Global Health Fellows Program II

Technical Advisor III: Market Development Advisor

Commodity Security and Logistics Division, Office of Population and Reproductive Health, Bureau for Global Health, United States Agency for International Development

Location: Washington, DC

Assignment: Two year fellowship

GHFP II-P1-044

The Global Health Fellows Program (GHFP-II) is a five year cooperative agreement implemented and managed by the Public Health Institute in partnership with CDC Development Solutions and Management Systems International. GHFP-II is supported by the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

GHFP-II's goal is to improve the effectiveness of USAID health programs by developing and increasing the capacity of health professionals with tailored development opportunities. This is accomplished through the recruitment, placement and support of diverse health professionals at the junior, mid and senior levels, and professional development activities aimed at enhancing the technical and leadership skills of global health professionals.

BACKGROUND:

The Commodity Security and Logistics Division of USAID's Office for Population and Reproductive Health supports USAID's efforts to strengthen commodity security - i.e., improving the availability of and access to essential health commodities for people in low and middle income countries. Commodity security is an essential component of health services. In many low and middle income countries, people are often unable to reliably access health commodities due to inadequate supply, policy barriers, ineffective health systems, and limited understanding of the local marketplace. Expertise across a range of disciplines is required to advance commodity security, and to design and implement policies and programs that support it. Financing, policy reform, market segmentation and development, procurement, logistics, workforce capacity, performance improvement, and institutional strengthening are just areas of concern.

Garnering meaningful improvement in commodity security must include critical engagement of a wide array of partners - governments, social marketing groups, commercial distributors, nongovernmental organizations, private sector for-profit providers and suppliers, donors - in order to create sustainable markets that meet the needs of diverse clients. USAID invests heavily in the provision of contraceptives and supply chain systems in both the public and social marketing sectors. A critical focus is needed on in-country and global market environments, current and potential roles of partners, and support for implementation of strategies for rational market diversity. The total market approach required means collaboration across all markets, service providers, public/private environments, and stakeholders. Balancing the development of strong public systems with that of robust private markets builds sustainable in-country access to services and commodities for all who need and want them.

INTRODUCTION:

The Market Development Advisor (Technical Advisor) will work in the Commodity Security and Logistics (CSL) Division, located in the Office of Population and Reproductive Health (PRH) within USAID's Global Health Bureau. The Technical Advisor will lead CSL's work in areas specifically related to segmenting, penetrating and developing country markets to ensure access to affordable contraceptives across all quintile groups and through all available markets. This will include developing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating new public/private partnership models to adapt a total market approach in a range of USAID PRH priority countries. The senior-level Technical Advisor will provide technical leadership to improve investment, growth and long-term sustainability through opportunity identification, market research, development and implementation of marketing plans and application of data-driven strategies across all markets. The Technical Advisor will apply significant in-country experience and total market understanding to issues of demand and supply at the global market and in-country level.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

 The Technical Advisor will lead CSL's work to build and strengthen understanding and response at the global level and rationalize and build diverse markets at the country level to improve commodity security and sustainable country-led market development. The primary responsibilities of the Technical Advisor include:

Strategic Direction to Promote a Sustainable Whole Market Approach

• Implement approaches that maximize affordable access to commodities across all market segments. The focus will be on diversifying markets across priority countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, with an eye towards enabling development of robust commercial markets for sustainable in-country access to services and commodities
• Identify and expand relationships with key stake holders (NGOs, commercial sector, social marketing sector public sector, associations, and civil societies) to implement a participatory market segmentation approach and development of diverse in-country markets
• Explore and promote, through data-driven methodologies, private sector engagement in government-run public health supply chains; expand the environment for government readiness to pursue private sector outsourcing of public health supply chains
• Provide technical assistance - based on a broad knowledge of products, services and marketing techniques - to local social marketing and commercial entities to improve planning and increase sales and sustainability
• Maintain an understanding of demand by keeping abreast of new products/services, price trends and other general information of applicable interest 

Demand Planning and Quantification

• Participate in global market demand planning and forecasting for key contraceptives with donors and suppliers
• Encourage, promote and participate in contraceptive quantifications and forecasts at the country level through a total market lens

Data-Driven Approaches

• Facilitate the development and application of cost-effective research to support in-market business planning, effective marketing approaches, customer retention and social assessment, using both statistical and qualitative methodologies
• Assist USAID missions in utilizing data for decision-making with key stakeholders to improve understanding of the local marketplace, and to advocate for and implement supportive policies and regulations
• Provide direction and approaches to increase access to capital within the private sector, to encourage market diversity
• Create/tailor/modify existing tools and resources at the local and global level to increase market penetration for contraceptives

Advocacy, Policy and Regulation

• Assess in-country policies and regulations related to private market development and market diversity; work with in-country partners to identify barriers to market growth and approaches for barrier reduction
• Assist USAID missions and partners in appropriate data collection, analysis and presentation techniques for effective advocacy for needed policy and regulation change towards supportive environments

Coordination

• Advance dialogue and collaboration between the public and private sector supply chain stakeholders at the country level
• Provide technical guidance to and liaise with Global Health Bureau-wide appropriate contacts, and PRH projects that support private sector approaches (i.e., SHOPS), working through the lens of contraceptive security
• Provide technical leadership to implementing partners in market development for commodity security
• Liaise with the CSL team members to enhance local marketing efforts and market research capacity at the country level for PRH priority countries

Other tasks or responsibilities may be assigned based on (a) organizational programming need and/or (b) the Advisor's own interests.

REQUIRED SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE:

• Master's degree in International Economics, International Development, Banking or Finance, Marketing or related field
• Minimum ten years' professional experience in marketing and consumer research, or in utilizing such research, with at least three to five years' experience working in a developing country or resource challenged setting, preferably in health
• Proven ability to make business decisions based on quantitative or qualitative consumer and market research
• Knowledge of financial services sector
• Advanced expertise using Excel and preferably also statistical analysis software such as SPSS, STATA, or other quantitative software
• High degree of judgment, maturity, ingenuity and originality to interpret strategy, to analyze, develop and present work and to monitor and evaluate implementation of programs
• Demonstrated flexibility and openness in responding to changing work priorities and environment
• Open professional style, blending teamwork and participation with individual initiatives as well as having a can-do orientation and service mindset; effective team building, strategic thinking, taking a leadership role, appreciative listening, and achieving results
• Excellent oral, written, and presentation skills
• Proficiency in French (most preferred), Portuguese, or Spanish desirable
• Experience in project/program management, project design, strategic planning, and/or change management desirable
• Knowledge of and/or experience working in commodity security desirable
• Willingness to travel to developing countries
• US Citizenship or US Legal Permanent Residency required

SALARY AND BENEFITS:

Salary will be based on commensurate experience and earnings history.  The Public Health Institute offers a comprehensive benefits package including professional development programs

 http://www.ghfp.net/docs/2012_Benefits_Booklet_GHFP.pdf 

TO APPLY:

All applicants are required to apply for this position through GHFP's online recruitment system at https://www.ghfp.net/recruitment/, which allows you to store your CV, profile and bio data form in our database. A separate cover letter describing your qualifications and experience, interest and familiarity with issues relating to this position, and how this position relates to your career goals is required for each application. All online applications must be submitted by 5:00 pm Eastern Time 6/5/2012.

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