Job Description
Position Overview
CHAI’s Health Systems Strengthening team is seeking a Regional Country Support Associate with strong program management and analytical skills to be based in the East Africa region. The Regional Country Support Senior Associate will work across a portfolio of high-priority initiatives in CHAI countries in East Africa and support CHAI country teams to help governments respond to the changing aid landscape. They will also develop innovative financing and service delivery strategies, and implement core health system reforms. This is a challenging, fast-paced, and rewarding position offering a unique opportunity to help turn an aid funding crisis into a platform for lasting, systemic change — working with governments to reimagine more resilient, efficient, and country-led health systems.
The Regional Senior Associate will report to the Associate Director of Country Support on the Global Health Systems Strengthening team and will work closely with the HSS global team and CHAI country teams. In this role, the Senior Associate will act as a key liaison for country teams: facilitating knowledge sharing, supporting key workstreams, advancing strategy development and fundraising efforts, and ensuring timely monitoring, reporting, and learning across workstreams.
The ideal candidate will be a strategic thinker who is analytical and self-motivated, with strong cultural sensitivity and the ability to work effectively in diverse, multicultural settings with government and global stakeholders. They will be proactive, organized, and able to communicate complex ideas clearly. The candidate will thrive in fast-paced environments, juggling multiple priorities and contributing across a range of tasks—from high-level policy support to operational problem-solving.
Base location is flexible in other countries where CHAI operates within East Africa, pending country leadership approval.
Responsibilities
Strategic and Technical Support
- Collaborate closely with the HSS country support team and regional focal points to align technical and operational support to country needs.
- Assist CHAI’s health systems strengthening (HSS) workstreams in priority countries by working along CHAI country teams to support governments to manage donor transitions, identify financing gaps, and develop strategies for sustainable and resilient health systems.
- Support CHAI country teams in designing and implementing cross-cutting system reforms, such as new financing approaches, workforce planning and optimization, integration of services or systems, and improvements to service delivery models — ensuring that work is grounded in evidence and country context.
- Contribute to analytical projects by preparing inputs for gap analyses, costing exercises, commodities forecasting, efficiency assessments, and other studies that inform policy and investment decisions.
- Strengthen the use of data and analytics by helping CHAI teams develop tools, prepare presentations, and communicate findings that inform planning and decision-making with government counterparts.
Cross Team Coordination & Grant Management
- Act as the primary liaison for a set of CHAI country teams in East Africa, supporting communication and coordination.
- Support grant management functions, including donor reporting, communications, and compliance with funding requirements.
- Prepare agendas, materials, and follow-ups for meetings with teams, donors, and partners.
- Support monitoring and evaluation follow-up, including coordination of country-level progress tracking on a quarterly basis; identifying areas that require additional attention.
- Support country teams to quantify the impact of HSS initiatives, for example, through costing, budget impact analysis, efficiency gains, service delivery metrics, or modeling long-term system effects.
Knowledge Management & Communication
- Capture and synthesize lessons from CHAI’s HSS work across countries to inform internal strategy and contribute to knowledge sharing efforts and strengthen CHAI’s technical approach.
- Support development of knowledge products, including case studies, impact narratives, and technical briefs that demonstrate impact for internal learning and external advocacy with donors and partners.
- Support global communication efforts by contributing to program updates, success stories, impact reports, and talking points that highlight CHAI’s impact and lessons learned.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in public health, economics, international development, or a related field; Master’s is an advantage.
- 4+ years of professional experience in global health, health systems strengthening, or international development
- Exceptional interpersonal skills, including cultural competency and experience in multicultural settings
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Strong organizational and problem-solving skills; able to manage multiple priorities in fast-paced environments.
- Strong analytical skills and high proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint for analysis, modeling, and executive level presentations.
- Experience in monitoring, evaluation, or knowledge management is an advantage.
- Prior experience working directly with governments in low- and middle-income countries is an advantage.
Disclaimer: Applications will be received until this position is filled
