Oversee and execute a wide range of tasks essential to the role, including managing daily operations, coordinating projects, and ensuring compliance with established policies and procedures. Conduct thorough research and analysis to support decision-making processes, and prepare detailed reports to communicate findings effectively. Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams to align objectives, resolve issues promptly, and foster a productive work environment. Maintain accurate records, track performance metrics, and implement improvements to enhance efficiency and productivity. Serve as a primary point of contact for stakeholders, addressing inquiries and facilitating clear, timely communication.
The (Senior) Director will provide strategic leadership and operational oversight for CHAI’s Private Sector Engagement and Private Finance initiatives, overseeing strategy development, partnership cultivation, implementation, and team development. In this role, the Director will collaborate closely with CHAI country teams, Health Systems Strengthening leadership, and a diverse network of external stakeholders, including government entities, donors, Development Finance Institutions (Dais), Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs), 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 enhance transactional efficiency.
To cultivate a comprehensive, on-the-ground perspective of the health investment landscape in key markets, map critical stakeholders spanning capital providers, health enterprises, regulatory bodies, and intermediaries. By doing so, identify systemic weaknesses and determine strategic opportunities where CHAI’s unique contributions can have the greatest impact.
Collaborate in crafting CHAI’s strategic approach to private sector involvement and health financing in 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—and outlining CHAI’s role within the broader health ecosystem.
Establish well-defined operational models, robust frameworks for impact assessment, and structured work plans, while developing the essential operational infrastructure required for an effective deal platform. This includes implementing systems for deal scouting, deal flow expansion, pipeline management, due diligence processes, institutional deal documentation, repeatable playbooks, and methodologies for impact measurement.
Develop the strategy as a dynamic document, embedding periodic evaluations to monitor advancement and enabling decisive actions to reinforce successful initiatives or pivot away from underperforming areas based on empirical evidence.
Leverage financial networks to secure and deploy capital while cultivating strategic partnerships across diverse funding sources.
Develop and oversee high-level partnerships with a diverse range of capital providers, including multilateral development banks, development finance institutions, charitable foundations, impact-focused debt and equity funds, private equity and venture capital firms, domestic commercial banks, and microfinance institutions.
Explore strategic avenues to align CHAI’s healthcare priorities with capital providers, designing effective partnership frameworks and co-investment strategies.
Where applicable, initiate and cultivate strategic collaborations with global firms—including those in medical equipment, digital health, and supply chain technology—to bolster African health service delivery systems, ensuring alignment with donor priorities focused on integrating trade and aid initiatives.
Strategically represent CHAI in high-impact forums, carefully selecting engagements that directly support deal origination or enhance strategic positioning. The focus remains on meaningful participation that delivers tangible outcomes, avoiding participation in routine conference circuits.
Create and implement innovative financing strategies and transactions, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives and market conditions.
Design and implement innovative blended finance and risk-sharing mechanisms—such as first-loss facilities, portfolio guarantees, subordinated capital, and results-linked incentives—to facilitate access to appropriately priced financing for health-focused SMEs and service providers. Evaluate and structure execution plans to ensure feasibility, while clearly defining partner roles and responsibilities throughout the process.
Drive transactions from initiation to completion by coordinating with partners, negotiating term sheets, structuring deals, finalizing documentation, and ensuring rigorous oversight throughout the process. Successfully manage the intricacies of local currency financing, loan tenors, foreign exchange risk mitigation, and compliance with diverse regulatory frameworks across African markets.
Develop and implement mechanisms that directly correlate to quantifiable health outcomes and financial performance, supported by robust monitoring and reporting methodologies.
Collaborate closely with leading healthcare organizations to drive transformative growth and scale their operations effectively.
Provide specialized guidance to healthcare enterprises by delivering practical commercial and financial advisory services, enhancing governance frameworks, clarifying unit economics, and crafting investment-ready documentation. Evaluate financing requirements and connect firms with suitable capital providers to facilitate their growth objectives.
Develop a structured methodology for managing the origination process and maintaining the sales pipeline, transitioning from isolated deals to scalable, repeatable frameworks.
Facilitate the expansion of scale pathways by establishing agreements with governmental entities and key strategic purchasers.
Develop and lead a high-caliber team while serving as a primary external representative for CHAI.
Develop a high-functioning team characterized by a culture that harmoniously integrates financial discipline with grounded, country-specific perspectives.
Represent CHAI in high-level discussions with government officials, donor organizations, investors, and private sector executives. Produce polished external communications and help shape CHAI’s strategic perspectives on sustainable health financing.
Qualifications
A bachelor’s degree is mandatory; an advanced degree in Finance, Business (MBA), Economics, or a related discipline is highly advantageous.
With a minimum of ten years of progressive expertise in impact investment, blended finance, development finance, venture capital, private equity, investment banking, or structured finance, you possess a proven track record of successfully advancing transactions from initial conception through to full implementation.
Proven expertise in formulating and implementing strategy within intricate, uncertain settings—converting overarching objectives into tangible initiatives, determining optimal investment opportunities amid a dispersed environment, and adapting approaches in response to shifting circumstances.
Proven expertise in capital allocation strategies across diverse company growth phases, coupled with a keen ability to evaluate investment viability. Skilled in designing risk-sharing mechanisms such as guarantees, first-loss positions, and subordinated capital, with a track record of collaborating effectively with Development Finance Institutions (Dais), Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs), and commercial financial entities.
A proven track record of professional engagement within the health sector across sub-Saharan Africa is essential, along with a well-established network spanning healthcare, finance, and development industries. Demonstrated experience collaborating with or in proximity to health subject-matter experts, as well as frontier or emerging market enterprises, is required, coupled with a deep comprehension of the practical challenges involved in providing cost-effective services.
Demonstrates a strong history of assembling and guiding high-performing teams by identifying and recruiting top-tier talent, defining strategic direction, and establishing the cultural and operational frameworks essential for sustained excellence.
Fluent proficiency in both written and spoken English is essential, with fluency in French or Portuguese representing a notable advantage, particularly considering CHAI’s operational scope.
The role necessitates a high degree of travel flexibility, with an anticipated travel commitment ranging from 25% to 35% of the position’s requirements.
Attributes:
Energized by transforming unstructured environments into tangible outcomes from scratch, our ideal candidate thrives in a builder mindset. Execution-oriented, they prioritize completing deals with decisive action over refining theoretical frameworks, demonstrating a practical bias toward tangible results.
Commercially adept and driven by purpose: capable of engaging confidently with DFI investment committees and rural healthcare entrepreneurs, while fluently translating between financial returns and health impact.
A culturally sensitive and organizationally agile professional, this individual excels in navigating the dynamic environment of an NGO while embracing CHAI’s collaborative ethos and infusing the efficiency and discipline characteristic of the private sector. Driven by a genuine commitment to mission-driven work, they approach their role with purpose, viewing it as a meaningful opportunity rather than a secondary option.
Demonstrates exceptional interpersonal abilities and emotional intelligence, fostering trust in varied professional settings—spanning government officials, NGO partners, investors, and entrepreneurs—while maintaining smooth, friction-free interactions.
Intellectual curiosity coupled with a high tolerance for ambiguity is essential for this position, as it involves formulating strategy within an evolving landscape; actively acknowledging these conditions will facilitate better candidate self-assessment.
Driven by a mission to broaden access to cost-effective, superior healthcare solutions, the ideal candidate is inspired by this goal.
Achieving success within the initial 12 to 18 months entails establishing a strong foundation in the role, demonstrating consistent performance in key responsibilities, and contributing meaningfully to team and organizational objectives. This period requires adapting to the company’s processes, mastering essential skills, and building productive relationships with colleagues and stakeholders. By meeting or exceeding performance targets, identifying opportunities for improvement, and actively participating in professional development, the individual will solidify their impact and align with the company’s long-term goals.
A well-defined strategy and operating model have been established, with specific priority countries and subsectors clearly identified.
A cohesive core team has been assembled and is fully operational, supported by established workflows and robust pipeline management systems.
A robust network encompassing key capital providers and a carefully selected pipeline of transformative healthcare enterprises has been cultivated.
Developed 2–3 financing mechanisms, either in the design phase or early implementation stage, in collaboration with aligned partners, while ensuring a clear and credible strategy for the initial capital deployment.
Targeted assistance will be provided to an initial group of companies, yielding measurable improvements in their investment readiness or the amount of capital secured.
Key systemic challenges affecting healthcare investment in Sub-Saharan Africa have been identified, thoroughly documented, and are now guiding strategic priorities.
Qualifications
BA/BSc/HND , MBA/MSc/MA
Experience Required
10 years
