Jhpiego is seeking a visionary and results-driven Program Lead to manage a flagship newborn health initiative focused on reducing preventable newborn deaths, improving quality of care, and advancing care for small and sick newborns including preterm babies. The role offers a unique opportunity to influence policy, strengthen health systems, and deliver sustainable impact at scale.

The role will drive implementation of evidence-based interventions, foster innovation, build strategic partnerships, and support national and county governments to improve maternal and newborn health outcomes across Kenya.

The successful candidate will be expected to help expand access to high-quality maternal and newborn care, increase adoption of innovative life-saving interventions for small, sick and preterm babies, strengthen country ownership, improve health outcomes, and be part of the regional and global team positioning Jhpiego as a leading technical partner in maternal and newborn health.

Jhpiego, an affiliate of Johns Hopkins University, is recognized globally for technical excellence, innovation, health workforce development, and sustainable health systems strengthening. You will join a mission-driven team committed to advancing health equity and delivering lasting impact for women, newborns, and families. 

Responsibilities

• Lead strategy, planning, budgeting, implementation, and performance management of Healthy Birth Initiative’ and contribute to broader maternal, newborn, and child health priorities across Jhpiego.
• Build and manage partnerships with global partners, government, donors, professional associations, academia, and implementing partners.
• Provide technical leadership in maternal and newborn health, quality improvement, and introduction of innovations, including mentoring multi-disciplinary teams
• Strengthen health systems, workforce capacity, referral networks, and data-driven decision making.
• Oversee financial management, compliance, risk mitigation, and partner performance
• Lead monitoring, evaluation, learning, research, and knowledge-sharing initiatives.
• Lead, supervise and mentor a multidisciplinary team of technical, programmatic, and monitoring and evaluation professionals.
• Support resource mobilization and growth opportunities.

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Public Health, International Development or a related field
• Minimum 10 years of progressively responsible experience managing public health programs, including at least 5 years in a senior leadership role.
• At least 5 years in maternal, newborn, and child health programming.
• Demonstrated experience managing large donor-funded programs and multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong experience working with regional, national and county governments in Kenya.
• Deep familiarity with Kenya’s Maternal, Newborn and Child Health landscape
• Expertise in health systems strengthening, quality improvement, resource mobilization and stakeholder engagement.

• Lead strategy, planning, budgeting, implementation, and performance management of Healthy Birth Initiative’ and contribute to broader maternal, newborn, and child health priorities across Jhpiego.
• Build and manage partnerships with global partners, government, donors, professional associations, academia, and implementing partners.
• Provide technical leadership in maternal and newborn health, quality improvement, and introduction of innovations, including mentoring multi-disciplinary teams
• Strengthen health systems, workforce capacity, referral networks, and data-driven decision making.
• Oversee financial management, compliance, risk mitigation, and partner performance
• Lead monitoring, evaluation, learning, research, and knowledge-sharing initiatives.
• Lead, supervise and mentor a multidisciplinary team of technical, programmatic, and monitoring and evaluation professionals.
• Support resource mobilization and growth opportunities.

• maternal and child health programs
• clinical quality improvement
• grant management
• health systems strengthening
• quality improvement
• resource mobilization
• stakeholder engagement

• Master’s degree in Public Health, International Development or a related field
• Minimum 10 years of progressively responsible experience managing public health programs, including at least 5 years in a senior leadership role.
• At least 5 years in maternal, newborn, and child health programming.
• Demonstrated experience managing large donor-funded programs and multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong experience working with regional, national and county governments in Kenya.
• Deep familiarity with Kenya’s Maternal, Newborn and Child Health landscape
• Expertise in health systems strengthening, quality improvement, resource mobilization and stakeholder engagement.