Private Sector Partnership Coordinator, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso

Overall Responsibilities

As the Specialized Agency of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) charged with attaining the highest possible standard and protection of health in the region, the West African Health Organization (WAHO) works to improve the health of the population of the 15 member countries. Expanding WAHO’s capacity to with the private sector generally broadens their reach and influence with country governments, and opens new opportunities for shared resources, partnership and learning, as well as a potential source of revenue.

West Africa is currently grappling with an unprecedented epidemic of the Ebola virus, with an outbreak of the disease in a number of capital cities, thereby facilitating its propagation. Six of the fifteen Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) countries have been affected by the epidemic, which began in Guinea in December 2013 before spreading to the neighboring countries of Liberia and Sierra Leone. As of January 2, 2015, a total of 20,381 cases have been reported with a total of 7,989 deaths in six ECOWAS countries [1], including Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal and Sierra Leone.

Containing the virus became a global priority when WHO declared the Ebola outbreak a public health emergency on August 8, 2014. WAHO has taken steps to promote cooperation among countries in the sub-region, coordinating activities and funding for response efforts. Given the magnitude of the epidemic, however, the resources available at WAHO (including staff) are not sufficient to respond broadly and systematically; therefore, it is vital to mobilize additional resources, technologies and networks in order to contain and curb the spread of the epidemic in affected countries and mitigate the impact across the region.

Building on the urgency of the Ebola outbreak, WAHO, in collaboration with the USAID/Regional Health Office (RHO) and other partners, has requested the recruitment of a Private Sector Partnership Coordinator (PSPC) to expand the reach of WAHO priorities and mobilize additional resources to respond to the region’s most pressing health priorities. Increased networking and partnership with the private sector will also affect WAHO’s mandate broadly, including their work in family planning and reproductive health and HIV/AIDS in the longer term. It is key to establish long-term partnerships with private companies across West Africa.

This consultant will be hired through the LMG/West Africa regional project, which provides direct technical assistance to WAHO in the areas of leadership, management and governance, and supervised by the Director of Planning and Technical Assistance (DPTA). The consultant will also work closely with WAHO’s Professional Officer in charge of resource mobilization and the ‘Département de la lutte contre la maladie et les Epidémies’ (DLME).

[1] Source: CDC Website, http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/outbreaks/2014-west-africa/index.html, November 7, 2014.

Specific Responsibilities

The Private Sector Partnership Coordinator will be responsible for representing the priorities of WAHO to private sector companies with investments in the region. The consultant must read and identify existing assessments of needs in affected countries and regional countries working on Ebola and epidemic diseases (Lassa fever) preparedness, family planning and HIV/AIDS priorities, to identify potential private sector partners who would support these areas. The consultant will be responsible for working with the DPTA and DLME to research and foster private sector partnerships that help to address regional health priorities, not only through direct donations, but also through in-kind donations of materials or services, as well as technical expertise, which can be directed either towards member states or through WAHO channels. Where resource contributions are offered, the PSPC must work with the WAHO Program Officer (PO) in charge of Resources Mobilization to ensure compliance with WAHO’s administrative and operational procedures.

Illustrative indicators of WAHO’s private sector partnership success include:

1. Private sector partnerships developed (e.g., MoUs signed, Letters of Agreement signed)
2. Contributions facilitated – (where private assistance – financial or in-kind has been appropriately directed to an area of need)
3. Resources mobilized (for WAHO and/or for local governments in the region because of WAHO support)
4. In-kind support/contributions appropriately made/utilized

Specific targets for each of these indicators will be determined with WAHO.

Under the supervision of WAHO’s Director of Planning and Technical Assistance (DPTA), the PSPC consultant will:

1. Analyze and organize specific needs (financial, equipment, human resources and/or logistics) of Ebola-affected countries and those at risk using data/info from the UN Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER), USAID, local governments, the Ebola Private Sector Mobilization Group (EPSMG) and other sources.
2. Gather information on and analyze the priority health needs (including family planning and HIV/AIDS) of WAHO member countries; using data from local governments, WAHO resources, partners, and other sources
3. Map potential private-sector donors in the ECOWAS region to develop a mobilization plan with priority areas
4. Contact each of the potential donors and determine their current involvement, investment, and interests in health in West Africa generally, and Ebola specifically. Those with broader health interest should be identified as long-term partners.
5. Develop an advocacy plan in collaboration with WAHO’s Advocacy Professional Officer to focus on partnerships with major private donors – noting that ‘win-win’ partnerships are most successful;
6. Propose procedures, in accordance with ECOWAS regulation, for the use funds channeled through WAHO (including the management and monitoring of funds, accountability and reporting mechanisms, etc.)
7. Provide assistance to WAHO staff to collect and route private sector funding through WAHO’s financing mechanism to identified beneficiaries;
8. Propose procedures/system for managing partnership and strategic alliance contributions (non-financial contributions), including a structure for ensuring that there are dedicated WAHO staff to maintain these relationships. The consultant should work closely with senior WAHO leadership to identify and secure the necessary resources for maintaining all proposed procedures related to private sector development following the end of the consultant’s assignment.
9. Strengthen WAHO capacity to develop and maintain private sector partnerships by identifying capacity building needs, training and providing ongoing coaching to targeted WAHO staff in the areas of managing existing private sector partnerships and developing new alliances, and through consistent outreach/sharing and initiatives to engage WAHO staff in private sector development activities. .

Qualifications

1. University degree in Business development or a relevant field required;
2. At least 10 years of experience with partnerships building and private sector business development is required, in the West African context is strongly preferred;
3. Experience in public-private partnerships, corporate social responsibility , and mobilizing private-sector funding (around $2 Million) is required – preferably in emergency situations;
4. Successful private sector networking experience required (including mining companies, agro business, construction, infrastructure, pharmaceutical companies, etc.);
5. Solid understanding of ECOWAS and West Africa’s economic, political, social and cultural environment and the role of the regional institutions and host governments, private and public sector, including NGOs, in addressing development objectives, priorities and issues required;
6. Fluent written and oral proficiency in English and French required. Must be able to communicate effectively in both languages. Portuguese language ability is desirable;
7. Ability to work from Bobo Dioulasso and travel within the West African region for up to 50% of the duration of the assignment.