Job description

JOB ADVERTISEMENT

CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER X 1 – PERMANENT

Zambia Sugar Plc, an ABF Sugar company and Zambia’s leading sugar producer, is seeking an experienced and accomplished medical professional to join as Chief Medical Officer, a leadership role combining both strategic direction with hands-on clinical and operational responsibility. This position reports to the Estate Support Services Director.

The successful candidate will lead Zambia Sugar’s medical and occupational health services (OHS) comprising 1 estate hospital, and 3 clinics, OHS services ~16 000 people and has a public health leg. The successful candidate will work across diverse cross-functional teams to develop and drive integrated health frameworks, policies and assurance mechanisms, while actively delivering and overseeing safe, high-quality, efficient and fit-for-purpose medical services that protect the health and wellbeing of employees, their families and communities.

Key Responsibilities

The successful candidate will:

• Provide strategic leadership and expert medical and occupational health advice to executive leadership and the wider business.
• Lead the implementation and embedding of Medical Services strategy, minimum standards, frameworks, policies, procedures and ways of working.
• Develop and embed integrated health and occupational health frameworks, policies and assurance mechanisms to protect employee health, ensure fitness for work and prevent occupational diseases.
• Lead a risk-based occupational health programme, including medical surveillance, fitness-for-work assessments, health promotion and prevention of work-related illness and injury.
• Partner with HR, Safety, Operations and other relevant stakeholders to develop and deliver a comprehensive employee health and wellbeing programme, integrating occupational health, physical and mental wellbeing, preventive health and health promotion to support a healthy, safe and productive workforce.
• Build local medical services capability through people development, coaching and mentoring, process improvement, and the adoption of appropriate tools, technology, facilities and equipment.
• Drive the optimisation of medical services to provide cost-effective, affordable and fit-for-purpose healthcare responsive to the needs of employees and their families.
• Provide clinical governance and oversight across medical facilities, ensuring safe, high-quality and efficient patient care.
• Provide specialist leadership and advice in managing significant health risks and disease outbreaks, including occupational health risks, malaria and other communicable and non-communicable diseases.
• Manage and coordinate public health programmes including malaria, HIV/TB, non-communicable diseases, immunisation and water-quality interventions.
• Develop and maintain strategic partnerships with the Ministry of Health, healthcare providers, NGOs and other stakeholders to improve employee, family and community health outcomes.
• Ensure compliance with applicable healthcare legislation, professional standards, internal controls and ABF Sugar policies and minimum standards.
• Provide oversight and advice on employee medical benefits, ensuring they remain appropriate, effective and sustainable.
• Lead and develop multidisciplinary medical teams, creating a culture of accountability, continuous improvement and high performance.
• Oversee medical services budgets, pharmacy management, healthcare infrastructure, equipment and capital investment.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in medicine (MBChB or MD), with current registration and a valid practising certificate from the Health Professions Council of Zambia (HPCZ).
• Preferably 10 years relevant experience in clinical, hospital and/or healthcare management.
• Strong knowledge and practical experience in occupational health; a postgraduate qualification in Occupational Health would be an advantage.
• Demonstrated experience leading and developing multidisciplinary healthcare teams.
• Strong understanding of clinical governance, healthcare operations, health risk management, regulatory compliance and financial management.
• Demonstrated ability to influence across diverse cross-functional teams and provide credible expert advice to senior and executive leadership.
• Strong stakeholder-management skills, with the ability to develop effective relationships with government, healthcare providers and other external partners.
• Experience in driving organisational change, capability development and continuous improvement within healthcare services would be advantageous.
• Suitably qualified applicants must provide certificates verified by Zambia Qualifications Authority (ZAQA).

Interested candidates should submit a detailed CV, copies of relevant qualifications, professional registrations and ID/passport to the attention of HR Business Partner:

Email: careers@zamsugar.zm

Indicating “Application, Chief Medical Officer” in the subject line.

Closing date for applications is 16th September 2026.

Applicants shall be required to complete pre-employment checks (qualification, credit, security, background, and medical assessments) as part of the recruitment process where applicable.