Clinical Director, NEST360 Nigeria

Position title: Clinical Director, NEST360 Nigeria.

Location: Lagos, Nigeria

Supervisor:  Country Strategic Co- Lead-Newborn & Country Strategic Co- Lead-Maternal

Supervisees: Clinical Training Manager, Quality Improvement Coordinator, Research and Knowledge Management Coordinator

Job Overview

The NEST360 alliance is working with African governments to transform hospital newborn care by installing a bundle of rugged devices, training clinicians to use them, training biomedical engineers/technicians to maintain them, and implementing locally owned data dashboards to drive uptake and quality. NEST360 focuses on scaling up collaboration with governments to develop resources and integrate evidence-based solutions into local hospitals and national policies.

NEST360 is seeking a Clinical Director to work with the NEST360 Nigeria clinical team, supporting the NEST360 Nigeria Co-Leads to achieve agreed-upon NEST360 goals for the country.  The NEST360 Clinical Director will work with the country leadership to provide efficient clinical direction, oversight and management of all NEST360 clinical activities required for successful implementation and accomplishment of program goals and deliverables.

S/he will regularly oversee and strengthen NEST360 Nigeria's performance on clinical matters, including but not limited to reviewing programmatic indicators and advising on strategies to meet program targets. S/he will serve as a resource to the NEST360 Nigeria programs team on all clinical matters.  S/he will report to the NEST360 Country Co-leads and will also represent NEST360 Nigeria externally on relevant clinical matters alongside other NEST360 country clinical directors, as deemed appropriate by its leadership. 

Expected qualifications

The ideal candidate should hold a professional medical degree (MBBS or its equivalent) and be licensed to practice in Nigeria by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN). The candidate should have at least 5 years' clinical experience in pediatric or neonatal care, with complementary expertise in maternal care and demonstrable knowledge and understanding of the functional structure of the Nigerian healthcare system, particularly as it relates to delivering effective maternal and newborn care and services in Nigeria.  

The candidate should have a demonstrable record and experience of managing a clinical team and be able to motivate, influence, and change team dynamics to promote, advocate and support best practices in maternal and newborn care. S/he should have the capacity to work collaboratively with national and local health actors to strengthen access to and delivery of quality maternal and neonatal care and services at national and state levels.  S/he is able to identify critical gaps and challenges in the clinical care processes at facilities and networks of care facilities and propose innovative and workable solutions, including the ability to process, analyse, and interpret clinical and programmatic data and contribute to quality improvement initiatives.

S/he has experience in a mid- to senior management role, with excellent interpersonal, mentorship, and communication skills. S/he is highly organized, with a demonstrated ability to multi-task, delegate appropriately, make prudent decisions using creative problem-solving and sound judgment, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

The candidate should have experience working in multicultural environments and be able to collaborate effectively with national and subnational government teams and external partners. The role also requires willingness and ability to travel nationally and occasionally internationally, particularly within sub-Saharan Africa.

This position is funded by a grant, soft and/or restricted funds. Continued employment is contingent on funding renewal.

Minimum Requirements  

• Medical degree (MBBS/MBChB or equivalent).
• Specialist qualification in Paediatrics and/or Neonatology. / Community health or Senior Medical Officer with extensive experience in maternal and newborn health for a minimum of 5 years
• Advanced qualification in public health, global health, health policy, implementation science, or a related field is desirable.
• Extensive clinical experience in newborn/neonatal care.
• Demonstrated experience in programme implementation and clinical leadership.
• Experience working within Nigeria's health system and with government stakeholders.
• Experience in quality improvement, capacity building, and multidisciplinary team leadership.
• Experience with research, data use, publications, or implementation science.
• Experience with global health programmes and partnerships is highly desirable.
• Experience with neonatal technologies, innovation, or health systems strengthening is an advantage.

• Medical Doctor (MBBS/MBChB). Senior Medical Officer or Specialist in neonatal care preferred. Possession of a graduate-level qualification in public health is not required, but preferred
  • Experience may not be substituted for the education requirement
• 5 years or more of experience: 
  • Paediatrics or neonatal healthcare management in Nigeria
  • Clinical rotation or experience in maternal care/labor and delivery
  • Education may not be substituted for the experience requirement
• Five (5) or more years of experience in managing complex health programs and multidisciplinary teams 
• Excellent oral and written communication skills 
• Excellent collaborative skills, team management, clinical reasoning, dialogue, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills with attention to detail and decision-making.
• High proficiency and comprehensive knowledge of project management, including the proven ability to predict and evaluate potential risks and to create solutions before they arise 
• Ability to work in a team environment, actively participates, motivates and follows through, as needed
•  Excellent organisational skills to plan and schedule
• High comfort level making independent decisions

Preferences

• 5 years  or more of experience as a Senior Medical Officer working in paediatrics or neonatal health care and programs in Nigeria
• Additional clinical education qualifications in Paediatrics are an added advantage
• Extensive knowledge of maternal and newborn health care services in Nigeria and of Nigeria’s healthcare system
• Ability to identify challenges in clinical practice and propose innovative and workable solutions
• Ability to process, analyse, and interpret clinical and programmatic data and contribute to quality improvement initiatives
• Experience in leading facility clinical teams, influencing change, and advocating for best practices in newborn care.
• Experience leading quality improvement (QI) and mentorship training 
• Proven experience in a mid- to senior management role
• Ability to work with diverse and multidisciplinary teams
• Excellent networking skills
• Proficient in MS Office and data analysis software
• Willingness and ability to travel nationally and internationally

Essential Functions

1. Program Implementation & Operational Leadership

• Take full responsibility for efficient implementation of all clinical processes and activities related to the NEST360 clinical program,
• Work with the country team to translate program priorities into clear facility-level actions, timelines, and accountability.
• Co-direct the implementation of the NEST360 bundle with the Country Director, in collaboration and consultation with the country co-leads
• Conduct regular facility-level reviews, address clinical bottlenecks, and oversee NEST-IT indicator tracking.

1. Quality Improvement (QI) & Data-Driven Action

•  Analyse site performance, clinical data, and audit metrics (e.g., PPIP/perinatal audits).
• Work alongside the QI lead and clinical and training manager to design and execute evidence-based change packages to improve newborn outcomes.

1. Mentorship & Capacity Building:

• Lead and direct clinical coaching, facility outreach, and continuous skill updates for doctors, nurses, and interns across Level 2+ neonatal facilities
• Identify clinical competency gaps and work with the Education and Clinical teams to ensure appropriate training, mentorship, and skills updates.

1. Cross-Functional Synergy

• Act as a bridge between facility teams, clinical leads, and biomedical engineering teams to ensure optimal device uptake, maintenance, and clinical safety.

1.  Learning, Adaptation & Scale

• Contribute to practical approaches for scaling the NEST360 model while maintaining quality and fidelity to core clinical standards.
• Capture and share implementation learning, successful approaches, and recurring challenges to inform national strategy and broader NEST360 learning.
• Support the transition from program-driven implementation toward increasingly sustainable, facility- and government-led approaches to newborn care improvement.
• Work in collaboration with the leadership and contribute to the dissemination of research findings and maintain systems for tracking project-related presentations, publications, and other outputs

Other Functions

• Work in tandem with in-country partners to ensure successful execution of NEST360 activities in Nigeria, working closely with the NEST360 Nigeria country lead and the Country Director to manage the clinical team, including setting goals and assessing performance.
• Oversee and execute the strategic direction for NEST360 Nigeria clinical implementation and sustainability 
• Regularly review program clinical data by facility to assess progress and bottlenecks and work with the clinical team to respond to challenges identified
•  Lead review of clinical indicators in NEST-IT and support troubleshooting implementation.
• Participate and advise the QI lead on designing evidence-based change packages to meet coverage targets 
• Determine clinical training and mentorship needs within NEST360 implementing facilities and work with the clinical training manager to coordinate
  • Support the program team to define effective training and mentorship approaches and packages, and link to integration within MOH 
  • Provide technical support and coordination with the relevant departments at the Ministries of Health (MOH) and Education (MOE) in the development of pre-service training curriculum, teaching/training aids for newborn care
  • Work closely with MOH, professional associations, and other national stakeholders in the Nigeria newborn health committee of the Child Health Technical Working Group
  • Be conversant with the existing protocols, policies and guidelines, and ensure availability and compliance with such guidelines at facility levels in the program