Program Manager, Maternal & Child Health

About the role

The Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) supports the Ministry of Health in Papua New Guinea across HIV, immunization, malaria, nutrition, NCDs and health system strengthening. CHAI's Maternal and Child Health (MCH) program, which began in 2019 and focuses on immunization and nutrition, is expanding its support at national and provincial levels. CHAI is seeking a Program Manager to lead the MCH cluster, covering Immunization and Nutrition, reporting to the Country Director. The role balances strategic leadership with hands-on program management.

Key responsibilities

• Serve as CHAI's main day-to-day counterpart to the National EPI and National Nutrition Programs within the National Department of Health, keep the engagement log current and hold weekly HPV and AIHSS huddles.
• Build respectful working relationships with senior government officials, Provincial Health Authorities and key partners, and represent CHAI in technical working groups and coordination forums.
• Lead, mentor and support the MCH team, foster a culture of accountability and learning, and escalate issues when needed.
• Oversee the program budget, monitor utilization, flag over- and underspends early, and review program requests promptly.
• Manage donor relationships, lead concept notes and proposals, and prepare monthly reports and updates for government, donors and CHAI leadership.
• Plan, implement and monitor the MCH work plan, including annual operational plans and Nutrition and AIHSS deliverables, aligned with government priorities.
• Provide hands-on support to routine immunization service delivery, including outreach, supervision and performance improvement at provincial level.
• Lead support for new vaccine introductions, including roadmaps, readiness planning and coordination.
• Support the rollout of the National Immunization Strategy and the National Nutrition Program, including timely payment of village health assistants and supportive supervision.
• Identify risks and operational challenges, use program data to inform decisions, and share lessons learned regionally and globally.

Required profile

• Master's degree in public health, health sciences or a related field.
• At least 7 years of relevant experience in public health or development, with responsibility for program leadership and delivery.
• Strong experience in vaccines and immunization, including service delivery and new vaccine introduction; nutrition experience is an asset.
• Experience working closely with government counterparts in low-resource or complex settings.
• Proven ability to lead teams, manage multiple workstreams and support field-based implementation, including managing managers and provincial teams.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.

Required skills

• Monitoring and evaluation, including designing M&E frameworks, analysing program data and using evidence to improve programs.
• Stakeholder management and relationship-building with government partners.
• Financial and grant management, including managing a donor-funded portfolio against performance measures.