National Midwifery Officer (Mentoring)

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is the UN's sexual and reproductive health agency, dedicated to delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled. In Bangladesh, UNFPA works closely with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, specifically the Directorate General of Nursing and Midwifery (DGNM), to strengthen the national midwifery program.

Midwifery is a fast-paced discipline with rapid development and evolving new technologies and approaches that need to be kept updated with and disseminated downstream to districts and across the different pillars of midwifery programme. Currently, this function is weak in DGNM HQ with no dedicated person responsible for the role. To keep the programme fully updated with international standards and developments, there is a need for a national technical midwifery officer to regularly scan the global technical landscape of midwifery and advise the national (midwifery) leadership accordingly to take necessary steps and provide technical support for the implementation of those. Additionally, the officer will act as the technical advisor to DG, DGNM on clinical and technical matters of midwifery.

Under the direct supervision of the Programme Analyst – Midwifery and with overall guidance of the Chief of Health, the UN Volunteer will perform the following tasks:

● Provide high-level technical support to DGNM, DGHS, DGFP and district-level authorities on development, implementation and monitoring of mentorship policies, standards, quality assurance mechanisms and workforce development strategies.

● Review and coordinate to update clinical training materials, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and clinical guidelines in alignment with the World Health Organization (WHO), International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) standards and national protocols.

● Provide hands-on clinical mentorship guidance to DPHN/ADPHN and midwives mentors, clinical supervisors, and faculty members on management of obstetric and newborn emergencies (BEmONC) and other core competencies in the scope of midwifery practice including family planning, STI management, including SRHR and climate changes as per latest development and guidelines in Nursing and Midwifery Institutions and healthcare facilities

● Develop mentorship tracking tools, document clinical progress, and prepare comprehensive monthly and quarterly reports on mentorship outcomes.

● Lead regular clinical audits and quality improvement initiatives to ensure adherence to evidence-based protocols, infection prevention controls, and respectful maternity care standards in strengthening clinical governance.

● Technical support to phase wise roll-out the mentorship programme throughout the country.

● Support national and sub-national Training of Trainers (ToT) programmes to establish a sustainable pool of master trainers, mentor trainers and certified clinical mentors capable of supporting nationwide implementation of the mentorship programme.

● Coordinate between DGNM, DGHS, DGFP and facility managers to improve working conditions of midwives by creating an enabling environment and ensuring essential supply chain.

● Provide technical inputs to national policies, standards, operational guidelines and strategic plans related to midwifery workforce development, supportive supervision, mentorship and quality of care.

● Work closely with UNFPA midwifery team to implement UNFPA’s work plans with DGNM.

● Perform any other activities assigned to strengthen midwifery programme delivery.

The incumbent will be part of the UNFPA SRHR Team under the overall direction of Chief of Health and the direct supervision by the Programme Analyst - Midwifery.