Back Implementation Specialist, Resilient and Sustainable Systems for Health - GL D - Defined Duration until April 2027 - (High Impact Africa 2 Department)

Implementation Specialist, Resilient and Sustainable Systems for Health - GL D - Defined Duration until April 2027 - (High Impact Africa 2 Department)

The Global Fund aims to accelerate the end of AIDS, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria as epidemics. The organization invests more than US$4 billion a year to support programs run by local experts in countries and communities most in need. Since 2020, through the COVID-19 Response Mechanism (C19RM), additional funding has been made available to support countries to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 and build resilient community and public health systems.

The Global Fund’s Grant Management Division (GMD), in collaboration with teams across the Global Fund Secretariat, is responsible for the overall management of the Global Fund’s grant investments at country and regional level, driving impact in implementing countries. It provides leadership and strategic direction to the Global Fund’s country operations and drives the translation of the GF strategy into operational milestones at global, regional, and country portfolio level, including signing grants, making disbursements, regular portfolio monitoring and oversight. It works in a complex and rapidly evolving environment with implementing partners, including Principal Recipients (PRs), sub-recipients (SRs), Country Coordinating Mechanisms (CCM), in-country health sector and humanitarian clusters, multiple stakeholders from public, private sectors and communities to drive success on the ground and manage the growth in portfolio investments value, expanding breadth and depth of program and systems strengthening interventions, sophistication of program design, data driven decision making, differentiated approaches, intensified program quality focus, and introduction of new health products, services and interventions.

Maximizing people-centered integrated systems for health is a core objective of the Global Fund Strategy, which aims to end HIV, TB, and Malaria (HTM) and address broader health needs. The Global Fund has become the world’s largest multilateral provider of grants to build resilient and sustainable systems for health (RSSH) and pandemic preparedness and response (PPR) capabilities, investing US$1.5 billion a year in public and community health systems between 2021 and 2023 through HTM grants and the COVID-19 Response Mechanism (C19RM).

The Global Fund has identified the need to support the accelerated implementation of RSSH and PPR investments through strategic engagement in low and lower-middle income countries in sub-Saharan Africa to support country capacity strengthening, build efficient, agile, people-centered, and sustainable national health systems and help countries prevent, prepare for and respond to new pandemics and future health threats. RSSH investments aim to ensure equitable access to integrated services, quality assured and affordable health products, and improved overall health service delivery to vulnerable populations, including pregnant women and children. Multiple countries in sub-Saharan Africa have planned for the introduction and/or scale-up of such approaches through prioritized portfolio investments, including in challenging operating environments where barriers to services are often intensified.

The Implementation Specialist, RSSH will be based in a regional team in the Grant Management Division (GMD) and will work in collaboration with members of Country Teams (PHME, HPM), other Implementation Specialists of the region, and functional Specialists of relevant RSSH technical teams, to advance grant implementation and achievement of results for the assigned country portfolios. The Implementation Specialist, RSSH, will play a central role in adopting a comprehensive approach to prioritizing health system needs, guiding related investments, and incentivizing and facilitating the delivery of RSSH investments at the country level. The role involves close collaboration at the country and regional level with a multitude of technical and development partners, national technical leads, decision makers, community actors and other key stakeholders who support the vision of resilient and sustainable systems for health.
The Implementation Specialist, RSSH will contribute to the design and implementation of proactive operational planning for health systems strengthening investments under Global Fund grants, regular monitoring, and assessments of performance against set milestones and targets, ongoing problem solving, iterative lessons learnt and integration in adaptive improvement and acceleration plans. They will drive the continued collaboration, joint investment opportunities and alignment with other donors. They will provide guidance on resources, capacity-building, and coordination of relevant TA to improve the plans for effective and efficient implementation of health systems strengthening interventions. The Implementation Specialist, RSSH will also lead the development and socialization of a learning agenda for RSSH implementation.

Key Responsibilities

In close collaboration with Country Team members, other Implementation Specialists of the region and relevant RSSH technical teams, the main responsibilities of the Implementation Specialist, RSSH include:

1. Investments guidance, planning and engagement

• Provide guidance, in close collaboration with relevant RSSH teams, on the design and ongoing adaptation of grant investments and strategies to advance the uptake, roll-out and/or scale-up of health systems strengthening approaches and best practices to improve access to and delivery of high-quality services.
• Lead engagement with principal recipients (PRs) and other key actors in the in-country implementation ecosystem, including technical agencies leads, community actors, key decision makers, and country level technical and financing partners to elaborate vision of success and implementation roadmaps, including key milestones and metrics for monitoring progress and results achievements in prioritized investment areas (e.g. community health workers/human resources for health, community systems, data management and use, surveillance, laboratory systems, oxygen and health product/waste management systems).
• Oversee operational assessments in response to country-specific needs, to enable accelerated operationalization, execution and/or scale up of interventions in prioritized investment areas.
• Identify key stakeholders and facilitate partnership engagement at country level, including the establishment of new or expanded relationships with wider group of national stakeholders working to advance resilient and sustainable systems for health.
• Facilitate dialogues to align priorities, integrate innovations (e.g., direct facility financing, results-based financing,), link with broader health reforms (e.g., UHC, social protection) and enhance in-country mechanisms for governance, monitoring, execution and technical support for HSS investments.

  2. Monitoring & Oversight and Support for high quality implementation

  • Oversee execution of in-country implementation roadmaps for RSSH investments, including regular tracking and reporting on progress, timely escalation, trouble shooting, and problem-solving.
  • Lead implementation gaps analysis, identification of critical bottlenecks in implementation of RSSH investments, and facilitate the development of adaptative action plans for accelerated implementation.
  • Map, mobilize and coordinate technical assistance (TA) needs and opportunities as relevant to address implementation bottlenecks and accelerate delivery of health systems strengthening investments in prioritized investment areas, leveraging institutional and in-country resources, including those provided through Strategic Initiatives (SI) and Centrally Managed Limited Investments (CMLI).
  • In coordination with relevant functional Specialists in TAP and other Departments, oversee development of integrated TA plans, act as a focal point for ensuring TA offers meet country demand and key portfolio priorities, monitor execution of TA, and contribute to quality assurance of TA products.

    3. Reporting and Learning Agenda

    • Conduct regular monitoring, data tracking and analysis to review delivery progress per implementation plans and set milestones for RSSH investments.
    • Lead collation, review, and aggregation of results to inform internal and external reporting to donors and other stakeholders, as relevant.
    • Represent the Global Fund in various donor engagement fora to provide updates on the progress of grant investments and strengthen partnership engagement, including at country level.
    • Disseminate innovations in operational design and implementation approaches, including linkages with other health and social services (e.g., immunization, nutrition, health insurance packages), improved service delivery (HRH/CHW), private sector engagement, payment for results models, etc. for improved HIV, TB and malaria outcomes and resilient and sustainable health systems.
    • Document lessons learnt, innovations and best practices in RSSH investments design and implementation, facilitating knowledge exchange through reports and presentations at national and regional fora.
    • Collaborate with relevant functional Specialists in TAP and other Departments to systematize learning for Secretariat and external audiences.

      Perform other relevant duties as required by the Department Head.

      Subject to change by the Executive Director at any time at their sole discretion.

      Qualifications

      Essential:

      • Advanced university degree in public health, health policy and administration, health system management, health economics, or related field.

        Desirable:

        • Project management or business analytics qualifications

          Experience

          📚 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗮 𝗝𝗼𝗯 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗡 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯! 🌍🤝 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗡𝗘𝗪 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗡 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗨𝗡𝗛𝗖𝗥, 𝗪𝗙𝗣, 𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗖𝗘𝗙, 𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗦𝗦, 𝗨𝗡𝗙𝗣𝗔, 𝗜𝗢𝗠 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀! 🌐

          ⚠️ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐰: 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐚 𝐣𝐨𝐛 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐍𝐎𝐖!

          Essential:

          • Minimum seven years of relevant professional experience in provision of technical assistance and/or implementation of public health interventions including health systems strengthening and/or pandemic preparedness and response in developing countries.
          • Solid experience in working with multiple stakeholders at national and international levels, with demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively in complex, multi-disciplinary and diverse environments.
          • Strong track record in project management, strategy and policy analysis, program planning and management, monitoring & evaluation, and/or equivalent experience.
          • Significant experience in structured problem solving and strategic planning, with the ability to analyze issues related to RSSH, health governance, country-level technical support and delivery models.
          • Demonstrated experience in driving performance and/or change in an operationally and politically complex context.
          • Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

            Desirable:

            • Experience of supporting health sector initiatives and health program in countries with ‘Challenging Operating Environments’
            • Relevant professional experience in provision of technical assistance and/or implementation of public health interventions including health systems strengthening and/or pandemic preparedness and response in developing countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

              Competencies

              Languages:

              Fluency in English [and French] is required for this role. Knowledge of other languages would be an asset.

              Technical competencies:

              • Ability to consult, communicate and represent the Global Fund with country stakeholders and partners on specific projects/ tasks.
              • Strong business focus, result oriented with an excellent understanding of how to influence stakeholders.
              • Sound judgment with ability to provide high-quality advice and identify alternatives and options in planning and decision-making.
              • Ability to solve complex issues with minimum guidance and supervision, and to adapt policy and guidance to the country reality and contexts.
              • Knowledge of the Global Fund and its partnership model, governance, polices and processes.

                Functional Competencies:

                • Geopolitical Awareness – Level 2
                • Global/Public Health – Level 2
                • Multicultural Understanding – Level 2
                • Analytical – Level 2
                • Business – Level 2
                • Negotiations – Level 2
                • Project Management – Level 2
                • Operational Policy – Level 2
                • Strengthening Systems for Health – Level 2

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                  Job Posting End Date05 January 2025