Health Policy & Access Partner, Africa at Roche

The Position

• The focus for this role would be to bring global policies to local levels to shape and influence implementation across the continent through support of affiliate teams. The role would be based on the continent (e.g. Nairobi or Addis Ababa) for consistent engagement with regional and/or local stakeholders who have regional influence and to enable travel to countries across the continent as needed. 
• This role has both strategic and tactical elements to support initiatives that span multiple countries and for linkage at the regional level with Roche Pharma and Diabetes Care colleagues. This role is about the “how” and the “what” in regional health policy. 
• The Access and Policy Partner, Africa will focus on global health policy and government affairs topics across the African continent and across Roche’s divisions. 
• The successful incumbent will serve as a point of contact for health policy for Africa to regional intergovernmental organizations (eg: African Union, OAFLAD, Africa CDC) and related local agencies/NGOs (Amref, CHAI). This person will engage with regional level stakeholders, provide insights into African regional health priorities and policy agendas and provide support for the local affiliate policy teams. This will be done within the context of the One Roche Africa Policy and Partnership Squad and a team effort together with other policy roles.
• This person will bring insights into the political and economic healthcare ecosystem for key regions on the African continent, build strong relationships with regional or national stakeholders that influence across multiple countries and advocate for patient access to healthcare no matter where they live. 

Responsibilities

• Build a deep understanding of the health ecosystems across the African continent to set policy agenda priorities including the environments, institutional and political landscapes with emphasis on key priority countries linked to the One Roche Policy and Partnership strategy . 
• Actively engage and build relationships with political stakeholders and key influencers of health policy agendas at regional and national levels in coordination with global health policy lead and the One Africa Roche Policy and Partnership  Squad to enable removal of barriers and bring key disease area and health topics to the priority agenda for rapid, broad and sustainable access to Roche innovations for patients.
• Conduct research, analyze current healthcare policies, evaluate the effects of proposed legislation, and reporting on findings within the One Roche Africa Policy and Partnership  Squad, EMEA LATAM region and Area Africa to identify unmet needs and opportunities.
• Influence political and social events to increase voice around healthcare issues related to key business initiatives under the strategic initiatives of Roche in Africa both internally and externally.
• Build supporting tools and knowledge resources (eg best practice) for implementation of policy agenda at local levels that deliver clear, evidence-based and compelling positions for governments and key influencers including financial aspects (eg pricing, business models), monitoring and evaluation metrics to track momentum for access and lessons learned and communication mechanisms (eg communities of practice).
• Support affiliate policy and commercial teams in local activities in minimizing gaps/hurdles to access in support of health system strengthening initiatives and public private partnerships.  Such projects include Global Access Program, One Roche Cancer Diagnostics strategy, Women's Health, UHC, NCDs and local affiliate pilot projects for access. 
• Member of One Roche Policy and Partnership Squad for Africa, One Africa Policy and Partnership team, EMEA LATAM Governmental Affairs team and interface with Pharma Global Access Policy team and Communication teams for coordination in the co-creation of Africa health policy leading to greater regional government support for health development activities.

Impact will be Measured by:

• Contribution to regional/area business objectives, regional/area business growth and increased patient access across Africa.
• Delivery of key initiatives that result in changes to regional or local policies leading greater access within agreed timelines.
• Development of key relationships within the African health policy ecosystem to shape policy agendas.
• Creation of health policy engagement and shaping capabilities within the local teams across Africa.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Public Health, Health Administration, Health Economics, Political Sciences or Public Policy. Graduate Degree (Health Policy, Health Economics, Public Policy, MBA) preferred.
• Proven work experience of 5 - 7 years in government affairs, policy, public or corporate affairs preferably with some years of experience in the Pharma/diagnostics industry in LMICs/Africa.
• Experience in working with political or governmental organizations and decision-makers to advance the public health conversation.
• Understand political decision making and complex networks of influence and leverage negotiation skills.
• Interpersonal skills for successful collaboration within highly matrixed cross-functional teams .
• Critical thinking, strategic mindset, problem solving, and analytical skills.
• Ethical mindset and good understanding of relevant compliance principles and regulations.
• Strong influencing and negotiation skills: confirmed abilities to influence others without authority and mobilize people behind a common purpose and strategy.
• Excellent command of English. French and/or Portuguese a plus.
• Ability to travel across Internationally.