Senior Associate, HSS Strategy and Grant Management

Overview

The Clinton Health Access Initiative, Inc. (CHAI) is a global health organization committed to our mission of saving lives and reducing the burden of disease in low-and middle-income countries. We work at the invitation of governments to support them and the private sector to create and sustain high-quality health systems.

CHAI was founded in 2002 in response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, with the goal of dramatically reducing the price of life-saving drugs and increasing access to these medicines in the countries with the highest burden of the disease. Over the following two decades, CHAI has expanded its focus. Today, along with HIV, we work in conjunction with our partners to prevent and treat infectious diseases such as COVID-19, malaria, tuberculosis, and hepatitis. Our work has also expanded into cancer, diabetes, hypertension, and other non-communicable diseases, and we work to accelerate the rollout of lifesaving vaccines, reduce maternal and child mortality, combat chronic malnutrition, and increase access to assistive technology. We are investing in horizontal approaches to strengthen health systems through programs in human resources for health, digital health, and health financing. With each new and innovative program, our strategy is grounded in maximizing sustainable impact at scale, ensuring that governments lead the solutions, that programs are designed to scale nationally, and learnings are shared globally.

At CHAI, our people are our greatest asset, and none of this work would be possible without their talent, time, dedication and passion for our mission and values. We are a highly diverse team of enthusiastic individuals across 40 countries with a broad range of skill sets and life experiences. CHAI is deeply grounded in the countries we work in, with the majority of our staff based in program countries. Learn more about our exciting work: http://www.clintonhealthaccess.org

CHAI is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and is committed to providing an environment of fairness, and mutual respect where all applicants have access to equal employment opportunities. CHAI values diversity and inclusion, and recognizes that our mission is best advanced by the leadership and contributions of people with diverse experience, backgrounds, and culture.

Program Overview

CHAI’s Health Systems Strengthening (HSS) team works with governments to build stronger, more resilient, and more equitable health systems, ensuring that everyone, especially the most vulnerable, can access high-quality primary health care. We support Ministries of Health and Finance to increase and optimize health spending, strengthen national systems (e.g., workforce, digital infrastructure, supply chains), and implement cross-cutting reforms that drive long-term improvements in service delivery and health outcomes. This includes work to improve the efficiency, equity, and impact of health financing systems—from resource mobilization and budgeting to strategic purchasing and public financial management.

In response to growing financial pressures and shifting donor landscapes—including recent U.S. government (USG) funding cuts—CHAI is also leading a high-priority initiative to help countries navigate the risks of declining aid while using this moment as a catalyst for reform. This includes identifying and addressing urgent gaps, reprogramming and reallocating resources, and laying the foundation for more sustainable and integrated systems.

CHAI’s HSS team works side-by-side with government institutions—often embedded within ministries—and partners with other CHAI programs and global technical teams to deliver support that is practical, data-driven, and rooted in country priorities.

This role can be levelled at Senior Associate or Manager, depending on level of experience. Preference for this role to be based in a program country in which CHAI operates, subject to country leadership approval.

Responsibilities

Strategic Projects & Initiative Support

• Support the planning and execution of high-priority strategic projects across CHAI’s health systems portfolio, working closely with the Director of Health Systems and country/program teams.
• Conduct research, landscape analysis, and synthesis of internal and external inputs to inform new initiatives, country scoping, and program design.
• Support CHAI country and program teams in the design and refinement of strategies, workplans, and project frameworks, ensuring alignment with CHAI’s global health systems vision.
• Help shape and advance cross-cutting initiatives (e.g., foreign aid transition support, service delivery reform, health systems integration).

Strategic Communications & Learning

• Synthesize key insights from CHAI’s health systems work into compelling narratives, materials, and products tailored to internal and external audiences.
• Contribute to the development of strategic communications and knowledge products such as learning briefs, presentations, impact stories, case studies, and internal reviews.
• Document lessons learned from cross-country initiatives and support internal learning and strategy processes across the cluster.
• Facilitate knowledge exchange across country programs, supporting internal reviews and cross-country learning to surface common challenges, solutions, and innovations.
• Help prepare materials for leadership, partner briefings, and strategic convening that highlight CHAI’s contributions and thought leadership in health systems strengthening.

Donor Engagement & Proposal Development

• Support the development of concept notes, proposals, and external presentations that articulate new ideas and secure funding for high-impact systems work.
• Assist with donor-facing materials, including memos, progress updates, and decks aligned with CHAI’s strategy and government priorities.

Internal Coordination & Team Effectiveness

• Support team-wide goal setting, progress tracking, and cross-team planning processes.
• Support cross-cutting workstreams or special projects that require coordination across CHAI teams, including developing internal strategy materials, summary updates, or communications for senior leadership.
• Help facilitate smooth coordination across the health systems cluster, including internal communications, meeting preparation, and follow-up on action items.

Take on other strategic and operational priorities as needed, in line with evolving team and organizational goals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and 5+ years of relevant work experience, or Master’s degree and 2+ years of work experience in global health, public policy, international development, or related fields.
• Demonstrated interest in health systems and experience working in or with low- and middle-income countries.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to synthesize complex ideas and present them clearly to a variety of audiences.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with experience using qualitative and/or quantitative data to inform strategy, planning, or implementation.
• Highly organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to manage multiple workstreams, meet deadlines, and produce high-quality work in a fast-paced environment.
• Self-motivated and comfortable working independently in unstructured settings with limited guidance.
• Strong interpersonal skills and a collaborative mindset, with the ability to build relationships and navigate multicultural teams.

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