Health Entrepreneurship Support Service Expert

Africa Health Collaborative Project of Addis Ababa University

Context

The Africa Health Collaborative (AHC) is a pioneering initiative aimed at strengthening primary healthcare across Africa and empowering the continent’s health sector through transformative education and innovation. It involves eight African Universities/Institutions (Amref International University (AMIU)-Kenya, Moi University Kenya, The African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS), Addis Ababa University (AAU), The African Leadership University (ALU) -Rwanda, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST)- Ghana, University of Cape Town (UCT), and Asheis-Ghana), and University of Toronto (UofT), each in partnership with Mastercard Foundation. AAU has launched the Africa Health Collaborative Project at the College of Health Sciences (CHS). It is a 6-year project focusing on three pillars of work to achieve the AHC’s objectives:

• Health Employment (HEMP) aims at equipping the primary healthcare workforce in Ethiopia with relevant skills that productively match the health and well-being needs of the Ethiopian population.
• Health Entrepreneurship (HENT) aims at launching entrepreneurial ecosystems and platforms in Ethiopian Universities to optimizing and scaling health startup, creating jobs with a focus on youth and women, while addressing critical gaps in primary healthcare to accessibility, affordability, and quality.
• Health Ecosystem (HECO) aims at developing a dynamic and sustainable health ecosystem network that integrates local knowledge, supports policy development, and equips actors with the skills needed for sustainable health sector growth, transformation, and job creation across Africa.

The project wants to hire qualified and experienced staff on a contract basis for the following position.

I. Position/title: Health Entrepreneurship Support Service Expert Description and requirements

Employment status: Full-time Contract

Duration of Employment: 6- years; annually renewable contract depending of employee’s performance

Primary Work Location: Addis Ababa University, College of Health Sciences

Travel out of Addis Ababa: To National Partner Universities (Debre Berhan, Wollo, Wolkite Universities)

Department/Project: Africa Health Collaborative Project of AAU

Job Role: Health Entrepreneurship Support Service Expert will support and manage the delivery of entrepreneurship training; awareness creation campaigns; and advice services directly to the beneficiaries to enable the successful launch of start-ups and small businesses. He/She will support the coordination of the program primarily with the HENT Pillar Lead and other officers and experts of the project, and programs of national implementer partner universities as required report to HENT Pillar Lead, and perform other duties and activities as assigned.

Objectives of the Assignment: The specific objective of the Entrepreneurship Support Service is to open career options for youth including self-employment as alternative to waged employment though series of awareness raising sessions and entrepreneurial skills training with linkage with the appropriate programs and relevant entities to start up their own businesses.

Target Groups: University undergraduate and postgraduate students focusing on female students of health science programs; unemployed youth and women with limited access to entrepreneurial skills development programs; Newly graduate “Youth in Transition” willing to improve their chances of entering labor market.

Scope of work: This position is a full-time contract employment. The scope includes but not limited to:

Planning: support the planning process led by HENT Pillar Lead for the entrepreneurship support services in particular and to the Collaborative’s plan in general; contribute to the broader strategic goal of the AAU-MCF health collaborative by aligning entrepreneurship initiatives with project objectives; and coordinate efforts among national implementing partner universities to ensure cohesive delivery of entrepreneurship programs.

Training: Support and facilitate the entrepreneurship training programs; identify specific skill gaps and customize training modules to address these needs effectively; and facilitate ongoing mentorship and support to participants to enhance their entrepreneurial competencies.

Database: Create a database and record and document the trainees and start-up data/information, and provide continuous input to the Collaborative’s beneficiaries’ database managed by the Collaborative Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Expert.

Networking: support the promotion of collaboration with health-focused innovation ecosystems to foster knowledge sharing and best practices; and development of an efficient networking and linkage with start-up support programs and potential funding sources to small businesses and start-up.

Monitoring and Evaluation: Follow up the training programs plans and progress, and the supports provided by start-up support programs and funding sources; and provide continuous and regular qualitative and quantitative inputs regarding entrepreneurship support services.

Reporting: Submit monthly, quarterly and annual progress reports to the HENT Pillar Lead by providing elaborated details about progresses against the entrepreneurship support plan; achievements against targets; and highlighting actions taken against encountered problems and obstacles.

Available position: One (1).

Salary and benefits: Attractive- as per the Collaborative Project Scale

Education Requirements: A Master’s Degree in public health (PH), Health Sciences, Healthcare innovation, Health Officer, Behavioral Sciences, Sociology, Business Administration, Social Work, Economics and/or related fields, or a Medical Doctor

Minimum Experience Requirement: Eight (8) years of experience in health entrepreneurship, healthcare management, start-up support program officer/trainer, or business development within the healthcare sector or related.

Competency Requirements

Core competencies

• Ability to plan, organize, and control resources, procedures, and protocols to achieve specific goals,
• Ability to develop new and useful interventions,
• Proven track record of working with health startup, social enterprises, or innovation hubs focused on improving positive health outcomes,
• Demonstrated experience in providing strategic support, capacity building, and mentorship to healthcare entrepreneurs,
• Familiarity with health systems, policies, and financing mechanisms,
• Experiences in conducting market assessments, developing business models, and navigating regulatory environments for health-related ventures,
• Strong networking within the healthcare innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems,
• Ability to work within the team and support other colleagues to achieve the overall project goals,
• Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform, and
• Ability to get things done before the deadline.

Functional competences

• Ability to identify and execute opportunities to improve operational efficiency,
• Strong understanding of healthcare financing, digital health technology, sustainable business practices,
• Ability to business partnership management,
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills,
• Ability to work in cross-functional teams and provide actionable recommendations to the emerging health businesses,
• Familiarity with fundraising, including grants, impact investing, and venture capital, specific to the healthcare sector, and
• Proficient in Excel, Word processing, and PowerPoint.