Lead Poisoning Surveillance Coordinator

Lead Poisoning Surveillance Coordinator - Madhya Pradesh, India

Vital Strategies India Services Private Limited, is a social enterprise focused on strengthening and revitalizing public health systems to address the leading causes of death, disease, and injury. We deploy our unique world-class technical expertise and global experience to design and support scalable solutions that can bridge the gap between public health needs and their solutions, focusing on rapid, large-scale impact. We leverage our core strengths in the areas of public health intelligence to strengthen the collection and use of data for informed government action, strategic communication to build awareness and behaviour change, institutional strengthening, and innovative financing. In addition to our topical areas of focus – noncommunicable diseases, environmental health and climate change, injury prevention, and social determinants of health we also prioritize work that aims to strengthen the fundamental, foundational dimensions of public health practice that enable governments to tackle and respond to any public health challenge.

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and do not discriminate based on characteristics such as race, color, age, religion or creed, gender, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, veteran or military status, marital status, or any other basis protected by country and local laws.

We are proud of our commitment to a professional work environment where everyone is treated with respect and dignity. Vital Strategies India will not tolerate its employees, volunteers, consultants, partners, or any other representative associated with the delivery of its work carrying out any form of sexual harassment, sexual exploitation, or sexual abuse, and thoroughly vets all final candidates.

About the Lead Poisoning Prevention Program:

Lead poisoning is a widespread but preventable crisis that affects millions—particularly children—leading to severe cognitive, developmental, and lifelong health consequences. Vital Strategies is expanding its program that addresses the issue of lead poisoning in low- and middle-income countries. We plan to build upon existing efforts and interest by collaborating with governmental agencies in more Indian states to strengthen health systems and build local expertise in lead poisoning prevention to enact sound, cost-effective policies to address exposures.

Job Purpose:

The Lead Poisoning Surveillance Coordinator, seconded into the local state health departments or related health agency located in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, will closely work with the state health department to design, support, and monitor state-wide blood lead surveillance and related activities. This position will provide programmatic and operational support, maintain partnerships with key stakeholders, and plan and organize state workshops.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Stakeholder Engagement -

• Serve as a liaison between the government/state health department and Vital Strategies, facilitating communication and collaboration;
• Work with appropriate authorities to support the formation of a state technical working group;
• Coordinate with all key stakeholders to ensure regular and timely communication and progress of the project.

Technical Support -

• Provide technical support for the state technical working group and other key stakeholders to develop a statewide blood lead surveillance framework;
• Seek and incorporate technical input from key stakeholders on the surveillance framework and support the standardization of surveillance procedures;
• Provide technical assistance to district-level health officials and frontline workers;
• Assist in developing state-level strategies and action plans for reducing lead poisoning;
• Coordinate and conduct training sessions for health staff, laboratory staff, and field teams on blood lead surveillance procedures.

Program Management and Implementation -

• Monitor and oversee district and field surveillance teams, track data collection progress, and identify challenges for efficient implementation;
• Conduct field visits for on-ground supervision and to ensure data quality;
• Conduct data analysis and prepare presentations, technical and non-technical reports for routine review and decision-making;
• Coordinate state and district-level meetings and events (e.g., workshops, webinars);
• Support dissemination of surveillance findings to key stakeholders.

Administrative and Operational -

• Manage program-related operations by assisting with project start-up, logistics, contracting, expense and activity monitoring and reporting, and procurement activities with support from the associate;
• Line reporting through the State Program Manager with technical guidance and direction from Vital Strategies;
• Assist with other duties assigned by the supervisor.

Qualifications:

Education -

• Master's degree in public health, Environmental Health Science, Epidemiology, and Health policy, or a related field, or MBBS will be preferred. Candidates with a Bachelor's degree in dental science, Life sciences, or Environmental science with prior experience working in public health programs, government health systems, or environmental health projects, may also be considered.

Skills & Abilities -

• Demonstrated familiarity with public health systems, health programs, and disease surveillance programs;
• Strong interpersonal and team-building skills to foster trust, facilitate collaboration among stakeholders, and communicate effectively with interdisciplinary teams;
• Proven ability to plan, execute, and monitor public health programs at the state level;
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills to engage diverse audiences. Professional oral and written proficiency in English, Hindi, and the state native language.
• Ability to interpret public health data, generate insights, and effectively communicate findings with stakeholders;
• Strong skills in managing multiple tasks and program logistics. Ability to anticipate challenges and develop solutions. Self-motivated, proactive, and able to work independently while coordinating with multiple teams;
• Passion for addressing environmental health challenges and improving community well-being;
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook).

Experience:

Required -

• Six to seven years of relevant experience required, with at least 2 years at the state level;
• Two or more years of experience in data management and analysis related to public health or environmental health;
• Experience working with government health departments, health facilities and ability to navigate government systems;
• Experience working with statistical software such as R, SAS, SPSS, Stata;
• Experience in conducting training sessions for health officials, laboratory staff, and frontline workers;
• Experience in organizing meetings, workshops, and discussions.

Preferred -

• Proven capacity to work within the state health department and to interact with public servants and heads of department;
• Experience in designing or implementing surveillance or statewide health surveys;
• Experience in conducting and managing surveillance programs at the state level or experience in managing health-related surveys;
• Experience in large health data or data visualization tools;
• Experience in using project management platforms such as Monday or Airtable.

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements:

• Flexibility to collaborate with colleagues across time zones.
• Willingness to work onsite at the State Health Department or other relevant health agency in close coordination with the government.
• Readiness to travel for in-person meetings and field visits as needed.
• Field-based role with a preference for local candidates with state-level experience; the position is expected to be based at the designated State Health Department and may involve work-from-home.

Additional Information:

The salary for this position is in the range of INR 19,77,500 to 24,90,000. To help you stay energized, engaged, and inspired, we offer a wide range of benefits, including a strong retirement plan, flexible basket reimbursement option, comprehensive healthcare, and Paid Leaves so you can relax, recharge, and be there for the people you care about.