Org. Setting and Reporting

The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa’s (ECA’s) mission is to deliver ideas and actions for an empowered and transformed Africa; informed by the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063. The mission will be guided by ECA’s five strategic directions which are: advancing ECA’s position as a premier knowledge institution that builds on its unique position and privilege to bring global solutions to the continent’s problems and take local solutions to the continent; developing macroeconomic and structural policy options to accelerate economic diversification and job creation; designing and implementing innovative financing models for infrastructure, and for human, physical and social assets for a transforming Africa; contributing solutions to regional and transboundary challenges, with a focus on peace security and social inclusion as an important development nexus; advocating Africa’s position at the global level and developing regional responses as a contribution to global governance issues. The Macroeconomics, Finance and Governance Division (MFGD) is headed by a Director and reports to the Deputy Executive Secretary (Programme). The Division is responsible for supporting African member States in their efforts to accelerate economic transformation and inclusive growth through effective development planning, improved macroeconomic management and economic governance as well as better mobilization and allocation of domestic and international public finance. It is divided into three main sections: Macroeconomic Analysis Institutions and Economic Governance Section (MAIEGS), Spatial and Development Planning Section (SDPS) and Finance and Domestic Resource Mobilization Section (FDRMS). This position is located in the Macroeconomics, Finance and Governance Division (MFGD) in the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). The Economic Affairs Officer will be under the overall supervision of, and report directly to, the Director of the Division. However, the incumbent will work across four (4) main divisions, including the African Centre for Statistics (ACS), the African Institute for Economic Development and Planning (IDEP) and the Office of the Executive Secretary (OES).

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Economic Affairs Officer conducts health financing and macroeconomic analyses to inform evidence-based policy advice for Member States. The role provides technical support on health financing reforms, UHC strategies, and fiscal planning; develops policy briefs and analytical reports; delivers capacity-building activities; manages technical cooperation projects; and supports intergovernmental process and partnerships to strengthen sustainable, equitable health financing systems across Africa. The duties of an Economic Affairs Officer falls under the functional areas identified below. Economic or sector analysis:

• Assess trends in health expenditure, fiscal allocations, efficiency of spending and fiscal space in member States, identifying emerging policy concerns relevant to sustainable and equitable health financing.
• Conduct analytical studies and econometric assessments of health financing reform options, including assessment of national health insurance models, results-based financing, subsidies, domestic resource mobilization strategies, purchasing and provider payment arrangements, and innovative financing instruments.
• Develops evidence-based policy recommendations for member States by applying econometric and public expenditure analysis to assess the impacts of health financing policies on equity, service coverage, and macro-fiscal stability.
• Prepare national, regional and sector analyses to guide ECA advisory support and inform reforms in health financing and social protection systems.
• Prepare policy briefs, technical reports, working papers, and contributions to ECA flagship publications. Policy Development and Advisory Services:
• Provide technical and advisory support to Ministries of Finance, Health, Planning and Social Protection on health financing reforms and Universal Health Coverage (UHC) strategies by conducting policy diagnostics, reviewing legal and institutional frameworks, developing reform options, preparing technical guidance notes, and providing hands-on advisory services in the areas of national and social health insurance schemes, pooled purchasing and provider payment reforms, public financial management (PFM) for health, and transition planning from externally financed programme.
• Support integration of health financing considerations into national development plans, medium-term expenditure frameworks, and sector budgeting processes by analysing fiscal space for health, advising on budget prioritisation and expenditure efficiency, and supporting the alignment of health sector strategies with macro-fiscal frameworks.
• Facilitate high-level policy dialogue among government counterparts, social partners, and development agencies by organising and moderating technical workshops, policy roundtables, and inter-ministerial consultations, and by preparing evidence-based briefing materials to inform decision-making.
• Support Member States in planning transition strategies from externally funded health programmes toward increased domestic financing by assessing transition readiness, identifying financing gaps and risks, developing phased transition roadmaps, and advising on resource mobilisation and sustainability options. Capacity Development:
• Design and deliver capacity-building programmes for government officials, local research institutions, and regional bodies on: – National Health Accounts (NHA) and expenditure tracking systems. – Fiscal space analysis and efficiency assessments. – Monitoring of UHC and SDG 3 indicators. – Public financial management reforms for the health sector.
• Conduct training workshops, expert group meetings and learning exchanges to build policy and analytical capacity across member States. Applies foresight and behavioural science to enhance initiative.
• Support long-term institutional capacity transfer strategies to enhance national leadership and sustainability by leveraging academic institutions, regional schools of public administration, and national technical agencies. Technical cooperation and programme management
• Contribute to the planning, implementation, monitoring and reporting of multi-year technical cooperation projects by preparing project documents and workplans, tracking implementation progress against agreed results frameworks, drafting progress and performance reports, and systematically documenting lessons learned and good practices.
• Contribute to the formulation of evaluation plans, methodologies and performance measurement frameworks for individual projects and regional initiatives by defining indicators, baselines and targets, designing and applying monitoring tools, and participating in mid-term and final evaluations, including the analysis of findings and recommendations.
• Coordinate with development partners to harmonize support to health financing reforms by organizing and attending joint planning and review missions, preparing inputs and presenting institutional positions in donor coordination platforms, exchanging, reviewing and aligning analytical work with partners, and verifying consistency of joint activities with national priorities, United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks and relevant regional commitments. General
• Performs other related duties as required, including a variety of administrative tasks necessary for the delivery of programme inputs.
• Undertakes on-the-job and other training activities, both internally and externally.
• Collects and analyses data to identify trends or patterns and provide insights through graphs, charts, tables and reports using data visualization methods to enable data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting.
• Participate in inter- and intra-divisional collaboration, representing the institution in corporate initiatives and thematic working groups. Competencies Professionalism…