Position: Provincial Specialist

MOMENTUM Country and Global Leadership (MCGL), funded by the U.S. Government, is a global mechanism that saves lives and improves access to quality, integrated health services by distributing life-saving commodities, medicines, and vaccines, and providing critical health care services for pregnant mothers and children under five. The project provides safe childbirth for mothers and babies, vaccinates children, treats deadly illnesses and malnutrition, and controls disease outbreaks.   

With US Government’s investment, MCGL will continue its support to the Government of Nepal in averting life-threatening events to mothers and all newborns, especially Small and Sick New Borns (SSNBs), through strengthening Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDSR) systems and comprehensive services for SSNBs.

The Provincial Specialist will be responsible for leading and implementing all activities related to strengthening life-saving maternal care and life-saving newborn care, including care of SSNBs, and for strengthening MPDSR processes in Bagmati and Karnali provinces. The Provincial Specialist will support the selected facilities in establishing the quantification and determination of the causes and contributors to maternal and perinatal deaths and the identification and implementation of actions to address contributors to prevent future deaths.  The Provincial Specialist will support the project SSNB and Maternal Health/MPDSR Technical Lead in scaling up government-led activities to improve the quality of selected maternal services and SSNB care in selected Level II Special Newborn Care Units (SNCUs) in the province and expand MPDSR processes in the province along with the provincial team. The Provincial Specialist will coordinate with Provincial Health Directorates, health offices and health facilities to ensure the timely and effective execution of maternal health, MPDSR and SSNB activities as outlined in the workplan, including regular monitoring, data collection, and reporting from MCGL-supported sites.

Technical Responsibilities

• Lead implementation of MPDSR and SSNB activities at provincial level
• Work in close coordination with the Technical leads, QI lead and Technical director for engagement with FWD and PHD in planning and implementation of MCGL activities
• Implement MCGL’s MPDSR activities according to the MPDSR modality endorsed by the National MPDSR Technical Working Group
• Coordinate the organization of on-the-job MPDSR capacity building activities for managers and frontline health workers of selected facilities in the province
• Support hospital to implement and follow up on MPDSR response plans while ensuring the utilization and maintenance of MPDSR scorecard by the hospitals, districts and provinces
• Support MH/MPDSR Technical lead to introduce and implement life-saving evidence-based approaches for reducing maternal deaths, including the E-MOTIVE treatment bundle, the national Labour Care Guide, and the Surgical Safety Checklist during cesarean delivery
• Support the technical team and master mentors for on-site mentorship for death reviews, cause assignment, development and implementation of response plan following maternal and perinatal deaths, and follow up on evidence-based practices
• Support QI Advisor/Lead in integrating QI components for maternal and newborn activities at provincial and facilities level
• Support the SSNB Technical Lead to scale up the government-led activities to improve the quality of SSNB care in selected Level II SNCUs in the province as outlined in the workplan and budget
• Support the SSNB Technical lead to roll out technical orientation to the Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) for nurses, doctors and paramedics in each province
• Support the technical team in on-site mentorship and monitoring in supported SNCU sites, including data recording, collection and reporting.
• Coordinate and advocate with the Family Welfare Division (FWD) and the Provincial Health Directorate to advance activities to strengthen comprehensive care of Small and Sick Newborns in SNCUs including safe titration of oxygen to prevent Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP). 

Management and compliance

• Supervise provincial program and admin staff, and manage performance and provide timely feedback
• Regularly review MPDSR, MH, SSNB and other MNH-related data from HMIS and use results to guide and strengthen project activities
• Take lead in provincial level program progress documentation, developing learning materials, and dissemination of achievements, best practices, and success stories with wider stakeholders
• Maintain excellent relationships with the USG and provincial stakeholders and develop rapid responses
• Take concrete steps to create or promote a safe, respectful and harassment-free work environment
• Promote and support staff understanding of and compliance with Jhpiego, JHU, and donors’ operational policies and regulations, and local laws.

Additional responsibilities

• Liaise and formulate productive working relationships with counterparts on behalf of MCGL with the FWD, PHD, Health Offices, municipalities, and other implementing partners
• Contribute to annual MCGL work planning process, detailed implementation plan development and development of donor reports
• Support the Project Director and Technical Director to oversee day-to-day operations and management of activities for each of the project components-ensuring coordination between the stakeholders
• Provide support to MCGL team to accomplish activities as outlined in the workplan and budget
• Ensure MCGL branding guidelines are correctly used by program
• Represent MCGL/Jhpiego at provincial level, as and when required
• Update MCGL, Jhpiego, government counterparts, and related stakeholders about the project progress, challenges, and sustainability approaches of the key achievements
• Perform or assume other MCGL and Jhpiego activities as required and as assigned by the Supervisor to ensure that project goals are achieved.

• Medical doctor, with maternal and/or newborn experience, preferably with an advanced degree in public health
• Minimum of 3-5 years of progressively relevant experience in implementation of maternal and neonatal health programs in Nepal
• Prior experience supporting maternal, SSNB services and MPDSR processes is an added advantage
• Knowledge of competency-based training, performance and QI approaches
• Knowledge of the Microsoft Office package and virtual platforms
• Ability to develop working relationships with counterparts of varying levels of seniority and backgrounds to implement program activities
• Excellent verbal and written skills in English and Nepali
• Willing and able to be based, and travel (at least 50%) to project/program areas

Jhpiego offers competitive salaries and a comprehensive employee benefits package.

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.

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Official announcement