TERMS OF REFERENCE- CONSULTANCY FOR A RESEARCHER, HEALTHCARE FINANCING PROJECT

• Deadline: March 6, 2026
• Kenya

Background

The African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) is a premier research-to-policy institution, generating evidence, strengthening research and related capacity in the African research and development ecosystem, and engaging policy to inform action on health and development. APHRC seeks to drive change by developing strong African research leadership and promoting evidence-informed decision-making (EIDM) across sub-Saharan Africa.

APHRC seeks to recruit a consultant to support a healthcare financing project focusing on financing reforms central to improving access, quality, and financial protection in health systems, particularly for time-sensitive services such as maternal and child health (MCH). Kenya’s recent transition to a national social health insurance model represents not only a financing reform, but a critical test of how purchasing arrangements translate into care for women and children. This project seeks to map the implementation landscape and co-create solutions to improve the implementation of the financing scheme to improve maternal and child health outcomes.

Scope of Work

• System Architecture: Conduct a desk review of national/county legal frameworks, including provider empanelment, contracting, and claims processes.
• Stakeholder Experiences: Interview County managers, providers, and patients to identify operational enablers and constraints across public and private facilities.
• Patient Journeys: Map MCH care pathways from registration to discharge tracking continuity and experience within an existing cohort mother-child dyad.
• Data Analytics: Perform descriptive analysis of routine health facility administrative data, disaggregated by facility type and equity dimensions.
• Entitlement Validation: Develop clinical scenarios to test facility level knowledge of financing benefits, coding practices, and financial coverage.
• To transform findings into actionable improvement plans and capacity-building strategies.
• Work with relevant stakeholders to refine national scaling and quality-improvement frameworks.
• The consultant is also expected to contribute to proposals and scientific writing in related areas of work and present research findings in meetings and conferences.

Minimum Qualifications

• Academic Leadership: A PhD in Public Health, Health Systems, or a related social science field. A proven track record of peer-reviewed publications in health financing or maternal and child health is highly desirable.
• Health Financing Expertise: Have a minimum of 10 years of experience in Health Systems Strengthening (HSS), with specific expertise in Strategic Purchasing and Social Health Insurance models.
• Policy Analysis and Desk Review: Demonstrated ability to conduct rigorous Health Policy Analysis and legal desk reviews.
• Technical Research Skills: Proficient in managing complex diagnostic assessments, including patient journey mapping and the analysis of routine administrative health facility data.
• Strategic Stakeholder Engagement: Proven ability to facilitate co-creation workshops with high-level to translate research into policy.
• Team Management: Extensive experience leading multi-disciplinary teams of researchers and field enumerators in urban and peri-urban settings.
• Familiarity with qualitative analysis software packages (i.e. NVivo).
• Excellent scientific writing skills.

Application

Interested candidates should submit their proposals (including CV and/or consultant profile,

relevant past work assignments, references, work plan, and a detailed budget) not later than

6th March 2026 via email to: [email protected] and cc:[email protected],

with the subject line entitled ‘Consultancy for a Researcher, Healthcare Financing Project 2026’.

The applications should be addressed to:

The People and Culture Business Partner

African Population and Health Research Center, Inc.

APHRC Campus, Manga Close, off Kirawa Road, Kitisuru

P.O. Box 10787-00100, Nairobi, Kenya.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.  For more information about APHRC, visit our website: www.aphrc.org

Special Notice

APHRC is an equal-opportunity employer that is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. All employment decisions are made based on qualifications and organizational needs. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process.