Country Director - Kenya

About Clinton Health Access Initiative, Inc. (CHAI)

CHAI is a global health organization dedicated to saving lives and easing disease burdens in low- and middle-income nations by supporting governments and private sectors in building enduring, high-quality health systems. Founded in 2002 to combat the HIV/AIDS crisis by lowering drug costs and expanding access, CHAI has since broadened its scope to include infectious diseases like COVID-19, malaria, tuberculosis, hepatitis, and chronic conditions such as cancer, diabetes, and hypertension. Additional focus areas include maternal and child health, lifesaving vaccine deployment, malnutrition, assistive technologies, and horizontal health system strengthening through human resources, digital health, and financing programs. Operating worldwide with personnel based mainly within beneficiary countries, CHAI fosters sustainable, government-led, nationally scalable health solutions.

CHAI Kenya Programs

Since 2005, CHAI Kenya has partnered with government to fortify the health system and advance universal health coverage. Starting with HIV response infrastructure, it now addresses leading causes of mortality and morbidity through expanding local medical oxygen production, implementing cervical cancer screening innovations, enhancing emergency obstetric and newborn care, integrating lung health and decentralized diagnostics, and increasing assistive technologies coverage. The program also tackles health workforce shortages and supports sustainable health financing and facility solarization.

Role Overview - Country Director

The Country Director is responsible for guiding CHAI's strategic, operational, and programmatic activities in Kenya, acting as the organization's foremost representative. This leadership role entails overseeing about 55 staff across multiple programs, forging and maintaining key governmental and partner relationships nationwide, and directing program expansion aligned with national priorities and CHAI's mission. The position reports to the Regional Vice President for Eastern Africa and is based in Nairobi, requiring frequent domestic travel and occasional international travel.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead CHAI Kenya's multi-program team in delivering significant health system improvements and integrated care models.
• Strengthen CHAI's position as a trusted advisor to Kenya’s Ministry of Health and allied stakeholders, ensuring alignment with government priorities.
• Develop and sustain effective partnerships with national and county governments, international organizations, NGOs, private sectors, and donors.
• Maintain open communications with CHAI’s regional and global leadership to leverage organizational capabilities locally.
• Champion program design, growth, and scaling—ensuring initiatives achieve sustained impact.
• Ensure meticulous program monitoring and evaluation to meet or exceed donor expectations.
• Represent CHAI at donor engagements, technical meetings, and both national and global forums.
• Build and nurture a high-performing leadership team, optimizing recruitment, onboarding, learning, performance management, and inclusive workplace culture.
• Support fundraising efforts by cultivating new and ongoing donor relationships.
• Oversee financial stewardship, compliance, and legal standards for the country program.
• Facilitate exchange of best practices with other country directors and contribute to regional strategic planning for Eastern Africa.
• Assume direct program responsibilities as needed to support lean staffing.

Qualifications and Experience

• Advanced degree in public health, business, or a related discipline, coupled with over 15 years of advancing experience in strategic global health or international development program management, focused on health system strengthening.
• At least five years in senior leadership roles managing diverse teams, with demonstrated capacity in recruitment, staff development, and fostering results-driven inclusive teams.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving aptitude for navigating complex organizational and governmental frameworks.
• Proven success managing multi-disciplinary program strategies that generate measurable health outcomes.
• Expertise in global health topics relevant to Kenya such as infectious diseases (HIV, TB, malaria), maternal and child health, non-communicable diseases, health financing, digital health, workforce, and assistive technologies.
• Ability to manage complex government relations and foster consensus-building in a diplomatic, consultative manner.
• Experience with operational and financial oversight in leadership roles.
• Track record managing broad program portfolios delivering scalable impact.
• Successful fundraising experience and donor management skills.
• Comfortable overseeing technical teams and budgets to meet ambitious targets.
• Knowledge of decentralized governmental health systems, preferably Kenya’s devolved health framework.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills in English, facilitating stakeholder engagement and cross-functional collaboration.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite, particularly Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.
• Willingness to undertake frequent travel within Kenya and occasional international trips.

Equal Opportunity Statement

CHAI is committed to providing a fair and respectful workplace where diversity and inclusion are valued. Candidates from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.