AMREF is boosting operations in Ethiopia

Project management roles represent 20% of the organisation's total workforce, while healthcare roles are fewer in number. This means it is focused more on project execution than healthcare delivery.

Kenya remains AMREF’s largest operational hub, accounting for nearly 60% of total employees. However, recent expansions in Tanzania and Ethiopia have prompted the recruitment of new staff in healthcare delivery roles, with 12% expansion each.

AMREF’s workforce comprises 1,594 employees, predominantly in project management and healthcare-related roles. Key positions include Project Officers, Program Managers, and Monitoring and Evaluation Officers. Within the healthcare sector, core staff consists of Registered Nurses, along with a team of Administrative Assistants and Drivers who support programme operations. This shows a shift in community healthcare.

Although AMREF’s workforce has grown, the organisation has faced moderate attrition. Over the past 12 months, around 4.9% of staff left the organisation, with the most significant losses occurring among middle management positions, particularly in project execution. The attrition rate for Project Officers and Program Managers was approximately 7%, indicating potential challenges in retaining talent as the organisation expands its operations.

Despite these departures, the average tenure of AMREF employees remains strong. Senior roles, such as Program Managers, have an average tenure of 7.3 years, demonstrating that AMREF has succeeded in fostering long-term commitment among its leadership. This is in contrast to other sectors within the healthcare industry, where average tenures tend to be shorter, suggesting that AMREF has created an environment that encourages long-term retention of key staff.

Over the past year, AMREF’s recruitment strategy has focused on enhancing its project oversight and healthcare delivery capabilities. The organisation onboarded 129 new employees across various departments, with the most significant growth observed in Monitoring and Evaluation roles, which increased by 19%.

Additionally, AMREF’s recruitment efforts included talent acquisition from both the non-profit and healthcare sectors, with 62% of new hires coming from competing organisations. However, there has also been notable attrition, particularly among employees from the non-profit sector, with the organisation losing approximately 32 staff members to similar organisations in the past year. This talent outflow suggests that while AMREF remains an attractive employer, competition for skilled staff in the sector is intense.

AMREF’s growth in project and healthcare delivery roles is commendable. However, attrition in certain areas indicates that the organisation may need to prioritise staff retention strategies as its project portfolio expands. It is essential to balance this with efforts to attract fresh talent and retain middle management staff.

As AMREF continues to broaden its impact across the continent, we anticipate further changes in its talent acquisition and retention strategies.