The Role
At Last Mile Health (LMH), our commitment to patients knows no bounds. Are you experienced in project implementation, community engagement, and awareness-building to enhance timely access to life-saving care for women and newborns? If so, you could be the next m-mama Facilitator in Malawi.
The m-mama initiative, spearheaded by the Government of Malawi in partnership with the Vodafone Foundation, is an innovative and cost-effective Emergency Referral Transportation System designed for pregnant women and newborns. Originally launched by the Vodafone Foundation in Tanzania in 2013 and Lesotho in 2021, the program aims to combat high rates of maternal and neonatal mortality in rural areas. It achieves this by ensuring safe and timely emergency transportation, thus reducing delays in accessing critical care for women and newborns facing urgent situations. The core of m-mama is a government-led and owned emergency transport system, bolstered by cutting-edge digital solutions for rapid and effective complication management.
Following its expansion into Malawi by the Vodafone Foundation in 2025, Last Mile Health (LMH) will collaborate with the Government of Malawi and the Vodafone Foundation. Our role is to support the implementation and scaling of the m-mama system across all 29 health districts, specifically targeting pregnant women, postnatal women, and newborns in rural communities.
The m-mama Facilitator will report to the Regional Manager – m-mama and will be instrumental in assisting District Health Management Teams (DHMTs) with the district-level deployment of the m-mama Emergency Transport System (EmRTS). Key responsibilities include coordinating dispatch center operations, aiding in community driver management, and fostering the integration of m-mama into existing district health systems.
This role involves close collaboration with government focal persons to build capacity, offer daily implementation support, and cultivate district-level ownership of the program from its inception. The Facilitator will also contribute to training, supervision, and performance monitoring, ensuring that district activities align with m-mama standards, government priorities, and donor mandates to fortify emergency referral systems and improve maternal and newborn health outcomes.
This is a funded position, situated in the Southern Region, Malawi, and is open exclusively to Malawian nationals. The successful candidate will be offered an 18-month fixed-term contract.
Job Details
- Role Duration: Eighteen (18) Months
- Anticipated Start Date: April 2026
- Location: Candidates must reside in at least one of the following districts: Balaka, Chikwawa, Chiradzulu, Machinga, Mangochi, Mulanje, Mwanza, Neno, Nsanje, Phalombe, Thyolo
Key Responsibilities
m-mama Implementation & District Support
- Assist District Health Management Teams (DHMTs) in seamlessly integrating m-mama into district referral and transport systems.
- Ensure the efficient functioning of the dispatch center, covering ICT operations, triaging, and transport coordination.
- Organize and deliver training and mentorship for district focal persons, health center staff, and community drivers.
- Collaborate with District Councils and focal persons to bolster local ownership and embed m-mama within District Implementation Plans (DIP).
- Identify operational risks and promptly escalate systemic challenges to the Regional Manager for resolution.
Community Driver Management & Payments
- Support district focal persons in the coordination of community driver recruitment, training, and ongoing monitoring.
- Track contract signing/Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) processes between drivers and councils, ensuring payments are processed through government systems.
- Offer initial troubleshooting and follow-up support to address issues related to driver management.
Community Engagement & Awareness
- Support health promotion teams in conducting community sensitization activities focused on the 118 toll-free line.
- Engage with community structures, local leaders, and radio stations to enhance awareness and encourage the timely utilization of EmRTS.
- Aid in identifying and resolving community-level barriers, such as mistrust, gender norms, or traditional practices that might impede service uptake.
Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning
- Contribute to the collection and verification of district-level data for dashboards and flash reports.
- Facilitate and support continuous quality improvement (CQI) processes within health facilities and with ambulance and community taxi drivers.
- Document lessons learned and disseminate key insights to regional and national teams.
- Assist the Regional Manager in maintaining data quality and accuracy through regular field verification and spot checks.
- Work with the district EmRTS focal person to organize monthly meetings that leverage m-mama data for progress monitoring, challenge identification, and evidence-based decision-making.
Qualifications
- A Bachelor’s degree or a relevant certification in Public Health, Nursing, Social Sciences, Health Systems Management, or an equivalent field.
- Demonstrated experience supporting maternal, newborn, and reproductive health programs within Malawi.
- A thorough understanding of Malawi’s health system, including DHMT operations and DIP planning processes.
- Experience collaborating with district-level government structures.
- Proficiency in training, mentoring, and supervising health workers or community cadres.
- Strong skills in data management, monitoring, and reporting.
- Willingness to undertake frequent travel within assigned districts.
Desired Attributes
- Familiarity with digital health tools and emergency transport systems.
- Experience in community mobilization and health promotion initiatives.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills for effective engagement with diverse stakeholders.
- Fluency in English and Chichewa; knowledge of other local languages is considered an asset.
Compensation Information
Last Mile Health is dedicated to fair and transparent compensation for its employees. Our remuneration system is based on a clear and consistent methodology, ensuring equity regardless of identity or personal relationships. We provide full transparency on our compensation model, allowing all employees access to relevant information. We trust this clarifies Last Mile Health’s commitment to its employees and values, and we welcome any questions during the hiring process.
Overview Of Last Mile Health’s Compensation ModelWe encourage applicants to understand our compensation approach and how it applies to each country of operation.
Compensation For This PositionThe compensation band for this position is: Band 1
For Malawi, the annual salary range is $5,549 - $10,48