Program Manager

Job  Summary:

The Program Manager will lead the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of the UCSF Center for Health Equity in Surgery and Anesthesia (CHESA) Global Health Equity Fellowship - the largest global surgery fellowship in the world. 

More than five billion people lack access to safe, timely, and affordable surgical care, and surgical conditions account for one-third of the global burden of disease. The CHESA Fellowship addresses this gap by equipping frontline clinicians serving vulnerable communities with the training, project support, mentorship, and global network needed to strengthen surgical and anesthetic care where it is most needed. Our fellows are building new clinical services where none existed before, and include alumni such as Burundi's first pediatric surgeon and Haiti's first pediatric ophthalmologist. The program is highly competitive and reaches physicians, nurses, and advanced practice providers across UCSF and institutions worldwide through a virtual-first model designed for busy clinicians.

Reporting to the CHESA Deputy Director and working closely with CHESA faculty leadership, the Program Manager serves as a strategic and operational partner responsible for shaping the fellowship experience end to end. This includes translating program vision into actionable plans, working with faculty to design curricula and educational content, facilitating sessions and workshops, managing relationships with fellows, faculty, alumni, and global partners, and continuously refining the program based on feedback and data. The Program Manager will develop a strong understanding of fellows’ work and actively facilitate connections across the CHESA network to support learning, collaboration, and impact. Familiarity with the global surgery and anesthesia landscape - or a demonstrated ability to quickly build domain expertise in it - will support strong program strategy and decision-making. 

The Program Manager will work closely with an Operations Coordinator  to ensure operational systems support programmatic goals. A solid understanding of UCSF administrative and operational policies and procedures is important to guide decision-making and program implementation. They will also co-manage the program budget, contribute to donor engagement and reporting, and support alignment across CHESA's broader education, research, and advocacy and policy initiatives. Occasional travel may be required for key events, fellow visits, and partner meetings.

This role is well-suited for someone who is both strategic and highly execution-oriented, thrives in dynamic environments, and is energized by working across diverse stakeholders, disciplines and cultures to build and grow impactful programs in global health. Strong adaptability, sound judgment, and the ability to navigate complex institutional and cross-cultural settings are essential.

We welcome applicants from a range of sectors - including global health, international development, social impact, nonprofit management, public health, philanthropy, consulting and technology - whose experience translates to managing complex, mission-driven programs

Department Summary:

About CHESA: The Center for Health Equity in Surgery and Anesthesia (CHESA) aims to expand equitable access to safe surgical and anesthetic care through partnerships that strengthen capacity and advance shared priorities across three interconnected fronts: education, research and advocacy & policy. CHESA formed in 2020 as one of the core academic centers in the UCSF Institute for Global Health Sciences - a culmination of decades of global health experience across UCSF departments and programs. The Center has 500+ members from UCSF, including 10 departments and divisions, and collaborating institutions and is helmed by a diverse leadership representing eight surgical subspecialities, anesthesia and nursing. 

About IGHS: UCSF's Institute for Global Health Sciences (IGHS) is dedicated to improving health and reducing the burden of disease in the world’s most vulnerable populations. It integrates UCSF expertise in all of the health, social, and biological sciences, and focuses that expertise on pressing issues in global health. IGHS works globally to achieve these aims. IGHS seeks to improve health worldwide, especially in developing countries, through research that informs policy.

IGHS is committed to ensuring a diverse, equitable and inclusive work environment as we work towards becoming an anti-racist organization. We strongly encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds. Please see our statement on anti-racism here: https://globalhealthsciences.ucsf.edu/about-us/diversity-equity-and-inclusion/statement-structural-racism

About UCSF: The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) is a leading university dedicated to promoting health worldwide through advanced biomedical research, graduate-level education in the life sciences and health professions, and excellence in patient care. It is the only campus in the 10- campus UC system dedicated exclusively to the health sciences.

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Key Responsibilities

(To be completed by Supervisor)

Program Strategy, Design & Continuous Improvement

• Partner with CHESA leadership to define and refine the vision, goals, and strategic direction of the fellowship
• Translate program goals into clear structures, activities, and deliverables, including curriculum and learning experiences 
• Design and oversee monitoring and evaluation processes in collaboration with the M&E Lead and fellowship co-directors; use data and feedback to continuously improve program quality and impact 
• Identify opportunities to strengthen and expand the program, including new partnerships and delivery approaches 
• Ensure alignment between fellowship activities and CHESA's broader mission across research, education, and advocacy 
• Stay informed on trends in global surgery and anesthesia to inform program direction and innovation

Program Implementation & Delivery

• Oversee execution of all fellowship activities, ensuring timely and high-quality delivery
• Develop and manage workplans, timelines, and milestones across program components and concurrent workstreams, including education sessions, recruitment, events, and partnerships
• Facilitate or co-facilitate sessions, workshops, and discussions; develop agendas and guide conversations to ensure engaging and effective sessions
• Anticipate challenges and adjust plans to maintain program continuity and quality

Stakeholder Engagement & Program Experience

• Work closely with faculty to design and deliver program content and prepare for sessions
• Build and maintain strong relationships with fellows, alumni, faculty, and global partners
• Serve as a key point of contact for program-related communication
• Develop a strong understanding of fellows’ work and facilitate connections across the CHESA network
• Foster cohort engagement and a strong sense of community
• Coordinate roles and expectations across collaborators and stakeholders
• Apply cultural awareness and global experience to effectively engage partners across diverse geographic and resource settings

Operational Oversight

• Ensure alignment between programmatic priorities and operational execution
• Work closely with the Coordinator to ensure smooth logistics, procurement, scheduling, and financial processes
• Identify operational needs and ensure systems support program goals
• Work with fellowship team to navigate competing priorities and complex institutional processes

Budget Management & Resource Planning 

• Co-manage program budget in collaboration with CHESA leadership
• Make decisions regarding allocation of resources across program activities
• Ensure alignment between budget use and program priorities
• Work with the Operations Coordinator to ensure accurate tracking and execution

Community Engagement [HN1] & Strategic Communications Support 

• Support preparation for donor and stakeholder meetings, including briefing materials and presentations
• Compile program updates, impact highlights, and relevant data for donor communications and reports
• Translate monitoring and evaluation data into clear, compelling narratives that communicate program impact to diverse audiences
• Coordinate logistics and follow-up for donor engagement activities; ensure alignment between program activities and donor priorities

Required:

• Bachelor's degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training.
• 3+ years of progressive professional experience in program management, including in global health, international development, social impact, public health, or a related field
• Minimum 2 years of full-time professional experience working internationally or in cross-cultural settings on programs advancing health, education, social impact or development, including direct engagement with partners across diverse contexts
• 3+ years of experience designing and delivering educational or training programs for adult professional learners, including curriculum development and facilitation of workshops or learning sessions
• Experience managing program budgets, including resource allocation decisions and financial tracking
• Demonstrated experience managing relationships with and coordinating across physician and nursing faculty or other senior subject-matter experts
• Demonstrated knowledge of, or ability to quickly learn, the global surgery and anesthesia landscape
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, adapt to changing needs, and effectively set and adjust priorities and problem solve in a dynamic environment
• Demonstrated ability to synthesize complex program information into clear written and verbal communications for diverse audiences
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
• Ability to use discretion and maintain all confidentiality.
• Demonstrates ability to use sound judgment in responding to issues and concerns.
• Strong skills in analyzing, researching and synthesizing large amounts of data for preparing sound and relevant proposals / analyses.

• Ability to multi-task with demanding timeframes.

  
  

Preferred:

• Master's degree in public health, public administration, global health, health policy, international development, or related field required; or equivalent combination of education and directly relevant professional experience.
• Experience designing or implementing monitoring and evaluation frameworks for educational, health or social impact programs, including using data and feedback to drive program improvements
• Experience managing a clinical fellowship or training program, or other longitudinal education or cohort-based program
• Demonstrated experience using AI tools (e.g., large language models, automation platforms) to improve workflow efficiency, draft and synthesize content, or streamline administrative processes in a professional setting
• Experience preparing donor reports, grant deliverables, or external communications that translate program data into impact narratives for diverse audiences
• Working knowledge of applicable policy analysis techniques.
• Experience with Moodle, Articulate, Wordpress, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, and/or Canva.
• Foreign language proficiency, preferably Spanish or French