Program Manager, Health Systems Strengthening
- Career Category: Exec. / Management, Health/Medical, Economics
- Schedule:Full-time
- Salary: Negotiable
Contract Type: UDC
Expect Start Date: As soon as possible
Report to: Country Director
Position Overview
CHAI is seeking a highly motivated individual with outstanding analytical, technical, and leadership skills to lead the CHAI Cambodia Health Systems Strengthening (HSS) cluster. The position serves as a key member of the CHAI Cambodia Country Leadership Team (CLT). The position oversees two interrelated workstreams — health financing and systems reform, and digitalization and health information systems — and directly manages the HSS team including the digital health subteam, currently comprised of a Senior Associate, as well as national and international consultants. The S/PM also oversees active grants (including from GAVI) directly, and plays a support role in cross-office business development and technical assistance.
Initially, approximately half of the level of effort of this position will consist of leading CHAI’s digital health and HIS portfolio, including strategy and direct support to the MoH Department of Health Planning & Information and Department of Digital Health to realize the country’s integrated digital health strategy. A second major focus is to lead CHAI’s health financing portfolio and team. This includes developing and implementing strategies to improve sustainable financing for key health priorities, leading engagement with the National Social Protection Council and MOH on health financing issues and projects, and leading UHC-related analytics and policy support. The position will also support new initiatives and business development across the office, including designing and coordinating project proposals and concept notes, and provide technical assistance to other CHAI teams, particularly for project design and strategy. The allocation of effort across digital, health financing, and crosscutting TA, and the size and scope of managerial oversight for the role, may vary over time depending on need and availability of funds.
- Digital Health and Health Information Systems
- Lead CHAI Cambodia’s digital health and HIS portfolio, providing strategic direction and technical oversight across all workstreams;
- Serve as CHAI’s primary technical partner to the MoH Department of Health Planning & Information and the Department of Digital Health, supporting the operationalization of Cambodia’s digital health strategy and national digital health operational plan;
- Lead technical assistance on health information systems interoperability, including scale-up of DHIS2, Electronic Medical Records (EMR), and related platforms, with a focus on strengthening data use for decision-making at national and sub-national levels;
- Represent CHAI in digital health working groups, development partner coordination mechanisms, and strategic government dialogues; maintain partnerships with WHO, UNICEF, World Bank, FHI360, and other digital health stakeholders;
- Directly supervise the digital health subteam (staff and consultants), ensuring quality of technical outputs and alignment with MoH priorities and grant commitments;
- Oversee grant management responsibilities for digital health grants (including GAVI and others), including work planning, financial oversight, M&E, and donor reporting
- Health Financing and Systems Reform
- Lead CHAI Cambodia’s health financing workstream, providing evidence-based technical assistance to MoH and related government entities (MOH, National Social Protection Council, Ministry of Economy and Finance, MOH vertical programs) on strategic purchasing, sustainable health and UHC financing, and fiscal space optimization;
- Lead or oversee high-quality analytical work including health expenditure analysis, costing, fiscal space assessment, efficiency analyses, etc;
- Synthesize and communicate findings to senior government and donor audiences through clear briefs, presentations, and policy documents;
- Work in close coordination with CHAI’s global HSS team to align Cambodia’s health financing work with regional and global learning;
- Serve as an HSS technical resource across the CHAI Cambodia office, supporting program teams on health financing dimensions of infectious disease, NCDs, RMNCH, immunization, and other programs.
- New Business Development and Cross-Office Technical Assistance
- Lead development of concept notes and proposals for HSS-related funding opportunities, particularly in health financing, digital health, and UHC reform, and serve as a resource for proposal development across the country office;
- Engage in cross-office strategic thinking to identify links between CHAI programs and opportunities to strengthen CHAI’s support to the MoH for greater health system impact;
- Support donor engagement and positioning, including preparation of donor briefs, meeting materials, and strategic communications;
- Build the capacity of CHAI Cambodia program managers and senior associates on HSS concepts, impact-driven writing, and proposal development;
- Track the donor landscape and government priorities to identify and match areas of highest potential CHAI impact.
- Team and Grant Management
- Contribute to the CHAI Cambodia Country Leadership Team (CLT), supporting office-wide cross-program coordination and strategic discussions;
- Directly supervise the HSS cluster, including the digital health subteam, a Senior Associate, and national and international consultants, in line with the CHAI Cambodia organigram;
- Oversee work planning, budgeting, and results monitoring for 1-2 direct grants, ensuring timely and high-quality reporting to donors including GAVI;
- Foster a high-performing, collaborative team culture aligned with CHAI’s values of impact, curiosity, and inclusion.
- English - Fluent
- Master's Degree in public health, health policy, health economics, international development, or a related field
- Progressive professional experience in global health, with demonstrated expertise in health systems strengthening for 5 years as a minimum
- Strong knowledge of health systems policy and reform, including familiarity with health financing and digital health / health information system issues and approaches;
- Proven ability to provide and manage high-quality technical assistance to government counterparts in low- or middle-income country settings;
- Demonstrated experience leading or managing complex, multi-stakeholder programs, including grant management and donor reporting;
- Strong analytical skills, including proficiency in quantitative analysis, health data interpretation, and costing or fiscal space modelling;
- Exceptional written and oral communication skills in English; ability to produce clear, structured outputs for senior government and donor audiences;
- Experience in digital health, health information systems, or e-health strategy, including familiarity with DHIS2, EMR systems, or health data interoperability;
- Prior experience in Cambodia or Southeast Asia, with knowledge of the Cambodian health system, MoH structure, or regional donor landscape;
- Experience with health donor organizations such as Global Fund, GAVI, BMGF, World Bank, or other major health funders;
- Experience in new business development, including proposal development and donor engagement;
- Management consulting skillset and/or M&E experience; experience with implementation research design and management is a plus.
- Strong written and verbal English skills.
- Strong interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to build trust with government counterparts, development partners, and diverse teams;
- Strong commitment to CHAI’s mission; personal qualities of resourcefulness, tenacity, independence, humility, and energy.
