Senior Health Advisor

Job Title: Senior Health Advisor

Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (on sight, remote work not possible)

Contract duration: 2 year, with a possible extension (depending on funding)

Staff reporting to this post: 4

Starting date: As soon as possible

DRS is looking, on behalf of our client, and Global Humanitarian Organization, for a skilled Senior Health Advisor to support the organizations’ operations and programme goals in this area. The incumbent will serve as the Organization’s primary liaison with all relevant stakeholders in the health sector. S/he will collaborate with the Ministry of Health, Minis-try of Agriculture and Food Security, and other critical partners to provide high-level support for effective capacity build-ing at the local level and ensure the sustainability of project interventions. Additionally, s/he will act as the primary advi-sor on health, nutrition, and food security issues for the country office, overseeing and supporting health and nutrition activities. The Senior Health Advisor will also represent the Organization in national-level health and food security the-matic groups.

Key Areas of Responsibility:

• Develop and implement strategic health programs and policies tailored to the diverse needs of Asian countries, ensuring alignment with global health standards and local requirements.
• Oversee the design, execution, and evaluation of health projects, including planning, budgeting, and resource allocation. Ensure projects meet objectives, timelines, and performance metrics.
• Provide expert guidance on health interventions, including disease prevention, health system strengthening, and emergency response. Stay abreast of the latest research and best practices in health.
• Mentor and support regional health teams, including training local staff, building their skills, and enhancing their capacity to manage and deliver health programs effectively.
• Foster and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, including government agencies, NGOs, international organizations, and private sector partners to promote collaboration and resource mobilization.
• Advocate for health policy reforms and improvements at regional and national levels. Support the development of health policies and strategies that address critical health challenges in Asia.
• Implement robust monitoring and evaluation frameworks to assess the impact and effectiveness of health programs. Analyze data and provide recommendations for continuous improvement.
• Coordinate and lead health responses to emergencies and humanitarian crises in the region, ensuring timely and effective interventions.
• Conduct and support health research and needs assessments to identify emerging health trends and challenges. Use data to inform program design and decision-making.
• Prepare and present detailed reports on program progress, outcomes, and challenges to senior management, donors, and other stakeholders.
• Oversee the allocation and utilization of resources, including financial, human, and material resources, to ensure efficiency and effectiveness in program delivery.
• Lead advocacy efforts to raise awareness about critical health issues in the region. Develop and disseminate communication materials to promote health initiatives and achievements.

Qualifications and competencies:

• Master’s Degree in a related field (Medicine, Public Health, Humanitarian Assistance, Epidemiology, Nutrition, or Food Security) with a minimum of 7 years of progressively increasing responsibility in managing large-scale, complex inter-national development and public health programs, including food security and humanitarian response.
• Alternatively, a Bachelor’s degree in a related field with a minimum of 10 years of progressively increasing responsibil-ity in international humanitarian response.
• Extensive experience in senior management roles within emergency response and public health settings, including set-ting up responses in areas with no existing organizational presence.
• Proven track record of managing program teams in medium to large-scale emergency responses and health interven-tions.
• Demonstrated senior management experience leading diverse, multi-functional, or multi-sector teams at a Country Di-rector or equivalent senior management level.
• Experience managing multi-donor, multi-site programs with budgets of $5 million or more in initial phase responses at regional or country levels, including donors such as BHA/USAID, ECHO, and OCHA.
• Background in international representation with key stakeholders and coordination with other NGOs and UN agencies.
• Experience in international media representation and advocacy.
• Expertise in monitoring and evaluation (M&E) and beneficiary accountability systems in large, complex programs.
• Proven ability to develop and negotiate successful partnerships with institutional donors.
• Demonstrated capacity to influence change at both operational and strategic levels.
• Politically and culturally sensitive with strong qualities of patience, tact, and diplomacy.
• High proficiency in written and spoken English and Spanish.
• Flexibility and willingness to adapt to challenging working conditions.
• Strong commitment to the organization’s aims and principles, with a good understanding of the organization’s mandate and focus, ensuring these continue to underpin support activities.