Program Manager, Sexual, Reproductive, Maternal and Newborn Health

Job Details

The Clinton Health Access Initiative, Inc. (CHAI) seeks a Program Manager for its Sexual, Reproductive, Maternal and Newborn Health (SRMNH) Program in Uganda to provide technical and operational leadership for the Emergency Referral Systems (ERS) program.

Employer: Clinton Health Access Initiative, Inc. (CHAI) Location: Kampala, Uganda Duty Station: Kampala Employment Type: Full-time Work Hours: 8 Reporting Line: Reports to Senior Program Manager – SRMNH Team: Supervises a small team of 2–3 Program Associates and works closely with Ministry of Health, partner organizations, and CHAI’s global Women and Newborn team Industry: Healthcare Base Salary: Not Disclosed Date Posted: Saturday, September 12, 2026 Deadline: Friday, September 25, 2026

Background: The Clinton Health Access Initiative, Inc. (CHAI) is a global health organization committed to saving lives and reducing the burden of disease in low- and middle-income countries. Founded in 2002 to dramatically reduce the price of life-saving HIV/AIDS drugs, CHAI has expanded to work on COVID-19, malaria, tuberculosis, hepatitis, cancer, diabetes, hypertension, vaccines, maternal and child mortality, chronic malnutrition, assistive technology, human resources for health, digital health, and health financing.

Program Overview: Uganda has reduced maternal mortality by 44% (338 to 189 deaths per 100,000 live births) and neonatal mortality by 18.5% (27 to 22 per 1,000 live births) since 2016, but mortality remains high due to birth asphyxia, prematurity, and maternal haemorrhage, and delays in recognizing danger signs, seeking care, reaching capable facilities, and receiving timely treatment. Strengthening emergency referral systems requires functional communication and transport linkages, improved triage and referral protocols, and timely, safe transfer of women and newborns. CHAI Uganda’s SRMNH Program partners with the Ministry of Health to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality by expanding access to priority family planning, maternal and newborn health products and services while strengthening emergency referral pathways at community, health facility, and district levels.

Position Overview: The Program Manager will oversee the design, delivery, monitoring, and evaluation of ERS interventions across all workstreams, steering the ERS team to deliver on program objectives efficiently and on time.

About Clinton Health Access Initiative, Inc. (CHAI)

From https://www.clintonhealthaccess.org/ – beneficial to applicants:

• Who we are: CHAI is a nonprofit global health organization that operates at the nexus of government, business, and health. Our approach hinges on trusted relationships with governments to drive change across entire health systems.
• Vision: A world in which everyone is able to live a healthy and fulfilling life.
• Mission: To save lives and improve health outcomes in low- and middle-income countries by enabling the government and private sector to strengthen and sustain quality health systems.
• Values: Mission-driven, cooperation with partner governments, urgency, diversity, equity and inclusion, trust and transparency, entrepreneurial and action-oriented culture, humility, staff as greatest asset, and frugality.
• Scale & Impact: Founded in 2002 for HIV/AIDS; now works with governments, donors and partners on 20+ programs in over 35 countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. 125+ countries have access to CHAI-negotiated price reductions for medicines, diagnostics, vaccines and health tools. 85% of staff are based in program countries. CHAI operates as a Market Shaper (driving down drug prices), Trusted Strategic Partner (building strong health policies), Operational Partner (turning policies into action), and Ecosystem Catalyst.
• Relevance to this role: The SRMNH work, especially Maternal, Newborn and Reproductive Health (MNRH), is a core Women and Children’s Health program. CHAI Uganda collaborates with the Ministry of Health’s Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) departments, consistent with CHAI’s model of government-led, nationally scalable solutions where learnings are shared globally. Learn more: https://www.clintonhealthaccess.org and CHAI Uganda: https://www.clintonhealthaccess.org/uganda/
• CHAI is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to fairness, mutual respect, diversity and inclusion.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Program Management and Leadership

• Lead the design, implementation, monitoring and reporting of assigned SRMNCH cluster program activities across all workstreams, ensuring delivery against grant objectives and donor commitments.
• Develop and maintain structured program work plans, results frameworks, risk registers and budget plans, ensuring effective program execution and accountability.
• Lead quarterly and annual program performance reviews and develop an accountability culture within the team.
• Identify strategic areas for program expansion or redirection and guide strategic planning and proposal development for fundraising opportunities.
• Facilitate fundraising and business development efforts through grant writing, desk reviews and related documentation.
• Ensure effective documentation, file management and dissemination of best practices and lessons learned from program implementation.

Relationship Management

• Lead the development and management of key relationships with Ministry of Health Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) department and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) department leads, district health teams, partner organizations, national professional associations, and other public and private sector entities affiliated to the program.
• Represent CHAI at national and subnational technical working groups, partner coordination forums, and other high-level engagements.
• Collaborate with partners in target districts to ensure synergies and avoid duplication.
• Facilitate cross-program collaboration within CHAI Uganda to leverage shared expertise and strengthen synergies across teams.
• Maintain regular interaction with CHAI’s global teams, providing updates and insights from the Uganda program, soliciting input and guidance, and contributing to cross-country learning.
• Guide program staff in navigating complex stakeholder relationships and facilitate positive and collaborative decision-making.

Strategic Communication

• Lead development of high-quality internal and external program reports, donor updates, presentations, and other knowledge products.
• Synthesize complex program data into clear, actionable insights and recommendations for government officials, donors, and internal teams.
• Lead documentation and dissemination of best practices as case studies, success stories, and abstracts.
• Represent CHAI Uganda’s ERS program in national and global engagements and foster exchange of best practices.

People Management

• Manage, develop, and motivate a team of 2–3 members, providing hands-on guidance, constructive feedback, and opportunities for skill development and career growth.
• Foster an innovative, high-performing, professional culture of continuous improvement and ensure team members clearly understand their roles.
• Build team capacity in project management, data analysis, stakeholder engagement, and compliance with CHAI policies.
• Be a role model and proactively identify and address programmatic and performance management matters.

Financial Management

• Lead program budget planning, tracking, and reporting across assigned budgets.
• Lead allocation of team resources and prioritization of activities in line with donor requirements and program objectives.
• Coordinate resource allocation with other CHAI Uganda Program Managers for cross-team design and implementation.
• Lead development and review of financial and donor reports and ensure compliance with CHAI Uganda finance and operations policies.

Problem-Solving & Technical Leadership

• Proactively identify and manage program-related risks and escalate sensitive issues as needed.
• Apply a rigorous, data-driven approach to problem-solving and present findings to inform decision-making and course corrections.
• Develop and refine approaches and tools to improve processes and optimize impact.
• Provide technical leadership in design and implementation of ERS interventions using a quality improvement approach to increase access to timely, high-quality maternal and newborn services.
• Provide technical guidance to partners and government counterparts in ERS logistics management, capacity building, demand generation, monitoring and evaluation, and health systems strengthening.
• Design and implement program performance-monitoring plans to track impact of technical and system-strengthening interventions.
• Undertake additional responsibilities as assigned by supervisor.

Qualifications, Skills and Requirements

• Education: Master’s degree strongly preferred in Public Health, Business Administration, or related field; Bachelor’s degree minimum with exceptional experience.
• Experience: At least 5–7 years of working experience in a demanding, results-driven environment, including at least 2 years in a leadership or people management role.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex, multi-stakeholder programs or projects, including budgeting, activity planning, and performance management.
• Experience working with Ministries of Health or other government agencies in a technical assistance capacity.
• Proven track record of project delivery in a results-focused environment, ideally in global health, international development, or related field.
• Experience in one or more of: maternal and newborn health, sexual and reproductive health/family planning, supply chain, health systems strengthening, or monitoring and evaluation.
• Skills:
  • Strong analytical, problem-solving, and quantitative skills with ability to use data to inform strategy.
  • Excellent program management skills including structured planning, monitoring, and review.
  • Exceptional communication skills – compelling presentations and clear persuasive writing for diverse audiences.
  • High emotional intelligence, patience, and thoughtfulness even in high-pressure situations.
  • Flexible, entrepreneurial, output-focused mindset with self-motivation and ability to work independently with minimal guidance.
  • Strong organizational skills, high attention to detail, and exceptional time management.
  • High proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Advantages:
  • Experience working and communicating with government officials and multilateral organizations in developing countries.
  • Experience in business development and fundraising, including grant writing and proposal development.
  • Familiarity with Uganda’s health system, data systems architecture, and partner landscape.
  • Experience in management consulting or similar fast-paced, output-oriented environment.

Application Procedure

• Click the application link below: Apply Now
• You will be redirected to the CHAI careers portal (ICIMS) for this vacancy.
• Create an account or log in, complete the online application form and upload required documents (CV and cover letter).
• Ensure your application clearly demonstrates how you meet the education, experience, and skills requirements.
• Submit your application before the deadline: Friday, September 25, 2026.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. CHAI is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Job Summary

• Job Category: Management, Healthcare, Business Operations, Social Services & Nonprofit
• Job Type: Full-time
• Deadline of this Job: 2026-09-25
• Duty Station: Kampala
• Date Posted: 2026-09-12
• No of Positions: 1
• Application Link: Apply Now
• Location pin: Kampala, Uganda 📍