JOB DESCRIPTION

Health Specialist

Job #: req32626 Organization: World Bank Sector: Health/Nutrition/Population Grade: GF Term Duration: 3 years 0 months Recruitment Type: Local Recruitment Location: Maputo,Mozambique Required Language(s): English, Portuguese Preferred Language(s): Closing Date: 4/18/2025 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC

 

Description

Established in 1944, the WBG is one of the world’s largest sources of funding and knowledge for development solutions. In fiscal year 2018, the WBG committed $67 billion in loans, grants, equity investments and guarantees to its members and private businesses, of which $24 billion was concessional finance to its poorest members. It is governed by 188-member countries and delivers services out of 120 offices with nearly 15,000 staff located globally.

The WBG consists of five specialized institutions: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the International Development Association (IDA), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), and the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). The World Bank is organized into six client-facing Regional Vice-Presidencies, several corporate functions and thirteen Global Practices to bring best-in-class knowledge and solutions to regional and country clients.
The World Bank Group (WBG) is one of the world’s largest sources of funding and knowledge for development solutions – providing loans, grants, equity investments and guarantees to its members and private businesses. The vision of the World Bank Group (WBG) is the eradication of extreme poverty and the promotion of shared prosperity by fostering income growth of the bottom 40 percent in each country. To achieve its vision, the WBG leverages the combined strength of its institutions and their ability to partner with the public and private sectors to deliver customized development solutions backed by finance, world class knowledge and convening services.

HEALTH, NUTRITION AND POPULATION GLOBAL PRACTICE CONTEXT:

The central contribution of the HNP Global Practice to the World Bank’s twin goals is to enable the achievement of Universal Health Coverage (UHC), in which all people are effectively covered by essential health services, and nobody suffers undue financial hardship because of illnesses. The HNP Global Practice includes staff members in Washington, DC and many country offices. The HNP Global Practice works with and across multiple sectors, in recognition of the fact that HNP outcomes often depend on actions that lie outside the HNP sector. The HNP Global Practice supports country and regional efforts to: (i) improve health outcomes, especially for the poor and most vulnerable; (ii) expand access to high-quality HNP services, interventions and technologies that give the most value for money; (iii) strengthen health systems for results; (iv) establish and improve health financing mechanisms that promote efficiency, equity and sustainability of investments; (v) strengthen heath-relevant institutions within and outside the health sector; (vi) harness multisectoral policies and investments for better health outcomes; and (vii) develop and learn from rigorous impact evaluations.

AFRICA REGION CONTEXT:
REGIONAL CONTEXT:

In the Africa Region of the World Bank, there are four units that comprise the Africa HNP practice.  The Africa HNP Practice Managers have joint responsibilities for region-wide HNP strategies, and staff work across unit boundaries. HAEH1, which covers Eastern and Southern Africa, is responsible for policy analysis and dialogue, strategic engagement, relationship management and lending operations in that part of the region.  The Unit has staff members located in Washington DC and in country offices.   HAEH1 has a strong portfolio of analytical work (ASA), and an active and diverse portfolio of projects under supervision, with a net commitment of about $1.5 billion.

COUNTRY CONTEXT:
 
 Currently, our work program in the Mozambique CMU covers: reproductive, maternal, neonatal, child, and adolescent health and nutrition (RMNCAH-N) related service delivery, early years, health system strengthening, including public financial management and fiduciary functions, human resources for health, health care financing.
The changes in Development Assistance for Health, combined with the advent of new digital technologies and AI, require more innovation in our approach to health system strengthening, and a clearer focus on prioritization and increasing efficiencies in health expenditures.
We are looking to build a team focused on scaling up new innovations and willing to challenge the orthodoxy of approaches that have not delivered sustained or significant results.

The team works with the Global Financing Facility (GFF), a broad coalition of bilateral and multilateral agencies that seek to transform the status of the health of women and children worldwide, through smart, scaled up and sustainable financing that is linked to RMNCAH-N results.
The Bank’s current portfolio in the Mozambique CMU has an active HNP operation, and many analytical products.  In addition, there are opportunities for cross sectoral work as we address issues of water, energy, and changing environmental conditions.
The World Bank is looking to recruit Health Specialists to work in its Mozambique office. The staff member will be based in Maputo. The selected candidate will work within the East Africa region of the Bank, and be assigned primarily to support the Mozambique portfolio, and other countries in the regio as needed.
Duties and Accountabilities:
The Health Specialist will have the following key responsibilities, inter alia:

• Support implementation of the Bank’s HNP loan portfolio including the preparation of selected national and/or regional operations. This will be including contributing to technical discussions and monitoring of the Bank portfolio on a day-to-day basis in close collaboration with the relevant government agencies and development partners;
•   Co-lead and contribute to high-quality analytical and advisory services tasks
• Participate in and contribute to technical assistance work to support relevant capacity-building activities including workshops, seminars, etc.
• Participate in and contribute to policy dialogue with government counterparts — including at the national and sub-national levels — and with other relevant stakeholders.
• Help teams with building and maintaining partnerships and networks within the Bank (in HNP as well as other sectors) and with external partners.
• Contribute to health sector-specific or cross-sectoral inputs for various operational products/outputs (e.g. sector/country briefings, background reports, portfolio performance reviews, etc.);
• Review and contribute to sector-specific or cross-sectoral policy and other documents;
• Organize and participate in missions of the health team;
• Respond to ad hoc information requests from internal and external parties.
• Carry out any other activity required as part of the health and human capital portfolio.

The Health Specialist will report to the Practice Manager, Health Nutrition and Population, (HNP) for Eastern and Southern Africa. For day-to-day operational work, the Health Specialist will support the HNP Task Team Leaders in Mozambique, and the Human Development Program Leaders. The Health Specialist will be subject to all World Bank regulations and guidelines applicable to staff.

Selection Criteria

Master’s degree or higher in public health, nutrition, population and the equivalent 5 to 8 years of relevant professional experience with public health, and or health service delivery projects is required.
Experience in digital health, health financing and or human resources for health is preferred
Experience working in conflict or fragile contexts.
A proven track record of high standards/accountability for work products, meeting deadlines, an ability to prioritize tasks within their work program and strategies for working collectively with colleagues on the team to deliver products of the highest caliber.
Demonstrated ability to think strategically, rapidly analyze diverse information from varied sources.
Excellent oral and written communication skills in English and Portuguese is essential. The candidate must be able to prepare documents on complex subjects, speak and write persuasively, and present ideas clearly and concisely.

World Bank Group Core Competencies

The World Bank Group offers comprehensive benefits, including a retirement plan; medical, life and disability insurance; and paid leave, including parental leave, as well as reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity and inclusive employer with a dedicated and committed workforce, and do not discriminate based on gender, gender identity, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability.

Learn more about working at the World Bank and IFC, including our values and inspiring stories.

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: No requirements