Senior Country Program Officer

Job Description

Job Title: Senior Country Program Officer
Location: Remote (Must be based in or near one of the following countries: Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, or Zimbabwe)
Employment Type: Full-time
Reports to: Program Director

Salary: $115-120k USD

The Beginnings Fund is a philanthropic initiative created to accelerate maternal and newborn survival and prevent stillbirths in Africa by investing – in partnership with governments - in the products, people and systems required to sustainably improve care at scale. During its first five years, (2025-2030), Beginnings Fund will focus on Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Ghana, Lesotho, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

We’re hiring a Senior Country Program Officer to lead strategic, country-level health investments that have the power to save lives and shift systems. In addition, this role will collaborate with the Measurment and Evaluation (M&E) team to implement program measurement and evaluation recommendations.

What You’ll Do:

As a key member of our Africa-based investment team, you’ll:

• Lead development and execution of country investment plans in partnership with Ministries of Health.
• Serve as Beginnings Fund’s lead representative in 1–2 countries, guiding strategy and maintaining trusted relationships with key government stakeholders.
• Oversee grant portfolios, coordinate partner consortia, and ensure programs adapt effectively to local contexts.
• Support national health priorities and donor alignment by engaging in technical working groups and policy dialogues.
• Drive data-informed decision-making in partnership with our Monitoring & Evaluation team.
• Represent the Fund to donors, grantees, and global stakeholders — sharing results, facilitating learning, and enabling scale.

What You Bring:

• A seasoned global health leader with 8–12+ years of experience in program management, grantmaking, or implementation.
• Deeply familiar with maternal and newborn health interventions, health systems in Africa, and multilateral donor landscapes.
• Experienced working with governments and managing complex partnerships, budgets, and strategy.
• Fluent in data, analysis, Excel, and policy; confident in representing programs at senior levels.
• Collaborative, adaptable, and energized by startup environments.
• Ability to travel up to 30–50% to program sites and partner meetings, both locally and internationally, sometimes on short notice.
• Fluency in English with excellent oral and written communication skills.

What We Offer:

The Beginnings Fund offers a competitive salary and benefits package commensurate with experience, along with opportunities for professional advancement within a small, collaborative, and dedicated team.

Why Join Us?

This isn’t just a role — it’s a mission. You’ll be on the frontlines of advancing health equity for women and babies across Africa, backed by a bold team and an ambitious strategy. At Beginnings Fund, you won’t just support change — you’ll lead it.

If this sounds like the role for you, click here to view the entire job description and apply now to become part of the beginning of something extraordinary!

About the Organization

In Africa, every year over 182,000 mothers die from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth, 950 thousand babies are stillborn, and there are 1.2 million newborn deaths. Global progress against maternal and newborn mortality has stalled in recent years, and most African countries are not on track to meet the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals related to maternal and newborn survival.

The Beginnings Fund is a philanthropic initiative to accelerate maternal and newborn survival and prevent stillbirths in Africa by investing – in partnership with governments - in the products, people and systems required to sustainably improve care at scale. During its first five years, (2025-2030), Beginnings Fund will focus on Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Ghana, Lesotho, Uganda and Zimbabwe. Investments are developed and managed by an Africa-based Investment Team, led by a Nairobi-based CEO, who reports into an Investment Committee made up of the founding investors in Beginnings Fund.

The Beginnings Fund is fiscally sponsored by Global Impact.