About Neotree

Neotree is a mission-driven health-tech partnership between the UK Neotree Charity, University College London, and local partners The Global Health Informatics Institute and KUHES, working to eradicate preventable newborn mortality in low-resource settings. We have developed an open-source digital learning health system that combines clinical decision support, real-time data capture, and education at the bedside.

In Malawi, our learning health system is already used in major facilities like Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH) and across a network of care in Kasungu District. We work in close partnership with the Ministry of Health (MoH), the Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHeS), and global partners like UCL and NEST360 to build a sustainable, government-adopted solution for newborn care.

Note this role is anticipation of confirmation of funding for 2026/27. Any offer will be contingent on that funding being confirmed.

The Role

The Country Manager is, under the Principal Investigator, the senior management representative for Neotree in Malawi. You will pivot the organisation from a research-focused project to a scalable national program. You will hold the primary relationship with the Ministry of Health (Digital Health and Reproductive Health Directorates), oversee complex grant implementations (including UK Government/Wellcome funded projects), and lead a passionate local team of clinical, technical, and research staff.

Contract Type: Full-time, to 31st March 2027 with possibility of extension

Salary: £32,600 – £37,500 (Malawi Kwacha Equivalent) based on experience

Reporting to: Global Operations Director (Neotree) & Director (GHII)

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategic Leadership & National Scaling

• Lead the development and execution of the Neotree growth strategy in Malawi, moving Neotree to a sustainable, nationally integrated part of the health system.
• Identify and secure new funding opportunities, partnerships, and grants within Malawi and the region to ensure organizational financial sustainability.

2. Stakeholder Management & Advocacy

• Act as the primary liaison with the Ministry of Health (MoH), specifically the Digital Health Division (DHD) and the Reproductive Health Directorate (RHD), ensuring Neotree integrates with national strategies.
• Represent Neotree at high-level national technical working groups (TWGs), donor meetings, and conferences.
• Manage relationships with key partners, including KUHeS, NEST360, UNICEF, and other implementing partners to avoid duplication and maximize impact through collaboration.

3. Program Oversight & Operations

• Oversee and be responsible for the end-to-end delivery of current grants (e.g. FCDO and Gates Foundation grants focusing on Kasungu District), ensuring projects are delivered on time, within budget, and to high quality standards.
• Lead on donor reporting
• Ensure operational excellence across all sites, managing logistics, procurement, and hardware maintenance (tablets/networks) in challenging environments.
• Responsible for good governance including finance, data management, procurement and adherence to all laws and regulations
• Monitor and mitigate risks related to clinical safety, data governance, and financial compliance.

4. Research & Impact Supervision

• Work closely with the Principal Investigators (PIs) and research teams (UCL/KUHeS) to support ongoing implementation science and impact evaluations.
• Ensure that data generated by the Neotree system is high quality and able to be effectively used for Quality Improvement (QI) cycles at facility level and beyond.
• Be responsible for in country ethics, and manage liaison with academic partners
• Be responsible for co-ordinating logistics for in country research activities (timing, travel logistics, ensuring co-ordination with implementation activities)
• Support the development of academic capacity and partnerships in Malawi
• Support the research team in providing regular feedback around experience of the implementation team

5. Team Management & Culture

• Lead, mentor, and develop a multidisciplinary team (clinical coordinators, software developers, research assistants, and admin staff).
• Foster a culture of transparency, innovation, and “baby-first” thinking.
• Manage in-country HR, finance (in liaison with finance officers), and legal compliance with Malawian laws

Person Specification

Essential Experience & Skills:

Digital Health Expertise: Proven experience implementing or managing digital health (mHealth) projects or Electronic Medical Records (EMR) systems (e.g., DHIS2, OpenMRS, CommCare) in a low-resource setting. You must understand the practical challenges of deploying hardware and software in Malawian healthcare facilities.

Leadership: Significant experience in public health, international development, or health-tech in Malawi.

Health Sector Knowledge: Deep understanding of the Malawi Health Sector, including experience working with District Health Management Teams (DHMTs) and central hospitals.

Government Relations: Proven track record of navigating the Ministry of Health and participating in Technical Working Groups (TWGs).

Project Management: Strong experience managing complex, donor-funded grants (e.g., FCDO, USAID, Wellcome Trust) including budget management and reporting.

Education: Master’s degree in Public Health, Project Management, Digital Health, or a related field (or equivalent experience).

Desirable:

Clinical Background: A background in clinical care (Nursing, Medicine, or Clinical Officer) or specific experience in maternal/newborn health.

Research Implementation: Experience in “Implementation Science” or bridging the gap between academic research and NGO delivery.

Fundraising: Success in writing grant proposals or securing funding from international donors.

• Lead the development and execution of the Neotree growth strategy in Malawi, moving Neotree to a sustainable, nationally integrated part of the health system.
• Identify and secure new funding opportunities, partnerships, and grants within Malawi and the region to ensure organizational financial sustainability.
• Act as the primary liaison with the Ministry of Health (MoH), specifically the Digital Health Division (DHD) and the Reproductive Health Directorate (RHD), ensuring Neotree integrates with national strategies.
• Represent Neotree at high-level national technical working groups (TWGs), donor meetings, and conferences.
• Manage relationships with key partners, including KUHeS, NEST360, UNICEF, and other implementing partners to avoid duplication and maximize impact through collaboration.
• Oversee and be responsible for the end-to-end delivery of current grants (e.g. FCDO and Gates Foundation grants focusing on Kasungu District), ensuring projects are delivered on time, within budget, and to high quality standards.
• Lead on donor reporting
• Ensure operational excellence across all sites, managing logistics, procurement, and hardware maintenance (tablets/networks) in challenging environments.
• Responsible for good governance including finance, data management, procurement and adherence to all laws and regulations
• Monitor and mitigate risks related to clinical safety, data governance, and financial compliance.
• Work closely with the Principal Investigators (PIs) and research teams (UCL/KUHeS) to support ongoing implementation science and impact evaluations.
• Ensure that data generated by the Neotree system is high quality and able to be effectively used for Quality Improvement (QI) cycles at facility level and beyond.
• Be responsible for in country ethics, and manage liaison with academic partners
• Be responsible for co-ordinating logistics for in country research activities (timing, travel logistics, ensuring co-ordination with implementation activities)
• Support the development of academic capacity and partnerships in Malawi
• Support the research team in providing regular feedback around experience of the implementation team
• Lead, mentor, and develop a multidisciplinary team (clinical coordinators, software developers, research assistants, and admin staff).
• Foster a culture of transparency, innovation, and “baby-first” thinking.
• Manage in-country HR, finance (in liaison with finance officers), and legal compliance with Malawian laws

• Proven experience implementing or managing digital health (mHealth) projects or Electronic Medical Records (EMR) systems (e.g., DHIS2, OpenMRS, CommCare) in a low-resource setting.
• Understanding of the practical challenges of deploying hardware and software in Malawian healthcare facilities.
• Significant experience in public health, international development, or health-tech in Malawi.
• Deep understanding of the Malawi Health Sector, including experience working with District Health Management Teams (DHMTs) and central hospitals.
• Proven track record of navigating the Ministry of Health and participating in Technical Working Groups (TWGs).
• Strong experience managing complex, donor-funded grants (e.g., FCDO, USAID, Wellcome Trust) including budget management and reporting.
• Experience in “Implementation Science” or bridging the gap between academic research and NGO delivery.
• Success in writing grant proposals or securing funding from international donors.

• Master’s degree in Public Health, Project Management, Digital Health, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
• A background in clinical care (Nursing, Medicine, or Clinical Officer) or specific experience in maternal/newborn health.