Ethiopia Red Cross Society (ERCS) is seeking a Senior Health Care Financing & Resource Mobilization Advisor for a potential five-year USAID Public Health Emergency Management (PHEM) project in Ethiopia, that aims to improve PHEM, mitigate the impact of disasters on the health system and primary care, and strengthen the capacity of Ethiopia’s institutions and communities to effectively manage disaster risks. 

About the Ethiopian Red Cross Society 

The Ethiopian Red Cross Society (ERCS) was established in 1935 and is one of the oldest and largest humanitarian organizations in Ethiopia. ERCS provides services to communities affected by natural and manmade disasters through the provision of emergency responses, ambulance and first aid, family reunification, essential drugs, water and sanitation, and other humanitarian services. ERCS also runs disaster risk reduction programs with the aim of creating resilience households and communities. Currently the ERCS has a structure consisting of 12 Regional Offices, 34 Zonal Branches and 131 District/Woreda Branches, 599 Woreda Red Cross Committee  and 5871 Kebele Red Cross  committees.

ERCS also runs disaster risk reduction programs relating to food security, climate change adaptation, livelihood diversification, and institutional capacity building interventions, with the aim of creating resilience households and communities. ERCS works in partnership with the Ethiopian Government, International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC), International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), partnering National Societies, members, volunteers and the communities we serve.

OVERALL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Senior Health Care Financing & Resource Mobilization Advisor is the lead technical advisor in designing strategies for public health emergency management (PHEM) health care financing and innovative resource mobilization at national, sub-national and community levels. The position holder will represent the USAID/Ethiopia Health Resilience Activity (the “Activity”) in national technical working groups led by the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI), Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH), National Disaster Prevention Commission and/or Federal Ministry of Finance. The Advisor also closely collaborates with other donors, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), faith-based organizations (FBOs), and civil society organizations (CSOs) to maximize PHEM resources at national and particularly at sub-national levels. The Advisor will advocate for and provide technical assistance to woredas, zones, regions, and EPHI to set aside sufficient resources for the implementation of PHEM activities in their annual budgets. The expert will also provide hands-on support for the establishment of a sovereignty fund and lead the implementation of startups for innovations to capacitate local governments to fund local response plans for public health emergencies. 

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES

• The Senior Health Care Financing & Resource Mobilization Advisor will be responsible for leveraging the USAID/Ethiopia Health Resilience Activity’s work in strengthening national and sub-national health systems. The Advisor will provide technical leadership on all aspects of health care financing, budgeting, resource mobilization and establishing the sovereignty fund by working with the various levels of the government, NGOs, CSOs, FBOs, and communities. The Advisor’s specific responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

Health care financing and resources mobilization strategy implementation and project management:

• Lead the implementation of the Activity’s health care financing and resource mobilization strategies,

• Assess policy implications of differentials in the existing health care financing policy and present recommendations for enhancing funding options for national and subnational level public health emergency preparedness and response, 

• Represent the Activity atF relevant national and sub-national level technical working groups, committees and meetings,

• Provide regular narrative and milestone reports, internal monitoring, and donor reporting as required.

Partnership development and capacity strengthening:

• Build strong partnerships with the government and other key stakeholders to design policies and strategies for local resource mobilization and strong PHEM financing in the project geographic areas of intervention and the country.

• Provide support to the EPHI, regional health bureaus, and woredas to harmonize PHEM budgets and resource mobilization.

• Collaborate with the EPHI and other relevant line ministries, communities, NGOs multilaterals, bilateral organizations, private sector, and FBOs to create an alternative PHEM funding mechanism.

• Advocate and provide technical assistance to woredas, regions, and EPHI to allocate commensurate annual budget for PHEM in general and local emergency preparedness and response plans.

• Under the leadership of the Chief of Party. design a strategy for the establishment of a PHEM sovereignty fund and provide TA to register it as a legal entity as per the direction given from government.

Mobilization of domestic resources:

• Assess existing resource mobilization strategies, identify gaps and present recommendation to improve resources availability for local public health emergency preparedness and response financing, 

• Develop strategies for the effective mobilization of domestic resources for PHEM through national and regional governments, private sector, diaspora, FBOs and other partners. 

• Contribute to the development of a sustainable PHEM financing and resource mobilization roadmap.

• Actively identify and follow up on opportunities to leverage support and resources for the PHEM program. 

• In coordination with relevant technical officers, develop a “Donor brief and funding request” strategy; to be used as an advocacy tool in the public, private and donor arena,

Work Unit: ERCS, Disaster Risk Management Department/USAID/Ethiopia Health Resilience Activity

Reports to: Senior Public Health Emergency Management Advisor

Terms of employment: -  Contract for one year, with possibility of extension

Place of Work: - Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 

Salary: - Negotiable   

Job Requirements

QUALIFICATION AND EXPERINECE

• MSc degree in health care financing, health economics, Economics, Public Health, Public Policy and other relevant fields from recognized university.

• At least 7 years work experience in the health sector in the non-governmental organization or public-sector programs in health care financing. Out of this 3 years work experience in public health emergencies planning and response management.

• Knowledge of Health Care Financing (resource mobilization, pooling, purchasing, and benefit package design). 

• Experience in managing projects funded by international partners/donors.

• Experience in resource mapping, fundraising and resource mobilization plan development and in implementation of the plan for public health emergencies response.

•  Demonstrated success in resource mobilization complemented by the ability to conceptualize ideas and promote consensus with donors and partners.

• Demonstrated skill and experience in organizational management and development, communicating and prospecting, and relationship building and nurturing,

• Ability to interact and advise senior host-government counterparts on policy and other strategic planning issues.

• Ability to listen, adapt, persuade, and transform.

• Excellent interpersonal communication and presentation skills.

• Fluency in written and spoken English.

• Ability to work independently as well as in collaboration with colleagues and partners.

• Computer literacy; competency with Microsoft Office, search engines and use of some analytical tools.

• Willingness to travel in the project areas as required

How to Apply

We invite candidates meeting the required qualifications to fill out online employment application form using THIS LINK before the closing date of this announcement on August 16, 2024.

Qualified women are strongly recommended to apply!