PROGRAM COORDINATOR

The African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) is a premier research-to-policy institution, generating evidence, strengthening research and related capacity in the African research and development ecosystem, and engaging policy to inform action on health and development. The Center is Africa-based and African-led, with its headquarters (HQ) in Nairobi, Kenya, and a West Africa Regional Office (WARO) in Dakar, Senegal. APHRC seeks to drive change by developing strong African research leadership and promoting evidence-informed decision-making (EIDM) across sub-Saharan Africa.

The Center is setting up the African Policy Impact Lab (APiL), within the Policy Engagement and Communications (PEC) Program, to work in partnership with national, regional and continental stakeholders to design, implement and evaluate evidence-informed and impactful public policy. Drawing on APHRC’s research leadership, the APiL will harness our continental footprint and reputation as a trusted knowledge partner to collaboratively deliver solutions to some of the continent’s critical health and development challenges.

APHRC is seeking a Program Coordinator to spearhead the establishment and operationalization of APiL in line with the Center’s strategy. This new exciting leadership role will oversee the setup, including developing its short-term strategy, resourcing and management of the APiL, a multidisciplinary team focused on strengthening evidence use by government at different levels, fast tracking uptake of programmatic and policy innovations and supporting APHRC program teams and external stakeholders to deliver innovative, high-impact programs.

The APiL Program Coordinator will be responsible for shaping and overseeing a high-impact and commercially successful portfolio of policy advisory projects. He/she will play a key role in business development, identifying strategic opportunities and leading the development of highly competitive bids.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic leadership and Portfolio Management

●       Work with the Head of PEC to set and communicate a strategic vision for the APiL aligned with the Center’s overall strategy.

●       Lead the development, review, implementation and monitoring of the APiL Strategy, business plan, operational plan and budget.

●       Refine the institutional design of the APiL to align people, processes and structures.

●       Drive, deliver and contribute to further expansion and sustainability of APHRC’s work across the continent.

●       Determine the policy and technical assistance strategic direction and long-term opportunities to best meet clients’ evolving needs in a changing market. 

●       Draw on information from political economy analysis to adapt strategy to market shifts, clients’ priorities, and emerging challenges. 

●       Hold final accountability for the quality, timeliness, and scope alignment of deliverables.

●       Provide expert analysis and shape policy positions and thought leadership, often conducting political economy analysis to guide decisions.

Team Leadership and Delivery

●       Lead the hiring, growth and development of a high-performing team with support from the APHRC People & Culture team.

●       Support professional development of individual team members and foster team cohesion.

●       Mentor staff, drive capacity strengthening, and foster a “community of practice” to enhance professional development.  

●       Shape and embody a positive culture that drives ambition, innovation, and delivery.

●       Ensure outputs are technically robust, politically informed, and context-relevant. 

Business Development and Stakeholder Relations

●       Strengthen market position and build strong pipelines through partnerships and collaboration. 

●       Secure mandates with multiple key stakeholders, keeping financial sustainability and social impact at the core. 

●       Build and maintain effective and trusted relationships with clients and partners.

●       Represent and promote the Center’s work at high-level industry events.

●       Mobilize delivery partners and lead competitive bid preparation.

●       Develop and implement relevant systems and processes to effectively manage client relationships.

Operational Accountability and Risk Management

●       Hold accountability of operational plans, ensuring compliance with APHRC policies and procedures.

●       Ensure expenditure is utilized in line with the budget, and legal contractual requirements are met during the execution of mandates.

●       Ensure that operations are safe, compliant, and cost-effective, mitigating risk and upholding legal, corporate and client standards. 

●       Support implementation of the strategic initiatives at the Center.

Qualifications Experience and Skills

●      Masters in Public Policy, International Development, Political Science, Economics, or any Social Sciences or MBA in a related field.

●      Over ten (10) years of relevant post-qualification experience working with an international development organization, research institution or a consultancy environment with a proven track record in government advisory, management consulting or other organizational leadership. 

●      Experience in Design Science is desirable. 

●       Significant experience (7+ years) in policy formulation or evaluation, institutional reforms or complex programming in relevant sectors (e.g. Health, Human Capital, Climate) at a national, regional, or international level. 

●       Proven ability to successfully win competitive funding proposals /bids, including initiating and nurturing strong donor and client relationships, leading the development of successful bids, and securing contracts. 

●       A track record of building a strong pipeline, leading quality delivery of a portfolio of complex projects while improving commercial performance and operational efficiency. 

●       Demonstrable experience of operating effectively within matrix structure, managing cross-functional teams and diverse stakeholder engagements.

●       Outstanding leadership and management skills and proven ability to build and inspire teams to achieve exceptional goals.  

●       A skilled communicator and influencer, adept at speaking to senior leadership, knows how to navigate ambiguous environments and is comfortable managing up and beyond hierarchy.  

●       Strong skills in digital organization, managing Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems and using data to inform strategy.

●       Ability to manage competing priorities, meet deadlines, and work independently with/in a remote team.   

●       A commitment to fairness, integrity, respect and excellence in all aspects of team leadership, stakeholder engagement and portfolio management. 

●       Fluency in English; proficiency in French desired.

How to apply

Interested candidates are encouraged to submit their application letter and detailed CV in one PDF document through this Link by May 26, 2026. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Special Notice

APHRC is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request to support their participation in the recruitment process.

As part of our safeguarding and protection framework, successful candidate(s) will be subject to robust reference checks, including verification of past conduct related to safeguarding, and workplace behavior.

Applicants are not required to make any payments to anyone during any stage of the recruitment process.