Technical Officer - Maternal and Newborn Health

The AFGHS-Jhpiego project is funded by the U.S. Department of State (DoS) to support the delivery of lifesaving, comprehensive maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) and malaria services across Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar. It aims to improve service and data quality, strengthen health-system integration and resilience, facilitate effective transition, and promote local ownership and accountability for sustained health outcomes.

Jhpiego works closely with the Ministries of Health in Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar, the Reproductive and Child Health Section (RCHS), the National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP), the Zanzibar Malaria Elimination Programme (ZAMEP), and Regional Administration and Local Government (RALG) structures to align implementation with national priorities and strengthen locally led implementation and oversight.

The Technical Officer – Maternal and Newborn Health (TO-MNH) provides field-level technical and implementation support for maternal and newborn health (MNH) services and related service quality improvement activities across project-supported geographies in the region. The role supports quality service delivery, adherence to national technical guidance and standards, and strengthening and scale-up of priority MNH services, including antenatal care (ANC), high-quality intrapartum care including emergency obstetric care, essential newborn and small and sick newborn care, and postnatal care.

Supervised by the Field Team Lead, with technical oversight from the MNH technical team, the TO-MNH works closely with Government of Tanzania counterparts at regional, council, facility, and community levels. The role operationalizes approved technical guidance and MNH approaches through technical assistance, mentorship, demonstration of clinical skills, supportive supervision, and follow-up to identify and address service delivery and quality gaps. The TO-MNH supports implementation of MNH interventions in accordance with national guidelines and standards and contributes to regional quarterly and annual reporting and achievement of approved project milestones.

The TO-MNH supports the progressive transition and institutionalization of project-supported MNH approaches within routine government systems. Working with regional and council counterparts, the role strengthens government leadership, workforce capacity, local ownership, and integration of effective MNH interventions into routine service delivery, supervision, planning, data, and accountability mechanisms. The TO-MNH supports government counterparts to increasingly lead, manage, monitor, and sustain quality MNH services beyond direct project support.

This position will be closed on October 12, 2026.

1. Technical Support and Quality Improvement

• Provide technical support for delivery and scale-up of high-impact maternal and newborn health interventions, including ANC, PPH/E-MOTIVE and other high-impact routine and emergency obstetric care, essential newborn care, i/KMC, small and sick newborn (SSNB) care, and PNC.
• In collaboration with R/CHMTs and other partners, strengthen designated health facilities to provide quality Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (EmONC) services.
• Support regional and council teams and health facilities to plan and conduct Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDSR) meetings and implement actions arising from reviews.
• Support integration of MNH services with other critical service areas, including malaria, HIV, immunization, and nutrition.
• Strengthen referral linkages and feedback loops between community, primary, and referral-level health facilities to support timely access to lifesaving MNCH services.
• Support procurement coordination for MNCH commodities at regional and council levels, working through and strengthening existing government commodity management systems wherever possible.

2. Supervision and Capacity Building

• Assess clinical capacity development needs and support development and implementation of capacity-strengthening plans linked to MNH quality improvement priorities.
• Work with R/CHMTs to develop and mentor pools of trainers and mentors in priority MNH interventions, including PPH/E-MOTIVE, routine and emergency obstetric care, essential newborn care, i/KMC, SSNB care, ANC, and PNC.
• Support regional and council trainers and mentors to provide on-the-job training and mentorship to health care workers using nationally and/or internationally proven approaches and evidence-based clinical training materials.
• Conduct supportive supervision and mentorship in supported hospitals and health centers jointly with government counterparts to strengthen quality of care and provider performance.
• Strengthen government training, mentorship, and supportive supervision systems so these functions can increasingly be led and sustained through existing regional and council structures.

3. Data Use and Performance Monitoring

• Work closely with MEL colleagues to monitor MNH program performance against approved targets, analyze data trends, support data integrity, and use findings to inform evidence-based decision-making and course correction.
• Strengthen government-led data review and performance monitoring processes and R/CHMT capacity to use routine data to identify gaps, implement corrective actions, and track results.
• Support monitoring of quality improvement activities and implementation of corrective actions to improve MNH service quality and performance.

4. Documentation, Learning, and Knowledge Sharing

• Identify and disseminate best practices, implementation experiences, and new technical strategies and approaches in MNH, including lessons related to government ownership, institutionalization, transition, and sustainability.
• Contribute to documentation of outcomes, success stories, lessons learned, scientific publications, and conference abstracts, including promising practices related to MNH quality of care, government ownership, transition, and sustainability.
• Collaborate with communications staff to support implementation of communication strategies and effective documentation and dissemination of lessons and best practices from MNH programming.

5. Coordination and Technical Integration

• Coordinate closely with R/CHMTs, project technical and program teams, and other relevant partners to align MNH activities with regional and council priorities and approved implementation plans.
• Coordinate with relevant partners and projects to identify synergies for improving MNH quality of care, reduce duplication, leverage existing resources, and support coordinated transition to government leadership.
• Maintain productive and consistent communication with project program and technical staff.
• Upon request, represent Jhpiego in relevant technical meetings with government, partners, and other stakeholders and promote evidence-based MNH approaches.
• Support development and review of technical work plans and budgets and contribute to other strategic growth and partnership efforts as required.

6. Reporting and Accountability

• Contribute to timely and accurate program reports, technical updates, work plans, and other required program documentation.
• Flag technical risks, service quality gaps, implementation challenges, and performance issues and support identification and implementation of appropriate corrective actions.
• Ensure implementation of evidence-based clinical standards, training materials, mentorship and supervisory systems, and other approved technical approaches.
• Ensure compliance with applicable funder and Jhpiego operational policies and regulations, including requirements related to clinical practices.
• Assist finance staff, as required, in reviewing, processing, and reconciling payment documentation from trainers, program staff, and consultants.

7. Sustainability and Transition

• Support implementation and monitoring of regional and council transition and sustainability plans, including agreed milestones for progressively shifting leadership and implementation responsibilities to government structures.
• Work with R/CHMTs to identify institutional, workforce, financing, service delivery, data and accountability, and community-level barriers to sustainability and support practical actions to address identified gaps.
• Promote government ownership by working through existing government structures, systems, tools, and processes and avoiding creation of parallel project systems.
• Support integration of priority MNH and nutrition interventions, associated resource requirements, and project-supported approaches into regional and council plans, budgets, routine service delivery, and implementation structures

• Bachelor’s degree in public health, Nursing, or Midwifery or Medical Degree is required (an advanced degree such as an MScN, MMed, MPH is an advantage).
• Five or more years of work experience in RMNCAH and Nutrition. Experience working in Maternity care is a plus.
• Be an excellent classroom and clinical trainer with at least two years’ experience in clinical training on ANC, PNC, and EmONC.
• Experience working in the private sector/NGOs
• Demonstrated experience designing, implementing, and coaching or mentoring others through capacity-building and quality-improvement programs for service delivery staff in maternal, newborn and child health and nutrition.
• Experience managing quality assurance
• Proven leadership and management skills with the ability to multi-task
• Self-management is necessary (i.e. motivation, dealing with pressure, adaptability).
• Experience working with government health structures, health facilities, and local partners.
• Deep technical knowledge of evidence-based MNCH interventions across the continuum of care (including ANC, skilled delivery, postnatal care, emergency obstetric and newborn care).
• Specialized training in MNH programming (e.g., BEmONC, COIN, E-MOTIVE, KMC) is an advantage.
• 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.

Required Knowledge and Skills

• Fluency in written and spoken English is required.
• Ability to communicate effectively, instilling trust and confidence.
• Professional proficiency in Kiswahili is highly desirable.
• Proactive, self-motivated, and able to work with minimal supervision.
• Experience in training facilitation, supervision, and quality improvement.
• Proficiency in MS Office applications.
• Strong teamwork and interpersonal skills.

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 to include cover letters, 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

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.

#LI-EJ1

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