About CHAI

The Clinton Health Access Initiative, Inc. (CHAI) is a global health organization committed to its mission of saving lives and reducing the burden of disease in low- and middle-income countries. CHAI works 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 countries with the highest burden of the disease. Over the following two decades, CHAI has expanded its focus to infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases, vaccines, maternal and child health, chronic malnutrition, assistive technology, human resources for health, digital health and health financing.

CHAI works across 40 countries with diverse teams and is deeply grounded in the countries where its programs are implemented.

Position Overview

In partnership with the Ministry of Health, CHAI is implementing the Maternal and Newborn Health Emergency Referral Systems (ERS) project in Copperbelt and Southern Provinces. The project will strengthen community-to-facility and inter-facility referral pathways; improve the availability, deployment, and management of ambulances and motorcycle ambulances; strengthen coordination, protocols, data use and accountability; and support policies and systems that enable timely, efficient and sustainable emergency referrals.

CHAI is seeking a Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Officer – Maternal and Newborn Health, Emergency Referral Systems to coordinate implementation of the project's MEL activities. The role will manage the project results framework and routine monitoring; lead CHAI's rapid internal baseline and other programmatic assessments; strengthen data quality, analysis, visualization, and use; coordinate performance reporting and learning; and serve as CHAI's MEL focal point for coordination with IDinsight's independent process evaluation.

The position will report to the Technical Advisor – Maternal and Newborn Health Emergency Referral Systems, be based in Lusaka, and require frequent travel to Copperbelt and Southern Provinces. The role will have no formal direct reports but will provide technical guidance to national and provincial ERS staff and government counterparts on monitoring, data quality and data use.

Responsibilities

MEL Framework, Routine Data Systems and Performance Management

• Develop and maintain the ERS MEL framework and Project Monitoring Plan – indicators, targets, data sources and QA procedures – aligned with program, donor, and government requirements
• Help the Ministry of Health strengthen the ERS call/dispatch system, HMIS, MPDSR, eLMIS and CHMIS reporting – including referral registers, ambulance logbooks, referral slips, forms, and databases with consistent definitions and secure access

Analysis, Reporting, Learning and Data Use

• Analyse and visualize data on progress, referral-system performance and risks; contribute to preparing accurate donor and management performance reports
• Facilitate performance review and data-use meetings across national, provincial, and district teams; track action items and support evidence-based adaptation of plans
• Document lessons, best practices and challenges; contribute to knowledge products; and share learning with government, CHAI, and partners

Baseline and Programmatic Assessments

• Lead CHAI's internal baseline assessment – protocol, ethics approvals, tools, sampling and training – keeping it focused on program adaptation, not the independent evaluation
• In collaboration with the Global Analytics team, manage baseline data cleaning and analysis, and lead the final report with actionable recommendations
• Serve as CHAI's MEL focal point with IDinsight, under the Technical Advisor, keeping CHAI's monitoring and baseline work clearly separate from their independent evaluation
• Facilitate authorized access to documents, datasets, and stakeholders; coordinate schedules and field logistics; minimize burden on participating facilities
• Align indicator definitions and data-transfer arrangements, respond to data-quality queries and coordinate management responses to recommendations – without influencing independent findings
• Support validation of routine data selected for review and facilitate access to findings for adaptive management, per approved ethics and data-sharing requirements

Capacity Strengthening and Stakeholder Support

• Build the capacity of CHAI staff, health offices, facilities, Safe Motherhood Action Groups and community health workers to use reporting tools, apply data-quality standards and act on findings
• Work with the project team, Ministry of Health and partners to integrate MEL into implementation and align tools, reporting and data-use practices
• Perform other duties as requested by the Technical Advisor or Senior Program Manager, consistent with the role

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in public health, statistics, demography, epidemiology, health informatics, data science, social sciences or a related field
• At least five years of relevant experience in monitoring, evaluation, learning, health information systems, applied research or performance management within public health or a related sector
• Demonstrated experience developing MEL frameworks, performance-monitoring plans and data-collection tools, and coordinating facility- or community-based assessments
• Strong knowledge of quantitative and qualitative methods, research ethics, digital data collection, data-quality assurance, secure data management and routine health information systems such as DHIS2, eLMIS or CHMIS
• Strong quantitative and analytical skills, including advanced Microsoft Excel and practical experience with at least one statistical package such as Stata, SPSS, SAS, R or Python
• Understanding of the Zambian health system and strong communication and stakeholder-coordination skills, with the ability to synthesize complex data, manage competing priorities and travel frequently within Zambia

Advantages

• A master's degree in public health, statistics, demography, epidemiology, health informatics, data science or a related field
• Experience with data visualization, dashboards or GIS and with maternal and newborn health or emergency-referral datasets, including call-log or GPS-tracking data

How to Apply

Interested candidates should apply through the CHAI careers portal using the link below.

APPLY NOW

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About CHAI

The Clinton Health Access Initiative, Inc. (CHAI) is a global health organization committed to saving lives and reducing the burden of disease in low- and middle-income countries. CHAI works 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 countries with the highest burden of disease. Over the following two decades, CHAI has expanded its focus to include infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases, vaccines, maternal and child health, chronic malnutrition, assistive technology, human resources for health, digital health and health financing.

CHAI works across 40 countries with diverse teams grounded in the countries where its programs are implemented.

Position Overview

Zambia continues to face preventable maternal, newborn and other emergency-related deaths, in part because patients experiencing time-critical conditions do not always reach appropriate care promptly. Fragmented referral pathways, limited transport availability, inconsistent dispatch and communication arrangements, weak maintenance systems, and gaps between communities and health facilities can delay access to lifesaving services.

In partnership with the Ministry of Health, CHAI is implementing an Emergency Referral Systems (ERS) project in Copperbelt and Southern Provinces. The project will strengthen community-to-facility and inter-facility referral pathways; improve the availability, deployment, and management of ambulances and motorcycle ambulances; strengthen coordination, protocols, data use and accountability; and support policies and systems that enable timely, efficient and sustainable emergency referrals.

CHAI is seeking a Senior Program Officer — Maternal and Newborn Health, Emergency Referral Systems to coordinate national-level implementation across community engagement, referral-system strengthening and policy coordination. The role will translate approved strategies and work plans into coordinated action, work closely with Provincial Coordinators to support implementation, and maintain effective collaboration with the Ministry of Health, provincial and district health authorities, communities, service providers and other partners.

The successful candidate will combine strong program coordination and analytical skills with practical experience in maternal and newborn health, referral, transport or related health systems.

The position will report to the Technical Advisor — Maternal and Newborn Health, Emergency Referral Systems, be based in Lusaka, and require frequent travel to Copperbelt and Southern Provinces.

Responsibilities

Program Implementation and Operational Coordination

• Support development of regular activity work plans and budgets and ensure that deliverables and milestones are met in a timely fashion
• Coordinate implementation of national-level ERS activities in line with the approved program document, work plan, budget and agreed milestones, working closely with the Technical Advisor and Provincial Coordinators
• Coordinate planning and delivery of trainings, workshops, assessments, supervision visits and other program activities, ensuring appropriate documentation and follow-through
• Support procurement, deployment, servicing, and maintenance arrangements for ambulances, motorcycle ambulances, communications equipment and related ERS commodities, in collaboration with CHAI operations teams, government counterparts and service providers

Referral-System Strengthening and Policy Coordination

• Conduct an assessment on the availability of existing ambulances and develop a strategy for an efficient and cost-effective mode of operation and maintenance
• Coordinate the design, refinement, and implementation of community-to-facility and inter-facility referral mechanisms, including triage, dispatch, escalation, documentation, and feedback processes
• Support the development and updating of referral protocols, standard operating procedures, guidelines, tools and transport-management approaches, ensuring alignment with Ministry of Health policies and national priorities
• Organize training and provide mentoring support to facilities in relation to referral networks
• Ensure that linkages between SMAGs, CHAs, and facilities are strengthened
• Coordinate the procurement of motorbike ambulances and bicycles for use by communities and CHAs
• Coordinate national policy and technical engagements related to ERS, consolidate provincial implementation experience and evidence, and support the translation of lessons into policy recommendations and scalable approaches
• Work with relevant stakeholders to strengthen cost-effective systems for ambulance and motorcycle-ambulance deployment, operations, preventive maintenance, repair, accountability, and continuity of service

Community and Stakeholder Engagement

• Identify training priorities and coordinate the trainings for polyvalent healthcare workers working with the Ministry of Health
• In collaboration with the Ministry of Health, ensure that a coordinated system for payment of polyvalent healthcare workers is developed and operationalized
• Coordinate all the procurement and distribution of all supplies for community health workers
• Coordinate community engagement approaches that improve awareness of emergency signs, timely care-seeking and appropriate use of referral services, while strengthening linkages between communities, community health structures and health facilities

Performance Monitoring, Learning and Reporting

• Prepare concise technical updates, meeting records, donor inputs and periodic program reports, documenting progress, decisions, risks, corrective actions and lessons learned
• Contribute to baseline and needs assessments, external evaluation activities, knowledge products and dissemination of ERS learning, while maintaining clear separation between program implementation and independent evaluation responsibilities
• Undertake other responsibilities as requested by the Technical Advisor or Senior Program Manager, consistent with the scope and level of the position

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in public health, community health, health or social sciences, supply chain, logistics or a related field; a relevant master’s degree is an advantage
• At least five years of relevant experience in public health program implementation, including maternal and newborn health, emergency referral systems, patient transport, community health or a related field
• Demonstrated experience coordinating complex programs, work plans and multiple stakeholders across national and subnational levels
• Experience working with government to develop or implement policies, guidelines, protocols, or standard operating procedures
• Strong analytical, planning, problem-solving and communication skills, including the ability to interpret program evidence and prepare clear recommendations and reports
• Strong interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to build effective relationships with government, communities, partners and service providers
• Ability to work independently, manage competing priorities and travel frequently within Zambia, particularly to Copperbelt and Southern Provinces

How to Apply

Interested candidates should apply through the CHAI careers portal using the link below.

APPLY NOW

Stay safe on ENB Enterprise

Never send money to companies. Jobs on ENB Enterprise will never require payment from applicants.