Amina Jama Mahmud
Lund
Summary
Visionary leader, gender and health specialist with over20 years of progressive experience in SRHR, public and community health systems strengthening. Adept at managing high-impact programs in diverse contexts, building partnerships with multilateral agencies, donors, governments, and civil society organizations. Proven ability to integrate strategic leadership, technical expertise, and innovation to deliver sustainable solutions that improve child and community health outcomes. Experienced in people, process and partnership management, resource mobilization, and mentoring for capacity development.
Results-driven leader with positive attitude and passion for providing high-quality advice and guidance to clients. Proven ability to identify customer needs, resolve conflicts and build strong relationships. Possesses excellent problem-solving, communication and interpersonal skills.
Overview
22
22
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Senior Advisor in SRHR/Health and Nutrition
Swedish International Development Agency (Sida)
08.2024 - Current
- Managing a 34 Million USD health portfolio, aligning donor investments with government health priorities and community needs
- Building partnerships with governments, multilateral organizations, and civil society to scale primary health care initiatives
- Providing strategic guidance on program design, monitoring, and evaluation to enhance impact and accountability
- Health programs under my portfolio focus extensively on maternal, neonatal, child, and nutrition care
- Maintain an extensive professional network and leveraged connections to ensure synergies , contributing to sustained growth over time.
Honorary Research Associate
Dept of Women’s & Children’s Health, Uppsala Univ.
11.2020 - Current
- Participated in research projects by designing and executing experiments.
- Provided technical guidance on research design, data collection and analysis. Supported research team as needed.
- Collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to drive project success and achieve objectives in collaboration with SIDRA Institute, a think-tank based in Somalia.
- Monitored progress against project timelines, ensuring timely completion of deliverables while maintaining high-quality standards.
- Trained and supervised junior researchers/graduate students
Founder and Director
Women in Global Health Somalia
10.2018 - Current
- Established the first African branch of Women in Global Health, advocating for equity and capacity building among female health professionals
- Fostered mentorship and leadership development opportunities, bridging local talent with global expertise
- Supported national health policy reforms to ensure inclusivity and access to health services for marginalized groups
Senior Research Advisor
Embassy of Sweden
08.2022 - 08.2024
- Managed a 25Million USD portfolio Swedish bilateral research cooperation with Ethiopia, aligning donor investments with government priorities and community needs
- Fostered an environment of teamwork and collaboration, facilitating effective communication between team members across functional areas.
- Building partnerships with government, academia, multilateral organizations, and civil society to
- Spearheaded operational improvements through continuous assessment of performance metrics and identification of areas requiring optimization.
- Identified new opportunities for collaboration with external research partners, expanding the organization's network and resources.
- Led the Human Rights, and Democracy group, provided strategic guidance on program design, monitoring, and evaluation to enhance impact and accountability
Co-Principal Investigator
SIDRA Institute/University of Edinburgh
03.2020 - 04.2023
- Led research on health access for displaced populations, publishing findings in high-impact scientific journals
- Mentored junior researchers and mobilized funding for adaptive programming
- Streamlined data management processes, facilitating efficient access to vital information for ongoing research activities.
- Led manuscript preparation efforts, ensuring effective communication of study objectives, methods, results, and implications for future work.
- Enhanced research quality by implementing rigorous statistical analysis methods and innovative data collection techniques.
- Championed ethical conduct in all research activities, adhering to institutional review board guidelines and promoting a culture of integrity within the team.
- Continually pursued professional development opportunities to stay current with emerging trends in the field and enhance overall expertise as a Co-Principal Investigator.
- Overcame complex challenges in data acquisition by developing customized solutions to ensure accurate and comprehensive information gathering.
- Cultivated a positive research environment that fostered open communication, creativity, and intellectual curiosity among team members.
- Established strong partnerships with external collaborators, broadening the scope of investigation and enriching the overall research experience.
- Developed comprehensive research plans, ensuring timely completion of project milestones and delivery of high-quality results.
MEAL Team Lead
SIDRA Institute
09.2021 - 08.2022
- Advised on the digitilisation of health information system in somalia
- On the digitization process of the National Health Management Information System as a key Technical Advisor, aligning with the HADDA initiative championed by Stockholm University
- Managed a high performing Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEAL) team, conducting pivotal studies to refine design and assess impact through iterative evaluation
- Cultivated expertise within the MEAL team, providing comprehensive training in research methodologies, data collection, analytical techniques, and report generation
- Headed team for iterative design evaluations
- Trained MEAL team in research & reporting
Program Director
Save the Children International
10.2018 - 07.2022
- Portfolio Manager and Senior Advisor | Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA)
- Kinshasa, DRC | Aug2024 – Present
- Leading a multi-million-dollar health portfolio, aligning donor investments with government health priorities and community needs
- Building partnerships with governments, multilateral organizations, and civil society to scale primary health care initiatives
- Providing strategic guidance on program design, monitoring, and evaluation to enhance impact and accountability
- Health programs under my portfolio focus extensively on maternal, neonatal, child, and nutrition care
Health Policy and Strategy Specialist, Consultant
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
08.2017 - 09.2018
- Portfolio Manager and Senior Advisor | Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA)
- Kinshasa, DRC | Aug2024 – Present
- Leading a multi-million-dollar health portfolio, aligning donor investments with government health priorities and community needs
- Building partnerships with governments, multilateral organizations, and civil society to scale primary health care initiatives
- Providing strategic guidance on program design, monitoring, and evaluation to enhance impact and accountability
- Health programs under my portfolio focus extensively on maternal, neonatal, child, and nutrition care
Senior Advisor - Health Policy & Planning
Federal Ministry of Health, Somalia
10.2016 - 06.2017
- Led the development of Somalia’s National Health Sector Strategic Plan (HSSPII/2017-2021), fostering stakeholder collaboration
- Established the National Humanitarian Coordination Centre to strengthen disaster response and health systems resilience
Director and Program Manager
SOMALI INFORMATION AND BUSINESS CENTER (SIBC)
06.2013 - 06.2017
- Led program development at a community centre in Malmö, securing consistent funding for Seven years and expanding beneficiary diversity
- Successfully launched35 immigrant-owned businesses, predominantly female-led, through strategic funding initiatives and coaching
- Negotiated with local government to secure over300 summer job placements for marginalized immigrant youth across six years
- Co-led research initiatives that informed new policy making, enhancing health service provision for marginalized communities and vulnerable neighbourhoods
Multi-Country EU Research Project Lead
Uppsala University
03.2015 - 09.2016
- Coordinated research on welfare theory and healthcare accessibility, engaging multidisciplinary teams across four countries
- Designed bilingual materials to facilitate knowledge dissemination
Co-Principal Investigator
MÄLARDALEN UNIVERSITY
01.2014 - 03.2014
- Spearheaded the qualitative research component of a national initiative focused on enhancing healthcare accessibility in Sweden's major urban areas with vulnerable housing communities
Project Manager
BLEKINGE COUNTY COUNCIL
05.2007 - 09.2008
- Managed a health integration project, achieving an85% success rate in absorption of foreign-trained healthcare professionals including doctors, nurses, midwives, dentists, and physiotherapists, into the Swedish health system within Three years
- Orchestrated collaboration between county councils, municipalities, and private entities to deliver comprehensive language training and internships, culminating in gainful employment for immigrants and refugees
Registered Nurse/Nurse Manager
LUND
06.2003 - 04.2006
- Seasoned Registered Nurse with a progressive career culminating in a Nurse Manager role after One year of dedicated service
- Specialized in diabetes management of youth and young adults, through comprehensive in-service training, enhancing patient care quality
- Pioneered the development of digital patient education programs focusing on diabetes management and lifestyle modification
Education
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) -
Blekinge Institute of Technology
01.2013
Master’s in Public Health (MPH) - undefined
Lund University
01.2006
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSc) - undefined
Lund University
01.2003
Skills
- Community Health & Health Systems Strengthening
- Gender and Social inclusion
- Organizational development
- Leadership, Coaching & Capacity Building
- Strategic Partnerships & Resource Mobilization
- Policy analysis
- Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL)
- Program Design, Implementation & Management
- Research, Evidence-Based Programming & Innovation
- Multisectoral Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement
Accomplishments
- Successfully scaled community health programs in fragile contexts, reaching underserved populations.
- Developed capacity-building frameworks for health professionals, ensuring sustainability of interventions.
- Mobilized over $50 million in funding for health and nutrition programs through strategic donor engagement.
- Published research on health inequities and innovative service delivery models in peer-reviewed journals.
References
Available upon request.
Languages
Fluent in English, Swedish, and Kiswahili
Certification
- Leadership Coach– Save the Children International
- Project Management- Malmö University, Sweden
Timeline
Senior Advisor in SRHR/Health and Nutrition
Swedish International Development Agency (Sida)
08.2024 - Current
Senior Research Advisor
Embassy of Sweden
08.2022 - 08.2024
MEAL Team Lead
SIDRA Institute
09.2021 - 08.2022
Honorary Research Associate
Dept of Women’s & Children’s Health, Uppsala Univ.
11.2020 - Current
Co-Principal Investigator
SIDRA Institute/University of Edinburgh
03.2020 - 04.2023
Founder and Director
Women in Global Health Somalia
10.2018 - Current
Program Director
Save the Children International
10.2018 - 07.2022
Health Policy and Strategy Specialist, Consultant
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
08.2017 - 09.2018
Senior Advisor - Health Policy & Planning
Federal Ministry of Health, Somalia
10.2016 - 06.2017
Multi-Country EU Research Project Lead
Uppsala University
03.2015 - 09.2016
Co-Principal Investigator
MÄLARDALEN UNIVERSITY
01.2014 - 03.2014
Director and Program Manager
SOMALI INFORMATION AND BUSINESS CENTER (SIBC)
06.2013 - 06.2017
Project Manager
BLEKINGE COUNTY COUNCIL
05.2007 - 09.2008
Registered Nurse/Nurse Manager
LUND
06.2003 - 04.2006
Master’s in Public Health (MPH) - undefined
Lund University
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSc) - undefined
Lund University
- Leadership Coach– Save the Children International
- Project Management- Malmö University, Sweden
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) -
Blekinge Institute of Technology
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