Regional Team Lead

Background

The Reaching Impact Saturation and Epidemic Control (RISE) program is saving lives and improving health by controlling the HIV pandemic and strengthening global health security to limit the spread of deadly disease outbreaks. RISE uses evidence-based practices from over 20 years of PEPFAR implementation to address critical HIV priorities along with global health security (GHS), maternal, newborn, and child health and Nutrition (MNCH-N), tuberculosis (TB), Malaria, data systems, supply chain and commodity management, and other cross-cutting areas.

In Burundi, Jhpiego is recruiting for the Regional Team Leads (RTL) position for Gitega and Buhumuza provinces to oversee and coordinate implementation of the RISE MNCH-N project at the regional level. The positions will be based in the communes of Gitega and Muyinga.

The Regional Team Lead will provide strategic leadership, coordination, and oversight of all programmatic activities in the assigned region(s), ensuring high-quality implementation, strong collaboration with government counterparts, effective team management, and alignment with national priorities, donor requirements, and Jhpiego standards.

Summary Scope of Work

The Regional Team Lead (RTL) is responsible for providing overall strategic, technical, operational, and managerial leadership for the implementation of high-impact maternal, newborn, child health, immunization, and nutrition interventions under the RISE Burundi MNCH-N project within the assigned region(s).

The RTL ensures that interventions are evidence-based, integrated across the continuum of care (household–community–facility–referral), and fully aligned with national policies, donor priorities, and global standards. The position oversees provincial technical staff, including Quality Improvement Officers, Regional Finance and Administration staff, and provides technical coordination with Regional MEL Officers to ensure data-driven implementation and accountability for results.

The RTL represents Jhpiego at the regional level, strengthens coordination with Provincial and District Health Offices, leads engagement in regional technical working groups (TWGs), and ensures effective collaboration with implementing partners operating within the region. The role also supports supply chain readiness for lifesaving maternal, newborn, child health commodities and ensures strong community–facility referral linkages.

Working closely with regional health authorities, facility leadership, program teams, and the central M&E unit, the RTL ensures data quality assurance, promotes use of routine health information for program improvement, and strengthens performance monitoring systems across the assigned region(s).

Reporting Structure

• Position Reports To: Deputy Project Director
• Position Supervised: Regional financial and administration staff, Regional M&E officers, Provincial officers, Field-based project staff or local partners if any.

Responsibilities: All staff members of Jhpiego, regardless of the level of responsibilities are expected to

• Model organizational mission and values
• Participate in the business development process
• Contribute to knowledge sharing and learning
• Make responsible decisions that ensure time and cost efficiency with clear accountability

Specific Duties and responsibilities

Regional Strategic Leadership & Program Oversight

• Provide overall strategic direction for RISE MNCH-N implementation in the assigned region(s).
• Ensure alignment of regional implementation with national health strategies, RISE annual workplans, and donor priorities.
• Oversee integrated delivery of MNCH-N, immunization, nutrition, and cross-cutting interventions across districts.
• Identify regional-level systemic bottlenecks and escalate strategic issues to central leadership for adaptive management.
• Ensure interventions are evidence-based and aligned with national and global standards.

Team Leadership, Planning & Performance Management

• Lead regional planning processes, including development and sequencing of detailed activity implementation plans aligned with targets and budgets.
• Supervise and mentor regional technical, finance, and operational staff to ensure high performance and accountability.
• Ensure efficient organization and coordination of supervision visits, trainings (including LDHF), quality improvement meetings, review meetings, and district-level implementation activities.
• Monitor progress against regional performance targets and implementation milestones; identify bottlenecks and ensure timely corrective actions.
• Use programmatic and M&E data to inform adaptive management, continuous quality improvement, and evidence-based decision-making.
• Ensure timely, accurate, and high-quality reporting in line with Jhpiego and donor requirements.

Operational, Financial & Risk Management

• Oversee effective coordination between technical, M&E, finance, procurement, logistics, and administrative functions at regional level to ensure integrated and timely implementation
• Supervise Regional Finance & Administration Officers to ensure compliance with financial, procurement, and administrative procedures.
• Monitor regional budget utilization and promote cost-efficiency and accountability in resource use
• Oversee efficient fleet management within the region, including vehicle allocation, scheduling, safety compliance, maintenance oversight, fuel tracking, and accountability for usage.
• Work closely with the RISE HIV team to ensure coordinated and optimized fleet management across programs.
• Ensure overall operational readiness to support uninterrupted field implementation.
• Identify and mitigate programmatic, operational, and contextual risks at regional level.

Stakeholder Engagement, Representation & Partner Coordination

• Serve as Jhpiego’s primary representative at regional and provincial levels.
• Maintain strong working relationships with Provincial Health Offices (BPS), District Health Offices (BDS), provincial and commune authorities, and facility leadership.
• Represent the project in regional coordination forums, technical working groups, and partner meetings.
• Strengthen coordination and collaboration with implementing partners operating in the region to promote alignment of strategic activities, complementarity of interventions, and efficient use of resources while minimizing duplication of efforts.
• Support government ownership and sustainability of project approaches.

Quality Assurance, Data Use & Capacity Strengthening

• Ensure quality of program implementation in line with Jhpiego standards, donor requirements (DoS), and national guidelines.
• Review regional performance data with M&E teams to inform adaptive management and strengthen data-driven implementation.
• Support capacity strengthening of regional health teams and facility staff to sustain quality improvement approaches.
• Promote integration of project-supported interventions into routine health systems.
• Document and disseminate best practices, lessons learned, innovations, and success stories from the region.

Coordination with Support Functions

• Work closely with M&E, Finance, Procurement, Supply Chain, and HR teams to ensure smooth implementation;
• Support accurate reporting, documentation, and timely submission of required deliverables;
• Contribute to donor reporting, learning products, and knowledge-sharing initiatives.

Core Competencies

• Strong strategic leadership and team management skills, with ability to guide multidisciplinary regional teams.
• Excellent planning, coordination, and organizational skills in complex, multi-sectoral field environments.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with capacity to translate data into actionable decisions.
• Effective communication, negotiation, and stakeholder engagement skills at provincial and district levels.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, mitigate risks, and ensure timely delivery of results.
• High level of integrity, accountability, professionalism, and commitment to results.
• Commitment to respectful maternity care, family-centered approaches, and strengthening sustainable health systems.

 Language: Fluency in written and spoken Kirundi, French and English is required.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Public Health, Medicine, Nursing, Health Management, or a related field (Master’s degree preferred);
• Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in health program implementation;
• At least 6 years of experience in leadership, coordination, or supervisory role at sub-national or regional level.
• Demonstrated experience managing donor-funded programs (e.g, DoS, or similar) with accountability for performance, compliance, and reporting.
• Proven experience supervising multidisciplinary teams, including technical, M&E, finance, and operational staff.
• Strong understanding of the Burundi health system, decentralization structures, and provincial health governance mechanisms (asset).
• Having worked in or possessing strong contextual knowledge of the commune(s) of application is a strong asset.

Technical Skills

• Deep technical knowledge of evidence-based MNCH-N interventions across the continuum of care, including antenatal care (ANC), respectful and skilled birth attendance, postnatal care (PNC), emergency obstetric and newborn care (EmONC), child health services, and integrated management of childhood illnesses (IMNCI); with demonstrated expertise in nutrition programming, including management of severe acute malnutrition (SAM), Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF), and micronutrient supplementation interventions.
• Proficiency in developing and delivering training and quality improvement programs for health care workers; 
• Strong understanding of data utilization for program monitoring, quality improvement, and informed decision-making in MNCH
• Knowledge of strengthening referral systems within health facilities and between facilities and communities
• Understanding of supply chain readiness for MNCH commodities and operational systems that support service delivery.