Program Manager, Vaccine Markets

Overview

To ensure people in low- and middle-income countries have access to effective and affordable immunization, CHAI’s Vaccine Markets Team works with vaccine manufacturers, Gavi, UNICEF, WHO, and other global stakeholders improving availability, affordability, and supply security for existing and future vaccines. In doing this, CHAI is applying the techniques it has used successfully to improve access to HIV/AIDS and malaria treatment: improving market demand transparency for suppliers, partners, donors and financiers, and working closely with individual suppliers to optimize their commercial, costing and pricing strategies in low- and middle-income markets.

 

The team’s current portfolio spans routine and novel vaccine markets (e.g., hexavalent, measles-rubella, pneumococcal conjugate, oral cholera, HPV and RSV vaccines), as well as support to strengthen a diversified supplier base, including efforts to build sustainable African vaccine manufacturing (AVM).

 

Position Overview

 

CHAI is seeking a Program Manager to join its Vaccine Markets Team. Reporting to the Associate Director, Vaccine Markets, the Program Manager will lead a set of market-shaping workstreams with a high degree of independence, from scoping new opportunities through project delivery, and will serve as the team’s point of contact on African vaccine manufacturing. The Program Manager will manage a small team of Associates and collaborate with a broader set of team members on specific projects.

 

Vaccine market priorities evolve quickly, and a large portion of the team’s work arises from emerging opportunities and partner requests. The role suits an entrepreneurial self-starter who can creatively scope and initiate new work while delivering on ongoing commitments.

Responsibilities

Market shaping

• Lead vaccine market-shaping workstreams, developing an understanding of global market dynamics and designing interventions through analyses, insights and technical know-how shared with suppliers, governments, and partners (incl. bilateral supplier engagements).
• Creatively scope and initiate new projects that improve the supply sustainability, affordability, and accessibility of vaccines for low- and middle-income countries.
• Lead the development of market intelligence on assigned antigens (e.g., HPV and novel vaccines such as dengue and RSV) and its dissemination to global health partners, donors, and vaccine manufacturers.
• Lead and guide analyses (e.g., demand forecasts, uptake models, coverage analysis, production capacity and pipeline planning) and their translation into presentations and reports that strengthen the business case for vaccine access, inform global policy and build the evidence base for high-impact interventions

African vaccine manufacturing

• Serve as the team’s point of contact on African vaccine manufacturing, staying current on technology transfers, procurement developments and policy changes.
• Manage and strengthen relationships with key African vaccine manufacturers, providing market insights and targeted business planning support.
• Disseminate and tailor CHAI’s AVM supply landscape and analyses to relevant partners, e.g. the World Bank, Gavi Alliance partners and CHAI country teams.
• Lead regular engagement with the Gates Foundation on AVM and coordinate with Gavi, UNICEF, WHO, Africa CDC and other ecosystem partners, including inputs to policy papers.
• Act as a thought partner on the evolution of AVM-related programs, and scope supplier-specific or landscape work where warranted.

Partners and team

• Cultivate and lead relationships with key global health partners, donors, and vaccine manufacturers.
• Manage and coach junior team members, providing hands-on guidance on technical matters and matching development goals to opportunities.
• Support donor reporting and the development of concept notes and new proposals.
• Support strategic initiatives at the global ecosystem level, e.g., understanding key market-shaping trends and defining best practices for different antigen segments.
• Any other duties as required.

Qualifications

• Minimum advanced degree with strong academic performance.
• Minimum 7 years of professional experience in a fast-paced, results-oriented work environment (e.g., strategy consulting, pharmaceuticals, health economics, health financing).
• Clear strategic and structured thinker with strong problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Proven project management skills and the ability to work independently and entrepreneurially in a dynamic environment, handling multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Proven team management skills with a good eye for people development and coaching.
• Demonstrated ability to build strong relationships with individuals of varying levels of seniority.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with ability to work effectively in a multicultural and remote environment.
• High proficiency in MS PowerPoint, Excel, and Word, and the ability to use AI tools effectively and responsibly to enhance the quality and efficiency of analytical work.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills in English with the ability to represent CHAI externally; fluency in other languages is a plus.
• Strong commitment to teamwork, team mission, and hard work.
• Available for up to 15-20% travel.

Advantages

• Experience in vaccine markets, pharmaceutical manufacturing, or health commodity procurement and financing.
• Knowledge of the global immunization ecosystem (e.g., Gavi, UNICEF Supply Division, WHO, Africa CDC).
• Familiarity with regional manufacturing, technology transfer, or industrial policy in Africa or other LMIC settings.
• Experience working in low-resource settings.

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