JOB DESCRIPTION FOR THE PROJECT MANAGER
Location: Ministry of Health, Kigali, Rwanda
Reports To: Research Coordinator
Contract Type: Full-time
Duration: One year renewable
Position Overview:
The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with partners, is implementing the research project
titled “Evaluating Maternal, Neonatal, and Child Nutrition and Health (MNCNH) Innovation Impact in Rwanda.” The project aligns with the Health Sector Strategic Plan V (HSSP V, 2024–2029) and aims to evaluate high-impact maternal and neonatal health interventions, including Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation (MMS), Calcium Supplementation, Intravenous Iron, PPH Bundles, and Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS).
We are seeking a highly organized and results-oriented Project Manager to lead the administrative, financial, procurement, logistics, and operational coordination of the project. Working under the technical oversight of the Research Coordinator, with functional accountability to the Principal Investigator, and in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health Single Project Implementation Unit (SPIU), the successful candidate will ensure effective planning, budget execution, procurement, donor compliance, and timely delivery of project outputs.
The position will be fully seconded to the Ministry of Health.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the development, execution, and continuous update of the Project Implementation Plan, annual work plans, and detailed activity schedules aligned with approved project objectives.
- Provide day-to-day operational coordination across participating hospitals, health centers, and implementing partners to ensure timely delivery of outputs.
- Lead project financial management functions in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health SPIU, including budget execution and monitoring, expenditure tracking, financial forecasting, financial reporting, audit preparation, and full compliance with Government of Rwanda and donor procedures.
- Coordinate all procurement and logistics activities in collaboration with Ministry of Health procurement units, SPIU, Rwanda Biomedical Centre, and Rwanda Medical Supply to ensure timely acquisition, distribution, and tracking of commodities, equipment, and supplies.
- Oversee grant and donor compliance, including preparation of high-quality financial and narrative reports, tracking contractual deliverables and reporting deadlines, and ensuring adherence to funding agreements.
- Support Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) activities by tracking quarterly progress against indicators and milestones, verifying implementation against work plans, and flagging risks or delays to the Research Coordinator and Principal Investigator.
- Organize and coordinate governance and stakeholder engagements, including Steering Committee meetings, technical working groups, donor review meetings, and high-level Ministry briefings.
- Prepare meeting agendas, minutes, presentations, and action trackers for internal coordination and external stakeholder engagements.
- Coordinate operational logistics for trainings, workshops, site supervision visits, monitoring missions, and review meetings.
- Maintain a comprehensive project risk register, operational tracker, and document management system to ensure accountability and institutional memory.
- Ensure administrative compliance with Ministry of Health policies, donor regulations, and national public financial management requirements.
- Work under the technical oversight of the Research Coordinator while maintaining close coordination with the Principal Investigator and SPIU.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Project Management, Public Administration, Finance, Accounting, Data Science, Engineering, Information Technology, Public Health, or a closely related field.
- Proven professional experience managing and implementing health programs, preferably in maternal, neonatal, child health, or nutrition sectors.
- Demonstrated experience managing large-scale donor-funded projects, particularly those supported by major global health funders.
- Strong experience implementing Government of Rwanda-funded activities, with solid understanding of Public Financial Management (PFM) principles and reporting requirements.
- Experience coordinating multi-stakeholder health projects involving the Ministry of Health, hospitals, health centers, NGOs, and development partners.
- Prior experience supervising field teams or coordinating health facility-based activities.
- Experience in monitoring and evaluation (M&E), including tracking indicators and supporting data-driven decision-making.
- Experience preparing technical, financial, and donor reports with high accuracy and professionalism.
- Familiarity with ethical review processes, research protocols, and implementation research is an added advantage.
- Experience with community engagement is desirable.
Skills & Competencies
- Excellent organizational and coordination skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
- Strong financial and administrative management capabilities.
- Effective communication and interpersonal skills to engage diverse stakeholders and field teams.
- Strong understanding of research ethics, participant protection, and informed consent procedures.
- Ability to identify operational risks and implement practical mitigation measures.
- High level of professionalism, integrity, and accountability.
Why Join This Project?
- Contribute to a nationally prioritized research initiative aimed at reducing maternal and neonatal mortality in Rwanda.
- Play a critical role in strengthening implementation research and health system innovation.
- Work within a dynamic, high-impact environment in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health and national stakeholders.
- Support evidence generation that informs national health policy and improves quality of care.
Application Instructions:
Interested candidates should submit all required documents via this link by Wednesday, March 19, 2026, 23:59 CAT. Questions can be directed to hr@kfhrf.org.