Health Economist – PROPEL Health Malawi – Palladium
Job Description
Position Description:
The Health Economist provides high-level technical assistance to the MOH at the national level to support health sector reform in the areas of health financing and policy analysis and development. The Health Economist is responsible for developing his scope of work with the MOH to advance the MOH’s Policy and Planning Department’s annual work plan. Areas of work will likely include helping in the implementation of the health financing strategy; supporting government finalization of policies, bills, and guidelines to advance health sector reform, supporting hospital autonomy reform of five central hospitals; and other district health system reform activities.
The Health Economist produces briefing reports on Health Financing with technical recommendations expected to contribute to decisions made by the Senior Management Team in the Ministry of Health. The Health Economist submits his advice, reports and technical opinions to the Deputy Director of Health Financing. The duty location for this position is the Ministry of Health Headquarters in Lilongwe, Malawi.
The Health Economist is expected to report every Monday to the PROPEL Health Palladium office, in lieu of the Ministry’s office. The Health Economist works hand in hand with other members of staff in the Department of Planning and Policy Development (DPPD). The Health Economist reports for day-to-day assignment to the Chief Economist- Health Financing within the Ministry, who will be the direct supervisor of the Health Economist. The PROPEL Health Malawi Country Director also provides management oversight for this position in line with Palladium policies and procedures. The Health Economist is required to provide PROPEL Health with updates on activity status and progress, and share results, best practices and lessons learned. Additional technical support will be available through Palladium global technical experts including the US-based health-financing team.
Primary Duties and Responsibilities:
The Health Economist serves as the direct liaison between PROPEL Health and the Ministry on issues related to Health financing and the costing of health services, in liaison with the Country Director and other PROPEL Health technical advisors.
Outlined below are some of the Specific Tasks for the Health Economist:
- Provide high-level technical assistance to the MOH regarding health sector financing and reform initiatives.
- Support the MOH in the development and finalization of policies, guidelines, and bills to advance health sector reforms.
- Assist in the implementation of a health financing strategy, focusing on enhancing resource allocation and technical efficiency within the health sector.
- Develop and recommend a resource allocation formula to ensure equitable distribution of resources in healthcare.
- Conduct research on health financing, improving the quality and availability of information on health funding in Malawi.
- Support monitoring, evaluation, and learning initiatives related to health financing and costing.
- Conduct absorptive capacity analysis to address challenges in health fund management and sustainability.
- Assist in strategies aimed at achieving universal health coverage and improving access to healthcare services.
- Participate in the design and implementation of performance-based financing programs, providing insights for improvement.
- Collaborate in developing the regulatory framework for health insurance management in Malawi.
- Coordinate and facilitate technical working groups and consultations focused on health financing issues.
- Contribute to National Health Accounts (NHA), Public Expenditure Reviews (PER), and resource mapping studies.
- Provide timely updates to the PROPEL Health Malawi team on project progress and actively contribute to reports and success narratives.
- Identify opportunities for new activities or partnerships that align with MOH and PROPEL Health goals.
- Perform any other duties as assigned by the Chief Economist or relevant authorities.
Required Qualifications:
- Master’s degree in Health Economics, Public Health, or a related field.
- Proven experience in health financing, policy development, and economic analysis.
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret complex data and provide actionable recommendations.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, capable of working collaboratively with government stakeholders and other partners.
- Experience in managing and coordinating health sector reform initiatives is desirable.
- Familiarity with monitoring and evaluation frameworks related to health financing is an asset.
- Ability to work in a dynamic environment and manage multiple priorities effectively.
Submission
Closing date for receiving application is January 31, 2025. However, applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and the position may be filled before the deadline.
Company Overview:
About Palladium – Palladium is a global leader in the design, development and delivery of Positive Impact – the intentional creation of enduring social and economic value. We work with governments, businesses, and investors to solve the world’s most pressing challenges. With a team of more than 3,000 employees operating in 90 plus countries and a global network of over 35,000 experts, we help improve economies, societies and, most importantly, people’s lives.
Equity, Diversity & Inclusion – Palladium is committed to embedding equity, diversity, and inclusion into everything we do. We welcome applications from all sections of society and actively encourage diversity to drive innovation, creativity, success and good practice. We positively welcome and seek to ensure we achieve diversity in our workforce; and that all job applicants and employees receive equal and fair treatment regardless of their background or personal characteristics. These include: (but are not limited to) socio-economic background, age, race, gender identity and expression, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, nationality, veteran, marital or Indigenous status.
Safeguarding – We define Safeguarding as “the preventative action taken by Palladium to protect our people, clients and the communities we work with from harm”. We are committed to ensuring that all children and adults who come into contact with Palladium are treated with respect and are free from abuse. All successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced selection process including safeguarding-focused interviews and a rigorous due diligence process.