State Program / Technical Manager at Arewa Health Trust Initiative (AHTI)

Arewa Health Trust Initiative is an indigenous non-governmental organization dedicated to advancing community health equity, strengthening health systems, and improving maternal and child health outcomes across Northern Nigeria. Through evidence-based interventions and strategic partnerships, we work to ensure sustainable access to quality healthcare for underserved populations

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: State Program / Technical Manager (100% LOE)

Location: Jigawa
Contract Duration: 18 Months (Fixed-term, July 2026 to December 2027
Project: GAVI-supported Routine Immunization (RI) and Primary Health Care (PHC) Integration Project

Project Overview

• Starting in July 2026, AHTI will implement an 18-month GAVI-supported initiative across 9 priority Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Jigawa State.
• The project focuses on reducing the number of zero-dose and under-immunized children, integrating routine immunization into primary healthcare services, and strengthening community-level accountability.
• This project features an innovative Performance-Based Financing (PBF) model implemented in close collaboration with localized Community-Based Organizations (CBOs).

The Role

• We are seeking a visionary and results-driven public health leader to serve as the State Program / Technical Manager.
• You will be the primary technical architect and operational driver of the project. Because AHTI utilizes a distinct dual-reporting matrix with a dedicated finance compliance team, you will be liberated from routine administrative micromanagement.
• Your focus will be entirely on technical excellence, strategic stakeholder engagement, data-driven course corrections, and field implementation quality.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic & Technical Leadership: Provide overarching technical direction for the zero-dose reduction and routine immunization integration strategies across all 9 target LGAs.
• Field Supervision: Supervise and mentor the 9 embedded LGA TA Coordinators, ensuring that partner CBOs maintain high operational standards and hit their mobilization targets.
• The Verification Loop: Partner closely with the M&E Lead to execute the monthly data- verification cycle, cross-checking CBO field reports against health facility registers to validate performance-based payments.
• Stakeholder Diplomacy: Serve as AHTI’s primary technical liaison with the State Primary Health Care Development Agency (SPHCDA), the Ministry of Health, World Health Organization, UNICEF, and other key development partners.
• Vaccine Logistics Oversight: Monitor cold chain integrity and vaccine availability trends across the target LGAs, working with state actors to resolve supply bottlenecks.
• Reporting & Learning: Lead the development of high-quality donor progress reports, policy briefs, and presentations, transforming field data into actionable programmatic insights.

Minimum Recruitment Standards

• Education: MBBS, MPH, MSc in Public Health, Epidemiology, or a related global health management discipline.
• Experience: 8 - 10 years of progressive experience in public health programming, with at least 4 years in a senior managerial capacity leading donor-funded health initiatives.
• Sector Expertise: Deep operational understanding of Nigeria’s immunization landscape, primary healthcare systems, and National/State health sector coordination mechanisms.
• Donor Familiarity: Proven track record working on GAVI, Global Fund, USAID, or UN-agency projects.
• Contextual Knowledge: Direct experience navigating the socio-cultural and public health landscape of Jigawa State or Northern Nigeria is highly desirable.

Skills:

• Exceptional report writing, verbal communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Proficiency in health data analytics platforms (such as DHIS2) is a strong advantage.

Application Closing Date
Applications reviewed on a rolling basis.

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should forward a tailored suitability statement (cover letter) and a comprehensive resume (CV) as a single MS Word document to: arewahealthrustinitiative@gmail.com using "State Program Manager - Jigawa" as the subject of the mail.

Note

• AHTI is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
• Qualified female candidates and professionals native to the project location are strongly encouraged to apply.
• AHTI does not charge any fees at any stage of the recruitment process.