Associate, Innovation Strategy and Operations
United States
- Organization: CHAI - Clinton Health Access Initiative
- Location: United States
- Grade: Mid level - Associate Level - Open for both International and National Professionals
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Occupational Groups:
- Operations and Administrations
- Innovations for Sustainable Development
- Closing Date:
Associate, Innovation Strategy and Operations
- Country
- United States
- Type
- Full Time
- Program (Division)
- Innovation - Maximum Impact Incubator
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.
Position Overview:
As a key member of the Maximum Impact Incubator team, the Innovation Strategy and Operations Associate will play a crucial role in both strategic and operational functions. This role will help identify and scale innovative, cost-effective ideas while ensuring the operational efficiency of the team. Working closely with the Vice President of Innovation and other senior leaders, the Associate will focus on two main areas:
Strategic and Programmatic Support: Conduct research, gather insights, and assist in developing strategies to integrate innovative solutions into CHAI’s broader programmatic work.
Operational Support: Provide logistical and administrative support to optimize team efficiency, ensuring the successful implementation of high-impact initiatives.
Programmatic Support (70%)
- Support modeling on the impact of programs, combining independent research with inputs from CHAI teams and donor(s)
- Assist in conducting scoping exercises to explore new innovation opportunities, such as mental health initiatives and the application of AI technologies in health programs.
- Support the development of strategies for integrating innovations into CHAI’s programmatic work, including identifying potential use cases and evaluating interventions.
- Contribute to research and data collection, gathering insights from internal and external stakeholders to inform strategy development.
- Help draft strategy documents and presentations to communicate findings and recommendations to senior leadership and other key stakeholders.
Operations Management (30%)
- Act as the primary point of contact for administrative and operational questions, working closely with CHAI headquarters (HR, IT, Finance, etc.).
- Develop and maintain systems to streamline team operations (e.g., calendar management, travel logistics, expense processing).
- Assist recruitment efforts by working closely with the hiring manager (e.g., drafting job descriptions, maintaining a JD database, reviewing candidates, tracking hiring progress, and proactively flagging delays).
- Manage onboarding and offboarding processes for team members, including equipment setup and knowledge transfer.
- Develop and implement innovative ways to improve the operational efficiency of the team.
Please note that the above responsibilities may change as the team and project evolves.
- Bachelor’s degree in business, operations, or a related field (Master’s degree preferred).
- Minimum of 2 years of relevant work experience, including in office/program management, coordination and overseeing project execution in a fast paced, results-oriented work environment
- Excellent organizational and project management skills, with the ability to prioritize and multitask effectively.
- Strong communication skills with the ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced, innovative environment.
- High level of proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Teams
- English language fluency, both written and verbal; additional languages are a plus
- Available for up to 20% international travel
Advantages:
- Prior knowledge or experience working in a related field such as global health, mental health, AI, climate, etc.
- Experience working in multilateral and non-profit organization or governments
- Experience living and working in low-resource settings
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Applications from non-qualifying applicants will most likely be discarded by the recruiting manager.