culture and environment, syndemics and health disparities, modern and traditional/indigenous health climate change, human trafficking, violence, migration and natural/human made disasters. Working closely with teams across Amref and the Health System Strengthening Directorate, the successful candidate will provide specialized strategic, technical and situational anthropological advice, overall strategic leadership in conducting research and evaluations, collecting and interpreting medical data in liaison with relevant stakeholders.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:
Program Management:

•  Promote measurable anthropological programming which contributes to achieving suitable and concrete results through communications, engagement and the empowerment and participation of stakeholders, communities, implementing partners and government counterparts.
•  Provide support on the delivery of technical assistance framework, in the various social health determinant areas working closely with the different pillars within HSS and Amref Health Africa.
•  Provide guidance and advisory to Amref Health Africa and the HSS directorate by studying and understanding the health seeking behavior and social determinants of health for the target populations and propose and build interventions of interest.
•  Propose and map groups of individuals that are vulnerable to future outbreaks based on socio- economic, belief and cultural practices, perceptions, attitudes and knowledge level for risk management purposes and future interventions.
•  Support Amref’s technical leadership to define and grow SDoH priorities at the intersection with health while building knowledge and thought leadership in SDoH and health systems thus contributing to increased Amref Health Africa visibility in this area.
•  Support in the establishment of sustainable partnerships with governments, and regional blocks to influence SDoH priorities, resolve challenges and barriers with a view to strengthen approaches in addressing SDoH.
•  Identify interrelationships between SDoH and other pillars within the HSS directorate to build the synergy and coherence needed for efficient health systems through development of essential policy documents, guidelines, job aids, and toolkits
•  Support in the development of HSS work plans and budgets.

Evidence Generation and Translation

•  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.
•  Lead and provide guidance to the HSS directorate and the Amref Health Africa’s country offices on applying an SDoH lens to their work.
•  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 sub-national.
•  Participate and represent Amref Health Africa in policy dialogue forums to disseminate evidence generated on health financing and health systems.

Business Development

•  Support proposal development to secure funding and business for the HSS directorate and Amref Health Africa at large.

Stakeholder Engagement & Capacity Building

•  Support in building capacity on social determinants of health at the intersection with health to Amref Health Africa and key stakeholders.
•  Foster relationships with key stakeholders in the health sector [Donors, implementing partners, learning institutions, and governments and establish and strengthen strategic partnerships with regional and international stakeholders.

Special Projects and Initiatives

•  Support leadership in new, high priority efforts as opportunities arise in PHC and related areas
•  Perform other relevant HSS interventions in coordination with the supervisor

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• The successful candidate will have a strong technical background in medical/sociology anthropolgy as well as solid experience in the delivery of technical assistance. The candidate should be highly motivated, a creative problem solver, and have strong analytical, communication, process facilitation, and collaboration skills.

Education and Professional Qualification

•  An advanced degree in medical anthropology, socio anthropology, sociology, public health social sciences or any other relevant field.

Professional Qualification 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).
•  Proven skills in social research methods including systematic review of evidence, qualitative operational research skills and translation of evidence into practice.
•  Proven leadership in developing strategies, conceptualizing, planning, and implementing projects or programs.
•  Experience in research, conceptualizing and technical support and leading stakeholder engagement in the Social Determinants of Health areas.
•  Technically sound in DEIB-focused approaches.
•  Experience working on the development and roll-out of cross-cutting initiatives and programmes across multi-level organizations and stakeholder groups
•  Ability to develop workplans and proposals collaboratively
•  Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including demonstrated ability to effectively facilitate high-level meetings; prepare clear and concise briefs, presentations, and reports and translate knowledge products to both technical and non-technical audiences.

Compensation

•  This role attracts competitive benefits commensurate with experience