PMU Lead

Jhpiego, a nonprofit leader in global health and an affiliate of Johns Hopkins University, is dedicated to saving lives, enhancing health, and shaping futures. We collaborate with governments, health experts, and local communities to develop skills and systems that ensure a healthier future for women and families. By translating the latest science and practices into real moments of care, we make a difference between life and death for women and families. In India, Jhpiego works closely with both national and state governments across various regions and the private sector. We offer technical support in family planning, maternal and child health, strengthening health workforce capacity, and managing non-communicable diseases.

The project aims to provide technical assistance at National level and 11 high-priority states with higher-than-average Maternal Mortality Ratios (MMR) to accelerate progress in reducing maternal deaths and improving maternal and newborn health outcomes. The position will be responsible for providing strategic, technical, and programmatic support from the national level to states and districts to strengthen the delivery of high-quality Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (MNCH) services. The incumbent will work closely with national and state government officials, development partners, and district teams to support planning, implementation, monitoring, and scale-up of evidence-based maternal and newborn health interventions. The position will facilitate coordination across stakeholders, ensure alignment with national priorities and guidelines, and contribute to strengthening health systems and service delivery mechanisms for improved MNCH outcomes.

Jhpiego is seeking a senior techno-managerial professional to lead the National Program Management Unit (PMU), embedded within the Maternal Health Division of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW). This role serves as the technical hub for driving maternal mortality reduction across priority states. The PMU Lead will function as Jhpiego's primary interface with the MoHFW Maternal Health Division, providing high-quality strategic guidance, facilitating evidence-to-policy translation, leading cross-state learning, and ensuring program accountability through data-driven decision-making. This position requires demonstrated ability to work independently with key Govt officials.

Roles and Responsibilities

1. Strategic Advisory and Policy Support to MoHFW

• Provide strategic planning and advisory support to the MoHFW Maternal Health Division, serving as the primary technical resource.
• Facilitate translation of new evidence and scientific advancements into policy, clinical guidelines, and operational frameworks under MoHFW leadership.
• Develop operational guidelines, white papers, and policy notes to support program objectives and Ministry priorities.
• Represent the project in steering and advisory committees at the national level, contributing actively to priority setting and policy formulation.
• Prepare and support action plans for scaling up innovations and integrating them into state NHM Program Implementation Plans (PIPs) and national guidelines.

2. National Task Force and Stakeholder Coordination

• Facilitate regular National Task Force meetings, ensuring structured agenda-setting, documentation, and follow-through on action points.
• Lead stakeholder coordination for convergence and synergy across development partners, including WHO, UNICEF, and donor-funded programs, minimizing duplication and optimizing technical inputs.
• Establish and sustain formal coordination channels with national institutions, state governments, MNH partners, and local organizations.
• Form and support purpose-driven technical working groups to fast-track resolution of priority implementation challenges.
• Establish effective communication and collaboration with national and state government agencies and other stakeholders.

3. State Coordination, Reviews, and Accountability

• Ensure overall coordination between MoHFW and intervention states, tracking progress against costed state action plans integrated into NHM PIPs.
• Lead quarterly joint reviews with the MH Division, compiling and presenting data to support evidence-based discussions and course correction.
• Facilitate a biannual pause-and-reflect cycle across states, reviewing progress, identifying bottlenecks, and recalibrating approaches.
• Support organization of state common review missions, peer visits, and thematic workshops for rapid cross-state knowledge exchange.
• Document and disseminate learnings, root cause analyses, and solutions for persistent barriers such as referral gaps, supply chain issues, and infrastructure constraints.
• Work with state teams for the timely and effective implementation of various programs aimed at reducing MMR in targeted states.

4. Learning Labs and Innovation Scale-up

• Lead the design and operationalization of Learning Labs in priority states, overseeing structured feasibility assessment, limited-scale piloting, and iterative refinement of innovations.
• Ensure each innovation undergoes continuous performance monitoring using predefined indicators, with successful pilots scaled through NHM PIPs and state or national guidelines.
• Curate and celebrate quick wins and best practices using appreciative inquiry, bolstering motivation and visibility of success stories.

5. Data, Scorecards, and Dashboard Oversight

• Collaboratively identify core indicators across service delivery, mortality, and quality matrices to develop a unified national dashboard, accessible to decision-makers in real time.
• Oversee development and maintenance of scorecards and quarterly analytic reports for performance tracking at national and state levels, enabling benchmarking across states.
• Support MoHFW in instituting quarterly data validation exercises, triangulating HMIS, PMSMA, and MDSR data to ensure data quality.
• Ensure scorecard data is either auto-populated from HMIS or provided by State Data Managers, reducing manual reporting burden.
• Provide periodic progress reports to MoHFW and the donor, utilizing data and field findings for technical oversight and adaptive program management.

6. Technical Leadership and Capacity Support to States

• Provide technical leadership and guidance to state Maternal Health Divisions in adapting and operationalizing clinical guidelines and evidence-based strategies.
• Support states in conducting situational analyses and rapid assessments to identify gaps in safe motherhood and child survival programs, and co-design targeted interventions with state authorities.
• Supervise execution of project objectives across assigned states, ensuring technical quality and effective management in reaching project goals.
• Lead planning, monitoring, and training activities related to the project at national and state levels.
• Willingness to travel regularly across states and districts to provide direct technical assistance.

Qualifications and Experience

Education

• MBBS or equivalent clinical degree with a postgraduate qualification in Public Health (MPH or equivalent), MD (Community medicine), Health Policy, or Health Management.
• Candidates with a Master's in Public Health or development sciences with demonstrated MNH clinical or technical depth will also be considered.

Experience

• Minimum 12 years of progressive experience in maternal and newborn health, with at least 5 years in a senior technical or policy role at national level.
• Demonstrated prior experience working directly with MoHFW or equivalent central government ministry, including engagement at Joint Secretary level or above.
• Proven track record of contributing to the development or revision of national MNH policies, strategies, or clinical guidelines.
• Experience managing a national or multi-state technical assistance programme with a development agency, UN body, or bilateral donor.

Skills and Competencies

Technical Leadership skill

• Thorough understanding of India's MNH policy and programme ecosystem, including SUMAN, LaQshya, Dakshata, JSSK, PMSMA, MDSR, and NHM planning processes.
• Ability to translate evidence into policy-actionable recommendations and communicate them effectively at the Secretary level.
• Proficiency in data analysis and interpretation, including ability to work with HMIS, SRS, MDSR, and NFHS datasets.
• Experience designing or overseeing scorecards, dashboards, or monitoring frameworks for complex public health programs.
• Familiarity with learning lab or innovation pilot models in a public health context is an advantage.

Programme Management

• Strong leadership and team management abilities, with experience leading multidisciplinary national-level teams.
• Proven project management experience handling complex, multi-state programs and delivering results against donor commitments.
• Skilled in stakeholder coordination across government, donors, UN agencies, and civil society organisations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to produce high-quality policy notes, program reports, and donor communications.

General

• Ability to work effectively in a dynamic, high-responsibility environment, prioritise tasks, and meet deadlines independently.
• Ability to manage multiple workstreams simultaneously without compromising quality.
• Fluency in English; proficiency in Hindi is an advantage.