Consultant - Budget Impact Analysis

Job Posting Organization:
The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. Established on April 7, 1948, WHO's mission is to promote health, keep the world safe, and serve vulnerable populations. The organization operates in over 150 countries and has more than 7,000 employees worldwide. WHO focuses on various health issues, including disease prevention, health systems strengthening, and health financing mechanisms to improve health outcomes globally.

Job Overview:
The position of Consultant for Budget Impact Analysis at WHO involves providing regional technical guidance aimed at sustainably expanding health insurance coverage in the African Region. The consultant will be responsible for producing normative guidance on budget impact analysis, which will assist countries in designing and reviewing their health benefit packages. This role requires the development and testing of methodologies tailored to specific country contexts, contributing to the strategic planning and implementation of effective health financing policies. The consultant's work will directly impact the integration of new services into health insurance schemes, ensuring that vulnerable populations are adequately covered.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The consultant will undertake several key tasks, including:

• Developing a Budget Impact Analysis Framework for integrating new services into health insurance schemes, focusing on principles for extending coverage to poor and vulnerable populations.
• Evaluating current health benefit packages to identify gaps and opportunities for improvement.
• Creating a comprehensive framework for budget impact analysis that can be utilized by various stakeholders.
• Establishing criteria for the inclusion of new services in health benefit packages, ensuring that these criteria are evidence-based and aligned with best practices.
• Providing technical guidelines for implementing budget impact models that can be adapted to different country contexts.
• Assessing the financial implications of expanding covered health services, particularly in relation to HIV, TB, and Malaria services.
• Conducting a mapping exercise of African countries to analyze the inclusion of essential services in health insurance schemes.
• Preparing two peer-reviewed articles for publication, one focusing on the inclusion of HIV, TB, and Malaria in health packages across the AFRO region and the other on the application of the Budget Impact Analysis tool to country data.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a first university degree in Public Health, Health Economics, or a related field, with specialized training in health financing and health systems analysis. An advanced degree in these fields is desirable. Essential qualifications include at least five years of experience in health financing and health systems analysis, a proven track record in conducting budget impact analysis, and experience in developing and testing methodologies in a country-specific context. Desirable qualifications include a sound understanding of health economics and financing, data analysis skills, capacity-building experience, and a history of research and publications, particularly within the African context.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this position includes a first university degree in Public Health, Health Economics, or a related field. Specialized training in health financing and health systems analysis is essential. An advanced university degree or qualification in Public Health, Health Economics, or a related field is considered desirable and would enhance the candidate's profile.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of five years of relevant experience in health financing and health systems analysis. Candidates should have a proven track record in conducting budget impact analysis and evaluating health insurance schemes. Experience in developing and testing methodologies tailored to specific country contexts is essential, as is a background in health economics and financing.

Languages:
Expert knowledge of English is mandatory for this position. Intermediate knowledge of French and/or Portuguese is considered desirable, as it would facilitate communication and collaboration in the diverse linguistic landscape of the African Region.

Additional Notes:
This consultancy position is off-site (home-based) and does not require travel. The expected duration of the contract is three months, with a remuneration band level B set at USD 8,000 per month. The vacancy notice may also be used to identify candidates for other similar consultancies at the same level. Candidates under serious consideration will be contacted, and a written test may be used as a screening method. Applicants must provide scanned copies of their educational qualifications in advance if selected for an interview. WHO emphasizes workforce diversity and encourages applications from women and nationals of underrepresented Member States. The organization maintains a smoke-free environment and has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, and other forms of abusive conduct.