Senior Program Officer, Patna, Bihar, India

Overview

Jhpiego is an international, non-profit health organization and an affiliate of Johns Hopkins University, dedicated to improving the health of women and families in developing countries. For over 50 years, it has focused on providing high-quality, low-cost health care solutions, training health workers, and strengthening health systems.

Jhpiego has been working in India since the 1980s in close partnership with national and state governments. With deep technical expertise and strong on-the-ground execution, Jhpiego helps design, test, and scale practical solutions and innovations that fit real-world systems across 11 thematic domains (Maternal and Newborn Health, Reproductive Health, Nutrition, Immunization, Comprehensive Primary Health Care, Human Resources for Health, TB and Infectious Diseases, Global Health Security, Women's Cancers, Non-Communicable Diseases, Digital Health).

About the Program

The position will support in strengthened capacity of Bihar Nurses Registration Council (BNRC) and the State Nursing Directorate in regulation, management and leadership, thereby ensuring development of a strong and competent nursing-midwifery cadre in Bihar.

Responsibilities

• Work closely with Health Department Secretariate for implementation of annual work plan as per agreed deliverables and respective timelines
• Liaison with state Government/ State Health Society Bihar, Bihar Nurses Registration Council (BNRC) officials and private sector for smooth project management and respond to the requests in a timely manner
• Work with Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) team for reporting on project related indicators, baselines, targets etc. to meet state and donor requirements
• Monitor the state’s nursing establishments as per the guidance of the BNRC and INC
• Maintaining and strengthening INC standards for nursing institutions in Bihar
• Screening and reviewing applications of new nursing colleges as per INC guidelines
• Supporting BNRC portal screening, dashboards, and regular reporting
• Facilitating coordination between departmental sections, directorates, councils, and leadership
• Providing structured analytical and presentation support to senior officials
• Supervise and manage the work towards quality improvement of educational processes and clinical practices at the college of nursing through implementation of PSE standards and monitoring their sustenance. This would also entail establishment of well-equipped Skills lab, Library, Computer lab and other learning laboratories in line with the PSE operational/ INC guidelines.
• Decision making authority for the nursing educational institutions in the state.
• Monitor state’s nursing institutions as per the guidance of the Director in Chief-Nursing.
• Work with state government officials, development partners, State Nodal Center and Centre of Excellence, Colleges of Nursing, GNM and ANM schools.
• Liaise with State Nursing Council for regulatory mechanism of educational institutions and ensure affiliation of nursing midwifery institutions with Indian Nursing Council.
• Coordinate the admission and counselling process for all the nursing midwifery courses including ANM, GNM, BSc, MSc and P.B.BSc Nursing.
• Facilitate the selection and hiring of the training coordinators/nursing and midwifery tutors (NMTs) at the SNCs.
• Support the Health Department in ensuring compliance with INC guidelines and standards for all nursing institutions in Bihar (ANM, GNM, B.Sc., PB B.Sc., M.Sc.).
• Assist in interpretation and application of latest INC norms, circulars, and regulations for decision-making at the Secretariat level.
• Support drafting of advisory notes, clarifications, and instructions related to INC compliance.
• Monitor and ensure the quality of in-service trainings conducted for nursing personnel and faculties across the state.
• Assist in scrutiny and technical review of applications received for establishment of new nursing colleges/courses as per INC standards.
• Prepare structured screening checklists, compliance matrices, and summary notes highlighting gaps, deficiencies, and observations.
• Support the Department in evidence-based recommendations for approvals, queries, or rejections.
• Support screening and verification of applications and data available on the BNRC portal.
• Assist in development and maintenance of dashboards tracking nursing institutions, approvals, compliance status, deficiencies, and timelines.
• Ensure data accuracy, consistency, and periodic updates from relevant stakeholders
• Support NHM and Nursing Directorate in disbursement of sanctioned funds to various districts/ nursing institutions for their strengthening and infrastructural requirements.
• Respond in a timely manner to requests for meetings, reports and other requests.
• Collect the activity reports, statistical data and various training reports and share them with the State Program Manager/Senior Program Manager/Program Director
• Perform other activities, as assigned by the supervisor to achieve organizational goals

Required Qualifications

• Sc Nursing with any specialty or BSc Nursing with Master in Public Health or a related field
• 5-7 years of experience in Public Health sector
• Prior experience working with Health Department, NHM or regulatory bodies is highly desirable
• Experience in application scrutiny, reporting, and secretariat functioning will be an advantage
• Strong technical expertise, good management skills, and extraordinary communication skills are the essentials for this position.

Preferred Qualifications

Skills and Competencies

• Strong advocacy skills
• Strong written and oral communication skills in English and Hindi; proficiency in local language will be an asset
• Proficiency in developing technical and programmatic documents such as training materials and periodic reports
• Ability to develop productive working relationships with other agencies, development and technical partners and State Government counterparts
• Ability to work with diverse technical team
• Ability to multi task and work under multicultural environment
• Ability to handle a variety of assignments under pressure of deadlines
• Proficiency in computers – Microsoft Office