VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT
Title: Senior Associate
Program: Climate and Health Program
Job Location: Kigali
Type: Full-Time Paid
Start date: Immediate
Organization 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 in conjunction 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
CHAI is launching a Climate and Health program to support the Ministry of Health on its efforts towards building a climate resilient health system through enhanced capacity and knowledge at the facility and the community levels. Key components of the program include providing technical assistance to establish a Climate and Health Desk within the Ministry, which will develop clear strategies and governance to link climate change with public health. Additionally, the program will empower health facilities to effectively prevent and respond to the impacts of climate change while protecting the most at-risk populations.
Position Overview
We are seeking a passionate and experienced individual to join our Climate and Health team through a secondment to the Ministry of Health. The Senior Associate will support the design and implementation of a climate and health program, with a strong emphasis on resource mobilization and partnerships. The role will report to the NHIC Director and the CHAI infectious diseases and PPR Senior Program Manager while working collaboratively with Climate and Health Desk.
The role focuses on identifying funding opportunities, developing high-quality proposals, and strengthening relationships with donors and partners to scale climate-resilient health interventions. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in public health, environmental science, or a related field, along with excellent project management and communication skills. The candidate must be self-driven, adaptable and have a high level of comfort with a fast-paced work environment. They must be self-assured, a fast learner, resilient, and a strong team player. CHAI places great value on relevant personal qualities: resourcefulness, responsibility, tenacity, independence, energy, and work ethic.
Responsibilities:
- Support MoH research agendaon the health impacts of climate change, including analysis of data, literature, and case studies.
- Identify funding opportunities from bilateral donors, multilateral institutions, foundations, and private sector partners.
- Lead the development of grant proposals, concept notes, and partnership proposals related to climate and health.
- Collaborate with partners to develop evidence-based policy recommendations and strategies to guide the Ministry of health climate agenda.
- Support the implementation of projects related to climate and health, ensuring timely delivery of goals and objectives.
- Support MoH desk in the coordination of stakeholders including government agencies, NGOs, the private sector, and community organizations to foster collaboration and streamline efforts.
- Develop communication materials, reports, and presentations to effectively convey findings and recommendations to diverse audiences.
- Contribute to the elaboration and implementation of a comprehensive, integration and sustainable climate health strategic plan to guide the Ministry of Health’s initiatives.
- Perform any other work-related duties as assigned by the program manager
Qualifications:
- Master’s degree in public health, environmental science, or a related field
- At least 3 years of relevant experience in climate change, public health, or environmental policy.
- Strong analytical skills with experience in research methodologies and data analysis.
- Proven project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with experience in advocacy or public speaking.
- Exceptional diplomatic and interpersonal skills and ability to build relationships
- Excellent organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to meet deadlines
Required skills:
- Ability to evaluate systems holistically and advise on effectiveness of program, systems or procedures
- Ability to identify key gaps and recommend practical, realistic interventions for operational improvement
- Highly entrepreneurial with strong self-motivation
- Ability to work independently on complex projects and proactively manage projects with minimal supervision
- Ability to multi-task and to be effective in high-pressure situations
- Practical project management experience
- High level of confidentiality and knowledge of research ethics
Application procedure: Interested candidates should email a letter of interest (maximum 1 page) outlining how their professional background meets the requirements outlined above; CV (maximum 3 pages); and the names of three references to chairwandarecruiting@clintonhealthaccess.org with “Senior Associate, Climate and Health program” in the subject line. The deadline for applications is July 03, 2026. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
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