Associate Director, Health Systems Strengthening (HSS) at Clinton Health Access Initiative- Rwanda (CHAI): (Deadline 13 November 2023)

Associate Director, Health Systems Strengthening (HSS) at Clinton Health Access Initiative- Rwanda (CHAI): (Deadline 13 November 2023)

CHAI RWANDA

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT 

TITLE: Associate Director, Health Systems Strengthening (HSS)

Cluster:  Universal Health Coverage

Reporting to: Country Director, CHAI Rwanda

Job Location: Kigali, Rwanda with ~ 20% travel domestically and internationally

Type: Full-Time Paid

Start date: Immediate.

Job ID 2023-13048 

Organizational overview:

The Clinton Health Access Initiative, Inc. (CHAI) is a global health organization committed to our mission of saving lives and reducing the burden of disease in low-and middle-income countries. We work at the invitation of governments to support them and the private sector to create and sustain high-quality health systems.

CHAI was founded in 2002 in response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic with the goal of dramatically reducing the price of life-saving drugs and increasing access to these medicines in the countries with the highest burden of the disease. Over the following two decades, CHAI has expanded its focus. Today, along with HIV, we work in conjunction with our partners to prevent and treat infectious diseases such as COVID-19, malaria, tuberculosis, and hepatitis. Our work has also expanded into cancer, diabetes, hypertension, and other non-communicable diseases, and we work to accelerate the rollout of lifesaving vaccines, reduce maternal and child mortality, combat chronic malnutrition, and increase access to assistive technology. We are investing in horizontal approaches to strengthen health systems through programs in human resources for health, digital health, and health financing. With each new and innovative program, our strategy is grounded in maximizing sustainable impact at scale, ensuring that governments lead the solutions, that programs are designed to scale nationally, and learnings are shared globally.

 At CHAI, our people are our greatest asset, and none of this work would be possible without their talent, time, dedication and passion for our mission and values. We are a highly diverse team of enthusiastic individuals across 40 countries with a broad range of skillsets and life experiences. CHAI is deeply grounded in the countries we work in, with majority of our staff based in program countries. Learn more about our exciting work: http://www.clintonhealthaccess.org

CHAI is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and is committed to providing an environment of fairness, and mutual respect where all applicants have access to equal employment opportunities. CHAI values diversity and inclusion and recognizes that our mission is best advanced by the leadership and contributions of people with diverse experience, backgrounds, and culture. 

Country program Overview

The Government of Rwanda (GoR) strives to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by enabling equitable access to quality health services for the population as outlined in the Fourth Health Sector Strategic Plan (HSSP IV 2018 – 2024). This commitment has been made against a backdrop of rising health care costs, changing donor landscape and calls for improved health sector sustainability. Acknowledging this, the Government aims to employ effective, equitable, efficient, and sustainable health care financing and systems strengthening, putting an emphasis on Primary Health Care (PHC) as the cornerstone of a strong and sustainable health system. HSSP IV implementation ends by end of 2024 and preparations for the next HSSP is expected resume at the beginning of 2024 and CHAI will provide all the necessary support MoH leadership in the end-term evaluation of the HSSI IV, generation and compilation of the necessary evidence to set HSSP V targets, strategic objectives and costed implementation plan accordingly.

Recently, to strengthen the PHC system in the country, the Rwanda Ministry of Health (MoH) embarked on the new PHC system reforms mainly focusing on four priority areas. The first priority area is the health work force. The Government targets to quadruple the density of highly skilled priority health professionals, from 1.1 healthcare workers per 1000 people to 4.4 healthcare workers per 1000 people, in 4 years (4 x 4 reform) to accommodate the growing demand for access to range of PHC services and attain UHC targets. The second priority area in the reform is strengthening the PHC community systems through review of the community healthworkforce, reinforce health centers and health posts with infrastructure, diagnostics, essential medicines and management to address barriers to access.  The third area of the reform is establishing evidence-based medicine and systems establishing a culture of evidence-generation and use to inform policy decisions, intervention planning, and performance management through all levels of the Ministry. This includes a focus on research development and innovation. The fourth priority area of the reform is also cross-cutting with a focus on strengthening internal coordination and communication within and beyond government agencies and institutions through digital integration as well as institutionalizing capacity for data analysis and use through improved M&E, which will in turn enhance management decisions, coordination, and planning. In order to implement these reforms, additional technical and financial resources need to be mobilized from domestic and external sources. 

CHAI Rwanda country office will continue its support to the Government of Rwanda to ensure effective implementation of these major reforms in the country that will significantly boost access and utilization of quality PHC services and ensure UHC through flexible technical assistance in various areas of expertise including rigorous evidence generation, analytics and use practice, policy synthesis and solicitation, resource mobilization and implementation policy/strategy development as well as monitoring and evaluation. The goal of the Health system strengthening programs at CHAI is to support the Government to accelerate progress towards UHC by ensuring the sustainably finance and improve evidence driven management and delivery of quality, essential services with particular emphasis to PHC.

Position Overview

CHAI seeks an Associate Director (AD) to lead CHAI Rwanda’s Health systems strengthening portfolio and its projects including Sustainable Health Financing, PHC delivery systems, Human Resources for Health (HRH) as well as broader health systems strengthening efforts. In this role, the AD will shape and drive the implementation of CHAI’s support to the GoR working closely with key decision makers of the MoH, Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC), Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB), and Ministry of Economy and Finance (MINECOFIN)and leading a team of program managers, Senior Associates, Associates, and technical advisors within CHAI and seconded to respective government offices (MoH and RSSB). The AD and his/her team will provide technical support to various national health financing, PHC, HRH and other health systems reforms and operational improvement initiatives as well as direct technical assistance for the planning, budgeting/costing, financing, and implementation of key HSS interventions for PHC.

As part of CHAI Rwanda Senior Management Team (SMT), the AD will report to CHAI Rwanda Country Director and will work closely with other CHAI teams at the country and global level, including in Health Financing; Human Resources for Health; Infections Diseases; Reproductive, Maternal, and Child Health; and others. He or she will play a key role in shaping CHAI Rwanda’s and over all CHAI’s health systems strengthening portfolio based on the technical support needs and priorities of the Rwanda government aligned with organizational mission, values and strategies. This position will be based in Kigali, Rwanda.

Specific Roles & Responsibilities:

Technical role:

• Lead strategic partnership with and evidence driven technical support to government leadership in the design and implementation of health financing system reforms initiated and led by MoH and RSSB. Some of key health financing reforms and initiatives include, and not be limited to:
• Design and implementation of the Provider Payment Mechanism (PPM) reforms for health care providers including Capitation, Cased based payment/Disease Related Grouping (DRG) mechanisms.
• Evidence driven revision and institutionalization of health benefit package under Community Based Health Insurance (CBHI) scheme.
• Institutional capacity strengthening support to MoH, MOF and RSSB on Health Care Financing (HCF) policy/strategy design/revision, evidence generation and use for implementation monitoring and evaluation as well as effective stakeholder coordination
• Provide strategic leadership and technical guidance to the support given to MoH and other key stakeholders on priority strategic reforms in the health workforce development and management portfolio led by MoH which include, but not limited to, the following:
  • Resource mobilization, implementation and monitoring of the MoH’s ‘4×4’ health workforce development reform
  • Implementation of the Community Health Program (CHP) reform
  • Strengthening quality assurance mechanisms and related systems for health workforce development
• Provide technical guidance and strategic support given to MoH and RBC on priority UHC/PHC reforms and major milestones in collaboration with HRH and HCF leads that include, but not limited to, the following:
  • UHC/PHC roadmap development and stakeholder coordination mechanism led by MoH
  • Comprehensive UHC/PHC performance measurement and management system design
  • Design implementation of key health systems component of the Community Health Program reform (defined service packages, information system, medical product supply management system, supportive supervision mechanism, community engagement mechanism etc.)
• Initiate and lead development of new initiative concept notes/proposals on emerging priorities under HSS portfolio in close collaboration with government ministries and actively work with CHAI Rwanda CD and global teams to mobilize additional grants to support implementation of those new initiatives.
• Serve as a technical resource person and back stopper representing CHAI Rwanda in various existing and new technical policy/strategy convenings and working group meetings organized by government and partner stakeholders in consultation with CD and program managers.
• Oversee and provide technical guidance to cross cutting Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) of projects under CHAI Rwanda office and advice country office senior management in the design of MEL systems.
• Work with the Country Senior Management Team (SMT) on fundraising for CHAI Program country programs, oversee the fund-raising strategy development and facilitate related activities across all programs under CHAI Rwanda country office.
• Lead and encourage HSS portfolio team members to generate new knowledge through various operational research initiatives to promote evidence driven TA to government counterparts and other stakeholders.
• Introduce an internal team capacity building learning sessions using the technical expertise available within CHAI local and global teams and build a learning culture among teams under HSS portfolio.

Managerial roles:

• Lead CHAI Rwanda PHC systems portfolio Sustainable Health Financing, Primary Health Care delivery systems, Human Resources for Health and other cross-cutting systems including Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) program teams and shape CHAI Rwanda overall health system strengthening portfolio together with the rest of CHAI Rwanda Senior Management Team.
• Execute due diligence and provide technical advice on quality products and deliverables under all projects in the PHC systems portfolio that meet CHAI standards such as progress reports, technical documents and presentations as well as research outputs for internal and external government and donor engagements.
• Collaborate with CHAI Rwanda Country Director and global HRH and HF teams to in the development of multi-year grant proposal for projects/initiatives (renewal of existing grants and new grant initiatives) for projects under CHAI Rwanda HSS portfolio.
• Execute technical team re-structuring, new hiring and modification of existing roles under HSS portfolio based on and aligned with the existing and emerging priorities of support prioritized by Rwanda government.
• Work with global teams on a pipeline mechanism for talent acquisition, management and development initiatives under HSS portfolio.
• Work with the program manager to develop a learning team culture for internal capacity building of CHAI Rwanda health financing team.
• Conduct regular performance assessment and feedback sessions with Program Managers and provide mentorship and coaching support to the program managers and team members on targeted areas of growth.
• Pursue opportunities for collaboration with other CHAI teams, helping to build a cross-cutting community of practice within the country, region and organization.
• Oversee and work with Program Managers on program work plan development and budget allocation, and efficient utilization (including reprogramming, reforecasting as necessary) of financial resources for the intended activities as per the approval work plans and timely report submission as per CHAI internal and donor as well as Rwanda government requirements.
• Execute other additional responsibilities as assigned by Country Director.

Supervisory role:

The AD, HSS will be supervising Health Financing, HRH and other program managers within the cluster, Ministerial technical advisors (seconded at MoH).  The direct supervisory role shall be revised and adjusted as per the final HSS portfolio team structure in discussion with CHAI Rwanda CD.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree with at least 10 years of experience in a demanding environment, ideally in Primary Health Care system strengthening capacity including PHC financing, HRH, PHC service delivery and related systems strengthening, with increasing levels of responsibility and leadership.
• Extensive experience in managing large portfolio program and multi-disciplinary as well as multi-cultural teams.
• Strong strategic leadership and project management capacity, demonstrated by experience working on end-to-end project/program management skills (from strategy development, new program design and proposal development, through overseeing implementation, program performance monitoring and evaluation and reporting, as well as efficient management of program budgeting and operations)
• Excellent partnership and strategic relationship management skills, including experience in establishing and managing government relations at senior and mid-level leadership levels.
• Strong ability to build consensus among diverse multi-stakeholder groups and the ability to work in a multi-cultural environment.
• Exceptional communication skills with ability to diplomatically and clearly communicate complex ideas with well-developed structure and logic
• Ability to work with humility and not seek personal credit for the work or contributions, even where credit is due; commitment to ensuring our government partner is the owner of our work together
• Demonstrable skills and a passion for supervising, mentoring and coaching multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural team members.
• Self-starter with proven experience in launching new projects or initiatives and strong analytical skills.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously and prioritize and manage projects under pressure.
• Strong quantitative, presentation and writing skills, including proficiency in MS Excel, PowerPoint and Word.
• Strong work ethic, humility, and integrity.
• Excellent working command of English language.

Added advantages

• Experience working with government authorities (Health and finance Ministries in particular) in developing countries, with experience in sub-Saharan Africa and Rwanda in particular;
• Experience working in public health sector and with international partner/donor organizations;
• Familiarity with a broad range of key global health issues, including Primary healthcare, health systems including health financing, HRH and evidence generation and use challenges in developing countries.
• Fluency in French and/or Kinyarwanda.

Application procedure:

Interested candidates should send their application to https://careers-chai.icims.com/jobs/13048/associate-program-director%2c-health-systems-strengthening/job?mode=view.

The deadline for applications is 13^th November 2023. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

CLICK HERE TO MORE AND APPLY