EAII Advisors State Program Officer

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 9 countries, our team of 800+ 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 

The State Program Officer (SPO) will report to the State Program Manager and will serve as the focal point for programs in the state. The SPO will anchor the execution of Evidence Action’s technical assistance model for program implementation, including IFA supplementation under Anaemia Mukt Bharat in Jharkhand.

The SPO will support the SPM in adapting the organization’s program strategy to the state context, developing a comprehensive state program implementation plan, and assisting the government in preparing training cascades, community mobilization strategies, and the effective implementation of all EAII-supported programs, including AMB components, to promote high program coverage among children and adolescents.

The applicant must possess technical insight for public health & nutrition issues, an in-depth understanding of health systems, strong collaborative teamwork skills, and a willingness to support colleagues and travel approximately 40% of his/her time within the state.

Responsibilities 

Policy Advocacy

• Support the SPM in advocacy for corrective actions around Evidence Action’s Technical Assistance (TA) areas by preparing briefs based on field data and evidence. Coordinate with concerned departments (Education, WCD, JSLPS, PRIs, etc.) to engage them effectively in the IFA supplementation program and leverage their resources.
• Support the SPM in planning and organizing advocacy efforts such as stakeholder meetings and dissemination opportunities.
• Support the SPM in identifying and coordinating with partners to leverage opportunities for disseminating program learnings through integration of IFA/NDD content in school curricula, operational manuals, timely directives, etc., to enhance program engagement.
• Support the SPM in ensuring that all relevant program activities, including drug procurement, are well planned and sufficiently budgeted under state PIPs.
• Support the state to convene state-level program review meetings.     
• Coordinate with the IEC division of the state health department to develop a comprehensive community mobilization and IEC strategy that promotes high program coverage, including for out-of-school children and private school pilots. 

Program Design & Development 

• Coordinate with the NO team and work with stakeholders (Education, WCD, and Health departments) to ensure that program design and implementations follow standard protocols, Evidence Action’s operational practices, and align with government efforts to improve program quality and effectiveness.
• Prepare the state IFA implementation plan in consultation with the SPM and NO team.
• Support the design of M&E processes and development of data collection tools, in coordination with the MLE team.
• Provide inputs/support in developing state-specific community mobilization, mass media, and social media strategies, and identify need-based IEC and social media materials to be developed.
• Work with the Monitoring & Evaluation team (State & NO) for effective use of results and findings to improve program quality.
• Assist in developing state program budgets.
• Work with stakeholder departments in preparing training cascades, develop/adapt and maintain high-quality training materials, and ensure effective implementation.

Program Management

• Work closely with state teams and the SPM to provide high-level support to state governments for effective implementation of EAII-supported programs.
• Develop and manage program work plans and timelines with clear team/individual responsibilities to ensure timely and high-quality deliverables for internal and external use.  Keep the SPM updated on progress against work plans and timelines.
• Guide and manage Regional Coordinators (RCs) for effective implementation of the IFA supplementation program across the state.
• Develop guidelines, trackers, and tools for use by state teams in program implementation and monitoring.
• Support the development and review of program activities in consultation with the SPM and prepare monthly/quarterly reports.
• Conduct field visits to districts to provide program and technical support to field teams and liaise with government officials as needed.
• Work closely with the SPC-M&E to qualitatively analyze field monitoring data and provide inputs to field teams for improved monitoring and coverage validation.
• Coordinate with NO Team to develop and finalize the success stories, Best practices and other program documents.     

Knowledge Management 

• Prepare program briefs, process documentation, field-level success stories, and good practices in the state, and facilitate dissemination.
• Engage with key stakeholders, along with SPM, on critical technical issues to share findings from EA’s state implementation experiences.
• Ensure program documentation is kept up to date for future references at the state level.
• Ensure knowledge management practices follow internal guidelines for file storage and access. 

Essential

• Postgraduate degree in public health, nutrition, health management, or related disciplines
• A minimum of 6 - 8 years of experience in the development sector, particularly in providing technical and advisory services to governments
• Experience collaborating with government agencies on maternal, child health, and nutrition programs
• At least 3 years of working experience with government departments in Jharkhand
• Demonstrated experience in supporting and managing teams
• Strong knowledge of public sector health systems and programs
• Good understanding of public health and socio-economic issues in the state
• Ability to synthesize information clearly and produce good-quality documents while adhering to tight deadlines
• Excellent communication, presentation, and documentation skills in English
• Proficient in using Microsoft Office and Google applications
• Exceptional ability to work with minimal supervision, while also communicating relevant progress updates and any issues requiring attention or support from leadership
• Willingness to travel to field locations, at least 40% of the time

Desirable

• Action-oriented and flexible approach, demonstrating entrepreneurial problem-solving skills, along with the ability to manage multiple competing deadlines
• Highly motivated to achieve exceptional quality results, with the capacity to handle multiple tasks simultaneously
• Effective communication skills to engage with individuals at all organizational levels
• Strong interest in the development sector and desire to be a part of a young and diverse team

Disclaimer: The duties and responsibilities described are not a comprehensive list and that additional tasks may be assigned to the employee from time to time.

Position Location

This position is based in Ranchi, Jharkhand, 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
• Generous leave,
• Avenues for engagement and recognition.

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

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.

All candidates applying for the position should upload a resume along with a cover letter mentioning current and expected fee.

 Note: We may end this search process earlier than the specified close date in case of exceptional candidates. Due to resource constraints, we will only be able to contact shortlisted candidates.