Senior Program Manager (SPM) – County Cluster Lead- Kisumu

ABOUT THE COMPANY

Living Goods aims to save lives at scale by supporting digitally empowered community health workers. We work with governments and partners to leverage smart mobile technology, rigorously strengthen performance, and relentlessly innovate to cost-effectively deliver high-quality, impactful health services.
Living Goods leverages a powerful combination of catalytic technology, high-impact training, and quality treatments that empower government community health workers (CHWs) to deliver quality care to their neighbors’ doorsteps. These CHWs also earn meaningful compensation and enhance their stature in the process, reinforcing a virtuous cycle of trust. We are deeply focused on systemic change, and partner with governments and other partners to transform access to primary health care for mothers and children. We put patients first and strive to create a world in which every mother gives birth safely and no child dies from an easily treatable–or preventable–disease like malaria, pneumonia, or diarrhea. We believe universal health care is possible when community health workers (CHWs) are equipped to serve as the engine for stronger health systems.
Living Goods is a nonprofit, but we apply best practices borrowed from the private sector to drive measurable results and ensure cost-effective services. We’re nimble and quick-footed, and hold ourselves accountable to quantifiable and aggressive targets designed to drive health impact. We’re idealistic—but pragmatic—and we push ourselves to learn, adapt, and optimize our approaches in cases where we fail to meet targets or when local circumstances change.
We’re also fanatical about numbers. By maintaining our focus on measurable data, we’ve found technology and analytics are valuable allies in driving cost-effective, high-quality community health programs. We infuse data into our end-to-end operations, from real-time performance management to preventing stock-outs of essential medicines, monitoring disease outbreaks, ensuring equity in treatment, and closing gaps in patient referrals to full-service health facilities.

JOB SUMMARY

Qualifications & ExperienceEducation: Master’s degree in public health, Health Systems Management, or a related field.Experience: Minimum 8 years in health systems strengthening, with at least 3 years in a multi-county or regional leadership role.Transition Expertise: Proven track record in transitioning NGO-led programs to Government-led models ("Doer and Payer").Technical Depth: Exceptional analytical skills with the ability to interpret complex health data (DHIS2, eCHIS) to drive strategic goals.Influencing Power: Advanced relationship-building and negotiation skills, specifically with senior government officials.Leadership: Demonstrated ability to manage and grow high-performing professional teams (like PEOs) in a field-based environment.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Leadership & Team Management (20%)Lead the PEOs: Provide direct line management, coaching, and mentorship to Program Excellence Officers (PEOs), ensuring they achieve sub-county KPIs and maintain program fidelity.Performance Accountability: Drive a culture of high performance, accountability, and adaptive management across the cluster team.Operational Oversight: Oversee planning, budgeting, and performance tracking for the cluster to ensure cost-effectiveness and compliance.Government Advocacy & System Transformation (20%)Champion "Doer and Payer" Model: Lead strategic advocacy to secure domestic financing and the adoption of community health policies within county budgets and structures.High-Level Diplomacy: Serve as the primary representative to senior county leadership (Governors, CEC Health, Directors), building the trust-based relationships necessary for system transition.Policy & Legislative Support: Support the formulation of County Community Health Bills and regulations, tracking implementation to ensure Community Health is fully embedded in the county health system.National Policy Alignment: Support the dissemination of and compliance with National Policy, Strategy, and frameworks at the county level.Program Excellence, Fidelity and Growth (20%)Ensure Fidelity at Scale: Oversee the implementation of the TA framework (IS 2.0) across the cluster, ensuring that county-led activities meet quality standards without direct LG intervention.Institutionalization: Lead the integration of rigorous target setting, data-driven supervision, and functional training cascades into County CH Management systems.System Strengthening: Support CHMTs in embedding performance management and continuous quality improvement directly into government CH structures.Scale and County Entry: Support County expansion within the cluster by developing detailed action plans, managing timelines, and leading interdepartmental coordination to ensure resource availability.Program Graduation: Lead and manage the county graduation process into high-level TA to sustain high-impact service delivery by the county.Stakeholder Partnership & Harmonization (15%)Strategic Mapping: Develop and maintain a comprehensive stakeholder map and engagement strategy for the cluster to promote harmonization and synergy.Promote Synergy: Identify partner overlaps and advocate for alignment with County Annual Work Plans (AWPs) to eliminate duplication and maximize impact.Collaboration Leadership: Foster productive partnerships with donors and partners through effective engagement and alignment of shared objectives.Data Transformation & Adaptive Management (15%)Data-Driven Leadership: Champion the use of government-owned dashboards (eCHIS, DHIS2, AfyaBI) to drive performance improvement and unblock system bottlenecks.Learning & Evidence: Synthesize learnings from across the three counties to inform replication, policy advocacy, and program improvement.Risk & Sustainability (10%)Mitigate Disruptions: Identify and manage political and operational risks, particularly during political transitions, to ensure program continuity.Exit Strategy: Focus on reducing government dependency by ensuring all TA tools and practices are fully embedded in county systems.

REQUIRED SKILLS

Project implementation, Operative management, Programme management, Partnerships, Reporting, Business strategy

REQUIRED EDUCATION

Post-graduate education