Senior Project Director, AFGHS

About this role

Jhpiego, a Johns Hopkins University affiliate, seeks a Senior Project Director for the AFGHS project in Tanzania. The position is based in Dar es Salaam on a full-time local employment contract and provides overall strategic leadership, direction and management of a U.S. Department of State-funded initiative that delivers lifesaving maternal, newborn and child health plus malaria services across Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar. The post-holder holds accountability for the project's programmatic, technical, financial, operational and contractual results.

Day-to-day work includes leading the Senior Management Team in setting priorities, implementation strategies and resource allocations; ensuring interventions are technically sound, evidence-based and aligned with national policies; and promoting data-driven planning and adaptive management. The Director also manages a milestone-based payment process and oversees sustainability and transition planning so that government structures progressively take over leadership, financing and oversight. Required qualifications include a master's degree in public health, medicine, nursing, health systems management, public administration, project management or a related field, together with 10 to 15 years of progressively responsible experience leading large, complex health programmes, including substantial work with U.S. Government funding.

Candidates must demonstrate senior technical expertise in either malaria or MNCH, experience with health systems strengthening, performance-based milestone management, and proven engagement with the Government of Tanzania at national and subnational levels. Fluency in English is required and Kiswahili proficiency is strongly preferred; a PMP or PMD Pro certification is desirable. Jhpiego works closely with the Ministries of Health in Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar, the National Malaria Control Programme and the Zanzibar Malaria Elimination Programme. The role reports within the Tanzania country office, works in partnership with the Sustainability and Transition Director, and requires regular travel across Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar.

Jhpiego offers competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package. Applications are submitted through www.jhpiego.org/careers as a single document containing a cover letter, resume and references, and the position closes on October 15, 2026.