Strategy Analyst at Integrate Health

The Role

Are you a self-starter with demonstrated knowledge of the Beninois health system? Do you excel at systematic research and relationship-building? Do you believe health is a human right, and are inspired to make healthcare systems work for all? If so, you may be our next Strategy Analyst for Benin. Reporting to the Chief Partnership Officer and working closely with members of the senior leadership team, you will have the opportunity to support the expansion of Integrate Health’s mission to make quality primary healthcare accessible to all.

Your motivation, professionalism, and clear communication skills will be critical to supporting Integrate Health in their exploration of opportunities to continue to drive high-quality primary healthcare in Sub-Saharan Africa.

This role is a three-month contract position (starting as soon as possible) with the possibility of extension.

About Integrate Health

Integrate Health (IH) is a rapidly growing global health organization working to serve communities in West Africa and New York. We believe that access to healthcare is a human right, and we are committed to making this a reality in the countries in which we work. IH works alongside governments and the local community to implement and study an integrated approach to strengthening primary healthcare delivery in order to achieve universal health coverage. By integrating professional Community Health Workers with improved care in public clinics, this approach creates a patient-centered health system that is accountable to the community and dramatically reduces mortality in severely resource-limited settings. Over the past five years, in partnership with the Ministry of Health, IH has expanded its proven approach to serve nearly 200,000 people across northern Togo. IH is now posed to effectively support the government to leverage this success to ensure high-quality primary healthcare delivery at national scale and explore opportunities beyond Togo.

IH’s work in Togo demonstrates that high quality-healthcare is possible, everywhere. IH is determined to work in places that have been left off of the strategic map of other INGOs and donor countries. We know that health for all will remain an aspiration until the most marginalized, hardest-to-reach communities are included in the solution. Half of the world’s population, 3.8 billion people, lacks access to essential health services. Given this urgent need inside and beyond Togo’s borders, IH is compelled to expand our geographic footprint to a second African country. IH aims to support government and civil society organizations in a new geography to replicate, study, and scale key innovations in primary healthcare.

Your Contribution: Scope of Work

Task 1: Initial landscape assessment and analysis

The overall contract deliverable will be a landscape assessment and analysis of Benin’s healthcare system and stakeholders. The assessment should be conducted using the eight stages in the Community Health Systems Reform Cycle framework[1]. Proposed questions of inquiry in the table below. Priority questions are bolded.

Stage

Questions

Problem Prioritization

· Are any health reform initiatives related to universal health coverage (UHC) or community health workers (CHWs) planned or in process?

· Has government conducted an evaluation of their health system, specifically regarding UHC or community health? If yes, is there a report?

· Have there been any specific recommendations for community health reform within the Ministry of Health or from external stakeholders?

Coalition Building

· Who are the key ministerial players in UHC and community health, and who holds decision making power?

· What non-governmental actors hold power in the health system?

· Are there any existing coalitions or working groups related to the national health system?

· Complete list/map of key donors, funding, amounts, and timelines.

Solution Gathering

· What health INGOs are active in Benin? What programs do they support?

· What health related local CSOs are active, and partner with the Ministry of Health? What programs to they support?

· Are there any current pilot or replication programs relating to UHC or community health?

· What health research institutions exist?

· What research studies are underway or have been completed in the last five years related to the health system?

· What evidence does the Ministry of Health use to design health strategies and policies?

Design

· What current health policies and national plans are in place? What community health plans? What are their timelines?

o How do these compare to WHO guidelines/CHW AIM tool[2] components?

· What current health financing infrastructure exists?

Readiness

· What implementation challenges or system weaknesses exist?

· What is the country’s health budget?

o What percentage of budget is allocated to UHC, primary care, or community health?

o What units in the MOH manage budget?

o What level of budget detail is publicly available or can be obtained to facilitate gap analysis?

Launch

· Any case studies of past policy initiatives; their implementation, success, process, etc.?

Governance

· Characterization of health system governance structure map/analysis

Management & Learning

· What health data systems are currently present?

· How does the Ministry of Health use data to manage the health system?

· Does quality improvement feature in the health system? If so, who, where, when, how?

IH expects an initial report to be completed and presented to IH’s senior leadership team in the first 6-8 weeks of the project.

Task 2: Follow up and refined analysis

IH will then have the opportunity to refine research questions and request follow up analysis, which the Analyst will complete in the remaining 4-6 weeks of the project. At this point, IH will also determine whether a contract extension is warranted.

Task 3: Strong communication throughout the project

IH expects the Analyst to meet with IH’s Chief Partnership Officer on a biweekly basis to report on progress and problem solve together.

Task 4: Build relationships on behalf of IH

The Analyst must represent IH in professional manner in accordance with IH’s values. Finally, IH anticipates that the Analyst will build relationships with key stakeholders and connect them to IH for future collaboration.

What Are We Looking For?

· Fluency in French required

· Individuals who can bring new perspectives to the organization (recruiting for culture add rather than culture fit)

· 5+ years relevant professional experience

· Demonstrated ability to perform landscape and stakeholder analyses

· Previous experience within or partnering with the Beninois public health system or Beninois government or partner organization

· An organized individual who can complete detailed and robust tasks on time

· Excellent interpersonal skills

· Experience building and managing diverse relationships/partners

What will get us excited?

· 8-10 years relevant professional experience

· Professional competency in English preferred

· Health-related degree or experience preferred

· Non-profit, international NGO, or government experience preferred

· You are self-directed and able to identify and act on opportunities for improvement and collaboration

Success Profile

IH values include efficacy, empowerment, commitment, transparency, and respect. IH expects that the Strategy Analyst will model and embody these values and will have the following characteristics:

· Diplomatic and humble learner with the ability to listen

· Growth mindset and lifelong learner attitude

· Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (written and spoken), with demonstrated ability to earn respect of colleagues and partners from diverse backgrounds

· Must be detailed oriented, organized, and efficient

· Must be committed to social justice and to the fundamental rights of all humans