Program Officer Maternal Health at Pathfinder International

The Program Officer will coordinate facility- and community-level MNH interventions including quality improvement (QI), capacity building of healthcare providers (HCPs), maternal health social and behavior change (SBC) activities, supportive supervision and mentorship, MPDSR strengthening, data quality assurance, and rollout of digital innovations such as m-mama Emergency Transportation System and client feedback mechanism.

She/he will work on a full-time basis, reporting to the Project Manager, and be based in Morogoro

Program Planning:

• Support joint annual and quarterly planning with R/CHMTs, CHMTs, and LGAs aligned to Comprehensive Council Health Plans (CCHPs).
• Coordinate implementation of MNH activities across hubs (hospitals/health centers) and spokes (dispensaries) using the hub-and-spoke model.
• Facilitate mapping of supported health facilities, referral pathways, and MNH service readiness
• Support alignment of project activities with national MNH policies, guidelines, and SOPs.

Program Implementation and Capacity Development

• Coordinate and support clinical mentorship, simulation-based training, and on-the-job coaching for healthcare providers on:
• Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (EmONC)
• Management of obstetric hemorrhage and hypertensive disorders
• Respectful maternity care and birth companionship
• Support implementation of Beyond Bias and respectful care approaches to improve women’s experience of care.
• Support integration of postpartum family planning (PPFP) across the MNH continuum of care.
• Coordinate dissemination and use of updated MNH guidelines, tools, and job aids at facility level.

Coordination & Partnerships

• Maintain effective working relationships with R/CHMTs, CHMTs, facility managers, and implementing partners.
• Participate in regional MNH coordination platforms, Safe Motherhood and RMNCAH Technical Working Groups.
• Support joint supervision, review meetings, and learning exchanges.
• Represent the project in district- and regional-level MNH forums as delegated.

M&E and Reporting

• Monitor the project implementation plans and progress of community engagement portfolio as per the project projections.
• Support routine data collection, verification, reporting, and use of MNH indicators aligned with DHIS2 and donor requirements.
• Participate in Data Quality Assessments (DQAs), facility record reviews, and supportive supervision visits.
• Support MPDSR review meetings and follow-up of action plans.
• Contribute to quarterly, semiannual, and annual technical and donor reports.
• Document lessons learned, best practices, and success stories for learning and dissemination.

Compliance and Safeguarding Policy Implementation

• Ensure compliance with donor, organizational, and Government of Tanzania requirements.
• Support implementation and monitoring of safeguarding, child protection, and respectful care policies.
• Adhere to ethical standards, data protection, and confidentiality protocols.
• Support risk mitigation and incident reporting as required.

Minimum Education and Work Experience:

• Demonstrated experience working with health systems at LGA and facility levels, particularly in MNH.
• Strong experience coordinating healthcare providers, clinical mentors, and facility managers including Community Health Volunteers/Workers.
• Experienced in coordinating community engagement and demand creation approaches with R/CHMT’s, health facilities and community leaders.
• Experience supporting MNH quality improvement, supportive supervision, and mentorship.
• Experience working with R/CHMTs, CHMTs, and local government authorities.
• Experience supporting data use, performance review meetings, and learning processes.
• Experience coordinating community engagement and SBC activities related to maternal health

Preferred Education And Work Experience

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Medicine, Clinical Medicine, Nursing, Midwifery, Public Health, or related field.
• Clinical qualification (AMO, CO, RN/RM, MD) strongly preferred.
• Master’s degree in public health, Health Systems, or Project Management is an added advantage.
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in MNH, RMNCAH, or health systems strengthening program.

Competencies and Attributes:

Minimally Required Job-Specific Competencies:

• Country Specific Public Health System: Advanced knowledge of the countries’ public health systems and SRHR/RMNACH programs.
• Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights: Advanced knowledge of family planning and reproductive health principles, practices, and services of programs, including program strategies and indicators, and the latest professional developments in SRHR and SSCB. Advanced skills in designing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating development and intervention activities funded by different donor organizations working in the health sector.
• Proposal Development: Advanced skills in proposal development from concept to full proposal, resource mobilization, and proven ability to raise substantial research/development funds
• Leadership: Advanced skills as a leader in health and health service delivery strengthening in developing countries and proven ability in developing strategic plans.
• Program and Project Planning and Management: Advanced skills in program and project management and planning to fulfill performance objectives, including the timely implementation and reporting of donor-funded program activities.
• Operations and Financial Management: Advanced knowledge of operations and project financial oversight Presentation Skills: Ability to make presentations on results and products to small and large groups.
  
  

Minimum Required Organizational Competencies:

• Software Applications: Advanced knowledge of MS Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Outlook.
• Languages: Proven writing and speaking skills using Kiswahili and English language.
• Communication and Influencing Skills: Proven ability to influence others through diplomacy and proven oral and written communication skills.
• Passion for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights: Commitment to family planning, reproductive health services, gender, maternal, child health services, and eradication of harmful traditional practices.
• Self-Management and Teamwork: Ability to work independently or as a member of the team, ability to thrive in a matrix organization, ability to be details-oriented, and ability to manage stress effectively in a fast-paced environment.
• Confidentiality: Ability to maintain confidentiality on work related matters.
• Flexibility to travel, when necessary, to support field operations
  
  

Ability to work in a fast-paced, open-structure, multicultural environment and effectively handle competing time and resource demands for self and others.

Other Information:

• This job description format focuses on the main duties of the position and is not intended to list every potential task or assignment.
  
  

Duties can and will change to meet the changing priorities of the department and organization.

Pathfinder is committed to safeguarding and protecting the people we serve as well as our staff.

We have zero tolerance for any behavior that inflicts harm on children, young people, adults, as well as our staff and partners, including sexual abuse, harassment, bullying, and exploitation. Everyone we hire must abide by our safeguarding and related policies