Senior Health Manager

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world's largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you're a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.

Main Purpose of the Job:

The Senior Health Manager will provide strategic leadership and technical oversight for the design, implementation, and quality assurance of IRC’s Primary Healthcare (PHC) programs across all IRC implementation provinces in Afghanistan. Based in Kabul, the role will ensure the delivery of high-quality, integrated health services, with a strong emphasis on sexual and reproductive health (SRH), in full alignment with national policies, donor requirements, and IRC technical standards.

The position requires strong leadership and proven expertise in project implementation, budget and workplan management, and multi-disciplinary team supervision, alongside regular and extended field engagement to ensure service quality, accountability, and impact. The Senior Health Manager will also serve as one of the key external representatives of IRC, engaging with health authorities, the Ministry of Public Health, UN agencies, NGOs, and coordination forums, and contributing to effective partnerships and strategic alignment across the health sector.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Program Leadership and Implementation

• Provide overall leadership, coordination, and strategic oversight for the implementation of IRC’s primary healthcare programs across all IRC-supported provinces.
• Ensure the timely and effective delivery of integrated, high-quality health services, including primary healthcare, sexual and reproductive health, mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), nutrition integration, and community-based interventions.
• Provide technical guidance and quality assurance to ensure full compliance with Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) policies, international clinical standards, and IRC technical frameworks.
• Strengthen internal coordination and maintain effective referral pathways across health, nutrition, protection, and MHPSS components to ensure continuity of care and comprehensive service delivery.
• Contribute technical leadership to proposal development and concept note (CN) preparation, including input into program design, budgets, implementation strategies, and donor compliance, as required.

Staff management and Supervision

• Provide direct line management and technical supervision to Provincial Health Managers, the MHPSS Manager, RCCE Manager, HIS Senior Officer, and the Reproductive Health (RH) Officer, ensuring clear accountability and effective coordination.
• Demonstrate strong leadership through mentoring, coaching, and performance management to strengthen individual and team capacity and drive high-quality program delivery.
• Lead and support staff development initiatives, including skills strengthening, training plans, coaching, and professional growth opportunities, to build a capable and motivated health workforce.
• Support the recruitment, onboarding, capacity development, and retention of qualified health staff, ensuring appropriate staffing structures and sustained technical excellence across programs.

Planning, Budget, and Grants Management

• Lead the development, monitoring, and updating of project workplans, implementation schedules, and procurement plans to ensure timely and efficient program delivery.
• Oversee health program budgets, ensuring cost-effective use of resources and full compliance with donor requirements and IRC financial policies.
• Contribute technical and financial input to proposal development, budget planning, and donor reporting for health programs.
• Ensure the preparation of high-quality project reports, including interim and final reports, accurately reflecting program achievements, challenges, lessons learned, and impact for all supported projects.

Quality Assurance and Field Support

• Conduct regular and extended field visits to IRC supported provinces to monitor service quality, identify gaps, and provide on-site technical support.
• Ensure corrective actions are implemented to address identified issues and improve program performance.
• Promote accountability, safeguarding, and protection mainstreaming across health services.

Coordination, Representation, and Advocacy

• Represent IRC Afghanistan in national Health Cluster meetings, technical working groups, and coordination forums.
• Lead coordination with the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) at national level and ensure representation and coordination at Departments of Public Health (DoPH) at provincial levels through Provincial Health Managers.
• Present IRC health projects and updates to the MoPH MoU Committee and other relevant authorities.
• Strengthen partnerships with UN agencies, NGOs, and other stakeholders.

Monitoring, Reporting, and Learning

• Ensure effective use of Health Information Systems (HIS) for data collection, analysis, and reporting.
• Support timely and high-quality donor reporting, ensuring accurate reflection of achievements and challenges.
• Promote learning, adaptation, and evidence-based and data driven decision-making across health programs.

Other Duties

• Ensure safety and security of field teams, promptly reporting any incidents.
• Support needs assessments and contribute to new project designs.
• Carry out other duties assigned by the Health Program Coordinator.

Reporting Line:

• The position directly reports to Sr. Advisor Health & Nutrition both technically and managerially.

Qualification and Requirements:

• Qualified Medical Doctor, from a recognized Medical University and licensed to practice in Afghanistan by the Ministry of Health or Master of Public Health (MPH) or equivalent postgraduate qualification.
• Minimum 5+ years of progressively responsible experience in health program management, preferably in humanitarian or development contexts.
• Demonstrated experience leading primary healthcare and SRH programs in complex or emergency settings.
• Strong experience in project implementation, budget management, workplan development, and donor compliance.
• Proven experience managing multi-disciplinary teams and supervising senior technical staff.
• Strong understanding of Afghanistan MoPH health systems, policies, and coordination mechanisms.

Demonstrated Managerial/Leadership Competencies:

• Strong leadership, people management, and mentoring skills.
• Excellent project and financial management capabilities.
• In-depth technical knowledge of PHC and SRH programming.
• Strong coordination, representation, and communication skills.
• Ability to work under pressure and manage multiple priorities.
• Willingness and ability to undertake frequent and extended field travel across IRC implementation provinces.
• Strong analytical, reporting, and presentation skills.

Languages/ Computer Skills: 

• Comfortable working in English and Dari/Pashto, with the ability to translate both written and spoken communication.
• Strong computer skills, including MS Word, Excel, Outlook, Access, and internet applications.
• Excellent communication skills, attention to detail, and ability to work professionally and constructively with diverse colleagues and stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to be innovative, flexible, and adaptive in complex and changing environments.
• Proven capacity to live and work in challenging conditions and perform effectively under high-pressure situations.

PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS

All International Rescue Committee workers must adhere to the core values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. Our Standards are Integrity, Service, Equality and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Safeguarding, Conflicts of Interest, Fiscal Integrity, and Reporting Wrongdoing and Protection from Retaliation. IRC is committed to take all necessary preventive measures and create an environment where people feel safe, and to take all necessary actions and corrective measures when harm occurs. IRC builds teams of professionals who promote critical reflection, power sharing, debate, and objectivity to deliver the best possible services to our clients.

Cookies: https://careers.rescue.org/us/en/cookiesettings