Overview

The Project Lead will provide overall leadership and strategic oversight for the implementation of the Pandemic Fund–supported project to strengthen specimen referral and transportation systems across Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar. The role will ensure the development and operationalization of a scalable, integrated, and multisectoral specimen referral system aligned with the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005), IDSR framework, and One Health approach.

The Project Lead will work closely with the Ministry of Health (Mainland and Zanzibar) and other Pandemic Fund stakeholders/partners to strengthen coordination between human and animal health laboratory networks, improve efficiency and traceability of specimen transport, and support rapid detection and response to public health threats

Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Program Oversight

• Provide overall leadership and direction for project implementation across Mainland and Zanzibar
• Lead development and execution of work plans, budgets, and performance monitoring frameworks
• Ensure alignment with national policies, WHO guidance, and Global Health Security priorities
• Drive adaptive management using data and performance monitoring

Technical Leadership – Specimen Referral Systems

• Oversee development and dissemination of standardized SOPs and referral algorithms for priority diseases
• Ensure integration of specimen referral systems across human and animal health sectors (One Health)
• Provide strategic guidance on strengthening referral coordination, biosafety, and transport systems
• Support operationalization of national and international specimen transport frameworks

Program Implementation & Coordination

• Oversee dissemination of:
  • Zanzibar Integrated Sample Referral and Transport Operational Manual (ZISRT–OPM)
  • National Sample Referral System (SRS) Atlas for Mainland Tanzania
• Ensure effective rollout across all target facilities and regions
• Coordinate national and regional workshops and multisectoral stakeholder engagements
• Strengthen coordination mechanisms between laboratories, surveillance units, and transport systems

Stakeholder Engagement

• Serve as primary liaison with MoH (Mainland and Zanzibar), WHO, and key partners
• Represent Jhpiego in national technical working groups and One Health platforms
• Facilitate multisectoral collaboration across human, animal, and environmental health sectors

People & Team Management

• Supervise and mentor project staff, ensuring high-quality and timely delivery
• Foster a high-performing, accountable, and collaborative team environment
• Build capacity of government counterparts and partners

Financial & Operational Oversight

• Oversee project budgets, financial tracking, and reporting
• Ensure compliance with WHO and Jhpiego policies and procedures
• Ensure efficient and accountable use of resources

Monitoring, Evaluation & Reporting

• Oversee monitoring of project performance, including dissemination and adoption of referral systems
• Ensure timely preparation of technical and donor reports
• Promote use of data to improve program implementation and decision-making

Business Development & Knowledge Management

• Document best practices and lessons learned
• Support dissemination of project results to national and global stakeholders
• Contribute to future funding opportunities and scale-up

Required Qualifications

• Advanced degree in public health, laboratory sciences, epidemiology, or related field
• Minimum 7 years of experience in global health programs, with at least 3 years in senior leadership roles
• Strong experience in laboratory systems strengthening, surveillance, or global health security
• Demonstrated experience working with Government of Tanzania and donor-funded program.
• Experience in multisectoral/One Health programming strongly preferred
• Proven leadership, management, and stakeholder engagement skills

Preferred Qualifications

Excellent communication, facilitation, and representation skills

Fluency in English; Swahili preferred

Ability to travel nationally

• Provide overall leadership and direction for project implementation across Mainland and Zanzibar
• Lead development and execution of work plans, budgets, and performance monitoring frameworks
• Ensure alignment with national policies, WHO guidance, and Global Health Security priorities
• Drive adaptive management using data and performance monitoring
• Oversee development and dissemination of standardized SOPs and referral algorithms for priority diseases
• Ensure integration of specimen referral systems across human and animal health sectors (One Health)
• Provide strategic guidance on strengthening referral coordination, biosafety, and transport systems
• Support operationalization of national and international specimen transport frameworks
• Oversee dissemination of: Zanzibar Integrated Sample Referral and Transport Operational Manual (ZISRT–OPM), National Sample Referral System (SRS) Atlas for Mainland Tanzania
• Ensure effective rollout across all target facilities and regions
• Coordinate national and regional workshops and multisectoral stakeholder engagements
• Strengthen coordination mechanisms between laboratories, surveillance units, and transport systems
• Serve as primary liaison with MoH (Mainland and Zanzibar), WHO, and key partners
• Represent Jhpiego in national technical working groups and One Health platforms
• Facilitate multisectoral collaboration across human, animal, and environmental health sectors
• Supervise and mentor project staff, ensuring high-quality and timely delivery
• Foster a high-performing, accountable, and collaborative team environment
• Build capacity of government counterparts and partners
• Oversee project budgets, financial tracking, and reporting
• Ensure compliance with WHO and Jhpiego policies and procedures
• Ensure efficient and accountable use of resources
• Oversee monitoring of project performance, including dissemination and adoption of referral systems
• Ensure timely preparation of technical and donor reports
• Promote use of data to improve program implementation and decision-making
• Document best practices and lessons learned
• Support dissemination of project results to national and global stakeholders
• Contribute to future funding opportunities and scale-up

• Proven leadership, management, and stakeholder engagement skills
• Excellent communication, facilitation, and representation skills
• Fluency in English; Swahili preferred
• Ability to travel nationally

• Advanced degree in public health, laboratory sciences, epidemiology, or related field
• Minimum 7 years of experience in global health programs, with at least 3 years in senior leadership roles
• Strong experience in laboratory systems strengthening, surveillance, or global health security
• Demonstrated experience working with Government of Tanzania and donor-funded program.
• Experience in multisectoral/One Health programming strongly preferred