Quality Improvement Coordinator at Ifakara Health Institute (IHI) – November 2026

Location: Zanzibar, Tanzania | Job Type: Full-Time | Positions: 1

Application Deadline: 19 November 2026

About Ifakara Health Institute (IHI)

Ifakara Health Institute (IHI) is a leading research organization in Africa with a strong track record in developing, testing, and validating innovations for health.

Driven by its core strategic mandate for research, training, and services, the Institute’s work spans biomedical and ecological sciences, intervention studies, health-systems research, service delivery, and policy translation.

Position Summary

Ifakara Health Institute, under its Maternal and Newborn Health Program, is seeking an experienced Quality Improvement Coordinator to be stationed in Zanzibar, reporting to the Program Coordinator.

The successful candidate will provide technical coordination to advance the implementation and scale-up of Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) initiatives for maternal and Small and Sick Newborn Care (SSNC).

The role will support the translation of national policies and guidelines into coordinated action across regional and facility levels, ensuring alignment, standardisation, and measurable improvements in the quality of care.

The Quality Improvement Coordinator will work closely with the Ministry of Health, district teams, and implementing partners to strengthen national and sub-national systems for quality improvement.

This includes supporting the development of a functional network of QI coaches and mentors, promoting data-driven decision-making, and ensuring the integration of maternal and newborn care quality systems.

The position will play a central role in fostering system ownership, building capacity across all levels of the health system, and embedding CQI within routine service delivery structures to drive sustainable improvements in maternal and newborn health outcomes.

The ideal candidate must be ready and available to assume duties immediately upon appointment.

Key Responsibilities

1. National Quality Improvement

• Represent IHI-NEST360 and the Beginnings Fund at regional and national-level meetings on maternal and newborn health, patient safety, and quality of care.

• Support the Ministry of Health in developing and adapting QI tools, processes, and implementation approaches across districts.

• Support the Ministry in developing a national training guideline for Quality Improvement.

2. District Quality Improvement

• Serve as a QI resource person for all Beginnings Fund-supported facilities, ensuring alignment with Zanzibar maternal and newborn health (MNH) priorities and programme goals.

• Coach and mentor the District QI Focal Person to lead, own, and sustain quality improvement work.

• Facilitate regular regional QI review meetings and learning sessions that bring district teams together to share progress, challenges, and successful innovations.

• Advocate for and support the integration of MNH quality improvement into district annual work plans and health sector budgets.

3. Facility-Level Quality Improvement Support

• Ensure every supported facility has at least one active and capacitated QI Champion who can lead improvement work between visits.

• Work closely with privatised district hospitals.

• Ensure the functionality of WIT teams in the Newborn Unit and Maternity Department.

• Conduct regular facility coaching visits to support QI teams in applying the Model for Improvement methodology.

• Assist facility teams in identifying, prioritising, and using change packages as QI interventions to address the most critical gaps in maternal and newborn care.

• Foster a culture of continuous improvement at the facility level, working with facility leadership to create the conditions for quality improvement to thrive.

4. Quality Improvement Training and Support

• Train district- and facility-level QI coaches, teams, and leadership, building their capacity.

• Deliver or co-facilitate structured QI training programmes.

• Document and share lessons learned, coaching visit reports, and successful improvement stories to strengthen national QI practice.

• Champion the integration of maternal and neonatal QI workstreams, ensuring that antenatal, intrapartum, and newborn care quality improvement efforts are coordinated.

• Facilitate joint learning sessions and case reviews that bring together maternity and neonatal unit teams to address the continuum of care from pregnancy through the early newborn period.

• Work with facility teams to ensure that results from Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDSR) are used to improve processes and incorporated into improvement plans.

5. Data Analysis and Monitoring

• Analyse and interpret MNH data to identify trends and improvement opportunities across the region.

• Support districts and facilities in using data for action.

• Work with District QI Focal Persons to validate health data and ensure accuracy for strategic planning and reporting.

• Prepare high-quality reports, presentations, and QI project updates for stakeholders at facility, district, regional, and national levels.

• Track and monitor QI project progress against agreed indicators.

6. Stakeholder Engagement and Advocacy

• Build and maintain trusted relationships with regional and district health officers, facility managers, and clinical teams.

• Collaborate closely with implementing partners to ensure the integration of QI activities, including on-site clinical mentorship and simulation-based training.

• Engage hospital and health centre leadership to secure buy-in and create a culture of quality by removing organisational barriers to QI.

• Support proposal development, programme documentation, and advocacy materials to enable programme expansion and long-term sustainability.

• Actively contribute to NEST360’s learning agenda by documenting innovations, participating in knowledge-sharing events, and contributing to publications or policy briefs where appropriate.

7. Project Management and Documentation

• Ensure all QI activities are properly documented.

• Maintain organised and up-to-date programme files.

• Contribute to quarterly and annual programme reports.

Required Skills and Competencies

Technical Skills

• Mastery of Quality Improvement models and methodologies.

• Strong data analysis skills, with the ability to interpret MNH indicators, construct run charts, and use data to drive improvement decisions.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.

• Proficiency in Google Suite.

• Working knowledge of DHIS2 is an added advantage.

Communication Skills

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English, including report writing, presentations, and stakeholder briefings.

• Ability to translate complex datasets and QI concepts into clear, actionable messages for frontline health workers.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Clinical Medicine, Nursing, Midwifery, Public Health, or a related health field (required).

• Master’s degree in Public Health, Health Systems Management, or a related discipline (desirable).

• Formal training or certification in Quality Improvement (required).

• Direct clinical experience in midwifery, obstetric care, neonatal care, or maternal and child health is essential.

Required Experience

• Minimum of five (5) years of progressive experience in public health programmes, health systems strengthening, or clinical service delivery.

• At least three (3) years of experience leading or coordinating QI initiatives in healthcare settings, with demonstrated results.

• Experience working with government health systems at district or regional level is an added advantage.

• Proven track record of building health worker capacity through training, coaching, and mentorship.

• Experience in perinatal or maternal-newborn health programmes is a significant advantage.

Number of Positions

1 Position

Preferred Language Skills

• Good written and spoken English.

• Good written and spoken Kiswahili.

Remuneration

An attractive and competitive remuneration package shall be offered to the successful candidate in accordance with IHI salary scales.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Ifakara Health Institute is an equal employment opportunity employer committed to providing a workplace free from discrimination and harassment.

The Institute prohibits discrimination of any kind during recruitment and employment. All employment decisions are based solely on job requirements, merit, and individual qualifications, in compliance with the labour laws of Tanzania.

Important Notice to Applicants

Ifakara Health Institute does not charge any fee at any stage of the recruitment process.

Applicants are advised to disregard any written or oral requests for payment in exchange for a job offer or interview that they believe may be fraudulent or suspicious.

How to Apply

Interested and qualified candidates should submit their applications online through the official Ifakara Health Institute recruitment portal.

Applicants should carefully review the requirements and ensure that they submit their applications before the closing date.

Application Link:

CLICK HERE TO APPLY