Senior Program Officer, Primary Health Care, SAFEStart+ Project at PATH
Job Title: Senior Program Officer, Primary Health Care, SAFEStart+ Project at PATH
Date Posted: 21th February, 2026.
Expiry Date: N/A
About the Job
The Senior / Program Officer provides primary support to the Project Director in managing technical, operational, and administrative aspects of SAFEStart+, operating as a deputy director to the Project Director. This position works hand-in-hand with the Project Director and co-manages partnerships with Unitaid, WHO headquarters and regional offices (AFRO & PAHO), program implementers and research partners (University of Washington, Harvard University), Africa CDC, GAVI, and other key stakeholders including country-level partners, implementers, and research institutions. Strong French language capabilities are required for effective francophone stakeholder engagement.
Your Job Description
Key Responsibilities
Technical Leadership & Product Development
Take leadership of specific technical elements of the projects with a priority focus on the learning agenda, continuous quality improvement, project performance analyses, monitoring and evaluation (M&E), and metrics.
Lead development of strategic technical reports, policy briefs, and programmatic guidance documents that synthesize project findings and provide actionable recommendations for country implementation and global scale-up.
Coordinate creation of training materials, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and implementation toolkits for integrated EVT service delivery models, ensuring technical accuracy and country-specific adaptation.
Oversee production of evidence dissemination packages, knowledge products, and learning resources for diverse audiences including country partners, donors, and global health stakeholders.
Support development of technical presentations, briefing materials, and visual communication products for donor meetings, stakeholder convenings, and international conferences.
Coordinate preparation and quality assurance of project deliverables, milestone reports, and programmatic reporting for UNITAID, ensuring compliance with donor requirements and project objectives.
Ensure technical quality, consistency, and alignment across all project materials, communications, and knowledge products produced by consortium members and country partners.
Project Management & Coordination
Oversee work in Francophone countries including the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Senegal.
Coordinate Project Management Team (PMT) activities including weekly meetings with PATH, ICWEA, and WHA leadership, ensuring effective communication and decision-making across consortium partners.
Support comprehensive implementation of project workplans across all four outputs, monitoring deliverables, timelines, and milestones to ensure objectives are met within prescribed timeframes.
Ensure high-quality, compliant donor reporting by coordinating inputs and providing final technical and programmatic review.
Provide high-level oversight and guidance to SPA-led administrative, coordination, and documentation functions to ensure effective meeting support, information flow, compliance, and project continuity.
Facilitate Program Steering Committee (PSC) coordination including meeting preparation, agenda development, and follow-up on action items and strategic recommendations.
Coordinate with the PADM and Senior Project Assistant to track partner performance.
Support risk management and mitigation strategies in collaboration with the Project Director.
Oversee project communication strategies and stakeholder engagement plans to ensure consistent technical messaging and strategic alignment.
Country Implementation Support
Provide technical assistance and guidance to country teams on implementation of integrated EVT models, supporting adaptation of global guidance to local contexts and health system requirements.
Support coordination and strengthening of Technical Working Groups (TWGs) and Community Advisory Boards (CABs) in core-engagement and focused-activity countries.
Facilitate sharing of best practices, lessons learned, and innovative approaches across implementation sites.
Support monitoring and evaluation activities, data collection, and performance assessment across project sites.
Assist in coordination of implementation science studies and research activities embedded within programmatic EVT delivery.
Partnership & Stakeholder Coordination
Serve as primary day-to-day liaison with the donor, ensuring seamless communication and alignment on project implementation.
Coordinate strategic relationships and regular engagement with WHO headquarters and regional offices, including PAHO and WHO.
Act as focal point for assigned countries and facilitate coordination with country-level partners including ministries of health, technical working groups, community advisory boards, and implementing organizations.
Support senior staff in engagement with external partners, donors, and technical agencies.
Coordinate with peer-learning countries to support effective knowledge sharing and capacity-building opportunities.
Deputizing Responsibilities
Represent the SAFEStart+ project and PATH at high-level meetings, conferences, and stakeholder events when the Project Director is unavailable.
Provide comprehensive project updates and strategic briefings to senior management, UNITAID, and external stakeholders as required.
Serve as primary point of contact for urgent project matters when the Project Director is unavailable.
Core Competencies
Partnership Management: Ability to build effective relationships with diverse stakeholders.
Technical Capabilities and Communication: Ability to lead on technical areas and translate complex concepts for different audiences.
Strategic Thinking: Ability to understand objectives within a global health context.
Quality Assurance: Commitment to maintaining high standards for technical products and deliverables.
Project Management and Coordination: Ability to manage multiple priorities with attention to detail.
Adaptability: Flexibility in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
Results Orientation: Focus on achieving project outcomes and impact.
The Job Requirements
Required Qualifications
Education & Experience
Master's degree in public health, international development, or a related field.
3–5 years of international health programming experience in LMICs, including project coordination and/or partnership management.
Experience in HIV, STIs, viral hepatitis, and/or maternal and child health.
Experience designing and implementing learning agendas, M&E frameworks, CQI, and data use for action.
Essential Skills
Fluency in French and English (written and spoken).
CQI and/or quantitative data analysis skills.
Strong technical writing and communication skills.