The Gates Foundation is hiring a Program Officer for Health Systems Strengthening and Primary Healthcare (PHC) in Abuja, Nigeria. The role sits inside the foundation’s Nigeria Country Office and supports the design and rollout of primary healthcare reforms across the country.
This is a full-time role for an experienced public health professional. You need a degree in a health-related field and at least six years of relevant experience in health systems strengthening or primary healthcare, ideally in African settings. One condition matters most: you must already be legally allowed to work in Nigeria, because the foundation will not arrange a visa for this role.
Applications close on 28 November. The job requisition ID is B021768.
What the job is really about
Primary healthcare is the first level of care most people meet: the local clinic, the community health worker, the basic services a family uses before anything serious happens. Nigeria has been working to make that level of care stronger and better funded, and this role supports that work from inside the foundation’s Nigeria Country Office.
The Program Officer helps design and carry out primary healthcare reforms at the federal level and with state governments, because a reform that only works on paper in the capital changes nothing where people actually get care. The role also covers PHC financing — the systems that move money to clinics and health workers — plus managing a portfolio of grants and contracts and building partnerships with government officials and donor partners.
The role at a glance
| Detail | Information |
| Organisation | Gates Foundation |
| Job title | Program Officer, Health Systems Strengthening and Primary Healthcare (PHC) |
| Location | Abuja, Nigeria |
| Employment type | Full-time |
| Requisition ID | B021768 |
| Reports to | Deputy Director, Health Systems Strengthening and PHC, Nigeria Country Office |
| Travel | Up to 30% domestic and international |
| Application deadline | 28 November |
What you would actually do
This is a mix of strategy and hands-on delivery. You would not work in a clinic yourself; you would help shape how Nigeria’s primary healthcare system improves, and follow through so plans become real.
Your main areas of work would be:
- Supporting PHC reform design and implementation at the federal level and with state governments.
- Working on primary healthcare financing, so funding reaches clinics and health workers.
- Managing a portfolio of grants and contracts, tracking partner progress and fixing problems when projects fall behind.
- Building partnerships with government and donors, keeping the relationships that make reforms possible.
You would report to the Deputy Director for Health Systems Strengthening and PHC in the Nigeria Country Office — a role with real responsibility, not a support-only position.
Who this role fits
Check yourself against these requirements before you spend time applying:
- Education: a degree in Public Health, Health Systems and Administration, Health Financing, or a related field.
- Experience: a minimum of six years of relevant experience in health systems strengthening, primary healthcare, or public health, with African settings specifically asked for.
- Work style: comfortable working with government partners, managing grants, and travelling up to 30% of the time within Nigeria and internationally.
If you have spent years inside health systems, managed donor-funded health projects, or advised governments on health policy in Africa, your background lines up well.
The one condition you cannot skip
Applicants must be legally authorised to work in Nigeria without visa sponsorship. In plain language: you need the legal right to work in Nigeria already, and the foundation will not apply for a work permit on your behalf. If you are based outside Nigeria and do not have that authorisation, this role is not open to you, no matter how strong the rest of your profile is.
How to apply
Applications go through the Gates Foundation careers page under requisition ID B021768. Make sure your CV clearly shows your experience, your degree, and your right to work in Nigeria.
Use the button below to open the official application page, and apply before the 28 November deadline.
How to make your application stronger
The posting tells you exactly what the hiring team cares about, so shape your application around it.
Start with primary healthcare financing. If you have worked on health budgets, funding flows, or payment systems for clinics and health workers, put that near the top of your CV. Few applicants show real depth here, and it is a core part of the role.
Next, make your grant management concrete. Say how many grants you oversaw, what kind of partners you worked with, and what the projects produced. Finally, highlight your government experience below the national level — showing you helped a policy work with state or local realities matters more than naming a ministry. If your African experience includes Nigeria itself, say so clearly.
Frequently asked questions
Does this role come with visa sponsorship?
No. You must already be legally authorised to work in Nigeria.
Is the salary stated in the posting?
No. The official posting does not state a salary, so this article does not include one. We never estimate pay figures.
Is this the same as the Gates Foundation TB role in Seattle?
No. That is a separate, more senior role based in Seattle. This Program Officer role is based in Abuja and focuses on primary healthcare reform in Nigeria. We have covered the Seattle role here.
What does up to 30% travel mean?
Roughly a third of your working time could be spent travelling within Nigeria and internationally.
Other NGO roles you may like
You may also want to look at these openings on this site: a UNICEF technical advisor role in Kenya and a Deputy Country Director position with People in Need in Kyiv.
