4 Job Positions of Program Assistant, Neonatal Nurse at
Clinton Health Access Initiative- Rwanda (CHAI): (Deadline 27 April 2026)
CHAI RWANDA
VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT
TITLE: Program Assistant, Neonatal Nurse
Program: Sexual, Reproductive, Maternal,
Newborn, and Child Health (SRMNCH)
Job Location: Rwanda (Embedded within
high-burden District Hospitals and their catchment areas)
Type: Full-Time
Start date: May 2026
Number of Positions: 4
Organization Overview
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 skill sets and life
experiences. CHAI is deeply grounded in the countries we work in, with the
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
The Government of Rwanda has demonstrated strong leadership
and commitment to improving maternal and newborn survival through the Fifth
Health Sector Strategic Plan (HSSP V) 2024–2029. The strategy sets ambitious
targets to reduce the Maternal Mortality Ratio from 105 to 60 per 100,000 live
births and the Neonatal Mortality Rate from 20 to 15 per 1,000 live births by
2029, prioritizing quality of care, system performance, and sustainability.
In support of the national goals, CHAI is partnering with
the Ministry of Health, the Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC) and the Beginnings
Fund to strengthen the foundations required for impact at scale. CHAI’s
assistance spans access to MNH lifesaving commodities, institutional
strengthening, digital and data system enhancement, and workforce capacity
development, through government structures.
With this investment CHAI will provide focused technical
assistance to the Ministry of Health and RBC, particularly the Maternal, Child,
and Community Health (MCCH) Division. This investment targets the most critical
delivery and systems bottlenecks while embedding capabilities, processes, and
accountability mechanisms that will sustain improvements well beyond the funding
period advancing MNH workforce capability through professional development and
mentorship.
Position Overview
CHAI is seeking four (4) skilled Neonatal Nurses as Program
Assistants to provide embedded technical assistance to high-burden district
hospitals (Muhima, Nyagatare, Nyanza, and Kabaya) and their catchment areas
(Health Centers, Second Generation Health Posts, private clinics). Fully
integrated into facility MNH teams, Program Assistants will deliver hands-on
clinical mentorship, lead data-driven Quality Improvement (QI) initiatives, and
bridge the gap between policy and frontline neonatal care. Reporting lines run
to hospital leadership, RBC/MCCH Division, with streamlined reporting to the
CHAI SRMNCH Program Manager.
Key Responsibilities
1.Clinical Mentorship and Service Delivery
- Provide
bedside mentoring to nurses and clinical staff across delivery rooms,
neonatal units, and postnatal wards, covering Essential Neonatal Care
(ENC), Helping Baby Breathe (HBB)2nd edition, and management of complex
neonatal complicationsin alignment with national protocols.
- Lead
the rollout of high-impact neonatal interventions including Caffeine
Citrate, CPAP, and small and sick newborn care bundles among others.
- Support
supply chain management to prevent stockouts of essential neonatal
commodities and ensure timely equipment maintenance.
- Conduct
structured outreach to catchment health facilities, delivering mentorship
and QI coaching.
- Identify
and develop facility-level Neonatal Health Champions to sustain clinical
improvements beyond the project.
- Support
adoption of digital tools (e-Buzima, Internet of Things for monitoring)
for improved clinical decision-making.
- Promote
continuous professional development engagement among healthcare providers
and support review and update of neonatal protocols, training materials,
and job aids in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and RBC.
2. Monitoring, evaluation, learning, and reporting
- Routinely
review neonatal health indicators, conduct quarterly performance gap
analyses, and
co-design facility-led QI projects. - Support
the integration of neonatal health indicators into facility and district
health plans to
strengthen accountability and tracking. - Document
program activities and contribute to monthly indicator reports and
learning briefs for
national dissemination. - Submit
quarterly programmatic reports highlighting achievements, challenges, and
recommendations
3. Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance (MPDSR)
- Coordinate
neonatal death audits and near-miss case reviews, and support development
and follow-up of corrective action plans.
- Ensure
proper documentation and follow-up of critical newborn and adherence to
referral protocols.
Participate in joint supervision visits and monthly
coordination check-ins with RBC/MCCH, the Ministry of Health and CHAI.
Qualifications
- Master’s
degree in Neonatal Nursing is required.
- At
least 5 years of experience in a neonatal unit and results-driven environment.
- Valid
license from the National Council of Nurses and Midwives.
- Trained
in EmONC, PNC, HBB (2nd edition), Kangaroo Mother Care, and ENC.
- Proficiency
in MS Office; strong communication skills in English, French, and
Kinyarwanda.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience
in mentorship
- Experience
with the Rwandan health system (RBC, district hospitals, health centers).
- Familiarity
with digital health tools and EMR systems (e-Buzima, Internet of Things
solutions).
- Certification
as a national trainer in HBB or related neonatal specialties.
- Experience
with QI methodologies and MPDSR processes.
Application procedure:
Interested candidates should email a letter of interest
(maximum 1 page) outlining how their professional background meets the
requirements outlined above; CV (maximum 3 pages); and the names of three
references to chairwandarecruiting@clintonhealthaccess.org with
“Program Assistant, Neonatal Nurse’’ in the subject line. The deadline
for applications is April 27, 2026. Only shortlisted
candidates will be contacted.
In compliance with the data protection law of Rwanda and by
submitting your application and CV, you explicitly consent to the collection,
processing, and storage of your personal data by Clinton Health Access
Initiative for the sole purpose of managing and conducting the recruitment
process for the position for which you have applied.
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