MEI Program Officer - Economics and Financing

University of California - San Francisco (UCSF)
San Francisco - United States
S: Competitive

JOB OVERVIEW
The Malaria Elimination Initiative (MEI) at the Global Health Group (GHG) at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) was launched in 2007 to accelerate progress towards malaria elimination and eradication. A critical part of MEI's ability to succeed in achieving its goal of malaria elimination and eradication is ensuring that countries have the necessary financial resources to be able to interrupt malaria transmission and prevent reintroduction, and in order to secure financial resources they must also have a solid understanding of the costs and benefits.

Building off of the MEI's work since 2008, key objectives of the MEI Program Officer, Economics and Financing will be to execute the MEI's strategic portfolio of work to secure financing for countries that are eliminating malaria. This will include: conducting research on national and regional financing-generating and disbursement mechanisms; researching and estimating the national and regional costs, benefits and financial gaps for malaria elimination; using cost, benefit and financial gap data to develop a national business case for malaria elimination in Asia Pacific; developing a regional investment case for malaria elimination in southern Africa; supporting countries in Asia Pacific and southern Africa to transition from donor dependence to domestic funding for malaria, and; working with the MEI's advocacy and policy team to use data to influence donor policy and domestic funding decisions in support of malaria elimination. At the national level, this work will be in partnership with at least three ministries of health and national malaria programs in Asia Pacific and southern Africa. At the regional level, this work will be in southern Africa and in partnership with the Elimination Eight (E8) Regional Initiative and other partners. In addition, the candidate will support the MEI's operational research teams to gather in-country data and analyze the costs and cost‐effectiveness of specific malaria elimination interventions, particularly around surveillance and response, including drug based strategies and vector control.

The MEI Program Officer will report to the Senior Program Manager, Economics and Financing and will work closely with and under technical direction from the MEI's Associate Director for Economics and Financing, based in Singapore. The position is based in San Francisco, up to 30% international and domestic travel will be required.

Please note: This is a full time contract position that will end on December 31, 2018.

GLOBAL HEALTH GROUP / GLOBAL HEALTH SCIENCES
The Global Health Group (GHG) at the University of California, San Francisco, Global Health Sciences, is an "Action Tank," dedicated to translating major new paradigms into large-scale action to positively impact the lives of millions of people. Led by Sir Richard Feachem, formerly the founding executive director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the GHG works with researchers, policymakers and implementers to better understand and address health challenges and tackle neglected global health priorities. The GHG's Malaria Elimination Initiative (MEI) believes a malaria-free world is possible within a generation. The MEI brings the vision, strategy, and evidence-based approaches to catalyze action in countries and regions paving the way for global malaria eradication.
As a forward-thinking partner on the malaria elimination frontline, the MEI generates evidence through operational research, develops new tools and approaches, documents and disseminates elimination experiences, builds consensus, assesses the costs and benefits of elimination, and strengthens political and financial commitment to shrink the malaria map. With support from the MEI's highly-skilled team of economists, advocates, project managers, malariologists, and epidemiologists, countries around the world are actively working to eliminate malaria—a goal that nearly 30 countries will achieve by 2020. For more information about our approach and impact, visit www.shrinkingthemalariamap.org.

ABOUT UCSF
The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) is a leading university dedicated to promoting health worldwide through advanced biomedical research, graduate-level education in the life sciences and health professions, and excellence in patient care. It is the only campus in the 10-campus UC system dedicated exclusively to the health sciences.
Required Qualifications • Bachelor's degree in related area and three to five years of related work experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience / training
• Experience in public health
• Knowledge of common organization- or research-specific and other computer application programs
• Strong skills in analyzing, researching and synthesizing large amounts of data for preparing sound and relevant proposals / analyses
• Strong policy analysis techniques
• Analytical / problem-solving skills
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing
• Ability to multi-task with demanding timeframes
• Ability to use discretion and maintain all confidentiality
• Up to 30% international and domestic travel will be required

Note: Fingerprinting and background check required. Effective March 13, 2017, all final candidate(s) for employment are required to undergo a background check.
Preferred Qualifications • Experience analyzing health economic data, ideally from low and middle-income countries
• Ability to conduct economic analyses
• Experience developing research protocols
• Skilled at working with and conducting research in developing countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. Experience collaborating with Ministries of Health and/or Finance, and national disease control and prevention program staff a plus
• Knowledge of malaria (both P.falciparum and P.vivax malaria), including details of the disease cycle and main interventions used for interrupting transmission and preventing reintroduction

Job summary