Responsibilities include overseeing project execution, ensuring adherence to timelines and budgets, and coordinating team efforts to achieve organizational goals. The role involves conducting regular performance evaluations, providing constructive feedback, and fostering professional development opportunities for staff. Additionally, responsibilities encompass monitoring departmental metrics, identifying areas for improvement, and implementing strategic initiatives to enhance productivity and efficiency. The position requires collaborating with cross-functional teams, managing stakeholder relationships, and maintaining compliance with industry regulations and company policies. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills are essential, along with the ability to multitask in a fast-paced environment while maintaining attention to detail and a results-driven mindset.
The Senior Director will spearhead CHAI’s initiatives in Private Sector Engagement and Private Finance, overseeing strategy development, partnership cultivation, implementation, and team cultivation. This role involves close collaboration with CHAI’s country teams, Health Systems Strengthening leadership, and key external stakeholders, including government entities, donors, development finance institutions, multilateral development banks, commercial financial institutions, impact investors, private equity and venture capital firms, as well as health sector companies.
Set the strategic direction and develop a deal-focused platform to drive growth and maximize opportunities.
To cultivate a comprehensive, on-the-ground perspective of the health investment landscape in key markets, map essential stakeholders spanning capital providers, health enterprises, regulatory bodies, and intermediaries—enabling the identification of systemic gaps and guiding strategic opportunities where CHAI can deliver unparalleled impact.
Collaborate on the formulation of CHAI’s strategic approach to private sector engagement and private finance for health initiatives across Sub-Saharan Africa, defining key focus regions, priority subsectors such as primary care, wholesale distribution systems, retail pharmacy, diagnostics, oncology, oxygen, supply chains, energy, and digital health, as well as CHAI’s positioning within the broader health ecosystem.
Establish comprehensive operating models, impact assessment frameworks, and strategic work plans, while constructing the operational backbone for a high-functioning deal platform. This includes designing systems for deal scouting, pipeline development, and deal flow management, alongside robust due diligence frameworks, institutional knowledge repositories, and standardized playbooks to ensure consistency and efficiency. Additionally, implement structured impact measurement methodologies to track and optimize performance across all deal activities.
Treat the strategy as a dynamic document by incorporating scheduled review milestones to evaluate progress and make decisive decisions to reinforce successful initiatives or adjust course based on empirical evidence.
Deploy financial resources and cultivate strategic alliances spanning the entire capital ecosystem.
Develop and oversee high-level relationships with a diverse range of capital providers, including multilateral development banks, development finance institutions, foundations, impact investment funds (both debt and equity), private equity and venture capital firms, local commercial banks, and microfinance institutions.
Explore potential synergies between CHAI’s health priorities and capital providers, designing pragmatic partnerships and co-investment frameworks to advance shared objectives.
Explore potential collaborations with international firms—including those in medical equipment, digital health, and supply chain technology—to enhance African health service delivery platforms, aligning such initiatives with donor priorities that emphasize the intersection of trade and aid.
Strategically represent CHAI at critical forums, focusing engagements on those that directly foster deal origination or enhance strategic positioning. The goal is meaningful participation that delivers tangible outcomes, not mere conference attendance.
Develop and implement innovative financing strategies and transactions to achieve organizational objectives.
Design and execute blended finance and risk-sharing mechanisms—such as first-loss facilities, portfolio guarantees, subordinated capital, and results-linked incentives—to facilitate access to competitively priced financing for health-focused SMEs and service providers. Develop and validate execution strategies that are operationally viable, with well-defined roles and responsibilities for all collaborative partners.
Drive transactions from inception to completion by coordinating partner engagement, negotiating term sheets, structuring deals, finalizing documentation, and ensuring meticulous oversight. Address the intricacies of local currency financing, tenor selection, foreign exchange risk management, and compliance with diverse regulatory frameworks across African markets.
Develop and implement systems that demonstrate clear connections between mechanisms and measurable health outcomes, as well as financial performance, while establishing practical monitoring and reporting frameworks.
Collaborate closely with leading health-focused organizations to drive strategic expansion and sustainable growth.
Provide strategic commercial and financial advisory services to health businesses, delivering tailored support to enhance their operations. Strengthen governance frameworks, clarify unit economics, and develop investment-ready materials. Assess financing requirements and connect companies with suitable capital providers.
Develop a structured methodology for managing deal origination and pipeline development, transitioning from isolated opportunities to scalable, repeatable models.
Facilitate the expansion of scale pathways by engaging in contracts with governmental entities and key strategic purchasers.
Develop and lead a top-performing team while serving as the primary external representative for CHAI, ensuring strong stakeholder engagement and external communications.
Develop a high-performing team and cultivate a culture that harmoniously integrates financial discipline with genuine humility at the country level.
Represent CHAI in high-level discussions with governmental bodies, donor organizations, investors, and key private sector stakeholders. Craft and refine sophisticated external communications while advancing CHAI’s strategic expertise in sustainable health financing initiatives.
Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field is required. Minimum of three years of experience in software development, with proficiency in multiple programming languages such as Java, Python, or C++. Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to work collaboratively in a team environment are essential. Familiarity with database management systems and software development methodologies is preferred. Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, are necessary to convey technical concepts effectively to non-technical stakeholders.
A bachelor’s degree is a minimum requirement for this position; however, an advanced degree in Finance, Business (MBA), Economics, or a closely related field is highly preferred.
With a decade or more of steadily advancing expertise in impact investing, blended finance, development finance, venture capital, private equity, investment banking, or structured finance, you have a proven track record of shepherding transactions from initial conception through to successful execution.
A proven track record in formulating and implementing strategy within intricate, uncertain settings—converting overarching objectives into practical initiatives, determining strategic priorities across a diverse terrain, and adapting approaches in response to shifting circumstances.
Requires strong expertise in capital allocation across various company growth phases and evaluating investment viability. Brings experience in designing risk-sharing mechanisms—such as guarantees, first-loss provisions, and subordinated capital—and collaborating with Development Finance Institutions (Dais), Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs), and/or commercial financial institutions.
A proven track record in the health sector across sub-Saharan Africa, coupled with strong professional experience and an established network spanning healthcare, finance, and development. Demonstrated ability to collaborate with health subject-matter experts (SMEs) or enterprises in frontier and emerging markets, with deep insight into the practical challenges of providing cost-effective services.
Demonstrates a strong history of assembling and guiding high-performing teams by identifying and recruiting top-tier talent, establishing strategic direction, and fostering an environment that cultivates excellence through defined culture and operational frameworks.
Exceptional written and verbal proficiency in English is essential, while fluency in French or Portuguese would greatly enhance your qualifications, particularly given CHAI’s operational presence.
Demonstrates a readiness to undertake frequent travel, accounting for approximately 25–35% of work time.
Attributes:
Energized by transforming unstructured environments into something tangible from the ground up, this role thrives in a builder mindset that prioritizes action and tangible outcomes. With a strong execution-driven approach, the position favors decisive deal-making and rapid progress over excessive refinement of frameworks.
Commercially adept with a strong mission focus, this role requires the ability to build credible rapport with DFI investment committees and rural healthcare entrepreneurs, while effectively bridging the gap between financial returns and health impact.
A culturally astute and organizationally grounded professional, adept at thriving in an NGO environment while embracing CHAI’s collaborative ethos and integrating the efficiency and discipline characteristic of the private sector. The ideal candidate will demonstrate a sincere commitment to mission-driven work, viewing this opportunity as a purposeful career choice rather than a secondary option.
Demonstrates exceptional interpersonal abilities and emotional intelligence, fostering trust across varied professional relationships—including government officials, colleagues in non-governmental organizations, investors, and founders—while ensuring seamless collaboration and avoiding unnecessary conflict.
Intellectual curiosity and a strong tolerance for ambiguity are essential for this position, as the role involves developing strategy in an evolving and uncertain environment—acknowledging this upfront can facilitate better candidate self-assessment.
Driven by a mission to enhance access to affordable, high-quality healthcare.
In the initial 12 to 18 months, the role will be measured against the following benchmarks for success:
A well-defined strategy and operating model have been established, specifying priority countries and subsectors.
A cohesive core team has been assembled and is fully operational, supported by well-defined workflows and robust pipeline management systems.
Deep and extensive connections with key capital providers, coupled with a carefully cultivated roster of high-impact healthcare enterprises, position the role for significant success.
2–3 financing mechanisms that are either in the design phase or early implementation, developed in collaboration with aligned partners, and equipped with a clear strategy for the initial capital deployment.
A select group of businesses received tailored assistance, resulting in measurable progress toward investment preparedness or the securing of capital.
Systemic constraints to healthcare investment in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) have been identified, systematically documented, and employed to shape strategic priorities.
Qualifications
BA/BSc/HND , MBA/MSc/MA
Experience Required
10 years
