Health Economist Consultant at Malaria Consortium

Malaria Consortium is one of the world’s leading non-profit organizations specializing in the prevention, control, and treatment of malaria and other communicable diseases among vulnerable populations. Our mission is to save lives and improve health in Africa and Asia through evidence-based programs that combat targeted diseases and promote Universal Health Coverage.

The “Behavioural Insights to Accelerate Net use” (Be In A Net) project, implemented in Nigeria and Uganda, draws from qualitative research findings and the behavioural science literature to design a behavioural intervention(s) aimed at closing the gap between access and use of insecticide treated nets (ITN). The prototype intervention(s) is collaboratively developed with key stakeholder and will undergo feasibility, acceptability and costing evaluation in a small-scale pilot, the results of which are intended to inform a full-scale RCT.

Malaria Consortium has been working in Nigeria since 2008, with the Country Office in Abuja and currently operates in 17 states. Working in partnership with the Ministry of Health and other national and international partners, we lead major malaria control initiatives in the country, providing technical support for malaria control; capacity building and training of health workers; health systems strengthening; behaviour change communications and community outreach and operational research, policy and advocacy.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Health Economist Consultant

Location: Nigeria
Employment Type: Contract

Job Description

• The purpose of the consultancy is to conduct a comprehensive cost analysis of two interventions piloted by the “Be In A Net” project, with the aim of informing the impact and cost effectiveness models developed by the donor. 
• The interventions have been developed using behavioural science approaches to increase the use of insecticide treated nets. 
• The consultant will provide a point estimate and range of the cost of delivering the interventions, as well as the assumptions and variables affecting the estimate.

Specific Objectives

• Provide a detailed description of the methodology and parameters adopted to generate the cost estimate.
• Provide detail of direct and indirect costs included in the estimate, with their source and justification for inclusion and exclusion of specific cost items.
• Provide the intervention’s cost estimate, for two interventions and two countries, as point estimate and range of cost.
• Develop documents for dissemination of the results, including a comprehensive report and a summary slide deck.

Deliverables
The successful candidate will deliver the following items:

• Inception report on the planned work, including data collection and analysis plan.
• Protocol for the costing that details methods, tools and data sources.
• Cost analysis report, with separate cost estimates for the delivery of each intervention in Nigeria and in Uganda, including point estimates and ranges of cost by ITN distributed, in local currency and in USD. The report will include detailed methodological notes describing process and parameters adopted to generate the estimate, and the classification in direct and indirect costs.
• Slide deck summarizing the findings for dissemination among key stakeholders, including Ministry of Health.

Responsibilities
Preparation:

• Consult with the Malaria Consortium Team to clarify the requirements of the task, confirm the assumptions to be adopted, and fine-tune the intended outcome of the consultancy.
• Develop a inception report, including data collection and analysis plan and submit it for review to Malaria Consortium. Address any comments received on the plan.
• Develop a protocol for the costing exercise detailing methods, tools and data sources. Submit it for review to Malaria Consortium and address any comments received.

Data collection and analysis:

• Draft the costing framework for the intervention(s), including programmatic and health system costs (as detailed in the preparation phase).
• Work with the Project Manager and Principal Investigator to identify data sources and gain access to costing data, including programmatic and health system costs.
• Conduct stakeholder consultations and collect data.
• Analyse the data and generate separate point estimates and ranges for the cost of each intervention in Nigeria and in Uganda. Cost estimates will be provided by ITN distributed.

Report development:

• Draft a final report, including separate cost estimates for Nigeria and for Uganda, and submit for review.
• Hold an internal meeting with co-investigators to review the results of the analysis.
• Address any comments raised and finalize the report.
• Prepare a slide deck, summarizing the findings, for use in dissemination activities.
• Attend an external meeting arranged by Malaria Consortium to present the results of the analysis to the Ministry of Health.
• Attend an external meeting arranged by Malaria Consortium to present the results to the donor.

Person Specifications

• The successful applicant will possess thorough understanding of costing approaches in the context of public health and community health. They will possess significant experience of undertaking costing exercises and economic evaluations, as well as extensive knowledge of health systems in low- and middle-income countries, preferably with a focus on Nigeria and Uganda.

Qualifications

• A PhD (preferred) or at a minimum Master’s level degree in economics, preferably health economics.
• Significant demonstrable experience of undertaking and overseeing costing exercises, including primary cost data collection and developing health economics models.
• Work experience in low or middle income countries, preferably Nigeria and/or Uganda.

Experience and knowledge:

• At least 10 years of progressive experience in conducting participatory and complex process assessments in health/social services in resource constrained settings.
• Previous experience in implementing similar assignment with similar scope and scale is desirable.
• Must be an expert in process assessment.
• Strong knowledge of M&E methods and approaches.

Skills and competencies:

• Strong analytical skills.
• Strong command of Microsoft office suites (Ms Word, Ms PowerPoint, Ms Excel and Ms Project packages).
• Strong oral and written communications skills.
• Having attention to details and being able to establish right priorities.

Conditions of Work

• Travel: Nationally
• Type of contract: Short-term individual consultancy (Senior National Consultant)
• Equipment: Should have own computing and broadband facilities for remote collaborations

Timeline and anticipated level of effort:

• The assignment is intended to begin from the 1 May 2025 and shall be concluded by the 31 August 2025.
• We anticipate that the assignment will require no more than 30 days of consultancy.

Application Closing Date
4th April, 2025 (5:00 pm Friday).

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
 Click here to apply online

Note

• For this position, previous working experience with MC and in SMC is an added advantage.
• Kindly note that applicants who do not follow this specification will be disqualified.
• Only Shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
• Kindly note that applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and as a result, the process may conclude before the advertised deadline. Therefore, early applications are highly encouraged.
• Malaria Consortium does not accept or ask for payment during recruitment. We also will not accept hardcopy CVs; all applications should be sent through the above link.