Program Manager, Southern Africa

Title: Program Manager – Southern Africa

Organizational Overview

Smile Train is the world’s leading cleft focused organization. Our goal is to transform the lives of every person impacted by a cleft lip or palate. We train and support doctors and medical professionals to provide our patients with free, life-changing, comprehensive cleft treatment. Our sustainable model has allowed us to reach more than 2 million children in 90+ countries in the past 25 years, and we still feel like we’ve just started. We are truly changing the world one smile at a time!

Make a Difference!

As Smile Train’s Program Manager – Southern Africa, the Program Manager – Southern Africa will serve as the primary relationship manager for partners and leading programmatic implementation in Mozambique, Angola and Eswatini. This role is central to advancing Smile Train’s mission by ensuring effective partner engagement, program quality, financial stewardship, compliance, and strategic alignment with regional and global objectives. The position requires frequent travel to partner locations, including remote areas, and involves close collaboration with Smile Train’s headquarters and regional teams.

Reports To

Senior Program Manager, East and Southern Africa

Key Responsibilities

Relationship Management

• Serve as the primary relationship manager for treatment and non-treatment partners, government agencies, and training institutions.
• Ensure effective collaboration and alignment between Smile Train and local partners, addressing inquiries and resolving challenges proactively.
• Facilitate onboarding and capacity building for partners, ensuring compliance with Smile Train protocols, systems, and reporting requirements.
• Strengthen cross-departmental collaboration and promote alignment of global strategies with local contexts ("glocalization").

Program Implementation

• Work with partners in Angola, Eswatini and Mozambique to ensure targets for surgery and comprehensive cleft care are met.
• Conduct due diligence and needs assessments to evaluate and expand cleft care coverage across designated countries.
• Lead the planning and implementation of annual programmatic goals in line with Smile Train’s global priorities.
• Monitor and visit partner facilities regularly to ensure high-quality and safe program delivery.
• Manage budgets to maximize impact and ensure appropriate use of funds.
• Coordinate capacity-building initiatives, including workshops and training for local cleft care teams.
• Oversee the review and approval of funding applications and vendor invoices in compliance with internal guidelines.

Compliance

• Ensure compliance with organizational, safety, and quality standards.
• Oversee audits (safety, financial, legal) and remediate identified risks.
• Review partner data and reports, ensuring timely submission and accuracy for grant closure and future planning.
• Address Quality Assurance (QA) concerns with appropriate escalation and training interventions.

Financial Management

• Collaborate on the development of annual budgets and track expenditure against targets.
• Review and manage payment rates to ensure alignment with cost-sharing requirements and programmatic goals.
• Ensure accurate and timely processing of partner payments and donor reporting requirements.

Communications and Advocacy

• Represent Smile Train at national conferences, media engagements, and partner events to raise awareness of cleft care.
• Support branding compliance and facilitate partner contributions to communications and storytelling efforts.
• Engage government agencies and key health institutions to advocate for integrating cleft care into national health policies.

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL)

• Collect and analyze program data to measure partner performance and programmatic impact.
• Strengthen mechanisms for feedback from partners, patients, and communities to drive continuous improvement.
• Track KPIs, such as:
  • Year-over-year increase in cleft interventions.
  • Number of professionals trained annually.
  • Partner/patient satisfaction metrics.

Candidate Profile

• The ideal candidate is Strong relationship-building and trust-based stakeholder engagement skills.
• Ability to generate and translate field data into actionable insights and program improvements.
• Cultural sensitivity and adaptability in diverse contexts.
• Effective internal and external communication skills.
• Strategic alignment with Smile Train’s global vision and mission.
• Initiative and accountability in program delivery and leadership.

Required Education and Experience

• Education:
  • Advanced degree in Medicine, Public Health, Global Health, Social sciences, International Relations, Law or Accounting or any other related field.
• Experience:
  • Minimum of 7–10 years’ progressive experience in public health program management, preferably in international NGOs or healthcare-focused organizations.
  • Demonstrated track record of managing large-scale health programs and partnerships, with a focus on quality, safety, and sustainability.
  • Proven experience in partner relationship management, including collaboration with healthcare institutions.
  • Hands-on experience in capacity building, training implementation, and program evaluation.
  • Strong financial management experience, including budget planning, monitoring, and reporting.

Preferred Education and Experience

• Excellent stakeholder engagement skills, particularly with leadership of Treatment Centers .
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data and translate it into actionable strategies.
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills across diverse cultures and professional levels:
• Ability to work with a global team, exhibiting cultural sensitivity, a commitment to Smile Train’s mission, strong time management skills, and capacity to work independently with minimal or no supervision.
• Proficiency in program monitoring, compliance, and risk mitigation.
• Detail oriented, adaptable, organized and able to successfully manage multiple projects and tasks.

Additional Eligibility Qualifications

• Fluency in Portuguese and English (spoken and written); proficiency in other languages is an advantage.
• Cultural adaptability and ability to thrive in multi-country, multi-stakeholder environments.

Compensation

Successful candidates will be compensated between $23,000 and $25,000 annually.

Smile Train team members enjoy a full range of innovative benefits

Accountability Expectations

• Ownership of Outcomes: Take full responsibility for one’s own performance, ensuring alignment with Smile Train’s mission and objectives.
• Transparent Communication: Communicate openly and effectively with team members, fostering trust and a shared understanding of expectations and priorities.
• Emotional Intelligence: Demonstrate empathy, understanding, and cultural sensitivity to contribute to an inclusive and supportive team environment.
• Empowerment: Effectively communicate with supervisors to ensure you are equipped with the resources, guidance, and autonomy you need to excel in your role
• Team Cohesion: Contribute to a culture of collaboration, mutual respect, and shared accountability, helping the team to thrive in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment

Application Process

Smile Train is an equal opportunity employer, committed to inclusive hiring and dedicated to diversity in our work and staff. We strongly encourage candidates from all groups and communities to apply.

To apply, please complete the application online. Include your CV and a cover letter explaining why you would be a good fit for Smile Train and this role. Only those who provide a cover letter as directed will be considered. We encourage interested applicants to submit their applications as soon as possible.