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 skillsets and life experiences. CHAI is deeply grounded in the countries we work in, with 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:

In Lao PDR, CHAI works in partnership with the Ministry of Health (MoH) to strengthen national health systems across a variety of health domains, including malaria, vaccines, oxygen, health information systems, and emerging public health threats.

Recent and anticipated reductions in external donor funding have increased pressure on the Government of Lao PDR to use limited health resources more efficiently and equitably. In response, the MoH is strengthening health sector planning, budgeting, and resource tracking to improve coordination, transparency, and decision-making. However, fragmentation across funding sources, systems, and levels of government—particularly at subnational level—continues to constrain effective resource allocation.

CHAI Laos aims to support the Government of Laos to transition toward integrated, government-led health sector planning and financing by 1) Conducting rapid resource mapping, expenditure tracking, and financing analyses to inform joint planning, donor coordination, and prioritization; 2) Supporting stronger linkages between planning, budgeting, and resource allocation at national and provincial levels; and 3) Providing strategic guidance on enabling data and digital systems to support evidence-based decision-making and system alignment.

Position Overview:

CHAI is seeking an execution-focused Program Manager for Health Sector Planning & Financing to support the Government of Lao PDR in enhancing health sector financing and planning. Reporting to the Senior Program Manager, the role involves leading health financing, resource allocation, and digital health initiatives, working closely with the Ministry of Health, the Department of Planning and Finance, and partners at various levels.

The Program Manager will oversee two interconnected workstreams: Health Financing and Digital Systems by leading resource mapping, financial analysis, and supporting integrated planning and budgeting, while providing strategic guidance on digital health systems to ensure alignment with financing and planning priorities.

The position includes supervising a small team, including a Digital Health Associate and a Provincial Health Financing Officer, and coordinating analysis, policy dialogue, and implementation efforts with government and CHAI global teams.

• Lead health investment data collection and analysis to understand current funding landscape, key changes, and identify funding gaps and inefficiencies.
• Develop strategic recommendations for aligning resources with government priorities and facilitate enhanced use of financial and programmatic data for resource allocation decisions.
• Support the Ministry of Health, Department of Planning and Finance, Ministry of Finance, and development partners at national and provincial levels to align planning and funding priorities.
• Improve routine data availability through digital health systems to support resource mapping, planning, and resource allocation. Enhance the Ministry of Health’s Health Sector Accounting System (HSAS) functionality and interoperability with national Health Information System platforms (e.g. DHIS2, electronic logistics management information system). Link financial data with service delivery data through dashboards, tools, and reports, and establish an institutionalized review and adjustment process for comprehensive data-driven decision-making.
• Supervise program implementation, providing guidance to the Digital Health Associate and Provincial Health Financing Officer.
• Document progress, lessons learned, and best practices to inform scale-up strategies and donor engagement, ensuring timely reporting and workplan tracking in line with donor and government requirements.
• Represent CHAI in technical discussions and working groups related to health financing, planning, and digital health systems.

• 6+ years of relevant work experience in health systems strengthening, health economics, health financing, consulting, or digital health, preferably within government or donor-funded programs.
• Proven ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and manage projects in complex, multi-stakeholder environments.
• Strong analytical skills and high attention to detail, with a focus on data preparation, rigorous analysis, and practical problem-solving.
• Demonstrated ability to translate technical concepts into practical actions and policy recommendations.
• Ability to simplify the complex and deliver compelling strategic recommendations to senior level decision makers.
• Experience in conducting Resource Mapping and Expenditure Tracking exercises, particularly in relation to health investments, to inform strategic decision-making would be an asset.
• Excellent coordination, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Experience working with Ministries of Health and/or Finance in low- or middle-income countries.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English; fluency in Lao is a strong asset.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and ability to create high-quality work products; familiarity with data systems and dashboards is an advantage.

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