Program Summary

Ifakara Health Institute (IHI) is a leading African research organisation with extensive experience in health research, innovation, and systems strengthening. Leveraging this expertise, IHI is planning to implement the Maternal and Newborn Health Program as part of the Beginnings Fund investment in Tanzania, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health (MoH), the Prime Minister’s Office, Regional Administration and Local Government (PMO-RALG), and other partners across 12 regions.

The program targets 210 high-volume facilities through a hub-and-spoke model to strengthen maternal and newborn health services by addressing gaps in workforce, commodities, infrastructure, and data systems. With a focus on improving intrapartum care and expanding quality newborn services, the initiative aims to accelerate the reduction in maternal and neonatal mortality and prevent stillbirths, contributing to Tanzania’s 2030 health goals.

Job Summary

Ifakara Health Institute is seeking Senior Program Officer (SPO) who will support implementation, coordination, and operational management of the program across 12 implementation regions. The SPO translates the program strategy into high-quality, scalable program activities; coordinates implementation teams and partners; monitors performance; and ensures timely delivery of program outputs aligned with program objectives and National MNH priorities.

Responsibility:Responsibilities

• Provide overall organisation and coordination of program activities across all sites.
• Support roll-out of MNH interventions (ANC, skilled birth attendance, newborn care, postnatal care, KMC) across regions.
• Coordinate project teams at national and sub-national levels, ensuring consistent implementation.
• Assist in the preparation of monthly, quarterly and annual program work plans.
• Preparing activity budgets and collaborating with finance teams to ensure timely financing for field activities.
• Manage workplan execution, follow up on milestones, and liaise with implementing partners and government counterparts.
• Prepare timely programmatic reports, briefs, and donor reporting inputs.
• Support delivery of trainings, workshops, and capacity-building activities for facility staff, CHWs, and local managers.
• Maintain strong working relationships with MoH (national, regional, district), PMORALG, implementing partners, and other stakeholders.
• Facilitate compliance among program staff with organisational policies, donor requirements, and ethical standards.
• Contribute to documenting and disseminating project success stories during routine programming.
• Maintain documentation of project files, including meeting notes and performance reports.
• Establish and maintain program management tools across project teams and field offices.
• Build the capacity of program officers and program assistants in project coordination, organisation, and reporting.
• Assist in the development of materials to include formatting, typesetting, content flow and finalisation of the document ready to print.
• Support sub-grantees in program and financial management and reporting.
• Archive primary project records and related events, meetings, press releases and other technical and implementation documents.
• Support the programmatic team by organising the central project filing system, ensuring the integrity of official documents, including correspondence with the ministry, donors, and other partners.

Skill :Preferred Skills

• Demonstrated leadership skills and experience in building and maintaining productive working relationships with colleagues and the host government.
• Computer literacy, particularly in the use of MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint Experience.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and stakeholder-management skills.
• Demonstrated a high level of integrity, commitment and team working spirit.
• Flexible, results-oriented, able to travel frequently and work in resource-limited settings.

Qualification Required:Essential Qualification

• Master’s degree in public health, Social Sciences, or Development Studies, or related field.

Experience :Required Experience

• At least 5 years of similar work experience in donor-funded programs.
• Prior experience managing field teams, coordinating multi-site programs, and working with government health structures.
• Strong operational and project management skills (planning, budgeting, logistics).
• Proven record of building teams and fostering collaboration to achieve program goals, meet program milestones, and produce quality program results
• Ability to work in a complex environment with multiple tasks, short deadlines, and intense pressure to perform.

Preferred Language Skill :Preferred Language

• Fluency in English; Kiswahili proficiency is highly desirable

• Provide overall organisation and coordination of program activities across all sites.
• Support roll-out of MNH interventions (ANC, skilled birth attendance, newborn care, postnatal care, KMC) across regions.
• Coordinate project teams at national and sub-national levels, ensuring consistent implementation.
• Assist in the preparation of monthly, quarterly and annual program work plans.
• Preparing activity budgets and collaborating with finance teams to ensure timely financing for field activities.
• Manage workplan execution, follow up on milestones, and liaise with implementing partners and government counterparts.
• Prepare timely programmatic reports, briefs, and donor reporting inputs.
• Support delivery of trainings, workshops, and capacity-building activities for facility staff, CHWs, and local managers.
• Maintain strong working relationships with MoH (national, regional, district), PMORALG, implementing partners, and other stakeholders.
• Facilitate compliance among program staff with organisational policies, donor requirements, and ethical standards.
• Contribute to documenting and disseminating project success stories during routine programming.
• Maintain documentation of project files, including meeting notes and performance reports.
• Establish and maintain program management tools across project teams and field offices.
• Build the capacity of program officers and program assistants in project coordination, organisation, and reporting.
• Assist in the development of materials to include formatting, typesetting, content flow and finalisation of the document ready to print.
• Support sub-grantees in program and financial management and reporting.
• Archive primary project records and related events, meetings, press releases and other technical and implementation documents.
• Support the programmatic team by organising the central project filing system, ensuring the integrity of official documents, including correspondence with the ministry, donors, and other partners.

• Demonstrated leadership skills and experience in building and maintaining productive working relationships with colleagues and the host government.
• Computer literacy, particularly in the use of MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint Experience.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and stakeholder-management skills.
• Demonstrated a high level of integrity, commitment and team working spirit.
• Flexible, results-oriented, able to travel frequently and work in resource-limited settings.

• Master’s degree in public health, Social Sciences, or Development Studies, or related field.