Deadline: April 2, 2026
Applications are open for the AVoHC Kofi Annan Scholars Program – Strategy Development Expert (AfCDC) 2026. The Kofi Annan Scholars Program (PHSP) deploys experienced African public health professionals, including experts from the African Diaspora, into time-bound, results-oriented placements within Ministries of Health, National Public Health Institutes, and other strategic national or continental health institutions. These deployments are designed to provide high-level technical assistance, strengthen systems, support institutional transformation, and deliver clearly defined outputs aligned with Africa CDC priorities.
Recognizing the African Diaspora as the sixth region of the African Union since 2012, the Scholars Program also serves as a structured mechanism to harness diaspora expertise in support of Africa’s health security, institutional resilience, and sustainable financing for health.
Within this framework, Africa CDC seeks to establish a roster of qualified Strategy Development Expert under the AVoHC mechanism as part of the Kofi Annan Scholars Program. Inclusion in the roster does not constitute recruitment into a staff position; rather, it enables paid, time-bound professional deployments based on programmatic needs, availability of funding, and agreed deliverables. Scholars engaged through this mechanism receive remuneration and benefits in accordance with applicable AU rules, regulations, and enumeration guidelines, reflecting the seniority, expertise, and outputs expected from the assignment.
The overarching objective of the Scholars Program is to deliver high-quality technical outputs, strengthen national and regional public health systems, and advance Africa CDC’s mandate on health security and sovereignty, while fostering leadership, knowledge transfer, and sustainable capacity building across the continent.
The Strategy Development Expert will support national governments and public health institutions in the design, development, and implementation of robust, evidence-informed strategies. These strategies may include, but are not limited to, national public health workforce strategies, institutional development plans, emergency preparedness strategies, and health system strengthening frameworks. The expert will ensure alignment with Africa CDC’s New Public Health Order and the strategic priorities of the Member State.
Responsibilities
- Conduct situational analyses and capability mapping to inform national or institutional strategic direction.
- Identify policy, operational, and resource gaps in public health systems and propose appropriate solutions.
- Lead or contribute to the drafting of national or institutional strategies aligned with AU and country-specific priorities.
- Facilitate strategic planning consultations and co-creation workshops with relevant stakeholders.
- Develop strategic frameworks, roadmaps, implementation tools, and monitoring mechanisms.
- Produce high-quality technical documents, policy briefs, and planning guidance.
- Support countries in resource mobilization, partner coordination, and integration of strategic initiatives.
- Contribute to the design of monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) systems to track progress and impact.
Benefits
- Stipend provided for the duration of deployment.
- All travel, accommodation, and deployment-related expenses covered by Africa CDC.
- Opportunity to work on high-impact assignments with government and regulatory authorities across Africa.
Eligibility
- Master’s or Doctoral degree in Public Health, Health Policy, Health Systems Management, Strategic Planning, or a related field.
- At least 7 years of experience in strategic planning, national policy development, or institutional reform in the public health sector.
- Demonstrated experience in leading or contributing to strategy development processes is required.
- Strong understanding of health systems and policy environments across Africa.
- Proven ability to develop and implement national strategic frameworks or plans.
- Experience working with Ministries of Health, NPHIs, development partners, and civil society.
- Familiarity with Africa CDC’s initiatives and AU strategic documents (e.g., Agenda 2063) is an advantage.
- Excellent strategic writing and policy communication skills.
Required Skills
Functional Skills
- Advanced skills in policy analysis, strategic planning, and institutional development.
- Ability to translate technical insights into actionable strategy documents.
- Strong facilitation and stakeholder engagement skills.
- Proficiency in managing multi-stakeholder processes.
Personal Abilities
- High resilience and adaptability in dynamic or resource-constrained settings.
- Strong emotional intelligence and cultural sensitivity.
- Capacity to work independently while maintaining effective team collaboration.
- Commitment to service, integrity, and impact.
Language Requirement
- Proficiency in at least one AU working language (English, French, Arabic, Portuguese, Spanish, Swahili).
- Knowledge of two or more additional AU working languages is an added advantage.
Application
For more information, visit AVoHC Kofi Annan Scholars Program.
