State Program Officer

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

About EAII Advisors 

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

This role will report to the State Program Lead and be based at Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. The SPO will help adapt and execute our approach for Iron and Folic Acid supplementation under Anaemia Mukt Bharat in Uttar Pradesh, working closely with NHM-UP/DoHFW, Departments of Basic/Secondary Education, WCD/ICDS, and other partners. In addition to IFA, the SPO will provide system-strengthening support to our Deworm the World Initiative for National Deworming Day (NDD).

The role focuses on high-quality program planning, budget inclusion, supply-chain enablement to the last mile, training cascades, monitoring and coverage validation, and data-driven advocacy (including for out-of-school children and private-school pilots). The position involves collaboration with our MLE, Finance/Procurement, and national office (NO) teams and requires up to 40% in-state travel.

Note - This is a full-time, office-based role requiring on-site presence five days a week.

Responsibilities

Policy advocacy

• Ensure IFA activities are well planned and adequately budgeted in State PIPs/RoPs, including for pilots/scale-ups (e.g., private schools).
• Prepare brief, actionable advocacy notes using field data and evidence; support SPM in state-level decision forums to drive corrective actions across TA areas.
• Support the state to convene regular review meetings and coordinate with key departments (Health, Education, WCD/ICDS, PRIs) for cross-departmental alignment.
• Identify and coordinate with partner agencies for community mobilisation, training workshops, and dissemination opportunities to enhance engagement.
• Coordinate with the Health/NHM IEC cell and Education/WCD counterparts to develop/refresh state IFA IEC/BCC content and integrate IFA/WIFS in school platforms; facilitate timely circulars, guidelines, and orders.

Program Design and Development

• Coordinate with the National Office and state stakeholders to align state plans with national guidance and GoUP priorities to improve quality and effectiveness.
• Prepare the state IFA implementation plan with SPM/NO; define milestones, roles, and risk mitigations.
• Support M&E process design and tool development with the MLE team; ensure data flows enable timely supervision and course correction.
• Provide inputs on community mobilisation approaches; identify need-based IEC and social-media materials.
• Contribute to state program budgets and support training cascades (design, materials, delivery quality, reach).

Program Management

• With the SPM, develop/manage workplans and timelines; track deliverables for internal/external needs; keep SPM updated on progress and risks.
• Guide and manage Regional Coordinators (RCs) for effective field implementation and issue resolution.
• Develop guidelines, trackers, and tools for implementation and monitoring (supply, coverage, training, supervision, reporting).
• Undertake field visits to provide technical support, supervise activities, and liaise with district officials as required.
• Work with SPC-M&E to qualitatively analyze monitoring data and provide feedback to field teams for improved coverage validation.
• Coordinate with government procurement/logistics counterparts (e.g., state logistics MIS/UPMSC interfaces) to strengthen indenting, allocation, and last-mile distribution.
• Facilitate Albendazole forecasting/indenting, pre-positioning and last-mile distribution before NDD, joint supervision on NDD days, rapid issue resolution (e.g., stock imbalances/returns), and timely consolidation of NDD coverage reports.

Knowledge Management

• Prepare program briefs, process documentation, case studies, and best-practice notes; facilitate dissemination with stakeholders.
• Engage with stakeholders alongside State Lead to share findings and lessons from implementation.
• Maintain up-to-date program documentation and adhere to KM/file-storage/access guidelines.

Requirements

Essentials

• Postgraduate degree in public health, nutrition, health management, or related disciplines
• 6–8 years' experience in the development sector, preferably delivering technical/advisory support to the Government
• Experience collaborating with the Government on maternal, child health, and nutrition programs
• At least 3 years of experience working with Government departments in Uttar Pradesh
• 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 Uttar Pradesh
• Ability to synthesize information clearly and produce high-quality documents to tight deadlines
• Excellent communication, presentation, and documentation skills in English; working proficiency in Hindi required
• Proficient with Microsoft Office and Google applications
• Ability to work with minimal supervision while proactively communicating progress, risks, and support needs
• Willingness to travel ~40% within the state
  

Desirable

• Action-oriented, flexible, and entrepreneurial problem-solver with strong prioritization across multiple deadlines
• Highly motivated to achieve exceptional quality; able to manage multiple tasks simultaneously
• Ability to communicate effectively across stakeholder levels
• Strong interest in the development sector and working in diverse, mission-driven teams

Benefits

EAII provides a comprehensive benefits package for employees worldwide. 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.