DFID Tanzania Health Adviser

Reference: DFIDJOB-0280

Closing date: 07 March 2013

Interview date: 28 March 2013

Number of vacancies: 1

Salary: Tsh4,071,051 - Tsh6,018,687 gross per month

Location: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Appointment Terms: Permanent – local terms and conditions (SAIC)

Working Arrangements: Full-time

Specific requirements: None

Brief description: This post is an exciting and challenging opportunity to help take forward the work of DFID Tanzania’s Basic Services Team. We require a strong communicator who has the proven ability to network with key stakeholders, influence decisions and drive agendas forward. The Health Adviser will be someone who is knowledgeable about health policy, particularly in areas of improving the equity and impact of investment in health. S/he will enjoy taking the initiative, excel at managing programmes, and will be confident in dealing with senior officials in Government, contractors and civil society partners.

Background

The Department for International Development (DFID) leads the UK Government’s fight against global poverty.  DFID works in partnership with national governments, other development partners, civil society and the private sector to achieve the UN Millennium Development Goals.  

Tanzania is one of DFID’s largest country programmes in Africa, with an annual aid framework of £160m (approx. Tsh 390 Billion) per annum. A significant percentage of the DFID Tanzania programme is provided as General Budget Support (GBS) to assist the Government in implementation of its National Strategy for Growth and the Reduction of Poverty (more popularly known as the MKUKUTA). This assistance is complemented by programmes to increase domestic accountability, tackle corruption, improve public financial management and improve the availability and quality of basic services (health, education and water). 

The Health Adviser is a new position in a dynamic team in DFID Tanzania.  For seven years until 2011, health was not a priority sector for DFID and the bulk of support was channelled as GBS.  Since then, support for health has been growing and DFID is now investing around 30bn Tanzanian shillings per year in health, this is likely to continue to increase.  The main focus of our investment is large projects in reproductive health, malaria and nutrition.  DFID does not contribute directly to the Government managed health basket but is actively involved in the health Development Partners Group (DPG).

To date, health has been covered by the Basic Services team leader, but a dedicated adviser is now required.  The Health Adviser will join the Basic Services team that covers education, the largest sector, health and water.  There are five advisers in the team and five programme staff.

Overall Objective

The post holder will be the adviser for the health sector. S/he will lead discussions with government and other donors on health policy, particularly in areas of improving the equity and impact of investment in health and in the specific areas of reproductive health, malaria and nutrition

S/he will be the lead adviser for all health and nutrition projects and will work closely with the deputy project managers, to ensure that there is effective monitoring and support to projects, and that optimal results and value for money are achieved    The post holder will be responsible for ensuring that DFID’s investment and projects are based upon robust evidence and that the knowledge and experiences that emerge from projects are captured and fed into debate in Tanzania and across DFID.

The post holder will develop and maintain a broad network of contacts who have an interest in the health sector – within the different arms of government as well as with bilateral and multilateral donors and non-governmental actors.
S/he will also work with the Basic Services team leader and other DFID teams on the cross cutting issues that affect services quality such as public financial management, anti-corruption, and domestic and parliamentary accountability.
The Health Adviser is expected to become a member of the DFID health cadre, and will ensure high quality reporting of health results as well as respond to corporate requests in health.

Skills and Qualifications

The post holder will need to be able to demonstrate:

• A commitment to public health and to improving health outcomes for Tanzanians.
• Flexibility and a capacity to deliver high quality work under pressure.
• Very strong team working skills and an ability to work in a multi-cultural environment
• Good analytical skills and expertise in understanding and using a wide range of sources of information.
• Ability to advise others on the best use of data, and to explain issues and technical concepts clearly and concisely.
• Good written communication skills and experience of producing high quality briefings.
• Fluency in English (written and spoken) is essential.   Fluency in swahili is highly desirable.
• Health Advisers are required to have a Masters Degree in Public Health or equivalent (e.g. epidemiology; health planning and finance; health economics).

Technical Competencies required

The post holder must be able to demonstrate:

• Knowledge and application of epidemiology and public health.
• Understanding of the global health context including international health
  architecture.
• Knowledge based on experience of health service delivery in a developing
  country context including of health systems development challenges.
• Knowledge and application of the wider determinants of health.
• Knowledge and application of evidence, innovation and evaluation.

For further details on Technical Competencies for Health Advisers, click on the following link: http://www.dfid.gov.uk/Documents/recruitment/Advisers/technical-competencies-health.pdf

DFID Core Competencies required

• Influencing
• Planning & Delivery of Work
• Working with Others
• Communication with Others
• Analysis and use of information

All competencies are weighed equally at Level 3 of DFID’s Core Competency Framework. For further details on DFID’s Core Competencies, click on the following link:  www.dfid.gov.uk/Documents/recruitment/competency-framework-external.pdf

Compensation package

A competitive salary starting at Tsh 4,071,051 per month on the A2L salary scale will be offered for this post.  A more experienced candidate will start at Tsh 6,018,687 per month on the A2 salary scale. This post is based in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.  Appointment will be under local terms and conditions and is subject to security clearance.

Travel

The post holder will be required to travel within Tanzania. There may also be some limited international travel.