Project Director

The Project Director (Chief of Party) will provide the overall strategic, managerial, financial, and operational leadership for Jhpiego's Human Resources for Health (HRH) Systems Strengthening Portfolio in Ethiopia. The Project Director serves as the principal representative of the project portfolio and is accountable for successful delivery of program results, achievement of performance milestones, financial stewardship, compliance with donor requirements, and effective partnership with the Government of Ethiopia. 

The Project Director will oversee implementation of two complementary HRH initiatives under a unified leadership structure. The first builds on the implementation platforms and partnerships established under the former RISE Maternal, Newborn, Child Health, and Nutrition (MNCHN) Ethiopia project, with its technical focus strategically transitioned toward a comprehensive HRH systems strengthening. The second is ASCEND, a performance-based activity, which expands technical support to additional HRH priorities, institutions, and implementation areas. Together, these initiatives require integrated technical planning, harmonized implementation approaches, coordinated quality assurance, adaptive learning, and continuous technical oversight to maximize impact while maintaining accountability to each award's distinct objectives. 

The portfolio will primarily support fragile, underserved, and workforce-constrained settings, where shortages of competent health professionals, weak institutional capacity, limited leadership and governance systems, and inadequate workforce management continue to constrain delivery of quality health services. Through close collaboration with the Ministry of Health (MoH), Ministry of Education (MoE), Civil Service Commission (CSC), Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI), Regional Health Bureaus (RHBs), Zonal Health Departments (ZHDs), Woreda Health Offices (WoHOs), Primary Health Care Units (PHCUs), higher education institutions (HEIs), professional associations (PAs), private-sector partners, and development partners, the Project Director will ensure that project investments strengthen resilient, country-owned HRH systems aligned with Ethiopia's Human Resources for Health Strategic and Investment Plan, Government-to-Government (G2G) commitments, and the America First Global Health Strategy (AFGHS). 

Working closely with the Technical Director, the Project Director will ensure that both projects function as one integrated HRH systems strengthening portfolio that delivers measurable improvements in workforce competency, workforce performance, institutional capacity, organizational leadership, health service quality, health system resilience, and sustainable country ownership.

Position is contingent on MOH and donor guidance.

Strategic Leadership

• Provide overall vision, strategic leadership, and executive management for the project portfolio.
• Ensure implementation remains aligned with the U.S. Department of State G2G Implementation
  Plan, the America First Global Health Strategy (AFGHS), Ethiopia’s Human Resources for Health Strategic and Investment Plan, and other national priorities. Lead strategic planning, annual work planning, portfolio reviews, implementation planning, and adaptive management processes.
• Ensure project strategies remain technically sound, evidence-based, responsive to Government priorities, and informed by implementation learning and emerging HRH needs.
• Foster a culture of innovation, accountability, collaboration, continuous learning, and excellence.
• Ensure integration of all technical pillars into one coherent HRH systems strengthening program.

Government Leadership and Country Ownership

• Serve as Jhpiego's senior representative to the MoH, MoE, CSC, EPHI, RHBs, ZHDs, WoHOs, PHCUs, HEIs, PAs, and other national stakeholders.
• Promote government leadership and country ownership by embedding project implementation within national systems and institutions.
• Facilitate high-level policy dialogue supporting national HRH reforms.
• Strengthen institutional capacity to sustain project innovations beyond the life of the award.
• Ensure project investments strengthen—not duplicate—existing government systems and G2G implementation priorities.
• Promote localization by strengthening Ethiopian institutions to progressively assume greater technical and managerial leadership.

Donor Relations

• Serve as the primary executive liaison with the U.S. Department of State.
• Maintain regular strategic communication with donor representatives.
• Lead donor review meetings, portfolio discussions, and implementation planning sessions.
• Present program achievements, challenges, risks, and mitigation strategies.
• Lead negotiations regarding implementation modifications, approvals, and strategic adjustments.
• Ensure timely submission of high-quality technical, financial, and programmatic reports.
• Maintain donor confidence through transparency, accountability, and consistent communication.

Overall Project Management

• Provide executive oversight for technical implementation, finance, grants management, procurement, operations, administration, human resources, safeguarding, security, and compliance.
• Ensure all project components operate efficiently and deliver planned outputs within approved timelines and budgets.
• Coordinate closely with Jhpiego Ethiopia leadership and Global Technical Programs to ensure organizational alignment and timely technical support.
• Provide timely executive decision-making to address complex technical, operational, financial, and partnership challenges while maintaining implementation momentum.

Financial Stewardship

• Provide executive oversight of project finances by approving annual budgets, monitoring expenditure trends, reviewing financial forecasts, and ensuring value for money.
• Support strategic resource allocation and budget realignment based on implementation priorities.
• Ensure compliance with donor financial regulations and Jhpiego financial policies.
• Strengthen internal financial controls and fiduciary accountability.
• Monitor financial risks and institute appropriate mitigation measures.

Consortium and Partnership Management

• Provide overall leadership for consortium partners, sub-awardees, and strategic collaborators.
• Strengthen partnerships with Professional Associations, Higher Education Institutions, research organizations, local NGOs, private-sector partners, and digital innovators.
• Ensure effective coordination, mutual accountability, institutional capacity strengthening, and high-quality implementation across all implementing partners.
• Promote a "One Team" culture that emphasizes collaboration, transparency, shared ownership, and collective accountability for results. 

Senior Leadership

• Lead, mentor, and inspire the senior leaders of the activity, ensuring effective coordination across technical, operational, financial, and administrative functions.
• Foster a high-performance organizational culture built on integrity, collaboration, innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Demonstrate proven ability to motivate and retain high-performing staff during organizational transitions, shifting priorities, and challenging implementation environments.
• Develop future leaders through coaching, mentorship, succession planning, leadership development, and continuous professional growth.

Risk Management and Compliance

• Provide executive oversight for programmatic, operational, financial, security, safeguarding, fraud prevention, and compliance risks.
• Ensure timely identification, mitigation, monitoring, and reporting of project risks.
• Maintain full compliance with donor regulations, Jhpiego policies, and applicable Government of Ethiopia requirements.
• Promote ethical conduct, transparency, safeguarding, and organizational accountability throughout project implementation.

Performance Accountability

• Ensure achievement of project milestones, deliverables, key performance indicators, and strategic outcomes.
• Oversee implementation of the project's Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, Learning, and Adaptive Management (MERLA) framework.
• Lead portfolio performance reviews, adaptive management processes, organizational learning, and continuous quality improvement.
• Promote evidence-informed decision-making through routine use of performance data, workforce intelligence, implementation research, and learning agendas.

Representation and External Engagement

• Represent Jhpiego and the project at national and international technical working groups, policy forums, donor consultations, scientific conferences, academic partnerships, and professional networks.
• Champion dissemination of project achievements through publications, policy briefs, technical reports, presentations, and knowledge-sharing platforms.
• Promote Ethiopia's HRH innovations and lessons learned within regional and global communities of practice.
• Strengthen Jhpiego's reputation as a trusted technical partner and thought leader in HRH systems strengthening.

Cross-Cutting Responsibilities

• Ensure integration of digital transformation, artificial intelligence, workforce resilience, safeguarding, localization, quality improvement, public-private partnerships, implementation research, and knowledge management across all project components.
• Contribute to strategic business development by identifying opportunities for program expansion, supporting proposal development, strengthening partnerships, and promoting synergies across Jhpiego's Ethiopia portfolio.
• Champion organizational learning by promoting documentation of innovations, dissemination of best practices, publication of implementation experiences, and sharing lessons across Jhpiego, government, partners, and global technical communities.
• Perform other strategic responsibilities assigned by the Country Director.

• An advanced degree (PhD, MD, MPH, or equivalent) in Health Systems, Human Resources for Health, Health Professions Education, Public Health, Health Policy, International Development, Medicine, or another closely related Required: Minimum 10 years of progressively responsible senior leadership experience managing large, complex health systems strengthening or Human Resources for Health programs (a key requirement)
• Preferred: 14 or more years of relevant senior executive leadership experience managing multi-million-dollar donor-funded HSS or HRH programs.
• Demonstrated experience serving as Chief of Party, Project Director, Deputy Chief of Party, or equivalent senior leadership role.
• Extensive experience working with the Government of Ethiopia and national health institutions.
• Demonstrated expertise in Ethiopia's HRH ecosystem, health workforce policies, health systems, and institutional reforms.
• Proven experience leading complex consortiums, multiple sub-awards, and multidisciplinary teams.
• Demonstrated experience working with U.S. Government-funded programs (Department of State, other USG projects, or similar) or other major international donors.
• Proven ability to lead organizational change, institutional strengthening, and systems reform.
• Strong financial management, grants oversight, and program management experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous experience leading national HRH or health systems strengthening programs in Ethiopia.
• Established professional relationships with senior leaders across the MoH (relevant LEOs to HRH), MoE, CSC, RHBs (heads and HRD Directorates), PAs, and HEIs.
• Experience leading Government-to-Government implementation models, project transitions, localization initiatives, and institutional sustainability efforts.
• Records of peer-reviewed publications, technical reports, policy contributions, or presentations in HRH, health systems, or related fields.

Technical Competencies

The successful candidate should demonstrate expertise in:

• Human Resources for Health systems strengthening
• Health systems strengthening
• Strategic leadership and organizational development
• Executive program management
• Government relations and diplomacy
• Donor engagement and partnership management
• Financial stewardship
• Leadership and governance
• Workforce development and policy
• Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, Learning, and Adaptive Management (MERLA)
• Risk management and compliance
• Change management
• Quality improvement
• Digital health and digital transformation
• Evidence-informed decision-making
• Knowledge management and implementation science

Core Leadership Competencies

• Visionary and strategic leadership
• Systems thinking and political acumen
• Executive decision-making under pressure
• Exceptional negotiation and diplomacy
• Inspirational people leadership and team development
• Partnership building and stakeholder engagement
• Innovation and adaptive leadership
• Integrity, accountability, and ethical leadership
• Excellent written, verbal, facilitation, and presentation skills

Language Requirements

• Fluency in spoken and written English is required.
• Professional proficiency in Amharic is required.
• Knowledge of additional Ethiopian languages is an advantage

Salary: Between 34,553 – 59,656.50 USD per annum. 

Jhpiego offers competitive salaries and a comprehensive employee benefits package.

Please apply at www.jobs-jhpiego.icims.com

Applicants must submit a single document for upload to include: cover letter, resume, and references.

For further information about Jhpiego, visit our website at www.jhpiego.org

Note: The successful candidate selected for this position will be subject to a pre-employment background investigation.

Jhpiego is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer

“Jhpiego, a Johns Hopkins University affiliate, is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of gender, marital status, pregnancy, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, other legally protected characteristics or any other occupationally irrelevant criteria. Jhpiego promotes Affirmative Action for minorities, women, individuals who are disabled, and veterans.

EEO is the Law

Application Deadline: September 13, 2026

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