Results for Development (R4D) is a global nonprofit organization working with partners in more than 55 countries to find new ways to help people escape poverty and reach their full potential. We apply fresh thinking and rigor to emerging and stubborn development challenges—particularly within the fields of health, education and governance—and we pioneer and advance creative, high-impact solutions. We do this by conducting analysis that helps to inform and influence decision-makers; building platforms and networks that connect people and ideas; by providing direct support to local change agents; and combining these approaches to deliver meaningful and lasting results.
Job Title: Senior Program Officer, Nigeria (#132
Job description
Project Summary:
In 2014, the Government of Nigeria (GoN) committed to reforming health care financing and service delivery in a Presidential Summit on Universal Health Coverage and enacted the Nigeria National Health Act. The Act officially recognized Nigerians’ right to health and established a Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) to make financial resources available for primary health care (PHC) services. These reforms have the potential to greatly strengthen Nigeria’s PHC system and improve population health. Federal and state governments in Nigeria are currently working with local and international partners to implement systems for channeling these new health care funds for service delivery and financing, and setting up state-level health insurance mechanisms.
To support these reforms, the Results for Development Institute, in partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the US Agency for International Development, will work with public actors and a consortium of development partners in Nigeria to erect a federal level technical assistance program for health care financing policy development and implementation. Overall, the work will engage key national and state-level stakeholders in joint policy dialogue, generate evidence to inform health financing design options, and help to develop implementation “know how” to support the roll-out of health financing reform at the state level. Doing so will provide an enabling environment for creating health impact via financing and programmatic interventions by the public sector, BMGF, and other development partners in Nigeria.
Opportunity:
R4D is seeking a Senior Program Officer (SPO), based in Abuja, Nigeria, to provide technical leadership and project management in R4D’s policy engagement on the ground, manage relationships with government and other partners in-country, and drive day-to-day activities to deliver on the aims of the project.
The Nigeria Health Care Financing Technical Assistance Project will involve deep engagement with the history, challenges, and opportunities of Nigeria’s health care financing, service delivery, and governance landscape. The project is also launched in the context of other ongoing initiatives between Nigeria’s government and several local and international actors in directly and broadly health system reform-related areas. Finally, it will be implemented with contributions from R4D’s Nigeria and DC-based teams, as well as local and global partners and consultants.
Given this background, the SPO will seek to proactively define and execute R4D’s strategy for effectively delivering against the project goals during the inception and implementation phases. S/he will also develop and nurture relationships with key Nigerian government agencies at the federal and state levels, and manage/incorporate contributions by local and international partners. Acting as a team leader for R4D locally, the SPO is expected to be a self-starter and thought-leader with a wide range of experience and talent, who can exercise good judgment, deliver results within tight timeframes, and manage work across team members.
Responsibilities will include:
Technical:
Serving as a technical resource in R4D’s health financing engagement in Nigeria, in conjunction with R4D’s DC-based team
Generating ideas for, and leading the development of, analytic products (improvement tools, case studies, reports, project deliverables) and effectively managing the inputs of project team members and partners
Drawing new and insightful conclusions from analysis and translating these into products that gain internal and external recognition
Liaising with partners and actors active in the health financing space to enhance broader knowledge of ongoing work and discuss and develop tailored scopes of work for R4D
Managing local team and consultants, and providing guidance to team members on all aspects of project work including leading development, implementation, and monitoring of project work plans and related planning documents
Evaluating progress and redesigning or redirecting areas of work that aren’t moving forward as planned
Managing the production of high-quality qualitative and quantitative analytics
Managerial:
Mentoring and coaching local team members to set personal and project goals
Independently engaging and managing relationships with key external partners and stakeholders (clients, funders, sub-contractors, sub-grantees, partners)
Participating in public forums and effectively engaging audiences, influencing their thinking, behavior, and positive opinion of R4D and the project
Managing the organization and implementation of workshops and other meetings planned under the project
Preparing and managing budgets and ensuring sound fiscal management across project work
Proposing system and process improvements for operations of work, facilitate leadership decision making, and implement agreed changes
The ideal candidate will have excellent interpersonal skills, an approachable management style, eager to support and mentor junior staff and peers and have a track record of successfully implementing program operations. They will be a highly enthusiastic, energetic, and a self-motivated individual who has strong people and project management experience, and the ability to handle pressure and deliver quality results. S/he will have demonstrated grace and effectiveness in a highly collaborative environment—balancing strong leadership with the ability to build-relationships, understand the perspectives of all stakeholders, solve problems, and forge compromises.
Qualifications / Requirements:
MA with 7+ years of work experience in relevant field (public health, health economics, public/social policy, public administration, or similar)
Knowledge of Nigeria health care system and key health financing policies and actors
Experience engaging with and leading work with public and/or private sector health financing organizations
Collaborative and engaging with experience successfully managing relationships/partnerships
Expertise and experience in one or more of the following: health financing functions and arrangements, health systems design and evaluation, healthcare service delivery/primary health care, knowledge management and translation
Excellent analytic skills and the ability to effectively set priorities and handle competing time and resource demands for self and others
Strong writer and oral communication who can lead the production of professional work products and has had experience presenting and facilitating results in national or international settings
Willingness to travel internationally, maximum of 2-3 weeks/year
Local applicants encouraged to apply
Preferred Skills:
Knowledge of Nigeria’s major languages, institutional culture, and politics
Knowledge of global health and development architecture and experience working with global institutions on global initiatives
Relevant work experience in a government agency, management consulting firm, bilateral or multilateral development agency, and/or global development NGO
How to Apply:
To apply, send your cover letter, resume, salary range requirements, availability, and 2 writing samples to jobs@r4d.org. Include “SPO – Nigeria Health Care Financing (# 132) + Your Name” in the Subject line.
No telephone calls or e-mail inquiries please.
* Results for Development Institute is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer: D/V, committed to fostering and nurturing an energetic, collaborative and diverse workforce. R4D provides market-competitive salaries and comprehensive employee benefits.
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