Senior Manager, Women's & Children Health

Clinton Health Access Initiative

About The Position

The Senior Program Manager will provide strategic and operational support to the Catalytic Opportunity Fund (COF), a small-grants funding mechanism that supports rapid deployment of funds for reproductive health products across low-and middle-income countries. The fund’s website can be found here. The Senior Program Manager will lead strategic thinking on the continuous evolution of the COF to meet SRMNH market needs in LMICs and advance the mechanism’s long-term sustainability and scalability. They will oversee COF design and how the mechanism is used and leveraged across the portfolio, by coordinating closely with Women’s and Newborn Health team members, including key program and product leads and facilitating cross-team alignment and decision-making. They are responsible for the ongoing management of the COF in line with global market strategies and government priorities, as well as regularly monitoring the funding tracks; iterating on design, eligibility criteria, and review approaches; and translating ongoing learning into guidance and high-quality, funding decision-making in collaboration with the team. The role serves as a connective lead, bringing together the right internal and external stakeholders to jointly shape COF strategy, design, and decision-making. Responsibilities include supporting fundraising for the COF; aligning governments, donors, and global coordinating bodies on continuous evolutions to the COF; identifying and recommending improvements to the operating and review model; and successfully operationalizing and scaling these strategies. The Senior Program Manager will ensure the COF operates at maximum efficiency. They will also oversee monitoring, evaluation, and knowledge management activities, synthesizing learnings and insights to assess and articulate impact. The role will manage two direct reports and lead a broader team of four. This role will report to the Director of Finance and Operations and will work in close partnership with other Global WNH Team members. Base location is flexible. Travel is expected up to 10%. This position is flexible to being based in one of CHAI’s program countries pending country leadership approval and subject to the ability to obtain work authorization. See where we work here.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in a related field with a minimum of 7 years of experience or Master’s degree in a related field with a minimum of 5 years of work experience in a demanding and fast-paced environment.
Demonstrated ability to design, develop, and drive program strategy in complex, ambiguous environments, including maintaining hands-on oversight of complex program mechanisms
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with a demonstrated track record of building and sustaining relationships with donors, global partners, and senior stakeholders; proven ability to navigate matrixed and/or complex stakeholder environments, build consensus and leverage relationships to influence strategic outcomes
Demonstrated experience managing complex operational mechanisms or funding programs, including iterating on design, processes, and criteria in response to evolving needs and to drive efficiencies; comfortable using program performance data to drive iterative improvements to operational processes and fund design
Strong analytical (qualitative and quantitative) skills and demonstrated ability to derive strategic insights for decision-makers
Entrepreneurial and action-oriented mindset with a demonstrated ability to work independently and make sound strategic decisions with limited oversight; able to think creatively and critically, challenge the status quo, and drive progress in a fast-paced, results-oriented environment
Excellent organizational and project management skills; proven ability to set direction and structure, prioritize between complex options, and uphold high-performance expectations
Passionate about people development and able to help diverse team members improve skills and performance through coaching and consistent supportive accountability

Nice To Haves

Experience fundraising for global health or WNH
Experience and familiarity with WNH health products and program
Experience working with key donors, procurers, & partners in the WNH ecosystem
Master’s degree in public health or business
Experience working in low- and middle-income countries

Responsibilities

Independently lead design and continuous evolution of COF strategy, establishing the fund's vision, investment priorities, and theory of change with limited direction from senior leadership; translate strategy into clear operational plans and ensure successful execution aligned with COF priorities
Provide thought leadership and guidance for how the COF can continue to evolve, scale, and influence investment decisions as an effective and impactful mechanism within the SRMNH demand-side financing ecosystem
Oversee fund design and ongoing adjustments to eligibility criteria, use of the COF, and continuous learning
Provide strategic oversight of the COF’s routine monitoring, evaluation, and learning activities, including synthesizing insights on grant- and fund-level outcomes. Manage and support team members responsible for day-to-day M&E implementation, database management, and analysis, and review data and insights to inform decision-making.
Ensure the COF is operating at maximum efficiency and effectiveness, providing guidance and thought leadership on process improvements and optimization
Support team in development, synthesis, and review of presentations, reports, and briefings for donors, external stakeholder groups and CHAI leadership
Cultivate and lead high-value relationships with key external stakeholders, including bilateral donors and global coordinating bodies; serve as a senior representative and trusted thought-partner, proactively influencing donor priorities, shaping funding decisions, and aligning stakeholders around the COF's strategic direction
Contribute to fundraising efforts for the COF, including identifying and pursuing donor opportunities, developing compelling proposals, and leveraging donor relationships to secure and sustain funding
Maintain strong relationships and alignment across the Global WNH team, specifically with other product and program work stream leads to gather key insights and ensure continued alignment with product priorities and the COF
Serve as a trusted advisor to other CHAI and WNH team members in identifying and solving problems and provide creative, strategic input into complex issues
Lead a team of 4, acting as the direct manager to the COF Manager and Senior Associate
Support development of a high-performing team who can work effectively towards program outcomes and goals
Cultivate a supportive environment for direct reports to develop professionally
Provide regular coaching and feedback to team members; receive and adapt to feedback from team members.
Exemplify CHAI values and WNH team norms
Contribute to key internal team operations and culture-building initiatives such as Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion