Director, Strategy (EAII Advisors)

This position is with EAII Advisors, Evidence Action’s technical partner in India.

About EAII

EAII Advisors, Evidence Action’s technical partner in India, supports state governments in delivering evidence-based public health programs, including safe drinking water initiatives and school and Anganwadi-based National Deworming Day and iron and folic acid supplementation. Operating across 10 states, EAII Advisors provides technical assistance to ministries of health, education, water, and women and child development, reducing health burdens in impoverished communities and improving the long-term wellbeing of children and families.

For more information, read about our work here: About Evidence Action and EAII

About Evidence Action

At Evidence Action, we deliver data-driven interventions that transform lives at an unprecedented scale. We identify neglected global health issues and deploy proven solutions, forging healthier futures for generations.

Our model operationalizes leading academic research (including from Nobel-winning economists). We measure progress and outcomes at every stage to ensure we’re making a real impact for people living in poverty and suffering from preventable or treatable health issues. Operating across 11 countries, our team of 900+ has reached over 500 million people, working closely with governments to scale these interventions.

• Our Deworm the World program has delivered over 2 billion treatments, significantly reducing worm prevalence and generating more than $23 billion in lifetime productivity gains.
• Through Safe Water Now, we’ve saved the lives of over 15,000 children.
• Our Accelerator explores untapped opportunities in global health, testing low-cost interventions with the greatest potential to save and improve lives.

At Evidence Action, your colleagues are your greatest asset. You'll partner with high-caliber colleagues in an environment blending innovation, autonomy, and teamwork. Our team excels in disruptive thinking and believes in rolling up our sleeves to get things done. If you're looking to work flexibly and with purpose, join a team that delivers measurable change for millions.

The Role

This is a senior leadership position sitting at the intersection of government engagement, strategy, communications, and organisational transformation. The Director serves as a strategic partner to the Country Director (CD) - managing the CD’s agenda and acting as the Chief of Staff - while independently owning workstreams central to EAII’s next phase of growth.

The role’s primary mandate is to work upstream of program delivery: opening doors at national and state level, building EAII’s visibility in the right government corridors, and creating the conditions for the CD and Program Directors to walk into those relationships and take them forward. The role is also accountable for EAII’s strategic direction, communications, and AI transformation agenda.

Responsibilities

The role is structured across five integrated workstreams:

National Government Engagement & Partnerships

• Build relationships with senior officials across relevant central ministries - including MoHFW, Jal Shakti, and other programmatically relevant departments - to initiate conversations and create entry points for the organisation to build on
• Represent EAII in policy roundtables, inter-ministerial consultations, technical committees, sector convenings
• Support Program Directors by providing intelligence on key officials and decision-maker dynamics, surfacing central-level insights that can unlock state opportunities, and removing coordination or information barriers. Note: Program Directors lead substantive program engagement; this role provides access, context, and coordination
• Develop and maintain a structured government engagement map - tracking the decision-maker landscape at central and state levels, the status of key relationships, and where opportunities exist - enabling the CD and Senior Leadership Team (SLT) to engage strategically rather than reactively
• Prepare leadership for high-stakes government interactions by developing briefing materials, framing asks, anticipating room dynamics, and tracking follow-through on commitments
• Identify moments where government interest in EAII’s work could translate into formal partnerships or technical assistance mandates, and collaborate with the Country Director, NPD team, and Global Accelerator to structure and pursue those opportunities
• Ensure EAII’s programmatic evidence is present and visible in relevant policy conversations and government consultations, positioning the organisation as a credible voice shaping policy and practice
  

Strategy & Organisational Growth

• Develop and co-own EAII’s growth strategy together with Program Directors and other SLT members - including scaling existing programs to new states, identifying adjacencies in public health, nutrition, and WASH, and structuring EAII’s expansion model
• Partner closely with the Country Director on high-stakes decisions through structured analysis, briefs, and scenario planning
• Develop strategic frameworks and decision-support tools to enable data-driven leadership
• Lead feasibility assessments, landscape analyses, and new program development in collaboration with internal teams and government partners
• Drive cross-functional strategic initiatives, including program scale-up and organisational transformation
• Represent EAII in external forums to strengthen thought leadership and sector positioning
  

Communications & Market Positioning

• The Director owns EAII’s communications agenda - both as a function and as a strategic tool for positioning. Day-to-day delivery is supported by the DD Communications.
• Own EAII’s internal and external communications strategy, including government communications, donor-related presentations, public affairs, and staff communications
• Define and drive EAII’s market positioning - articulating what differentiates EAII as a technical partner and building a consistent narrative that resonates with government, donors, sectoral partners, and the public
• Lead the development of high-impact communications products: policy briefs, thought leadership publications, programme evidence digests, donor reports, board presentations, and annual impact documents
• Manage high-leverage external communications - speeches, op-eds, keynotes, and media engagements - in collaboration with the communications team, ensuring alignment with EAII’s strategic positioning
• Translate complex programmatic evidence into accessible, persuasive narratives for diverse audiences, building EAII’s credibility as India’s leading evidence-based development organisation
• Develop and execute EAII’s digital and media presence strategy, including website, social media, and publications, to increase visibility and attract talent, donors, and government partners
• Lead stakeholder communications during high-stakes moments - new program launches, government transitions, organisational changes

Executive Coordination - Chief of Staff

• Manage the Country Director’s strategic agenda - protecting leadership time for highest-priority decisions, managing information flows, and ensuring the CD is briefed and positioned for key engagements
• Facilitate SLT and XLT meetings and governance processes - setting agendas, driving follow-through, and maintaining accountability for decisions and commitments
• Oversee coordination between EAII India and Evidence Action’s global teams - managing shared workstreams, ensuring alignment on priorities, and resolving escalations
• Spearhead special projects as determined by the SLT and Global Leadership Team, ranging from structural reviews and regulatory responses to new opportunity assessments
• Mentor and develop mid-level staff across strategy, communications, and government engagement - building organisational depth and a leadership pipeline
• Serve as an internal integration point - connecting dots across workstreams, surfacing misalignment early, and ensuring the organisation moves coherently towards shared goals

AI Adoption & Organisational Change Management

The Director will lead a programmatic effort to transform how EAII works, with full change management accountability.

• Own EAII’s AI strategy end-to-end: work with the team to identify high-value use cases, pilot tools, build the case for partnerships, and scale successful applications across program delivery, operations, and knowledge management
• Lead the change management process for AI adoption - building organisational readiness, managing resistance, and ensuring that AI tools deliver measurable productivity gains
• Build EAII’s AI literacy at all levels: design and deliver training programmes, playbooks, and communities of practice that enable staff from field coordinators to senior leadership to use AI tools effectively and responsibly
• Work with functional leads across programs, operations, finance, and HR to co-develop AI use cases and embed AI into functional workflows and productivity improvement plans
• Develop EAII’s AI governance framework - including data ethics guidelines, acceptable use policies, and safeguards for responsible AI deployment in sensitive public health contexts
• Monitor the AI landscape - tracking emerging tools, platforms, and risks - and advise the SLT on adoption decisions and organisational readiness requirements

• Atleast 12+ years of progressive experience in public health, development, or government-facing roles in India
• Experience in a senior strategy, chief of staff, or transformation leadership role in a government-facing organisation
• Demonstrated, long-standing relationships with senior officials in central ministries — particularly MoHFW, NITI Aayog, Jal Shakti etc. - built through sustained, direct engagement over time
• Deep understanding of how the Indian health system operates: how decisions move through central ministries, how state structures function, and what a trusted TA partnership looks like from a government counterpart’s perspective
• Proven ability to open doors and move conversations at national and state level and is seen as a trusted presence in those ecosystems
• Track record of leading complex, cross-functional initiatives and translating strategy into execution
• Excellent written and verbal communication; able to represent EAII credibly at the highest levels - government, donors, sector forums

Highly Valued

• Exposure to evidence-based development programming, technical assistance models, or public health delivery at scale
• Experience leading communications, positioning, or public affairs functions
• Background in or genuine curiosity about AI adoption and organisational change
  

Position Location

This position is based in New Delhi, India. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an India  employment visa at this time. Applicants must be legally authorized to work in India for roles based in India.

EAII provides a comprehensive benefits package for employees. Benefits include:

• Comprehensive health insurance with IPD and OPD provisions,
• Life and Accidental insurance
• PF, ESIC and Gratuity as per statutory requirements
• Mental and physical well-being benefits
• Learning and Development benefit
• Generous leave
• Avenues for engagement and recognition

Compensation: Competitive and commensurate with the individual's credentials, experience, and previous pay scale.

Disclaimer: The job description provided above is a general outline of the typical responsibilities and requirements for the role. It may be modified or expanded based on the specific needs and structure of the organization.

All contracting arrangements will be made through EAII Advisors Private Limited. EAII is an equal opportunity employer. Employment at EAII is based solely on an individual's merit and qualifications directly related to professional competence. EAII does not discriminate against any employee or applicant because of race, caste, creed, colour, religion, gender, origin, disability, marital status, or any other basis protected by law.

Note: This role will be open for applications until 01st May, 2026. Please apply at your earliest convenience. We may close this search earlier than the specified date if we find the right fit. Due to the volume of applications received, we will only be able to contact shortlisted candidates.