Job Description

The Foundation We are the largest nonprofit fighting poverty, disease, and inequity around the world. Founded on a simple premise: people everywhere, regardless of identity or circumstances, should have the chance to live healthy, productive lives. We believe our employees should reflect the rich diversity of the global populations we aim to serve. We provide an exceptional benefits package to employees and their families which include comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with no premiums, generous paid time off, paid family leave, foundation-paid retirement contribution, regional holidays, and opportunities to engage in several employee communities. As a workplace, we\xe2\x80\x99re committed to creating an environment for you to thrive both personally and professionally. The Team In India the foundation, over the past 2 decades, has been working with India\xe2\x80\x99s Central and State governments, community groups, nonprofit organizations, academic institutions, the private sector, and development organizations, to achieve our shared goals. Our strong networks and ability to convene intellectual resources from many sectors and regions of the globe allow us to address complex challenges as they emerge or evolve. With a particular focus on Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, we work with partners to develop impactful and sustainable solutions to improve the quality and coverage of key services for the poor and vulnerable. We also work in the states of MP, Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Maharashtra to support programs in the Global Growth Opportunities portfolio (urban sanitation, agricultural development, and digital financial inclusion), and gender equality. On NTDs, we work in the high endemic geographies of Visceral Leishmaniasis and Lymphatic Filariasis for elimination of these diseases in India. We support government of India\xe2\x80\x99s immunization efforts to increase coverage and equity with a focus on never treated populations and urban geographies.

India has much to offer the world, as part of its development cooperation agenda and beyond, in a manner of potential benefits not only to other countries but much to India through stimulating the \xe2\x80\x98Make in India\xe2\x80\x99 initiative. India has made strides in several areas, spanning systems, technologies, innovations, manufacturing, and others. There has been an interest in these from across several countries in Africa, Southeast Asia, and in some cases the BRICS countries, in learning and possible application to their own context. We believe that cross-border knowledge exchange and diffusion of practices through our deep learning acquired working with the states in India will help advance the foundation\xe2\x80\x99s goals at an accelerated pace.

This role will report to the Deputy Director, Infectious Diseases and Vaccine Delivery in the India Country Office, and work closely with our Immunization program support team (based in the Seattle). Application deadline: 10th November, 2023. Your Role The Program Officer (PO) will both originate investments and advise on investments originated by other Program Officers of the broader ICO Health team particularly UP and Bihar. They will be knowledgeable about Indian as well as global immunization program related issues and bring expertise to (co-)develop and manage investments that support innovative approaches to improve coverage and equity. This role also entails building strong relationships and acting as a guide to external partners, particularly government and government\xe2\x80\x99s supporting institutions. They will maintain relationships with national and state governments, grantees, and development partners as needed to ensure coordination and collaboration for greater collective impact. This position will work closely with other ICO teams primarily Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Policy and Behavior Change Communication as well as Seattle-based Vaccine Delivery, Enteric & Diarrheal Diseases and Pneumonia teams. What You\xe2\x80\x99ll Do

• Engage national and sub-national immunization technical staff on an agreed strategy to strengthen government routine immunization program leading to sustainable improvements in immunization coverage & equity with priority focus on Zero Dose children & Urban Immunization and vaccine demand strengthening initiatives.
• Work towards designing integrated strategies with other health systems strengthening activities for effective implementation of Ministry\xe2\x80\x99s roadmap towards achieving and sustaining > 90% FIC in key States of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and BMGF diffusion states (Madhya Pradesh and Assam).
• Engage sub-national political leadership on the importance of routine immunization as a development priority, improve visibility for immunization activities and support their accountability for outcomes.
• Develop strong partnerships and coordinate with other donors like USAID and Gavi and immunization partners, including WHO, UNICEF, UNDP, JSI, CHAI, Jhpiego and civil society organizations on activities nationally and in select sub-national geographies.
• Contribute to foundation\xe2\x80\x99s Integrated Health Strategy for India, by helping to evolve bodies of work related to immunization coverage and equity, with emphasis on strengthening state and district routine immunization programs. Also explore innovative initiatives like campaign effectiveness, leverage digital approaches and expanding programmatic opportunities across wider primary health care platforms (Health and Wellness Centers)
• Monitor field activities periodically, together with government counterparts and development partners, to validate planned activities, support amendments to strategy and provide internal as well as external feedback.
• Work in teams to develop, advise, and lead well-scoped, well-structured investments (grants and/or contracts) to execute against these bodies of work related to immunization coverage & equity.
• Work in partnership with foundation colleagues in India and Seattle to build and maintain relationships with global agencies, donors, government, researchers, implementers, and other external partners to develop innovative plans and interventions.
• Leveraging other cluster investments (MNH and FP and HSS) to improve and enhance the potential of scale in state and national health systems.
• Organize partners meetings, convene technical and strategic consultations as needed. Conduct thorough analyses of grants and contracts, grantee progress reports; write high quality briefing documents that synthesize results and findings for leadership and the ICO Health Team.
• Document and diffuse successful models and practices nationwide and other priority geographies globally, building on the programmatic experience gained in India and other geographies.

Your Experience

• Medical graduate with post-graduation in public health / community medicine is desirable.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in routine immunization programming in India, with preferred engagement across the various levels of public health care delivery system.
• Strong understanding of, and ideally direct experience with vaccination and other health programs, including basic planning, delivery, community engagement strategies and data analytics.
• Experience in engaging government, donors, and implementing partners to develop and effectively lead strategic partnerships.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a highly matrixed and diverse work environment, with strong collaboration and advocacy skills.
• Passion for solving complex problems with experience of developing evidence-based strategic or operational plans as well as shaping and leading sustainable and scalable ventures.
• Proven ability to structure and manage high-return, well-risk-mitigated grants, with clear achievements and outcomes.
• Familiarity with policy, advocacy, and strategic communications for advancing programmatic goals.
• Excellent analytical thinking and communications skills, including writing and public speaking skills with fluency in English and Hindi.
• Result oriented and self-motivated with ability to inspire the pursuit of excellence.
• Ability to travel up to 40% of time domestically and internationally.

Other Attributes

• Experience working within health systems within India, particularly within immunization setting.
• Knowledge in transitioning pilot and demonstration projects to full-scale country-wide implementation, by either leveraging or existing community healthcare infrastructure or identifying areas of the health systems to be strengthened in order to scale implementation.

• Must be able to legally work in the country where this position is located without visa sponsorship.

#LI-RA1 Hiring Requirements As part of our standard hiring process for new employees, employment will be contingent upon successful completion of a background check. Candidate Accommodations If you require assistance due to a disability in the application or recruitment process, please submit a request here. Inclusion Statement We are dedicated to the belief that all lives have equal value. We strive for a global and cultural workplace that supports ever greater diversity, equity, and inclusion \xe2\x80\x94 of voices, ideas, and approaches \xe2\x80\x94 and we support this diversity through all our employment practices. All applicants and employees who are drawn to serve our mission will enjoy equality of opportunity and fair treatment without regard to race, color, age, religion, pregnancy, sex, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and prior protected activity.