Maternal and Newborn Health Advisor

Jhpiego is an international, non-profit health organization affiliated with the Johns Hopkins University. Jhpiego develops innovations to enhance the capacity of health care workers, strengthening health systems and improve delivery of care towards improving the health and well-being. Jhpiego has been collaborating with the Government of Malawi and various partners in implementing a wide-range of interventions in maternal, newborn and child health, family planning, HIV/AIDS prevention and care and treatment, since 1999

Jhpiego, is seeking a  qualified Maternal and Newborn Health (MNH)  Technical Advisor.

The Maternal and Newborn Health (MNH)  Technical Advisor will be responsible for the technical coordination and oversight of Maternal and Newborn Health interventions across the Malawi MNH program, ensuring integrated and high-quality service delivery and technical assistance. This role will also be responsible for the technical guidance and supervision of MNH staff based in districts. The MNH Technical Advisor will work in close tandem with the Child Health Advisor and Nutrition Advisor and other relevant technical and programmatic staff and partners to ensure seamless and integrated MNH-N activity implementation. 

The Maternal and Newborn Health  (MNH)  Technical Advisor will be based in Lilongwe, Malawi, reporting directly to the Technical  Director, and will supervise the  Senior District Maternal and Newborn Health (MNH)  officers 

Technical Leadership & Skills Development

• Provide strategic direction and technical oversight for integrated MNH activities, ensuring alignment with national priorities and evidence-based practices.
• Support Malawi’s Ministry of Health and local partners in developing, updating, and adapting training materials, standards, job aids, curricula, and supervisory systems to improve MNH service delivery.
• Lead innovative approaches to implement targeted MNH services and improve quality of care across the continuum—from preconception to early childhood.
• Mentor and build capacity of project staff, health workers (doctors, nurses, midwives), professional associations, and local partner staff at individual, organizational, and facility levels.
• Facilitate on-the-job training, simulation exercises, and quality improvement initiatives for healthcare providers on MNH protocols.
• Strengthen referral linkages and feedback loops between community, primary, and referral health facilities for lifesaving services.
• Provide and facilitate mentoring and capacity building at the facility level to support health facilities to provide and sustain quality health services 
• Lead on aspects related to project implementation, demand generation, and procurement support for MNH commodities across project sites as required 
• Lead the formulation of innovative approaches for implementation of targeted MNH services 
• Work closely with the MOH and the relevant national authorities and key stakeholders to improve quality of care  
• Coordinate closely with other relevant U.S. Government (USG) and non-USG projects to identify synergies for improving MNH quality of care  
• Work closely with Monitoring & Evaluation colleagues to ensure quality in data collection, data use for decision-making, and prioritization of interventions aligned with quality improvement practices    

Program Implementation & Coordination

• Lead the development and execution of technical implementation plans, work plans, and monitoring frameworks in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, donors, and stakeholders.
• Coordinate implementation of high-impact MNH interventions, including ANC, facility readiness for labor and delivery, newborn care, postnatal care, and integrated child illness management (IMNCI).
• Collaborate with Child Health, Nutrition, and MEL teams to ensure integrated planning, implementation, and monitoring of MNH activities.
• Ensure effective use of MNH data for program monitoring, review, and adaptive management.
• Oversee and mentor local partners’ MNH technical staff and monitor their implementation activities.
• Work closely with Monitoring & Evaluation teams to ensure quality data collection and use for decision-making and prioritization of interventions.
• Document successes, lessons learned, and challenges; contribute to timely quarterly and annual reporting at both country and global levels.
• Guide project and technical teams in reporting MNH activities implementation and knowledge sharing.

Stakeholder Engagement & Collaboration

• Under the guidance of the Project Director and the Technical Director, engage with Malawi’s Ministry of Health, national authorities, and key stakeholders to improve MNH service quality, integration and sustainability.
• Under the guidance of the Country Director and Project Director, coordinate with other U.S. Government (USG) and non-USG projects to identify synergies and enhance MNH outcomes.
• Respond to requests for technical support from counterparts and local partners, ensuring responsiveness and alignment with national and donor priorities.

Strategic Growth and Development

• Identify new innovative ideas in MNH-N programing with proven effectiveness and efficiency as well as cost efficiency
• Facilitate the development of best practices and help in coming up with integration of new services within the MNH-N program
• Support any other strategic growth and partnership efforts for Jhpiego Malawi as may be required from time to time.

Communication & Knowledge Management

• Contribute to documentation of outcomes, success stories, and lessons learned; contribute to scientific publications and conference abstracts.
• Contribute to knowledge sharing across teams, regions, and external stakeholders.
• Collaborate with communications staff to support implementation of communication strategies and ensure effective communication and documentation of lessons and best practices from MNH programs.

• Bachelor’s degree in Public Health, Medicine, or Nursing (Advanced degree MPH, MD, Nursing or equivalent preferred)
• Minimum of 7-8 years of progressively responsible experience in designing, implementing, and coordinating MNH programs, preferably in Malawi or similar low-resource settings. 
• Demonstrated experience in providing technical assistance and on-the-job training to healthcare providers on MNH-related topics. 
• Proven experience in supervising or managing technical staff, particularly in a decentralized program structure. 
• Experience working with government health structures, health facilities, and local partners. 

Technical Skills

• Deep technical knowledge of evidence-based MNH interventions across the continuum of care (including antenatal care, skilled delivery, postnatal care, emergency obstetric and newborn care, child health, and integrated child illness management). 
• 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 MNH. 
• Knowledge of strengthening referral systems within health facilities and between facilities and communities.  

Core Competencies

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with attention to detail. 
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively with diverse teams and stakeholders. 
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple tasks, prioritize, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment. 
• Ability to work independently and as part of a collaborative team, with strong leadership capabilities for guiding regional teams. 
• Commitment to promoting respectful maternity care and family-centered approaches in healthcare delivery. 
• Ability and willingness to travel across all operational districts within the three regions of Malawi

Language: Fluency in written and spoken English is required. Professional proficiency in Chichewa is highly desirable.

All staff irrespective of their position are expected to comply with and follow Jhpiego operational procedures and policies, and codes of conduct. 

                                       Jhpiego offers competitive salaries and a comprehensive employee benefits package.

                                                                     Please apply at www.jhpiego.org/careers

Applicants must submit a single document for upload, including a cover letter, resume, and references.

                       For further information about Jhpiego, visit our website at www.jhpiego.org

Note: The successful candidate selected for this position will be subject to a pre-employment background investigation.

Jhpiego is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to tough international child safeguarding standards.

Jhpiego, a Johns Hopkins University affiliate, is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of gender, marital status, pregnancy, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, other legally protected characteristics or any other occupationally irrelevant criteria. Jhpiego promotes Affirmative Action for minorities, women, individuals who are disabled, and veterans.

RECRUITMENT SCAMS & FRAUD WARNING

Jhpiego has become aware of scams involving false job offers. Please be advised:

• Recruiters will never ask for a fee during any stage of the recruitment process.
• All active jobs are advertised directly on our careers page.
• Official Jhpiego emails will always arrive from a @Jhpiego.org email address.

Please report any suspicious communications to Info@jhpiego.org

Closing date for the advert is  26th April 2026