The Equitable Financing Practice delivers on the UNAIDS Secretariat's goals to identify and promote strategies to expand the future financing options of the HIV response, with a clear preparedness and inequalities lens. It does that by systematizing knowledge and building capacities on equitable resource allocation and implementation of efficiency, equity (including in access to health technologies), transition planning, community response. It also explores and expands outcomes for countries, regions and globally on upstream financing instruments, including tax and domestic revenues, debt and innovative sources of international, domestic and private finance. Finally, the team also tracks HIV financing resources and provides a range of analytical products that help understand - and inform actions to reduce - inequalities, including wealth and poverty inequalities, and integrate HIV financing within the wider international financing system.
The RST LAC provides leadership and coordinates support for an expanded UN system response to ending the AIDS epidemic at regional and country level. Equitable Financing works hand in hand with countries in developing and supporting the full design and implementation of equitable financing advocacy strategies, providing technical guidance and knowledge, capacity building to ensure a minimum standard for UCOs, as well as clear and signed off policy on critical areas to ensure a sustainable response to the HIV pandemic and related areas.
Main tasks and Responsibilities of the Position:
Within the matrix management reporting structure of the RST LAC and the Global Equitable Financing Practice, the Regional Adviser, Equitable Financing, focuses on a manageable set of deliverables that are aligned with the UNAIDS equitable financing vision and strategy, providing support to the assessment of the finance side of the epidemic evolution and its response, and the financing needs and challenges in the region.
He /she has the following key responsibilities:
Regional strategy and provision of technical guidance to countries:
For the selected portfolio of countries, and in collaboration with the global equitable financing team, provides technical guidance, advice, and support to country office teams in the areas of sustainable/equitable HIV and health financing, effective and efficient resource allocations, and Domestic Revenue Mobilization and international sources of finance for HIV, health and pandemics. This includes the provision of advice or highlighting good practices or sound financial sourcing methods tailored to the differentiated country needs and contexts.
Provides, as necessary, technical inputs into country-specific financial analysis, health financing modelling, transition readiness assessments, sustainability plans/strategies, resource mobilization simulations and alike, that feed into the update of investment frameworks on HIV and guidance for using data and economic intelligence to inform decision-making, to ensure impact and build sustainable solutions.
Supports countries develop "equitable financing" plans / strategies, including country prioritization for action and impact.
Ensures a strong regional and country-by-country overview of financing trends and challenges for the HIV response, for health systems as they move towards progressive integration of the response with pandemics preparedness and stronger primary healthcare.
Assist regional economic communities in identifying both equitable financing-related technical and financial gaps and potential solutions. Advise on emerging regional priorities, barriers and opportunities for global level support to the region.
Can be temporarily deployed for short term missions to focus in a concrete country if the circumstances demand it.
Resource tracking:
Conducts regional analyses of HIV financing investments and results across different countries, programme areas, population groups and other variables applying global or other benchmarks as appropriate.
Identifies trends and provides relevant inputs into technical reports and publications, as required.
Coordinates the implementation of resource tracking processes in the region to ensure consistency with the overall UNAIDS resource tracking endorsed tools and approaches, and use of the results.
Capacity building, partnerships, knowledge management and advocacy activities:
Organizes capacity building activities in support of regional and national strategic planning, resource allocation and budgeting processes. Contributes to communities of practice as required.
Produces inputs on results achieved and identifies trends and good practices.
Designs knowledge products to influence regional health and HIV financing agendas.
Provides inputs into reports and publications, as required.
Brokers partnerships and ensures strategic engagement with regional offices of development banks, other financial institutions, multilateral and bilateral funding agencies and the private sector that play a role in the response to HIV, health and the pandemics.
Leads advocacy and dialogue with regional bodies related to health financing issues and the overall development finance agenda, providing support if required in the cases when that engagement involves the higher political level.
Performs any other duties as requested by the Director, Regional Support Team.
Required Qualifications:
Education:
Essential:
Advanced university degree at Master's level or equivalent in Economic Research, (Macro) Economics, Health Economics, Public Health management or other fields related, always with an economics training background.
Experience:
Essential:
A minimum of seven years of experience in health economics and health / HIV financing, at least some of which at the international level.
Experience in advocating for increased health / HIV financing with national actors (such as Ministries of Finance).
Desirable:
Experience working with international organizations on health financing issues.
