Senior Program Officer, Maternal and Reproductive Health

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:

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.

Overview Of The Women And Newborn Health Program
Zambia has a high maternal mortality ratio (187 deaths per 100,000 live births). Obstetric haemorrhage remains the leading cause of maternal mortality, responsible for 34% of deaths, while complications from unsafe abortions account for an additional 30% [1] . Furthermore, 30% of women aged 15–49 suffer from anaemia, increasing the risk of adverse outcomes like postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) [2] . To effectively address these challenges, it is crucial to scale up access to essential health interventions, including the introduction of the E-MOTIVE PPH bundle, micronutrient supplementation, and innovative solutions like Heat-Stable Carbetocin.

CHAI Zambia Is Working In Collaboration With The Ministry Of Health To Develop Best Practices Of Country-led Reproductive Health Product Introduction And Supply Chain Management, Including To

• Support government-led best practice for Women and Newborn Health (WNH) product introduction: The goal is to actualize more efficient, effective, routine government led product introduction that will continue without partner support. CHAI will provide direct technical assistance (TA) to the Ministry of Health to improve and establish the full scope of systems and processes required for governments to optimize WNH product markets in-country. This includes providing leadership across the full spectrum of product introduction, from informing product development, to scale-up, to routine availability in both private and public sectors. This may require engagement with the private sector where relevant to ensure that public and private systems are leveraged for greater sustainability and efficiency of product introduction.
• Promote market stewardship for Women and Newborn Health (WNH) commodities: Support the comprehensive market stewardship for WNH commodities including routine and regular market monitoring, detailed diagnosis of market failures, design, and prioritization of market interventions, and promoting MOH leadership and supervision of intervention plans.

The Senior Program Officer, Maternal and Reproductive Health will be based in Lusaka, Zambia, and will report to the Program Manager, Women and Newborn Health. We are seeking a highly motivated individual who is self-assured, a quick learner, resilient, and a strong team player. CHAI values relevant personal qualities such as resourcefulness, responsibility, tenacity, independence, energy, and work ethic.

[1] Impact of maternal death reviews at a rural hospital in Zambia: a mixed methods study,

[2]

Responsibilities
Program Strategy & Technical Guidance

• Drive implementation of maternal and reproductive health program activities.
• Champion the introduction, scale-up, and sustained availability of high-impact MNH commodities.
• Support development and revision of national guidelines, training curricula, and job aids.
• Provide continuous technical and clinical guidance on maternal health interventions.

Capacity Building & Service Delivery

• Design and deliver training and mentorship programs for HCWs and community volunteers.
• Identify and resolve clinical service delivery challenges with practical solutions.
• Oversee service delivery performance and strengthen HCW technical capacity.
• Support facility expansion and utilization of new reproductive health products and services.

Data, Evidence & Learning

• Enhance data-driven decision-making through robust M&E with MoH and partners.
• Conduct data analysis to measure the impact of interventions on maternal health outcomes.
• Translate evidence into programmatic guidance, learning, and policy advocacy.
• Document and disseminate best practices and lessons learned.

Advocacy & Partnerships

• Advocate for increased domestic and donor financing for maternal health commodities.
• Collaborate with MoH, partners, and stakeholders to align maternal health initiatives with national priorities.
• Provide expert technical input in program meetings and Ministry of Health Technical Working Groups.
• Conduct landscape analyses to identify opportunities for scaling and demand creation.

Monitoring, Reporting & Field Support

• Track performance indicators and contribute to government and donor reports.
• Undertake field visits to assess program implementation and recommend improvements.
• Produce high-quality program and progress reports.
• Perform other relevant duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in health sciences, Public Health, or Social Sciences; Master's in Public Health, Midwifery, Business Administration, or related field preferred.
• Minimum of five years' experience in health programs, including at least three in Sexual, Reproductive, Maternal, and Newborn Health (SRMNH).
• Demonstrated expertise in SRMNH medicines and commodities; experience in MNH or SRH clinical practice is an added advantage.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with ability to use and present data effectively.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and relationship-building skills across diverse stakeholders.
• Familiarity with Zambia's health system, MoH policies, and maternal health stakeholders.