bCPAP Project Mentor

JOB TITLE: The bCPAP Project Mentor

TEAM/PROGRAMME: Programme and Operations

LOCATION:  Central

GRADE: NAT 4

POST TYPE: National

Safeguarding:

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Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Save the Children International’s Diversity Policy, aims to promote equal opportunity in employment and to ban any kind of discrimination based on sex, age, social class, disability, HIV status, religion, race and ethnicity

INTRODUCTION [PROJECT OVERVIEW]

Save the Children (SCI) is the world’s leading independent non-profit organization for children. Our vision is a world in which every child attains the right to survival, protection, development, and participation. SCI’s Mission is to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children, and to achieve immediate and lasting changes in their lives. In Zambia, Save the Children has been implementing programmes since 1983 across Child Rights Governance, Health and Nutrition, Child Protection, Education, Child Poverty, and Humanitarian Response.

Save the Children, in partnership with Vayu Global Health and the Ministry of Health (MOH), and with funding from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Charities (LDSC), will implement the Better Care for Small and Sick Newborns in Zambia project. The project aims to reduce facility-level neonatal mortality by improving access to high-quality respiratory care through the implementation of bubble Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (bCPAP), strengthening referral and transfer systems for sick newborns, and enhancing the capacity of health workers across Lusaka, Central, and Southern Provinces. The project will be implemented in ten district-level public health facilities providing maternity services with functional 24-hour inpatient newborn care units. The intervention will strengthen the quality of care for small and sick newborns through evidence-based clinical practice, health systems strengthening, capacity building, mentorship, quality improvement, and sustainable integration of bCPAP services into routine newborn care.

ROLE PURPOSE: 

The Better Care for Small and Sick Newborns in Zambia “bCPAP” Project Mentor is responsible for provision of regular on-site clinical mentorship, coaching and quality improvement support to healthcare providers in project – supported health facilities. The role aims to strengthen the capacity of healthcare providers to deliver evidence-based newborn care, improve adherence to national clinical standards and protocols, and enhance the quality of care for small and sick newborns, contributing to improved neonatal survival and long-term health outcomes.

Working closely with facility-based healthcare teams, Provincial and District Health Offices, and the Ministry of Health, the Project Mentor will build the clinical competencies and confidence of frontline providers in the use of bubble Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (bCPAP), newborn stabilization, infection prevention and control, referral and transfer of sick newborns, and other essential newborn care interventions. The role will promote continuous learning, problem-solving, and quality improvement to institutionalize best practices and strengthen routine newborn care services.

The bCPAP mentor works closely with the project manager, MEAL officer and other functions within the country office including the Health and Nutrition technical lead to meet all program-related objectives in line with the project and Country Office strategy. She/He is accountable for effective and efficient capacity strengthening and evidence-based practice standardisation for the “Better Care for Small and Sick Newborns in Zambia” project across all provinces and facilities with focus on appropriate quality newborn care service delivery.

This project aligns with the Zambia National Health Strategic Plan (2022–2026), particularly its priorities of achieving measurable reductions in neonatal mortality and morbidity through improved quality newborn care anchored on strategic planning, implementation and proactive coordination. The Project Manager will ensure delivery of high-quality, evidence-based interventions such as CPAP while strengthening Ministry of Health systems, building sustainable local capacity, and ensuring compliance with donor and organizational requirements. By strengthening systems for quality service delivery, maintenance, and monitoring of CPAP services, the program will support national newborn health goals and position the intervention for government‑led scale‑up if successful.

Role Dimensions: 

Project mentor has overall accountability for all capacity strengthening activities for the project ranging from organizing and spearheading offsite Trainer of Trainer sessions for newborn trainings and cascade of Low-Dose, High-Frequency (LDHF) training sessions, well planned regular mentorships and supporting the initiation and monitoring of district and facility level Quality Improvement (QI) initiatives. The job holder manages some key and strategic communications with all provincials, district and facility level leadership during their operations in consultation with the project manager. The role provides ongoing technical support to healthcare providers to ensure adherence to national clinical guidelines, evidence-based newborn care practices, and the appropriate use and maintenance of bubble Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (bCPAP) equipment. The Project Mentor also supports health facilities to identify service delivery gaps, implement quality improvement actions, monitor progress, and promote the use of routine data for continuous learning and decision-making.

Working under the overall leadership of the Project Manager, the Project Mentor maintains regular engagement with the Ministry of Health, Provincial Health Offices, District Health Offices, and health facility management teams to coordinate mentorship activities and strengthen local ownership of project interventions. The position represents the project during technical meetings, training sessions, mentorship visits, and other implementation activities as delegated by the Project Manager.

The Project Mentor works collaboratively with the Health and Nutrition Technical Lead, MEAL Coordinator, Finance, Supply Chain, Human Resources, Awards, and other Country Office support functions to ensure effective planning, implementation, monitoring, and reporting of project activities. The role also contributes to documenting lessons learned, identifying implementation challenges and opportunities, and promoting adaptive management to ensure high-quality programme delivery and sustainable improvements in newborn care.

SCOPE OF ROLE: 

Reports to: Project Manager

Staff reporting to this post: (0)

Indirect:

Budget Responsibilities: Shall hold activity-based budgets under the supervision of the project manager

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

1.Technical/Clinical Leadership

• Lead knowledge strengthening efforts through clinical competencies, confidence, and performance of healthcare providers delivering care to small and sick newborns through structured mentorship, coaching, supportive supervision, quality improvement initiatives, and continuous skills reinforcement
• Drive sustainable improvements in newborn survival by embedding evidence-based clinical practices into routine service delivery while strengthening local ownership and facility-based capacity through onsite LDHF
• With support from the province, districts and facility groomed newborn champions provide regular on-site mentorship to healthcare workers in: Essential Newborn Care, Small and Sick Newborn Care, advanced newborn care, respiratory distress management including initiation and care on bCPAP
• Support initiation and implementation of QI initiatives and committees for sustainable quality newborn service delivery such as Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) and Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) to foster low-cost high impact interventions that support newborn survival
• Support monitoring of all implementation activities including neonatal equipment availability, maintenance (working closely with facility biomedical technicians), safe and appropriate use based on the standards to foster alignment between project operations and strategic goal
• Support facilities to strengthen clinical documentation, case management, adherence to service delivery guideline and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s) including those related to the up-to-date newborn district referral systems, clinical audits related to performance, perinatal mortality reviews and infection prevention standards.
• Ensure integration of gender equality, safeguarding, disability inclusion and child rights throughout implementation.
• Working with the MEAL officer, support health workers to improve documentation quality, interpret routine health data, monitor newborn outcomes, and use data proactively to inform newborn care quality improvement initiatives.

2. Program Planning and implementation Support

Support implementation of all project capacity strengthening components including:

• Support with expertise rigorous application of Social and Behaviour Change Communication theory, practice, principles and current best practices with capacity to achieve measurable results for the sick newborns across all implementing facilities
• Keep updated a repository of all capacity building activities including input, process and output resources that can be used for project specific and organisational shared learning.
• Support implementation of competency-based capacity strengthening strategies such as overseeing Training of Trainers (TOT) implementation model with cascaded onsite Low Dose High Frequency (LDHF) and mentorships for assured systems strengthen long-term institutional capacity.
• Promote leadership development among facility champions to foster appropriate and sustainable evidence-based QI initiatives through functional facility QI teams
• Proactively participate in planning and conducting of the project baseline and facility readiness assessments, capacity strengthening and procurement planning needs for effective onsite clinical oversight

3. Stakeholder Management

Develop and maintain strong working relationships with stakeholders by: 

• Working with MOH mentors across all levels and taking responsibility to ensure alignment government set standards for newborn practice for easy project integration and sustainability beyond active implementation
• Work with Vayu Global Health technical advisors to align with national standards related to the use of bCPAP equipment
• Work and collaborate with Pediatric Association of Zambia (PAZ), relevant academic institutions and Church volunteer clinicians to support training and mentorship activities and foster high-quality implementation of newborn interventionswith
• Work with relevant program staff to ensure all implementing partners undergo legal vetting and capacity assessment prior to commencing work with Save the Children.
• Ensure that all partners are engaged with appropriate agreements and effective monitoring systems are in place so that partner delivery meets donor expectations and requirements
• Represent Save the Children during technical working groups, steering committees and coordination meetings with full recognition of The Christ of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints contribution to the project

4. Documentation and Program Reporting.

The project mentor will:

• Ensure monthly mentorship reports, action plans and Quality Improvement updates to monitor health care worker competencies in newborn care, isolate gaps easily and design mitigation measures
• Conduct competency assessment reports based on clinical practice and LDHF sessions to foster increased adherence to national newborn care guidelines
• Support correct documentation of success stories, lessons learnt and provide timely feedback to project management.
• Ensure timely submission of high-quality monthly mentorship and all other capacity strengthening related progress reports in accordance with the project reporting schedule and formats/guidelines

5. Advocacy, Networking and influencing

• Support district and facility level advocacy for children and other vulnerable groups in the Impact Area based on SCI guidelines and standards
• Builds strategic networks, coalitions and alliances on project related key advocacy issues with relevant health facility teams
• Ensure Advocacy for children is integrated in programme and project operations and plans.
• Document lessons and learning’s from advocacy engagements in synch with the MEAL officer under project manager’s oversight
• Work closely with partners in the districts to foster synergy and visibility for the organisation including attending key and agreed upon district and Sub- national meetings for purpose of advocacy.
• Work with Child Safeguarding Focal persons to ensure all CO staff are trained in CS
• Closely review documents and agreements to ensure all partners, contractors, visitors, volunteers etc. comply with CS and code of conduct standards

6  Child Safeguarding 

• Work with Child Safeguarding Focal persons to ensure all CO staff are trained in CS
• Closely review documents and agreements to ensure all partners, contractors, visitors, volunteers etc. comply with CS and code of conduct standards

SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (our Values in Practice)

BEHAVIOURS (Values in Practice)

Accountability:

• Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
• Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities – giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved.

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and their team, takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages their team to do the same
• Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
• future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale.

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, Members and external partners and supporters
• Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to.

Creativity:

• develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• willing to take disciplined risks.

Integrity:

honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity

QUALIFICATIONS

• Degree in Public health, social sciences, Nursing or other related Health degree

• Post graduate qualification in Public Health or related field will be an added advantage

• Minimum of 5 -7 years of experience in an in leading implementation and managing

Previous working relationships within donor funded programs and with key multilateral agencies, and bilateral donors;

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

Essential

• Public Health, Nursing or other related Health degree
• Minimum of more than five years of project management experience at mid-level management or higher Previous working relationships within donor funded programs and with key multilateral agencies, and bilateral donors.
• Demonstrated ability to work within a multi-faceted health development program in collaboration with MOH personnel at provincial, district and health facility levels, and local partners.
• Experience with use of data/evidence for priority setting / decision making and targeting interventions
• Experience and skills in managing and motivating teams to deliver results
• Demonstrable financial, planning and budget management skills a MUST.
• Highly developed cultural awareness and ability to work well in an international environment with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures
• Demonstrated knowledge of international and local policies and frameworks relating to their thematic area is necessary.
• Certification or proven experience in project management methodology
• Strong record of fostering new and effective partnerships, team building and collaborative implementation
• Proven ability to develop and oversee implementation of program work plans and coordinate/manage field staff implementing these plans.
• Ability to work in a complex environment with multiple tasks, short deadlines and intense pressure to perform.
• Ability to work independently and as a team leader/member with diverse team of partners and counterparts.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (oral, written and presentation).
• Excellent computer skills and experience working with Microsoft Office applications.
• English fluency (verbal and written) required.
• Proven leadership, strategic thinking, organizational, team-building, and representational skills.
• Strong knowledge of the Zambian health system.
• Previous experience working in Central, Lusaka Southern Provinces

Additional job responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the role holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

QUALIFIED APPLICANTS SHOULD ONLY ATTACH A COVER LETTER AND AN UPDATED CV.

The closing date for receipt of applications is Friday 14th August 2026. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Save the Children reserves the right to re advertise if suitable applicants are not found.

Save the Children is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer that does not engage in any practices which discriminate against any person employed or seeking employment based on race, colour, religion, gender, national or ethnic origin, age, marital status and we will never ask that you pay for anything as part of the selection process or thereafter