E4H KP TA: RESEARCH ASSOCIATE

The Junior National STTA - Digital Health / Research Associate will provide embedded technical assistance to the KP Health Information and Service Delivery Unit (KP-HISDU) Project Management Unit (PMU) to support the development, procurement, and roll-out of digital health systems in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. This role is part of the Evidence for Health (E4H) programme funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), which aims to strengthen Pakistan’s healthcare system through technical assistance to federal and provincial governments. The position focuses on ensuring that digital health solutions are integrated, interoperable, and aligned with health service workflows, public health requirements, and data governance standards. The incumbent will work closely with the HISDU PMU, government stakeholders, and the technical implementation firm to provide IT and public health expertise throughout system development, implementation, and operationalisation phases.

Key Responsibilities

- Collaborate with the HISDU PMU and relevant government teams to review and prioritize digital health procurements, developing vendor-neutral technical specifications covering system architecture, interoperability, cybersecurity, and operational requirements.
- Provide technical and public health guidance to ensure digital health modules reflect clinical workflows, surveillance needs, referral mechanisms, medicine management, and integration with existing health information systems such as DHIS-2.
- Support the PMU in overseeing the implementation firm’s activities by developing assurance tools, monitoring delivery against requirements, and managing risks and issues.
- Assist in the development and review of testing frameworks, including system integration and user acceptance testing, ensuring solutions meet agreed functional and data standards.
- Facilitate coordination between the PMU, implementation firm, health facilities, and other stakeholders to resolve technical and public health challenges during roll-out.
- Support readiness assessments for infrastructure, connectivity, user training, and operational deployment, particularly for the phased EMR roll-out across primary healthcare facilities.
- Contribute to capacity building within the PMU through a hands-on, learning-by-doing approach, embedding tools and processes for sustainable digital health system management.
- Ensure all technical assistance aligns with existing HISDU and Department of Health structures, supporting institutionalisation and transition of responsibilities to government counterparts.

Required Qualifications

- Graduate degree in information systems, computer science, digital government, data science, or a related discipline.
- Minimum of 5 years of relevant professional experience in digital health, health information systems, or related IT roles.
- Proven ability to work effectively within multidisciplinary teams and coordinate with government departments, healthcare stakeholders, suppliers, and implementing partners.
- Strong skills in collecting, organizing, reviewing, and summarizing quantitative and qualitative data.
- Basic understanding of health information systems, digital health platforms, electronic reporting systems, or web-based dashboards.
- Competence in researching, synthesizing, and documenting information from policies, reports, guidelines, and other credible sources.

Preferred Qualifications and Benefits

- Experience working in public health or healthcare system strengthening projects, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
- Familiarity with interoperability standards, data governance, and cybersecurity in digital health.
- Ability to develop technical documentation, implementation monitoring tools, and quality assurance frameworks.
- Opportunity to contribute to a high-impact, FCDO-funded programme aimed at strengthening Pakistan’s health system and improving health outcomes.
- Engagement with a collaborative, embedded TA model that supports government ownership and sustainability of digital health initiatives.

The assignment is planned for 108 days between November 2026 and May 2027, providing a unique opportunity to contribute to a transformative digital health programme in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.