Programs Manager - Kangaroo Mother Care

Location: Based in Jaipur, or willing to relocate

Contract: Full-time, 1-year fixed-term

Salary: 1,00,000 per annum (we are willing to discuss remuneration for highly exceptional candidates)
Languages: Fluency in English and Hindi is required

Apply by: 25th July 2025 — Apply here

About Ansh

Ansh is dedicated to saving newborn lives by building healthcare capacity in government hospitals in India. Our mission is to create a scalable and cost-effective model that implements and promotes Kangaroo Mother Care and other impact focused newborn care best practices.

Our main intervention, Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC), is a highly cost-effective and scientifically proven intervention for saving newborn lives, which includes:

Skin-to-Skin Contact between baby and caregiver to regulate the infant’s body temperature, reducing hypothermia
Close Monitoring of mothers and newborns for danger signs
Exclusive Breastfeeding, providing benefits to the infant's immune system and helping with weight gain.

We now have more than 100 on-ground full-time staff, 4 implementation partners, and 8 core team members delivering our programs in 8 District Hospitals. We estimate a neonatal mortality reduction of 33-50% as a result of Ansh programs, and plan to scale our life-saving work to 15 District Hospitals across Rajasthan by the end of the year.

The role

This is a high-impact leadership role responsible for delivering and scaling high quality KMC programs across multiple districts in Rajasthan. The Program Manager will be instrumental in setting up systems from the ground, coordinating new hospital launches, managing relationships with implementation partners and government stakeholders, and leading a strong team of healthcare professionals and project coordinators. This role demands a strategic, detail-oriented, and collaborative leader with a deep commitment to maternal and newborn health and proven experience in program implementation at the district or state level.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Program Implementation

Drive the establishment and expansion of KMC programs in targeted districts, ensuring alignment with DC and Ansh’s values and government protocols.
Lead the end-to-end planning and operationalisation of KMC program components at multiple health facilities, including space repurposing, staffing, training, and monitoring.
Supervise and support a multidisciplinary team of Project Coordinators and Staff Nurses across districts.

Stakeholder Engagement

Liaise with district and state level government health officials, hospital administrators, and key influencers to build strong partnerships.
Represent DC and Ansh in external forums, review meetings, and stakeholder discussions to advocate for KMC and maternal-newborn health.

People & Team Management

Prepare monthly plans/rosters for Project Coordinators and Nursing Staff and manage scheduling to ensure uninterrupted service delivery.
Oversee recruitment, onboarding, and performance management of Nurses and project staff.
Provide ongoing coaching, conflict resolution, and motivational leadership to build a high-performing, impact-driven team.

Clinical and Program Quality

Monitor adherence to KMC protocols, ensuring babies meet discharge criteria and receive timely referrals for medical care.
Oversee infection prevention and control (IPC) protocols, inventory tracking, and facility readiness.
Lead case reviews, especially for critical or challenging cases, and provide troubleshooting support to clinical staff.

Supportive Supervision & Capacity Building

Enable on-the-job learning, conduct regular field visits to observe service delivery, provide real-time feedback, and model best practices in counselling, clinical decision-making, data collection, and facility coordination.
Identify skill and knowledge gaps among team members and provide tailored mentoring to enhance their effectiveness, motivation, and alignment with program goals.
Liaise with the Training and Technical Team to ensure timely roll-out of foundational and refresher training and contribute to the development of training content that reflects field realities.
Use structured tools to assess staff performance and provide constructive feedback during weekly/monthly meetings, ensuring clarity on goals, expectations, and professional development pathways.
Encourage continuous improvement through case reviews, reflective team meetings, learning circles, and open feedback loops that drive both individual and program-level excellence.

Monitoring & Data Management

Ensure real time data entry, timely and accurate documentation across facilities.
Lead comprehensive qualitative and quantitative reporting to capture program impact, identify trends, and inform data-driven decision-making.
Track critical metrics including referrals, readmissions, mortality, program champions etc.
Collaborate with the MEL (Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning) team to improve data quality and use insights to strengthen program strategy.

Candidate profile

We are looking for a strategic thinker, strong implementer, and compassionate leader who thrives in fast-paced environments and is deeply committed to improving health outcomes for mothers and newborns.

Qualifications

Master’s degree in public health, Social Science, Social Work, or a related field
Minimum 5 years of progressive experience managing large-scale health or nutrition programs at the district or state level
Experience working with government systems and a deep understanding of public health delivery in India
Strong command of Hindi and English

Key Skills & Competencies

Program Management: Skilled in planning, implementing, monitoring, and refining health programs
Team Leadership: Ability to build, inspire, and lead high-functioning teams across geographies
Stakeholder Engagement: Proven ability to navigate and build relationships with government and community stakeholders
Clinical Understanding: Familiarity with maternal and newborn health care protocols, especially in facility-based settings
Data & Systems Thinking: Strong grasp of data management and ability to use data to drive decisions and accountability
Problem Solving: Calm under pressure, solution-oriented, and adaptable to dynamic field environments

Reasons to apply

Purpose-driven Work: Be at the forefront of saving newborn lives through one of the most effective global health interventions
Career Growth: Take on leadership in a growing organisation with plans to expand to multiple districts
On-the-Ground Impact: Work closely with beneficiaries and see the tangible impact of your efforts
Values-Based Culture: Join a team that values compassion, excellence, and collaboration

Benefits

30 days paid holiday annually
Flexible work arrangements
Premium Health Insurance (for Indian based applicants)

Hiring Process

If this sounds exciting, please complete this application form by 25th July 2025 to confirm your interest in the role. We will be reviewing applications on a rolling basis and progressing candidates to the next stage. We’re aiming to make final offers within 1 month of the deadline of the initial application form.

Assessment Process:

Application Form: Please fill out the application form
Virtual Assessment: If you are shortlisted, we will invite to complete a test task
1-2 Rounds of Interviews: We will invite candidates that perform well in the test task for the final interview round
Reference Checks: Before making a final offer, we will complete reference checks for the preferred candidates