Associate – Sexual - Reproductive, Maternal and Newborn 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 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

Uganda has made significant progress in reducing maternal and neonatal mortality since 2016, with maternal mortality declining by 44% from 338 to 189 deaths per 100,000 live births and neonatal mortality by 18.5% from 27 to 22 deaths per 1,000 live births. However, mortality remains unacceptably high, driven by causes such as birth asphyxia, prematurity, and maternal haemorrhage, with many deaths resulting from delays in recognizing danger signs, seeking care, reaching capable facilities, and receiving timely treatment. Strengthening emergency referral systems is therefore critical and requires functional communication and transport linkages, improved triage and referral protocols, and timely, safe transfer of women and newborns requiring emergency care. CHAI Uganda’s Sexual, Reproductive, Maternal and Newborn Health (SRMNH) Program partners with the Ministry of Health to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality by expanding access to priority family planning, maternal and newborn health products and services, while strengthening emergency referral pathways at community, health facility, and district levels.

POSITION OVERVIEW

Reporting to the Senior Associate – Emergency Referral Systems, the Associate will support the implementation and monitoring of activities to strengthen emergency referral systems for mothers and newborns in Uganda. He/she will assist in conducting field-level assessments, collecting and analysing data, supporting health facility and district engagement, and contributing to the development of referral tools, training materials, and knowledge products.

The Associate will work closely with the Senior Associate, Ministry of Health counterparts, district health teams, and health facilities to help ensure that women and newborns experiencing obstetric and neonatal emergencies receive timely, appropriate care. CHAI is seeking a motivated, detail-oriented, and mission-driven individual with a foundational understanding of health systems and a commitment to reducing preventable maternal and neonatal mortality in Uganda.

Responsibilities

Program Management

• Drive execution of emergency referral systems activities, ensuring timely delivery against program work plan objectives and grant commitments.
• Maintain up-to-date activity trackers, field visit reports, and program documentation for the emergency referral systems workstream.
• Support the preparation of program reports, quarterly reviews, and donor updates under the guidance of the Senior Associate.
• Take responsibility for effective documentation and file management for the emergency referral systems workstream.
• Participate in program quarterly and annual review meetings. 

Communication and Relationship Management

• Build and maintain collaborative relationships with Ministry of Health officers from Reproductive and Child Health and Emergency Medical Services departments, district health teams, health facility staff, and community structures to support program implementation.
• Act as a facilitator for key subnational government and partner relationships under the guidance of the Senior Associate.
• Work with Ministry of Health to coordinate partners implementing emergency referral and maternal and newborn health interventions to ensure synergies and avoid duplication.
• Maintain regular interaction with the CHAI internal team, providing updates and insights from field activities.
• Play a major role in writing programmatic reports and contribute to the dissemination of results and lessons learned.
• Represent the program at subnational engagements as assigned. 

Problem-Solving

• Collect, compile, and analyse field data and referral performance metrics to track progress and identify implementation gaps.
• Develop presentable insights and recommendations with guidance from the Senior Associate.
• Present findings from data analysis and field assessments to internal teams and key subnational stakeholders.
• Work with health workers and district teams to propose practical approaches to improve referral processes, data collection tools, and implementation strategies. 

Financial Accountability and Management

• Support workstream budget planning and tracking under the guidance of the Senior Associate.
• Ensure that field activities are implemented in line with approved work plans and financial plans.
• Adhere to CHAI Uganda finance and operational policies and procedures in the execution of all activities. 

Technical

• Support the design and field-level implementation of emergency referral system strengthening interventions, including rollout of referral protocols, and communication systems.
• Conduct health facility and community assessments to map referral pathways, identify gaps, and document current practices in emergency obstetric and neonatal transport and communication.
• Assist in the development and pretesting of training materials, job aids, and data collection tools for emergency referral systems.
• Facilitate training and mentorship sessions for health workers, and district health teams on emergency referral protocols and communication systems.
• Support health facilities in implementing and maintaining standardised referral and counter-referral documentation.
• Assist in data entry, cleaning, and reporting for emergency referral system indicators into HMIS/DHIS2 and other relevant platforms.
• Contribute to the development of innovative approaches and documentation of best practices in the form of case studies, success stories, and knowledge products.
• Perform other tasks as requested by the supervisor.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in public health, nursing, medicine, health sciences, social sciences, or a related field.

Experience

• At least 3 years of working experience in a demanding, results-driven environment, preferably in public health, health systems strengthening, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience supporting complex projects involving multiple teams or stakeholders, including planning, coordination, and reporting.

Skills

• Strong analytical skills with the ability to collect, compile, and present data clearly.
• Excellent communication (written and verbal) and presentation skills.
• High emotional intelligence, patience, and thoughtfulness even in high-pressure, stressful situations.
• Strong process management skills, high level of organisation, and good attention to detail.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office suite – Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.
• A flexible, entrepreneurial, and output-focused mindset, with strong self-motivation.
• Ability to function independently and manage multiple tasks under tight deadlines. 

Advantages

• Experience working and communicating with government officials at the national and subnational level.
• Familiarity with Uganda’s health system, district health structures, and HMIS/DHIS2 platforms.
• Knowledge of emergency obstetric and neonatal care (EmONC) standards or community-based maternal and newborn health programs.
• Experience with digital health tools for data collection or referral tracking (e.g., ODK, KoBoToolbox).

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• Experience in Maternal and Newborn Health.