Woreda MNCH Officers

Vacancy Announcement

Mahibere Hiwot for Social Development (MSD) is a non-profit, indigenous civil society organization established in 1999 with the aim of improving the health, wellbeing, and socio-economic status of communities across Ethiopia. Since its inception, MSD has evolved into a leading development and humanitarian organization implementing evidence-based programs that address the diverse needs of vulnerable populations.

MSD’s programmatic focus spans multiple sectors, including Health and Nutrition (TB, HIV/AIDS, SRH, MNCH), Education (access to quality education, TVET, and skills development), Social Mobilization and Livelihood (economic strengthening and prevention of HTPs, GBV, and FGM), Migration and Trafficking (safe migration and rehabilitation of returnees and victims), Child Care and Development (child protection, early childhood care, and infant feeding), and Human Rights and Good Governance (democratization, peace building, and dialogue).

In addition, MSD engages in Humanitarian and Emergency Response (supporting disaster-affected and displaced communities) and Environment and Climate Change (promoting environmental sustainability and biodiversity conservation). Through these integrated interventions, MSD works closely with government institutions, community structures, and development partners to foster inclusive growth, equity, and resilience at all levels of society.

In collaboration with Jhpiego, the lead implementing partner, MSD is rolling out the Reaching Impact Saturation and Epidemic Control (RISE) Project—a one-year, multi-regional initiative aimed at strengthening maternal, newborn, and child health and nutrition (MNCHN), improving infection prevention and control (IPC) practices, and enhancing health security across Ethiopia. The project adopts a geographic clustering model to ensure efficient and context-responsive implementation across pastoralist, agrarian, and semi-urban woredas.

MSD is looking for qualified and competent applicants for the following position:

Position: Woreda MNCH Officer

Reports to: Project Coordinator

Term of Employment: Contract

Sex: Female/Male

Staff required: 1 (One) for Each Wereda

Duty Station: Gidan, lasta, Meket, Abergel(AM), GazGibla and Sekota in Amhara region.

Salary: As per the organization scale

Position summary

The Woreda MNCH Officer will be responsible for strengthening maternal, newborn, and child health and nutrition (MNCHN) services, as well as infection prevention and control (IPC) practices within health facilities across the assigned woreda. Based at the Woreda Health Office, the officer will provide hands-on technical support to hospitals and health centers through on-site training, mentoring, and coaching, while working closely with the project’s Woreda Facilitator to ensure coordinated efforts between facility and community-level interventions. This role involves identifying and addressing health system bottlenecks, designing alternative service delivery strategies for hard-to-reach populations, and contributing to improved service quality and health outcomes. The officer will collaborate with cluster-based technical teams and report to the Cluster MNCH Technical Coordinator, with frequent field travel required—preferably with a valid motorbike driving license

Roles and Responsibilities

The Woreda MNCH Officer will be responsible for providing intensive technical support to health facilities (hospitals and health centers) within the woreda, focusing on Maternal, Newborn, Child Health and Nutrition (MNCHN) and Infection Prevention and Control (IPC). The officer will work in close collaboration with the Woreda Health Office and receive direct technical support from the cluster office.

Key responsibilities include:

Technical Support and Capacity Building

• Provide on-site training, coaching, and mentoring to health facility staff on MNCHN, IPC, nutrition, and immunization.
• Conduct frequent field visits to health facilities using motorbikes or other option.
• Map and build a pool of mentors in each thematic area and mobilize them to support service providers with a catchment base approach.
• Ensure quality of care and improved health outcomes through continuous capacity strengthening.

Identify and address service quality barriers

• Identify and address bottlenecks across WHO health system building blocks focusing on service delivery, health workforce, information systems and access to essential medicines,
• Support facilities in improving supply chain management, data quality, and service delivery platforms.

Strategic Planning and Implementation

• Design and implement alternative service delivery strategies to reach underserved and hard-to-reach populations.
• Collaborate with the Woreda Health Office to ensure equitable access to MNCHN services for vulnerable mothers and children.

Coordination and Synergy

• Work harmoniously with the Woreda Facilitator to ensure complementary actions between facility-level and community-level interventions.
• Facilitate joint planning and review meetings with woreda stakeholders and project staff.

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting

• Support health facilities in data collection, analysis, and use for decision-making.
• Regularly report progress, challenges, and lessons learned to the Cluster MNCH Technical Coordinator.
• Organize, participate and facilitate regular and ad hoc review meetings and pause and reflect sessions.

Qualifications and Requirements

• Educational Background: Bachelor’s degree or higher in Nursing, Midwifery, Public Health, or a related clinical field.
• Key training: Prior training in key areas of maternal, newborn, and child health service delivery is highly desirable for this position. Essential training includes Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI), Basic Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (BEmONC), Immunization in Practice, Cold Chain Management, and Management of Acute Malnutrition. Additional training such as on Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) and on Health Management Information Systems (HMIS) are also advantageous. Familiarity with the national MNCH approaches and the ability to effectively apply these training in real-world, context-sensitive settings will be considered a strong asset
• Clinical Experience: Minimum of 5 years of hands-on experience in maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH), nutrition, and immunization services within health facility settings.
• Training and Mentorship Skills: Demonstrated experience in delivering MNCH-related training, coaching, and mentoring to health care providers.
• Contextual Understanding: Strong understanding of the local health system, cultural context, and language of the woreda; ability to engage effectively with government health offices and community stakeholders.
• Understanding the Broader System: Experience in identifying and addressing service delivery bottlenecks across WHO health system building blocks.
• Communication and Collaboration: Excellent interpersonal and teamwork skills, with the ability to work collaboratively with woreda-level and cluster-level teams.
• Mobility: Willingness to travel frequently within the woreda, including remote areas; possession of a valid motorbike driving license is required or preferred.
• Language Proficiency: Proficiency in the local language(s) spoken in the woreda is highly desirable.