Senior Advisor, Health Economist

Apply Here

A. Summary Statement:

The Public Health Institute (PHI) is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting health, well-being, and quality of life for people throughout California, across the nation and around the world. As one of the largest and most comprehensive public health organizations in the nation, we are at the forefront of research and innovations to improve the efficacy of public health statewide, nationally, and internationally.

The Global Health Training, Advisory and Support Contract (GHTASC) delivers effective global health programming to advance the mission of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Bureau for Global Health (GH) through institutional support and workforce development services from junior, mid-level, senior and expert advisory and administrative professionals.

B. Position Summary:

The Senior Advisor, Health Economist in Maternal, Child Health (MCH), and Nutrition will provide Agency-wide leadership in the application of econometric methods in support of the monitoring, evaluation, and learning of the Preventing Child and Maternal Deaths Framework for Action (PCMD).

Working as a member of MCHN Research and Policy division MERL team, the Senior Advisor, Health Economist will be responsible for conducting econometric and cost-analyses as well as providing analytical guidance on both the evaluation and the use of USAID MCH and nutrition technical and financial resources to address the highest priority problem areas and interventions, at both headquarters and country/program levels.

The Senior Advisor will be responsible for USAID’s analytic work in MCH and nutrition focused to better understand the impact and cost-effectiveness of USAID efforts to prevent child and maternal mortality and improve the coverage, quality, and equity of evidence-based interventions and practices. This is anticipated to include the following: modeling; evaluation design; analyses of observational data from sample surveys, routine information systems, and other sources; guiding the implementation of evaluations as well as other learning efforts to document progress and challenges and guide budgeting and programmatic decision making at country and global level, including the assessment of causality, cost, and impact.

As an active member of the USAID MCHN Office and MCHN Element Teams, the Senior Advisor will contribute to the overall development of MCHN strategies and activities and setting priorities.  This is anticipated to be undertaken through dynamic collaboration with USAID offices and missions, donors and multilateral agencies including the World Bank, UNICEF, WHO, and by supporting USAID Mission staff within countries.  The Senior Advisor will provide technical leadership in conducting econometric data analysis support to USAID/HQ and country programs, and M&E support on MCHN components of GH Bureau projects and activities.

Full salary range for this position is $129,740 to $195,000 per year, with the starting salary determined based on candidate’s knowledge, skills, experience, as well as budget availability.

Employment Type: Full Time

C. Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Technical leadership in MCHN MERL: Providing senior level strategic guidance and expertise, including assisting with the preparation and/or review of strategies and plans to address needs at the global level.

• Conduct data analysis and develop presentations and visualizations of MCH and nutrition information and related fields to assess causality, cost, and impact of USAID programs, and other analyses as needed.
• Help identify emerging trends and programmatic advances and challenges.
• Respond to queries and prepare reports to guide USAID HQ and mission decision making as well as reporting for Congress and other stakeholders.
• In coordination with other MCHN Office staff, represent USAID PCMD/MCH MERL interests in global, regional, and national-level MCH, nutrition, and health and development fora and dialogues.

Serving as a subject matter expert to USAID and its partners.

• Serve as an expert on econometric and economic analyses to assess and inform multidisciplinary program strategies, evaluations, and prospective monitoring approaches.
• Complete highly complex tasks. Compare alternative courses of action and make a decision after considering the options.

Contribute to the routine work, including providing technical updates, briefers and other documents that describe USAID’s activities, research, and progress; preparing portfolio reviews and reports; reviewing documents such as annual reports and operational plans; and preparing responses to Q&As and other requests for information.

• Participate in strategic planning, modeling, cost analysis, and resource allocation activities for GH’s MCHN Element programs.
• Facilitate global sharing and adoption of analytic best practices from the USAID MCHN Program and training for USAID missions and LMIC partner country counterparts.
• Participate as a member of USAID GH teams established for project management, including substantial involvement in work plan development, for cooperating agencies charged with collecting and analyzing MCHN data required for USAID reporting.
• Help the USAID MCHN ensure the most recent data is available for future programming and reporting purposes. Liaise with Office leadership to ensure these data are available for all reports.
• Identify needs/concerns of others, determine potential solutions, resolve, or redirect appropriately.
• Persuade, gain cooperation and acceptance of ideas or collaborate on significant projects.
• Resolve conflict, negotiate or collaborate on major projects.

Contribute public health expertise and participate in working groups and task forces.

• Participate in MCH and other related MERL technical working groups, task forces, and professional meetings.

Follow global developments and provide recommendations to USAID regarding the application of this information to USAID’s technical and strategic approaches.

• Engage, as appropriate, with various interagency (USG and non-USG) Technical Advisory Groups and working groups such as Countdown to 2030.

Keep current on the latest literature, reports and international guidelines and standards.

• Stay current and share new knowledge on state-of-the art econometric, economic, and other relevant analytic methods.

Prepare and submit papers to professional journals and meetings.

• Prepare and submit papers to professional journals and meetings related to MCH M&E.
• Liaise with MCH MERL activities at relevant US Government Agencies, multilateral technical agencies, and donors (UNICEF, World Bank, WHO, regional development banks, CDC, private foundations).
• Participate in professional continuing education, skills training, and USAID training activities, as appropriate.
• Travel domestically and internationally (anticipate up to 25%).

Perform other duties as assigned.

D. Qualification Requirements:

Minimum Qualifications:

• Master’s degree with 10 years of relevant experience, bachelor’s degree with 12 years of relevant experience, Associate’s degree and 14 years of relevant experience, or High School graduate and 16 years of relevant experience.

Other Qualifications:

• Demonstrated expertise in one or more the following econometric methods: regression discontinuity; instrumental variable estimation; difference-in-difference; propensity score matching; interrupted time series; and synthetic control or similar methods.
• Demonstrated experience in economic analyses for health (e.g., costing, cost-efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and cost-benefit) and in advising on the inclusion of cost components into monitoring and evaluation plans for economic evaluation of programs.
• Experience providing programmatic guidance based on results of analyses by self or others.
• Experience in assisting with the preparation and/or review of program strategies, theories of change, program design, and monitoring and evaluation plans:
  • Experience with MCH, Nutrition, or related programs preferred.
• Experience in advising USAID missions and/or USAID implementing partners’ project or related experience on theories of change, results frameworks, and M&E plans, preferred.
• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information and maintain confidentiality.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and collaborative skills.
• High level of problem solving and negotiation skills.
• Good imagination, originality and/or creativity.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally up to 25% of the time.
• US citizen or US permanent resident with the ability to obtain and maintain facility clearance.

E. Competencies:

• Innovation: Employee takes initiative to propose new ideas/approaches and demonstrates ability to find new and better ways to accomplish work.
• Customer Service: Handles customer questions and complaints, communicates with customers, handles service problems politely and efficiently, always available for customers, follows procedure to solve customer problems, understands company products and services, maintains pleasant and professional image.
• Accountability: Takes ownership of work responsibilities and holds high standards. Keeps commitments and takes appropriate actions to ensure obligations are met. Pursues efficiency and effectiveness and adheres to Organization policies and procedures.
• Interpersonal Skills: Employee demonstrates ability to work in cooperation with others and communicate effectively with co-workers, supervisors, subordinates, clients, and other outside contacts.
• Continual Learning: Assesses and recognizes own strengths and weaknesses; pursues professional development that is aligned with organizational role, contribution, and goals. Proactively shares knowledge with others to foster learning across the Organization.

F. APPLICATION INFORMATION:

Prior to submitting your application your resume must include relevant paid and non-paid experience showing dates held with month, year and hours worked per week for each position. Please ensure that all relevant experience and education is documented on your resume. There is no limitation to resume length; updates to resumes will not be accepted during the interview and selection process.

FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT (FLSA) STATUS

This position is classified as exempt based on the job duties. However, based on the FTE, salary level of the employee, or federal/state/local laws, the employee may be classified as nonexempt.

PHI WORKFORCE MANDATORY COVID-19 VACCINATION POLICY

Per the PHI Workforce Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination Policy, it is a condition of employment for all domestic based employees to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19, unless they are granted a reasonable accommodation under applicable law.

New hires need to provide proof of full vaccination prior to their start date or apply for an exemption/accommodation within three business days after their start date. Depending on the circumstances, new hires who do not comply with this Policy, or who cannot be reasonably accommodated, will either have their employment suspended or terminated. Candidates who are non-compliant will have their offers rescinded.

This position described in this announcement falls under a contract with the Federal Government, and therefore is subject to the provisions put forward in OMB Circular A-76 which prohibit contractors from performing inherently governmental functions.  Specifically, employees placed in agency positions will not perform inherently governmental functions, nor supervise any personnel other than the contractor’s own staff, nor make final decisions or sign documents that commit the U.S. Government

EEO STATEMENT

The Public Health Institute is committed to a policy that provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, pregnancy, medical condition including genetic characteristics, physical or mental disability, veteran status, gender identification and expression, sexual orientation, and to make all employment decisions so as to further this principle of equal employment opportunity. To this end, the PHI will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, pregnancy, medical condition including genetic characteristics, physical or mental disability, veteran status, gender identification and expression, sexual orientation, and will take affirmative action to ensure that applicants are offered employment and employees are treated during employment without regard to these characteristics.

For further information regarding Equal Employment Opportunity, copy and paste the following URL into your web browser: http://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/eeopost.pdf

ADA STATEMENT

The Public Health Institute is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities and employment for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Recruitment Team at least 48 hours in advance at Recruitment@phi.org.