Job Description
Job Title: Program Manager I – Community Based Health Insurance
Reports to: Program Manager II
Department: Programming
Location: Kampala
This position is open to Ugandan nationals only
Deadline: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Candidates are encouraged to apply by November 6, 2026 no later than 11:59pm.
Note: CRS is recruiting in anticipation of an award – recruitment for all candidates is contingent upon successful award of the project.
Job Summary
CRS is seeking to hire for an anticipated five-year health systems strengthening project in Uganda. The project aims to support the sustainability and resilience of faith-based health services through strengthened institutional capacity, improved community health financing mechanisms, enhanced governance, and locally led solutions that contribute to improved health outcomes. As the Program Manager I – Community Based Health Insurance (CBHI), you will provide strategic technical leadership and support in the design, implementation, monitoring, learning, and scale-up of Community Health Insurance and other community health financing approaches. You will provide technical advice and support on a range of program design and implementation issues in line with CRS program quality principles and standards, donor requirements, and global best practices to advance the delivery of high-quality programming for poor and vulnerable communities. Your advice, knowledge, and support will contribute to determining how effective, adaptive and innovative CRS’ Community Health Insurance programming is across the globe.
Roles and Key Responsibilities:
- Support the development and contribute to the implementation of CRS agency-wide strategies, technical standards, tools, and best practices in Community Based Health Insurance (CBHI) and community health financing ensuring alignment with donor requirements, government priorities, and global best practices. Help ensure a cross-sectoral approach integrating gender, safeguarding and protection mainstreaming, and local leadership.
- Provide technical leadership and guidance to project teams and partners on the design, implementation, monitoring, and adaptation of CBHI interventions. Work closely with partner staff to strengthen technical quality, facilitate joint problem-solving, and promote local ownership of project implementation and results.
- Provide technical solutions to CP and partner teams, remotely and on-site, for strategic planning and how to best apply standards, best practices, partnership principles, tools and M&E, helping to ensure high-quality implementation. Accompany local partners to strengthen their technical leadership, decision-making, and implementation capacity while fostering equitable partnerships and mutual accountability.
- Cultivate strong working relationships with local partner organizations and support partner-led implementation through regular engagement, joint planning, technical accompaniment, and learning. Contribute to partner capacity strengthening strategies and help ensure that principles of localization, mutual accountability, and local leadership are embedded throughout project implementation.
- Contribute to the development of the technical design for proposals. Support the process of preparation, design, submission and approval of project concepts and full-fledged proposals. As needed, act as a technical writer on proposal development teams. Advise project teams on integrating donor strategies, priorities and technical requirements into CRS’ approach.
- Support capacity strengthening initiatives in Community Based Health Insurance (CBHI) for community, and partners through helping develop learning and training strategies and agendas/curriculums, conducting trainings and workshops, and coaching. Promote partner-led learning, adaptation, and sustainability of project approaches beyond the life of the award.
- Collect and analyze program data, capture and share lessons learned and best practices for specific projects to facilitate improvements in decision-making and contribute to CRS’ learning agenda and technical excellence in community health financing.
- Contribute to maintaining relationships with donors, peer organizations, research and other institutions, participate in Health forums to collect and share best practices and promote CRS’ work.
- Represent CRS in technical working groups, professional networks, policy dialogues, conferences, and sector forums related to health financing, universal health coverage, and health systems strengthening.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Proficient in MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, information and budget management systems, knowledge-sharing networks.
- Knowledge of technical principles and concepts in insurance Health financing. General knowledge of other related disciplines to ensure a proper cross-sectoral approach.
- Experience in project design and proposal development. Experience in writing content for proposals.
- Knowledge of capacity-strengthening best practices.
- Experience with program monitoring and evaluation and analysis.
- Experience and skills in networking and relations with donors, peer organizations, and faith-based civil society partners. Understanding of partnership principles.
- Strong relationship management skills with ability to influence and get buy-in from people not under direct supervision and to work with individuals in diverse geographical and cultural settings
- Good strategic, analytical, problem-solving and systems thinking skills with capacity to see the big picture and ability to make sound judgment
- Good technical writing skills
- Presentation, facilitation, training, mentoring, and coaching skills
- Proactive, resourceful and results-oriented
Required Languages – Fluency in English required
Travel – Must be willing and able to travel up to 40%.
Supervisory Responsibilities – Field Officers
Key Working Relationships:
Internal: CRS Country Representative, Head of Programs, Head of Operations, Uganda-based technical experts for MEAL, Gender, Youth and Social Inclusion (GYSI) and Partner Capacity Strengthening (PCS), technical health team, Regional and Headquarters technical staff.
External: Local partner staff, representatives from for-profit and other non-profit organizations and relevant national, district, sub-county, parish and other government stakeholders, community leaders.
***Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. We welcome as a part of our staff people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need. CRS’ processes and policies reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.
Disclaimer: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.
CRS’ talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.
CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer
Qualifications
Basic Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in actuarial science, Development Studies, Social Science, Economics, Health Services Management, Development Studies, Social Sciences, or a related field required.
- Minimum of five-eight relevant work experience with progressive responsibilities, ideally with an international NGO. At least two years of field-based experience in community health insurance, health financing, health systems strengthening, or related areas.
Preferred Qualifications
- Master’s degree in actuarial science, Economics, Public Health, Health Financing, Health Systems Management, Business Administration, Development Studies, Social Sciences, or a related field is an advantage.
- Knowledge of Uganda’s health financing, health insurance, and Universal Health Coverage (UHC) landscape
- Experience working in partnerships with local organizations and supporting partner-led implementation through technical accompaniment, capacity strengthening, coaching, and organizational development.
- Experience in an international NGO an advantage
Agency Competencies (for all CRS Staff):
- Personal Accountability – Consistently takes responsibility for one’s own actions.
- Acts with Integrity – Consistently models values aligned with CRS Guiding Principles and mission. Is considered honest.
- Builds and Maintains Trust – Shows consistency between words and actions.
- Collaborates with Others – Works effectively in intercultural and diverse teams.
- Open to Learn – Seeks out experiences that may change perspective or provide an opportunity to learn new things.
Agency Leadership Competencies:
- Lead Change – Continually looks for ways to improve the agency through a culture of agility, openness, and innovation.
- Develops and Recognizes Others – Builds the capacity of staff to reach their full potential and enhance team and agency performance.
- Strategic Mindset – Understands role in translating, communicating, and implementing agency strategy and team priorities.
About Us
Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. Catholic Relief Services works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. Catholic Relief Services’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance, and peacebuilding. We welcome as a part of our staff people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need. CRS’ processes and policies reflect our commitment to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.
CRS welcomes candidates from the countries and regions in which we work. In the event the successful candidate is an expatriate, the anticipated duration of the assignment is informed by a term limit, based on the type and level of the job and the needs of the agency.
CRS is committed to safeguarding program participants, community members, staff and volunteers from all forms of exploitation and abuse. The successful candidate is expected to sign and adhere to CRS´ Code of Conduct.
CRS talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to safeguarding the rights and dignity of all people – especially children and vulnerable adults – to live free from abuse and harm.
Disclaimer: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.
CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
