Program Officer, Katsina

For nearly 70 years, Pathfinder International has been a catalyst for systems transformation, inclusive growth, and resilient communities in over 120 countries across the world. With a global footprint spanning Africa, South Asia, and the Middle East, we invest in women, girls, and communities by expanding access to essential health products and services while advancing health systems, unlocking leadership pathways, and strengthening economic and climate resilience. Through strategic partnerships with civil society, governments, and the private sector, we scale innovations and data-driven models that deliver measurable impact. We advance this work alongside men and communities, co-creating and building environments and systems to ensure every woman has the agency to shape her future and lead a healthy, fulfilling life.

Reports to

Direct reports

N/A

The State Program Officer provides overall operational and technical leadership for the project in one state. The goal is for sustained political commitment, domestic financing, and community demand for routine immunization (RI) and HPV vaccination to become part of the state's health system, rather than depending on campaign cycles.

The officer is Pathfinder's primary day-to-day presence in the state. The role works through existing government structures (SMOH, SPHCDA, Ministry of Finance, SERRIC, ALGON, Ward Development Committees) and does not create parallel ones. It manages the state's CSO partner and oversees delivery across all four project pillars:

1. Evidence-to-Policy Translation
2. High-Level Political Engagement
3. Domestic Financing and Accountability
4. Demand Generation and Risk Communication

• Lead project implementation in the state and be the main point of contact for the State Ministry of Health (SMOH), SPHCDA, the State Emergency Routine Immunization Coordinating Committee (SERRIC), the Ministry of Finance, and other state MDAs.
• Lead the project's entry meetings and joint work planning with the state, and keep the state workplan aligned with the State Annual Operational Plan.
• Map existing review and coordination platforms (SERRIC, RITWG, ACSM TWG, EPI reviews, SWAp/MAMII structures) and recommend whether each should be strengthened, merged or used as it is, to avoid duplication.
• Coordinate with other implementing partners and complementary investments in the state to align workplans and avoid overlap.

15%

• Support the quarterly Immunization and HPV Performance Scorecard process, using DHIS2, eLMIS, supervision findings, financing data and community feedback.
• Support SERRIC and the RITWG run decision-focused reviews. Each review should produce an action matrix with owners, deadlines, resources and escalation points, and prior actions should be followed up at every meeting.
• Support quarterly LGA leadership accountability forums with ALGON and LGA Chairmen, and take part in LGA EPI performance-review meetings.
• Maintain the Implementation Tracking Framework so that system-level gaps (financing, supply, policy) can be told apart from field-level gaps (supervision, demand, data quality).

15%

• Provide technical assistance and evidence to executive, health, finance, education and local government leaders. This includes Deputy Governors (as Chairs of the State Task Force on PHC), Commissioners, SUBEB, ALGON and LGA Chairmen.
• Track budget approvals, releases and expenditure for RI and HPV (human resources, logistics, cold chain, outreach). Map treasury release pathways and report on disbursement velocity.
• Support joint Health-Education alignment sessions on school-based HPV delivery (SOPs, parental consent, privacy, adverse event management).

20%

• Manage and verify the performance milestones of the state's CSO partner. This includes reviewing deliverables, spot checks, quality assurance of reports and flagging subaward compliance concerns.
• Supervise field delivery of compound and household dialogues, gender-sensitive safe spaces, non-compliance resolution teams, school and out-of-school HPV demand generation (including Almajiri and Islamic school networks) and Youth Vaccine Champions.
• Oversee the closed-loop defaulter tracking and referral system (CommCare, CHIPS, WDCs, facility registers) and make sure the findings feed into LGA EPI reviews and SERRIC.
• Support the quarterly live radio call-in programme, rumor and misinformation escalation, and commemoration of immunization and HPV awareness days and MNCH weeks.
• Support capacity building for LIOs, LCCOs, Health Educators, LGA M&E officers and school health teachers.

15%

• Support the adoption of NPHCDA-compliant HPV Routine-Continuity Microplans and monitoring charts, and the "Every Eligible Contact" protocol.
• Support monthly continuity reviews and the diagnostic response to bottlenecks (service readiness, stock and distribution, social and access barriers).

10%

• Collect and verify state-level data for the project indicators, working with the MERL Officer. Carry out data quality assessments and quarterly spot checks.

  • Take part in the baseline and landscape assessment and the endline assessment, and lead the state's Pause and Reflect session at the end of Year 1.
  • Document lessons, promising practices and contribution stories and share them through state governance platforms.

15%

• Submit monthly, quarterly and annual inputs to the project's progress reports.

10%

• Bachelor's degree in public health, health policy, social sciences, development studies or a related field. A master's degree e.g. MPH or Masters in Health policy is an advantage.
• At least 5 years of progressive experience in public health program management in Nigeria, with proven experience in immunization, primary health care, or health systems strengthening.
• Demonstrated experience working with state government institutions (SMOH, SPHCDA, Ministry of Finance or Budget) and coordination platforms.
• Experience managing, mentoring, and monitoring local partners or subgrantees, including milestone verification and compliance.
• Strong skills in analyzing routine data (DHIS2 or equivalent), budget documents and performance information, and turning them into clear briefs.
• Excellent written and spoken English. Fluency in Hausa is required.

• Country Specific Public Health System: Basic understanding of the countries’ public health systems.
• Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights: Basic knowledge of contraception and reproductive health principles and rights, practices, and services, including program strategies and indicators, and the latest developments in the field.
• Program Operations and Development: Intermediate skills in implementing and managing global health program operations in the developing world.
• Proposal Development: Basic skills in project management-related tasks within proposal development from concept to full proposal.
• Leadership: Advanced skills as a leader in program or project management as part of health and health service delivery strengthening in developing countries.
• Program and Project Planning and Management: Intermediate skills in program and project management and planning to fulfill performance objectives, including the timely implementation, and reporting of donor funded program activities.
• Operations and Financial Management: Basic knowledge of operations and financial management in developing countries.
• Change Leadership: Ability to demonstrate a high degree of flexibility in managing change across a broad group of stakeholders in an inclusive manner.
• Presentation Skills: Ability to make presentations on results and products to diverse stakeholder groups.

• Software Applications: Advanced knowledge of MS Office products, including MS Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
• Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Services: Foundational knowledge of family planning and reproductive health principles, practices and services including strategies and indicators.
• Passion for Sexual and Reproductive Health Services: commitment to family planning, reproductive health services, gender, maternal, child health services, and eradication of harmful traditional practices.
• Communication: Advanced oral and written communication skills.
• Languages: Advanced writing and speaking skills using local language and English language.
• Project Planning and Management: Advanced skills in project planning, coordination, monitoring and management.
• Customer Service: Advanced customer service skills.
• Organization, Planning and Multi-tasking: Advanced organizational and planning skills, project planning and project management skills. Proven ability to set priorities, meet deadlines and multi-task with minimal supervision.
• Self-Management and Teamwork: Ability to work independently or as a member of the team, ability to be detailed-oriented, and ability to manage stress.
• Global and Cultural Effectiveness: Ability to communicate, collaborate with diverse stakeholders and achieve operational outcomes.
• Matrix Management: Ability to thrive in a matrixed organization.
• Confidentiality: Proven ability to maintain confidentiality on work-related issues.

• Travel required (up to 10%)

Pathfinder International provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Pathfinder is committed to the safeguarding and protection of the people we serve and our staff. We have zero tolerance for any type of behavior that inflicts harm on children, young people, adults, our staff, and partners including sexual abuse, harassment, bullying, and exploitation. We do everything possible to ensure that we recruit only those who are suitable to work with for us and expect that everyone we hire will abide by our safeguarding and related policies and will report any suspected or known violations. This job is subject to a range of vetting checks as legally permitted in the country where they are being hired. By applying, the job applicant acknowledges they understand our intent to verify suitability to work with us.

• We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace, and we encourage qualified women to apply.
• Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.
• Deadline to receive application is Saturday October 24, 2026.
• Please submit an updated resume with your application
• Pathfinder Nigeria DOES NOT PAY RELOCATION ALLOWANCE