Associate Director - Delhi

Jhpiego is an international, non-profit health organization and an affiliate of Johns Hopkins University, dedicated to improving the health of women and families in developing countries. For over 50 years, it has focused on providing high-quality, low-cost health care solutions, training health workers, and strengthening health systems.

Jhpiego has been working in India since the 1980s in close partnership with national and state governments. With deep technical expertise and strong on-the-ground execution, Jhpiego helps design, test, and scale practical solutions and innovations that fit real-world systems across 11 thematic domains (Maternal and Newborn Health, Reproductive Health, Nutrition, Immunization, Comprehensive Primary Health Care, Human Resources for Health, TB and Infectious Diseases, Global Health Security, Women's Cancers, Non-Communicable Diseases, Digital Health).

To provide strategic, technical, and programmatic leadership to Jhpiego India’s maternal and newborn health (MNH) quality and certification portfolio, comprising the Manyata private-sector quality certification program and its evolution, the regional Uniting for Quality (U4Q) platform, and the associated evidence-generation agenda.

The position holds overall responsibility for program strategy, budgets, donor compliance, and multi-state and regional delivery; for stewarding partnerships with government, professional societies (notably FOGSI), accreditation bodies (notably NABH), and philanthropic and regional partners; and for leading and developing the program team to deliver high-quality, sustainable, and scalable results aligned with national quality-of-care priorities.

Strategic and Technical Leadership of the MNH Quality Portfolio Qualifications and Experience

• Provides overall strategic and technical leadership across the Manyata certification program, the regional U4Q platform, and the evidence-generation agenda.
• Develops the operational strategy for the portfolio and positions it within national quality-of-care architecture, including alignment with NABH, NQAS, and LaQshya.

Program Management, Budgets, and Donor Compliance

• Manages program work plans, budgets, and donor deliverables, ensuring compliance with philanthropic and institutional requirements.
• Oversees risk management and ensures timely, high-quality delivery against agreed milestones.

Multi-State and Regional Delivery and Quality Assurance

• Oversees multi-state implementation and quality assurance of the certification model across participating states.
• Anchors regional replication of the model through the U4Q platform with partner countries and AOFOG.

Partnership, Donor, and Government Engagement

• Leads engagement with FOGSI, NABH, government counterparts, philanthropic partners, and regional partners.
• Represents the program in senior stakeholder meetings and at national and regional forums.

Team Leadership, Capacity Development, and Evidence Generation

• Leads, mentors, and develops the program team and builds the capacity of staff and partners.

Stewards the evidence-generation agenda, including analytical notes, research engagement, and the use of evidence to inform program direction

• MBBS, MSc Nursing, or other Allied Health / Development Sciences background with an MPH or other relevant Master’s degree; OR MBA or equivalent with demonstrated experience in healthcare programs or social enterprises.
• Minimum 12+ years of progressively responsible experience, spanning public health program management, private-sector engagement, and/or business development and sustainability, preferably in healthcare or social impact domains.

• Core Experience (Essential)

  • Demonstrated experience in designing and operationalizing sustainable program models, including revenue generation, cost recovery, or blended financing approaches in health or development programs.
  • Proven track record in scaling programs through private-sector channels, partnerships, franchise or network models, or market-based approaches.
  • Strong experience in program strategy, annual operating plans, budgeting, financial forecasting, and donor compliance, with an ability to balance impact and financial sustainability.
  • Deep understanding of Indian health system architecture and quality frameworks, including NHM, private-sector engagement mechanisms, NABH, NQAS, and LaQshya.
  • Demonstrated ability to build and manage multi-stakeholder partnerships across government agencies, private providers, professional associations, accreditation bodies, and donors.

  Technical & Domain Expertise (Desirable)

  • Experience in maternal and newborn health (MNH), quality improvement, health systems strengthening, or facility certification models such as Manyata.
  • In-depth understanding of quality assurance and continuous quality improvement methodologies, especially in private healthcare settings.

  Private-Sector & Sustainability Experience (Elevated emphasis)

  • Experience working with or supporting provider networks, startups, or franchise models, particularly in healthcare.
  • Ability to identify and develop business models for certification programs (e.g., provider-paid models, subscription services, bundled offerings, digital enablement).
  • Experience in market shaping, pricing strategies, and value proposition development for private-sector stakeholders (e.g., hospitals, nursing homes, associations).
  • Familiarity with sales pipelines, client acquisition, and retention strategies in a program or enterprise context is highly desirable