Deputy Project Director / Chief of Party

Opian is an Ethiopian health-technology and innovation company building decision infrastructure for stronger health systems. We combine deep knowledge of how care and supply chains operate, human-centred product design, data engineering and responsible artificial intelligence. Our work helps health workers, managers and public institutions turn fragmented data into timely decisions—so essential medicines, vaccines and services are available where and when people need them.

Our philosophy

We believe useful innovation is not novelty for its own sake. It is the disciplined work of understanding a real problem, challenging assumptions, building and testing a better response, measuring what changes, and strengthening the institutions that must sustain the result. Technology is valuable only when it improves a decision, a workflow or an outcome in the real operating environment.

• Start with reality: design around the health workers, workloads, incentives, infrastructure and constraints that actually exist—not an imported ideal workflow.
• Build with people, not for them: government counterparts and frontline users are co-designers, decision-makers and eventual owners, not passive recipients.
• Strengthen the system, not a standalone application: connect workflows, data, institutions and incentives so information can lead to action across every level.
• Push boundaries responsibly: make ambitious but testable bets, protect safety and privacy, and change direction quickly when evidence contradicts the original idea.
• Make capability local and durable: transfer knowledge, product ownership and operational responsibility so progress continues without permanent dependence on an external project team.
• Be honest about impact: distinguish deployment from adoption and activity from results; make claims specific, measurable and open to verification.

What this means for candidates

Opian is looking for accomplished specialists who are also builders. Candidates should bring exceptional depth in their discipline, intellectual courage, practical judgment and the humility to learn from users and evidence. We value people who can move from ambiguity to a testable approach, from a workshop to an operating routine, and from a promising pilot to an institutionally owned system. The standard is simple: show not only what you know, but what you personally built, changed, tested, learned and left stronger.

• Work across public health, supply chain, policy, product, technology and field implementation boundaries.
• Turn expertise into usable products, processes, decisions and measurable improvements—not reports alone.
• Operate with urgency while preserving quality, public trust, data protection, service continuity and government ownership.

Vacancy Summary

Recruitment under this vacancy is subject to donor approval.

Role purpose

Translate the program strategy into disciplined day-to-day execution. The Deputy Project Director will run the integrated delivery system, coordinate technical and field teams, manage dependencies, maintain delivery standards and act for the Project Director when delegated.

Key responsibilities

• Maintain the integrated master workplan, milestone schedule, dependency map, decision log, risk register and action tracker.
• Coordinate product, supply-chain, interoperability, implementation, government-partnership, finance and evaluation teams around a single delivery cadence.
• Chair weekly delivery reviews and ensure that unresolved constraints are escalated with clear options and accountable owners.
• Oversee recruitment, onboarding, deployment and performance management of program personnel and partner teams.
• Ensure that regional and facility implementation experience is incorporated rapidly into product and policy decisions.
• Manage operational readiness for assessments, workshops, releases, field deployments, training, supervision and evaluation activities.
• Ensure complete and timely technical, operational and financial reporting, supported by verifiable evidence.
• Coordinate procurement, subaward administration, logistics, safety and project-specific compliance requirements.
• Lead continuity planning and maintain effective operations during leadership absences or periods of rapid scale-up.

Expected results

• One integrated delivery plan connecting technical releases, field readiness, governance decisions and evaluation milestones.
• Predictable delivery with early identification and resolution of cross-workstream dependencies.
• Accurate management information and timely corrective actions.
• Well-functioning teams and partners with clear roles, standards and performance expectations.