Essien oversees grants management, procurement, contracting, and operational processes across GRP’s portfolio. He works closely with programme, finance, and MEL colleagues to support the effective delivery of grants and partnerships that advance climate resilience and locally led adaptation. Before joining GRP, Essien managed a global health investment portfolio at Unitaid, where he worked on market-shaping and financing initiatives across more than 20 countries to expand access to health innovations. He later led programmes and grants at Solid’Africa, supporting the development of Rwanda’s first nationally integrated nutrition and food systems platform and helping secure innovative financing partnerships for sustainable service delivery. Earlier in his career, Essien worked in international development, humanitarian response, and management consulting, including supporting emergency response efforts during the Ebola outbreak in Guinea and the Boko Haram crisis in Nigeria. He holds a Master of Public Health from the University of Michigan and a BA in Political Science from Dartmouth College.
Based in Rwanda