The University of Nairobi, a body corporate established under the Universities Act 2012 of the laws of Kenya and the University of Nairobi Charter, is the pioneer institution of University education in Kenya and the region.
The Position
The Center for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis (CEMA) at the University of Nairobi seeks to recruit a Senior Research Fellow (Health Economics) to lead and contribute to the use of economic evidence in health policy and financing decisions. The role involves conducting cost-effectiveness and budget impact analyses of health interventions, supporting national health financing strategies, promoting evidence-based resource allocation, and engaging policymakers to translate research into practice.
The Senior Research Fellow (Health Economics) will be based at CEMA, University of Nairobi Institute of Tropical and Infectious Diseases in Nairobi, Kenya, and will report to the CEMA Co-Directors.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Collect and organize health financing data to inform economic evaluation of CEMA-supported health interventions and modeling projects.
- Perform preliminary analyses of health expenditure by disease area, population group, and service delivery factors to support cost-effectiveness and budget impact assessments.
- Produce visualizations and summary tables to aid economic modeling and policy engagement.
- Initiate report writing to consolidate findings and inform technical outputs.
- Develop technical guidelines on appropriate health economic evaluation methodologies (e.g., costing, cost-effectiveness analysis, budget impact analysis) tailored to CEMA-supported initiatives.
- Deliver targeted training sessions for CEMA researchers and policy stakeholders on applying economic evidence to health technology assessments and financing reforms.
- Provide strategic input to strengthen CEMA’s health economics research agenda, including alignment with national health financing priorities and global best practices.
- Advise on the integration of economic evaluation approaches across CEMA projects to enhance policy relevance and sustainability.
Job Specification and Qualifications
- PhD in Economics, Health Economics, or a related field, with advanced training at Masters Level or above in health systems, health financing, or health policy.
- A minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in health economics, health policy, and health financing.
- Expertise in health financing analysis, including costing, cost-effectiveness, budget impact, and policy evaluation.
- Proven experience in designing and implementing economic evaluation methodologies and tools across different levels of the health system.
- Demonstrated experience in managing multidisciplinary teams and engaging with government, development partners, and implementing agencies particularly in the Kenyan context.
- Active involvement in national policy processes, including contributions to health strategies and legislation.
- Strong communication skills, with a record of presenting technical outputs to diverse audiences, including international forums.
- Excellent writing skills, including experience in developing reports and policy briefs.
- Strong stakeholder coordination and interpersonal skills.
- Strategic thinker with the ability to align research and technical work with national priorities and global best practices.
