Nursing Practice & Quality Lead

NURSING PRACTICE & QUALITY LEAD

Job Description

1.0 Job Information

Title	Nursing Practice & Quality Lead
Department	Clinical
Duty Station	Neno District
Reports to	Chief Medical Officer
Second Line Reporting	Executive Director
Commitment	Full-time
Working Hours	40 hours per week

2.0 Role Summary

The Nursing Practice and Quality Lead is a senior
member of the Clinical Leadership Team. The Nursing Practice and
Quality Lead will play a central role in the implementation of PIH’s core
mission and values, clinical strategic planning, priority setting, and
implementation. He/she will be responsible for working with nurses and midwives
across clinical areas to strengthen nursing practice, identify gaps in
clinical care, and accompany ministry of health nursing leadership to
embed a culture of quality and safety in alignment with PIH’s mission,
APZU’s strategic priorities, and Malawi’s national health policies.

The role works closely with APZU and Ministry of Health
clinical leadership, district and facility-based teams, and internal
departments including Policy and Advocacy, Monitoring and Evaluation, and
Programs. The Lead also collaborates with the OnePIH nursing leadership network,
national regulatory and professional bodies—particularly the Nurses and
Midwives Council of Malawi—and external partners to strengthen nursing systems,
clinical quality, and training outcomes in Neno District and beyond.

The incumbent will provide technical and professional
oversight of nursing practice; strengthen patient safety and quality-of-care
systems; and support operational and workforce development. The role is
expected to identify care delivery gaps, propose evidence-based and
innovative solutions, and advise district and national stakeholders on
nursing and clinical capacity building.

In addition, the Nursing Practice and Quality Lead
will oversee relevant grant-supported activities, support partnership
engagement, and ensure alignment between funded programs and institutional
priorities.

3.0 Core Responsibilities

3.1  Nursing Leadership

• Provide
  strategic leadership as a member of the clinical leadership team,
  participating in clinical strategy setting, major operational and
  resourcing decisions that impact patient care, and translating into
  implementation
• Serves
  as the primary lead with APZU leadership on nursing and midwifery practice
  and nurse/midwife-led care delivery, providing strategic direction for
  nursing and midwifery across community, primary, and secondary levels of
  care
• Ensure
  nursing perspective is embedded in clinical planning and decision-making
  processes, including service expansion, budgeting, staffing models, and
  new program design
• Act
  as the central coordinating lead for nursing and midwifery within APZU,
  facilitating effective communication, integration, and collaboration
  across departments, facilities, and clinical specialties.
• Serve
  as key liaison with cross-site (OnePIH) nursing leadership to share best
  practices and stay connected to broader onePIH nursing and
  midwifery community to leverage opportunities for learning, knowledge
  sharing and collaboration, and thought partnership.

3 .2 Regulatory & Government Partnership

• Serve
  as the primary liaison with regulatory and professional bodies, including
  the District Nursing and Midwifery Office, hospital matrons, and national
  councils to ensure alignment of national and local policies, standards,
  scopes of practice, and professional guidelines.
• Establish
  and sustain relationships with Ministry of Health hospital nursing
  leadership at Neno District and Lisungwi Community Hospitals to understand
  priorities, gaps, and support needs.
• Provide
  accompaniment to Ministry of Health hospital and facility nursing
  leadership in managing increasing service complexity, including
  strengthening handovers, supervision systems, interdisciplinary teamwork,
  and continuity of care in decentralized service delivery models.
• Represent
  APZU in national, regional, and international forums

3.2  Clinical Practice, Nursing
Quality and Patient Safety

• Work
  with a multidisciplinary team, including APZU and Ministry of
  Health colleagues, to establish unit-specific quality and safety
  indicators, and pilot both the indicators and supporting clinical
  systems such as; bedside management, acuity assessment, staffing
  models, triage processes, standard operating procedures, and documentation
  standards in one to two clinical areas.
• Partner
  with frontline clinical staff, APZU and Ministry leadership, and District
  Health Management Teams (DHMTs) to identify quality care gaps and priority
  issues, understand root causes, and work in
  a multidisciplinary team to develop targeted, high-impact
  actions that improve patient care and outcomes.
• Lead
  the shift from fragmented quality improvement efforts toward a
  coordinated, system-level approach to quality and safety, integrating QI
  into existing systems — such as supervision, mentorship, and performance
  management — in coordination with Ministry of Health nursing leadership.
• Establish
  relationships with Ministry of Health hospital nursing leadership at Neno
  District and Lisungwi Community Hospitals, and support nursing managers,
  frontline staff, and senior nurse and midwife mentors to strengthen
  workflows, unit organization, care coordination, and a culture of
  data-driven decision-making, continuous learning, and evidence-based
  practice.
• Collaborate
  with primary and community health clinical and nursing leadership,
  including RMNCAH (reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent
  health) programs, as key areas for integrating quality and workforce
  priorities consistently across hospital, primary, and community levels of
  care.
• Identify
  workforce capacity gaps and coordinate with APZU clinical leadership, the
  Nursing & Clinical Education Lead, and cross-site (OnePIH) nursing and
  clinical leadership to secure the technical support needed to address gaps
  and design future quality and safety systems.

4.0 Expected Competencies, Attributes, and Behaviors

4.1 Core Competencies

• Program
  Leadership and Coordination: Demonstrated ability to design,
  implement, and coordinate complex nursing, clinical education, and
  capacity-building programs across community, primary, and secondary
  levels.
• Technical
  and Professional Expertise: Strong knowledge of clinical
  education systems, training and development program management, nursing
  practice standards, and health workforce development.
• Data-Informed
  Management: Proven capacity to use routine service, education,
  and program data to monitor performance, guide decision-making, and drive
  continuous improvement.
• Mentorship
  and Workforce Development: Strong ability to mentor, coach, and
  develop staff, fostering professional growth, clinical competence, and
  leadership capacity at all levels.

4.2 Behavioral Attributes

• Collaborative
  and Partnership-Oriented: Demonstrates strong teamwork and
  relationship-building skills, working effectively with internal teams,
  government counterparts, and external partners.
• Adaptability
  and Resilience: Thrives in rural, resource-constrained, and
  high-pressure environments, maintaining effectiveness and professionalism
  in the face of change and complexity.
• Service
  and Patient-Centered Orientation: Consistently prioritizes
  dignity, safety, equity, and quality of care for patients, communities,
  and colleagues.
• Integrity
  and Accountability: Upholds high ethical standards, transparency,
  and responsibility in all professional and managerial functions.

4.3 Leadership Competencies

• Strategic
  Execution and Accountability: Translates plans and priorities
  into action, ensures timely delivery of results, and maintains strong
  follow-through on commitments.
• Analytical
  Problem-Solving: Anticipates risks and operational challenges,
  uses evidence and consultation to develop practical and sustainable
  solutions.
• Effective
  Communication and Influence: Communicates vision, expectations,
  and results clearly and persuasively to diverse audiences, including
  frontline staff, senior leadership, and external stakeholders.
• Supportive
  and Performance-Oriented Supervision: Provides structured
  supervision, feedback, and coaching that motivates teams, strengthens
  performance, and promotes professional development.

5.0 Qualifications and Experience

• Master’s Degree in
  Nursing Education or Nursing and Midwifery with
  demonstrated experience in Nursing Leadership and Clinical education.
• Registered
  with Nurses and Midwives Council of Malawi and in Good standing
• Minimum 5
  years of experience in Nurse Leadership position and 3 years in
  nurse teaching or academic position at a recognized institution.
• Demonstrated
  experience in training and development strategy formulation, curriculum
  design and adult learning methodology implementation.
• Proven
  leadership and stakeholder management experience within a health or
  academic institution.
• Experience
  in technology-enhanced learning platforms and simulation-based education
  is an asset.

6.0 Additional Notes

• Willingness
  to live and work in rural settings
• The
  position requires flexibility to work during evenings, weekends and
  holidays as needed.
• Strong
  advocate in social medicine, health equity and social justice.

7.0 Method of application

All interested and qualified candidates based in
Malawi should apply strictly through https://www.pih.org/employment on
or before 13^th September 2026. Only shortlisted candidates will
be invited for interviews.  

8.0 Safeguarding Commitment

Partners In Health/Abwenzi Pa Za Umoyo (PIH/APZU) is
committed to safeguarding staff, children and communities with whom we work
from sexual exploitation, abuse and sexual harassment. Therefore, any offer of
employment is conditional upon the successful completion of applicable
background checks.

The Organisation does not charge any fees at any stage
of the recruitment process. If you are asked to make a payment at any stage of
the recruitment process, please contact bmsowoya@pih.org and speakup@pih.org.