Latest Job Vacancies at ABT Associates

Job Description

Organization Overview

Abt Associates (Abt) is a mission-driven global leader in research, evaluation, and program implementation in the fields of international development, health, and social and environmental policy. Known for its rigorous approach to solving complex challenges, Abt is regularly ranked as one of the top 20 global research firms and one of the top 40 international development innovators. The company has multiple offices in the U.S. and program offices in more than 40 countries. Serving both the public and private sectors, Abt supports participatory governance processes that empower citizens and promote accountability and transparency across sectors. Our impact is felt in responsive and inclusive institutions, empowered communities, equitable access to public services, improved mobilization, and management of financial resources, and enhanced enabling environments for economic growth and opportunity.

Opportunity

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Health Workforce Management (HWM) activity supports establishing a cost-effective, well-trained, and motivated health workforce in targeted rural and remote areas of Bauchi, Sokoto, Kebbi, and Ebonyi states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Banyan Global implements the project in collaboration with Abt Associates, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), and Solina Health. The project also collaborates with local experts, universities, training institutions, federal and state governments, and the private sector and provides support via targeted grants under contract (GUCs). This approach will help address the shortage of skilled healthcare workers within Nigeria’s primary health care (PHC) system.

Abt Associates Inc. leads HWM’s Intermediate Result (IR) Two (2) with the objective of strengthening the human resources information system (HRIS) for effective recruitment, deployment and retention of health workers. Working with the Department of Health Planning, Research, & Statistics (DHPRS) of the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), the Abt team provides technical assistance to develop and equip the HRIS and its users to provide data for decision-makers that inform evidence-based HRH planning, management and addressing of inequities and inefficiencies. The activity will support ongoing efforts by collaborating with the FMOH’s DHPRS to link the supported priority states to the National Health Workforce Registry (NHWR) and build local capacity to use the information for decision-making.

Key Roles and Responsibilities

Under the supervision of the Abt HWM Project Management Director, the Senior HRIS Advisor will: 

• Lead the implementation of the nationally adopted health workforce registry at the state level;

• Support project states and the FMOH DHPRS in the use of HRIS data to inform decision-making;

• Design and manage assessments and HRH tools, e.g., HRH profiles, to inform HRH management;

• Identify linkages with other databases and information systems to ensure interoperability;

• Support the development and maintenance of processes for data integrity;

• Manage a team of state-based HRIS specialists and work closely with the Home Office team to determine and engage short-term technical assistance, quality assurance, and overall sound technical project delivery;

• Serve as a leader in HRIS in Nigeria and within the HWM management team

• Additional responsibilities as assigned and approved within the Abt team

Preferred Qualifications

• Post-graduate degree or higher in public health, health systems, human resources, information systems, or another related field.

• Familiarity with the Government of Nigeria’s HRIS needs and efforts to maintain the Health Workforce Registry.

• Professional experience interacting with representatives from ministries of health, the private sector, civil society organizations, national health professional councils, and non-governmental organizations.

• Direct experience with HRIS system administration, maintenance, and reporting.

• Demonstrated ability to develop high-quality reports and deliverables, especially for USAID and donor clients.

• Experience managing teams and building capacity across staff, especially with team members across multiple locations.

• Experience effectively delivering project results in an environment with multiple implementing partners, with strong preference for experience doing so as part of a consortium

• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and extensive experience with other MS applications.

• Excellent organizational, analytical, oral, and written communication skills in English; demonstrated supervisory skills; and ability to work well on a team.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s Degree + Nine years of relevant experience, or Master’s Degree + Seven years of relevant experience, or PhD + Four years of relevant experience

Abt Associates is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer committed to fostering a diverse workforce. Abt Associates provides market-competitive salaries and comprehensive employee benefits. Local candidates strongly encouraged to apply.

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Job Identification: 102495
Job Category: Program Delivery
Report to: the Chief of Party

Opportunity

• The Local Health System Sustainability (LHSS) Project is a 5-year, $209 million global task order that works to strengthen health systems as a means to achieve universal health coverage and improve population health and well-being.
• Interventions will focus on reducing financial barriers, holding health services accountable for meeting all clients’ needs and making sure that the care patients receive meets minimum standards.
• LHSS’s Nigeria activity will support the Government of Nigeria at the Federal level and in three states (Nasarawa, Plateau and Zamfara) to expand sustainable pro-poor health financing options to reduce health inequalities, improve access to essential health services for the most vulnerable populations, and increase government expenditure on health services for greater sustainability of health service delivery.
• We will hire one position in each of the three states.
• The activity has the following objectives to accomplish in collaboration with Nigerian counterparts:
  • Increase financial risk protection
  • Improve population health coverage
  • Increase number of fully functional facilities

Key Roles and Responsibilities
The State Coordinator will have the following duties and responsibilities:

• Responsible for directly engaging state-level and national-level authorities to support with inception and early implementation through rapid diagnostics and preparation for intervention.
• Oversee and coordinate the implementation of interventions in respective states in project focus areas including health financing, organizational capacity development and primary health care management.
• Establish and manage mechanisms to convene state agencies to enable learning exchange and knowledge co-productions.
• Coordinate and provide technical support on the NPHCDA proposed Fiscal Space Analysis for Primary Health Care to identify sources of funding beyond BHCPF and financial requirements for scale-up.
• Collaborate with state-level counterparts and R4D to conduct the proposed Resource Tracking for Primary Health Care to identify how BHCPF is being used at the state level, including what funding is being received, what it is spent on and who benefits.
• Contribute to MEL activities, including learning, collecting data, and reporting on indicators, in collaboration with the MEL team.
• Regularly report intervention status to the chief of party and senior technical leads to revise implementation plans as necessary to ensure best possible completion of interventions.
• Within the LHSS project, the State Coordinators will report to the Chief of Party and will be supported by LHSS Abuja and US office-based technical expertise.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree + Nine (9) years of relevant experience, or Master’s Degree + Seven (7) years of relevant experience, or PhD + Four (4) years of relevant experience.

Preferred Skills / Knowledge:

• Advanced Degree in Public Health, Management, Medicine, Health Administration, or other relevant field. 
• Demonstrated expertise in strengthening health systems, including social health protection schemes and domestic resource mobilization.
• Familiar with Government of Nigeria health sector budgeting, planning, health financing, timelines, and stakeholders
• Proven track record of working effectively with government counterparts at various levels in Nigeria is highly preferred.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with USAID, state and national offices and officials, and other development partners
• A proven, successful record of achieving results. The State Coordinators will be required to sustain the key roles and responsibilities largely independently and requires the initiative to ensure work is progressing.
• Demonstrated leadership skills and ability to work collaboratively and independently. Strong communications, interpersonal, and presentation skills required.
• Proficient English writing/speaking skills required.