Quality Improvement Coordinator

Ifakara Health Institute (IHI) is a leading research organization in Africa with a strong track record in developing, testing and validating innovations for health. Driven by a core strategic mandate for research, training and services, the Institute's work now spans a wide spectrum, covering biomedical and ecological sciences, intervention studies, health-systems research, service delivery and policy translation.

Position Summary

• Ifakara Health Institute under Maternal and Newborn Health Program is seeking an experienced Quality Improvement Coordinator to be stationed in Zanzibar, reporting to Program Coordinator. The successful candidate will provide technical coordination to advance the implementation and scale-up of Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) initiatives for maternal and Small and Sick Newborn Care (SSNC). The role will support translating national policies and guidelines into coordinated action across regional and facility levels, ensuring alignment, standardisation, and measurable improvements in quality of care.
  
• The Quality Improvement Coordinator will work closely with the Ministry of Health, district teams and implementing partners, the QI Coordinator will strengthen national and sub-national systems for quality improvement. This includes supporting the development of a functional network of QI coaches and mentors, promoting data-driven decision-making, and ensuring integration of maternal and newborn care quality systems. The position will play a central role in fostering system ownership, building capacity across all levels of the health system, and embedding CQI within routine service delivery structures to drive sustainable improvements in maternal and newborn health outcomes. The ideal candidate must be ready and available to assume duties immediately upon appointment.

Responsibility:

• Represent IHI-NEST360 and the Beginnings Fund at regional and national level meetings on maternal and newborn health, patient safety, and quality of care.
• Support the ministry in developing and adapting QI tools, processes, and implementation approaches across districts.
• Support the Ministry in developing a national training guideline for Quality Improvement.
  
  District Quality Improvement
• Serve as a QI resource person for all Beginnings Fund-supported facilities, ensuring alignment with Zanzibar MNH priorities and programme goals.
• Coach and mentor the District QI Focal Person to lead, own, and sustain QI work.
• Facilitate regular regional QI review meetings and learning sessions that bring district teams together to share progress, challenges, and spread successful innovations.
• Advocate for and support the integration of MNH QI into district annual work plans and health sector budgets.
  
  Facility-Level Quality Improvement Support
• Ensure every supported facility has at least one active, capacitated QI Champion who can lead improvement work between visits.
• Work closely with privatized district hospitals
• Ensure functionality of WIT teams at Newborn Unit and Maternity
• Conduct regular facility coaching visits to support QI teams in applying Model for Improvement methodology.
• Assist facility teams in identifying, prioritizing, and using change packages as QI interventions that address the most critical gaps in maternal and newborn care.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement at the facility level, working with facilities leadership to create the conditions for QI to thrive.
  
  Quality Improvement Training & Support
• Train district- and facility-level QI coaches, teams and leadership, building capacity.
• Deliver or co-facilitate structured QI training programmes
• Document and share lessons learned, coaching visit reports, and successful improvement stories to strengthen the national QI practice.
• Champion the integration of maternal and neonatal QI workstreams, ensuring that antenatal, intrapartum, and newborn care quality improvement efforts are coordinated.
• Facilitate joint learning sessions and case reviews that bring together maternity and neonatal unit teams to address the continuum of care from pregnancy through the early newborn period.
• Work with facility teams to ensure that results from MPDSR are used to improve processes and feed into improvement plans.
  
  Data Analysis and Monitoring
• Analyse and interpret MNH data to identify trends and improvement opportunities across the region.
• Support districts and facilities in using data for action
• Work with District QI Focal Persons to validate health data and ensure accuracy for strategic planning and reporting.
• Prepare high-quality reports, presentations, and QI project updates for stakeholders at facility, district, regional, and national levels.
• Track and monitor QI project progress against agreed indicators.
  
  Stakeholder Engagement & Advocacy
• Build and maintain trusted relationships with regional and district health officers, facility managers, and clinical teams.
• Collaborate closely with implementing partners to ensure integration of QI activities, including on-site clinical mentorship and simulation-based training.
• Engage hospital and health centre leadership to secure buy-in, create a culture of quality by removing organisational barriers to QI.
• Support proposal development, programme documentation, and advocacy materials to enable programme expansion and long-term sustainability.
• Actively contribute to NEST360s learning agenda by documenting innovations, participating in knowledge-sharing events, and contributing to publications or policy briefs where appropriate.
  
  Project Management & Documentation
• Ensure all QI activities are documented.
• Maintain organised, up-to-date programme files and contribute to quarterly and annual programme reports.
  

Skill :

• Mastery of QI models and methodologies.
• Strong data analysis skills with ability to interpret MNH indicators, construct run charts, and use data to drive improvement decisions.
• Proficiency in MS Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word) and Google Suite. Working knowledge of DHIS2 is a plus.
  
  Communication
• Excellent written and verbal communication in English, including report writing, presentations, and stakeholder briefings.
• Ability to translate complex data sets and QI concepts into clear, actionable messages for frontline health workers.

Qualification Required:

• Bachelor's degree in clinical medicine, Nursing, Midwifery, Public Health, or a related health field (required).
• Master's degree in public health, Health Systems Management, or related discipline (desirable).
• Formal training or certification in Quality Improvement (required).
• Direct clinical experience in midwifery, obstetric care, neonatal care, or maternal and child health is essential.

Experience :

• Minimum 5 years of progressive experience in public health programmes, health systems strengthening, or clinical service delivery.
• Atleast three (3) years leading or coordinating QI initiatives in healthcare settings, with demonstrated results.
• Experience working with government health systems at district or regional level is an added advantage
• Track record of building health worker capacity through training, coaching, and mentorship.
• Experience in perinatal or maternal-newborn health programmes is a significant advantage

Preferred Language Skill :

• Good written and spoken fofr both English and Kiswahili.
  
  Remuneration
• An attractive and competitive remuneration package shall be offered to the successful candidates as per IHI salary scales.
  
  Equal Employment Opportunity
• Ifakara Health Institute is an equal employment opportunity employer. We are committed to providing a workplace free from discrimination and harassment. We prohibit discrimination of any kind during recruitment and employment. All employment decisions are based solely on job requirements, merit, and individual qualifications, in compliance with the labor laws of Tanzania.
  
  Disclaimer!
  Ifakara Health Institute does not charge any fee at any stage of the recruitment process. Please disregard written or oral request for a job offer or an interview that you believe is or might be fraudulent or suspicious.

Job Opening date :12-Nov-2026

Job closing date :19-Nov-2026