Senior Technical Advisor, Social Protection & Health Financing at ThinkWell

DESCRIPTION

ThinkWell seeks a qualified candidate to serve as the Senior Technical Advisor for Social Protection and Health Financing (STA) on the anticipated five-year (2022-2027) United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Health Systems Strengthening (HSS) Activity. The HSS Activity will work in partnership with the Ministry of Health (MOH), counties, and non-state actors to strengthen health systems governance, partnerships and coordination, financing, and accountability systems for quality health service provision to underserved and vulnerable populations of Kenya.

The STA plays a crucial role in activity implementation; technical oversight; and monitoring, evaluation, and learning for the HSS Activity. The STA provides technical assistance and strategic guidance to the project teams as well as external partners. The STA brings strong analytical skills and research capacity (typically in social protection, health economics, and financing) and a solid understanding of the design, implementation, and evaluation of health system reforms in Kenya. The STA will also lead project management for the social protection and health financing technical area HSS Activity under the direction of the Chief of Party (COP).

The STA reports to the HSS Activity COP. This is a full-time position based in Nairobi, Kenya. Kenyan nationals are encouraged to apply. This position is contingent upon project award and funding.

responsibilities

Technical Leadership

• Lead the development and execution of social protection and health financing strategies.
• Harness data and digital systems to support the interoperability of social protection data systems.
• Advise on performance-based financing models that leverage on integrated program resources.
• Develop sustainability strategies by supporting project staff to integrate sustainability planning into all activities.
• Build capacity of project staff on social protection and health financing.
• Provide technical assistance in strengthening health systems using innovative financial approaches.
• Support the MOH in strengthening coordination structures for social protection and health financing.
• Provide direct technical assistance to ensure high-quality program results and execution of the HSS Activity.
• Develop monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning tools, indicators, and plans.
• Assist the COP to drive HSS Activity strategy and execution for the social protection and health financing technical area, ensuring timely and effective delivery of project objectives.
• Perform other duties at the request of the COP.

Project Representation

• Represent the social protection and health financing technical area of the HSS Activity and make presentations to USAID, MOH, and other external audiences.
• Establish and sustain collaborative working relationships with USAID, MOH, county leadership, partners, and key stakeholders to build project and reputation.
• Consult and coordinate with key stakeholders within government, USAID, and other stakeholders to present project-related activities, priorities, and results related to social protection and health financing.

Project Management

• Partner with the COP with strategic and operational planning and ensure project compliance with all contractual reporting and financial requirements of USAID and ThinkWell.
• Support the COP to coordinate effective implementation of the social protection and health financing technical area of the HSS Activity, including developing annual work plans and budgets, implementing activities, submitting deliverables and required reports, and leading quarterly program reviews.
• Support the COP to manage, coordinate, and monitor HSS Activity partners and sub-awards.
• Produce regular activity tracking reports for submission to USAID.

we are:

ThinkWell core values are our fundamental organizational guiding principles. They define our corporate culture, influence our behavior at work and help us achieve our mission. Our values are:

• Think big
• Influence the conversation
• Empower others
• Be exceptional
• Always question
• Relate authentically
• Evolve by learning

REQUIREMENTS

you are:

• ThinkWell core competencies are foundational skills and behaviors that align with our values and are expected of all employees.
• An entrepreneurial, results-oriented ‘do-er’ with a willingness to take risk, think big and challenge conventional wisdom.
• A change maker who reaches independent judgement with an open mind, influences the conversation, and seeks innovation.
• Able to help create an empowering environment in which everyone feels free to take initiative, be accountable and fail intelligently (learn from mistakes).
• A collaborative colleague who engages constructively with people from different cultures, orientations, and perspectives and maintains positive relations in a virtual world.
• Principally motivated by a growth mindset, meaning the pursuit of knowledge, experience, and self-improvement. You always question and continuously learn.

Authentic, honest, direct, self-aware, and open to giving and receiving feedback.

Your qualifications

• Graduate degree and at least 8+ years of relevant experience with a demonstrated track record of achieve results;
• Substantive, relevant work experience in one of ThinkWell’s core technical areas including health financing, social protection, health systems strengthening and related international programming;
• Recognized as a leader in the area of technical specialty; strong international, professional network in the field;
• Demonstrated ability to engage effectively with external strategic partners, donors, and stakeholders;
• Substantive, relevant work experience in health systems with a development agency, NGO, or government. Adept at communicating technical information to non-technical audiences.
• Prior work experience linked to family planning, maternal, newborn, and child health, or reproductive health preferred;
• Demonstrated ability to engage effectively with external strategic partners, donors, government ministries and stakeholders;
• Full fluency in English and Kiswahili;
• Outstanding cross-cultural communication skills, including the ability to relate respectfully with staff at all levels, ages, genders, nationalities, and orientations as well as across work areas;
• Ability and willingness to travel up to 25%