ABOUT VILLAGEREACH
VillageReach transforms health care delivery to reach everyone. We are driven by a vision of a world where each person has the health care needed to thrive. VillageReach’s goal is to reduce inequities in access to quality primary health care for 350 million people by 2030. We work with governments, the private sector, partners and communities to build responsive primary health care systems that deliver health products, information and services to the most under-reached. As a locally driven and globally connected organization, VillageReach has offices in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Malawi, Cote d'Ivoire, Mozambique and the United States.
SUMMARY
VillageReach continues to grow its impact and scope in Tanzania (both mainland and Zanzibar). The Senior Program Manager in Tanzania will be the Country Lead on the ground driving forward quality programs and business development. This position is vital to the success of the Lab Sample Transport & Community Surveillance work in Tanzania through the Takeda Corporate Social Responsibility investment. The position holder will ensure the program’s goals and objectives are achieved, and deliverables are submitted to the Global Program Manager with high quality and in a timely manner. The Senior Program Manager will work closely with our partner, CIHEB Tanzania, and the Government, assisting with trainings and technical assistance. This position will also lead work on Community Insights to Action in the country, building on a previous feedback loops assessment of the national Afya Call Center.
Pending funding, the Senior Program Manager would lead on-the-ground implementation of a 24-month VillageReach pilot in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania that tests whether decentralizing Afya Call Center feedback on antenatal care (ANC) to district and facility teams combined with public accountability can drive faster, more responsive government action and improve ANC service experience, trust, and adherence. Additionally, he/she will work closely with the Ministry of Health and the Call Center staff to oversee activities, the 5-year operational plan follow-up, and National Telehealth Community of Practice. This position would drive Business Development in Tanzania across multiple areas: responsive Primary Health Care, community health, supply chain, immunization, outbreak response, telehealth, women’s health, and other areas as they arise. This position is currently funded for 6 months but would be extended if resources are secured.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties, responsibilities, and activities may change or be assigned at any time.
a) Integrated Laboratory Transport Systems to Stop Outbreaks – Takeda CSR Program (50%)
• Support the implementation of community surveillance and laboratory sample transport activities in collaboration with partner CIHEB Tanzania and with the global program management team;
• As needed, coordinate across other Takeda country teams to bring best practices and lessons learned to Tanzania;
• In collaboration with CIHEB, plan and organize training sessions on biosafety and biosecurity for health personnel and other stakeholders involved in sample transport;
• Support the updating of standard operating procedures for sample transport and training at all levels covering all outbreak-prone diseases;
• Ensure capacity building of community health workers in surveillance activities and active case detection for outbreak-prone diseases;
• Ensure training of community leaders in crisis communication during outbreaks;
• In collaboration with the M&E Manager, support monthly and quarterly surveillance data review meetings at national and provincial levels;
• Assist in preparing the annual program progress report and submit it on time;
• Participate in regular Takeda program meetings with CIHEB and global program management team;
• Support and co-author blogs on Tanzania lab sample transport progress with Communications team;
• Work with the Senior Director of Global Programs and CIHEB Lead on developing and executing a viable sustainability plan for the Takeda project as it comes to an end in the country, to ensure the impact and gains are continued.
b) Implementation support and coordination- Afya Call Center, Feedback loops, Zanzibar Call Centre, & Telehealth Community of Practice: (25%)
• In collaboration with the leads on the Community Insights to Action, act as a liaison to the Ministry of Health, to build on previous work on feedback mechanisms to improve health system response. Additional work may be needed pending funding. This includes:
• Government stakeholder coordination: Serve as the primary liaison to the Ministry of Health (RMNCH Directorate), PMO-RALG, and Regional and Council Health Management Teams, coordinating co-design, routine review meetings, and joint oversight to ensure the intervention is embedded within existing government structures and workflows.
• Facility- and district-level implementation: Coordinate day-to-day pilot activities across participating health facilities and District ANC Response Units, including support for feedback review cycles, quarterly co-design workshops, and public accountability mechanisms, working closely with facility staff, focal persons, and community stakeholders.
• In collaboration with the Global Telehealth Senior Program Officer, continue with plans based on the Afya Call Center 5-year operational plan.
• In collaboration with the Global Telehealth Community of Practice Senior Program Officer and the Tanzania National Telehealth Community of Practice secretariat, conduct on the ground coordination with the Ministry of Health and partners to support the Tanzania Community of Practice activities.
• Support other hotline related opportunities in both Mainland and Zanzibar as they arise.
c) Tanzania Country Leadership, Management, & Business Development: (25%)
• Drive in country business development