Job Description: Program Officer
Location: Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
Overview
As an Indian organisation, WJCF brings an unmatched depth of contextual understanding of India’s health system architecture, policy landscape, and implementation realities across diverse geographies and population groups. This local institutional credibility, combined with global technical rigour, is central to WJCF’s effectiveness as a partner to governments and donors.
Our work is built around four complementary roles: as a Trusted Government Partner, co-designing programmes and strengthening health system architecture; as an Operational Partner, translating strategies into effective on-the-ground delivery; as a Market Shaper, improving the availability and affordability of health commodities; and as an Ecosystem Catalyst, convening governments, development partners, academia, and the private sector to drive solutions at scale.
WJCF’s programme portfolio spans thematic areas like hepatitis, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, vector-borne diseases), syphilis, cervical cancer, diabetes, maternal and childhood anaemia, immunisation, under-5 diarrhoea and pneumonia, sexual and reproductive health, Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri – Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY), Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), hypoxemia and oxygen, safe drinking water, sickle cell disease, presbyopia, lead poisoning, and cross cutting thematic areas like AI and Health, integrated disease surveillance, and climate and health. We currently support programmes across 19 states and union territories, with teams working at national, state, district, and sub-district levels.
Our people are our greatest asset. WJCF brings together a talented, diverse team of professionals from public health, analytics, consulting, healthcare, the development sector, and academia, all united by a shared commitment to improving health outcomes for the people of India. We are entrepreneurial, action-oriented, and deeply grounded in the communities and systems we work in. Our field teams collectively bring hundreds of years of experience managing public health programmes across the country.
WJCF collaborates with a range of international and domestic partners and donors to advance its mission, including an affiliation with the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), a global health organisation with which WJCF shares a common mission and values.
About the project
India continues to bear the world’s highest burden of tuberculosis (TB) in terms of absolute numbers of incident TB cases. National TB prevalence survey (2019-21) revealed a significant 31.3% (estimated) crude prevalence of TB infection (TBI) among India’s population aged 15 years and above. India has set an ambitious target of eliminating TB ahead of the global target. The National Strategic Plan 2017–2025 outlines TB Preventive Treatment (TPT) as a critical strategy in combating TB, aiming at 95% coverage amongst the eligible population.
The TB Household Contact Management (TB HCM) project is a pioneering initiative addressing critical gaps in coverage and completion of TPT amongst household contacts of notified drug sensitive TB patients, with a special emphasis on children under five (U5). Planned to be implemented in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, this two-year TB HCM project aims to impact over 2 million individuals through a community-based service delivery model that leverages community health workers from the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP) and general health systems. Marking the first major rollout of TPT while focussing on Universal Health Coverage strategies, the project focuses on decentralising and strengthening TB care within general health systems.
Position summary
The Program Officer will be a key member of the project team leading implementation for a cluster of 6-8 districts and will report to the State Manager. The Program Officer will lead and supervise district-level trainings, stakeholder engagement and coordination for smooth implementation of the TB Household Contact Management project, while facilitating cross-learning and linkages for efficient and effective implementation. They will also lead monitoring, reviews, and field supervision, collaborating with the team of District Leads to optimize workflows, report progress and align strategies with health priorities.
CHAI is seeking a highly motivated, results-oriented individual with demonstrated leadership skills and outstanding analytical skills. The ideal candidate must be post graduate with excellent private and government stakeholder engagement, liaising and communication skills and experience in implementing public health projects. We place great value on relevant qualities such as resourcefulness, responsibility, tenacity, energy and work ethics.
Responsibilities
Lead project implementation & optimization
- Lead the end-to-end implementation of project activities across the assigned cluster of districts, driving achievements of TPT initiation and completion targets
- Drive translation of project operational strategies into actionable district-level implementation and monitoring & evaluation plans
- Direct and oversee District Leads to ensure timely, efficient, and high-quality execution of project activities in line with approved plans.
- Evaluate government programs, policies, and interventions to strategically align project activities, maximize synergies, and enhance impact.
- Drive the development, execution, and monitoring of district work plans, ensuring accountability, operational excellence, and continuous improvement.
- Build and strengthen team capabilities through coaching, mentoring, performance management, and structured feedback mechanisms to drive high-performing teams and quality service delivery.
Coordination and Stakeholder Engagement
- Serve as the primary lead for cluster-level coordination between NTEP and the general health system, ensuring seamless implementation of project interventions.
- Establish, manage, and strengthen strategic partnerships with key stakeholders, including NTEP, NHM, PPSAs, and district administration, to accelerate project outcomes.
- Own stakeholder engagement processes for planning, implementation, monitoring, and review of project interventions.
- Drive convergence and collaboration through regular review forums with state, regional/divisional, and district stakeholders, facilitating problem-solving, alignment, and continuous improvement.
- Influence and support district-level health planning by identifying opportunities to integrate and strengthen TB prevention and care interventions.
Training, Capacity Building and Community Outreach
- Lead the planning, coordination, and quality assurance of training and capacity-building initiatives for community and peripheral healthcare workers in collaboration with NTEP and NHM.
- Facilitate provider engagement initiatives and Continuing Medical Education (CME) programs in partnership with NTEP and PPSA teams.
- Support and strengthen community awareness, behavior change communication, and IEC campaigns to increase demand for TB prevention and treatment services.
Operational excellence and Supply Chain Support
- Drive availability of rifapentine, isoniazid, 3HP and 6H and paediatric 3HP, at sub-district facilities including AAMs covering stock visibility, indenting, expiry tracking, documentation and reporting.
- Work with NTEP teams to support sample collection, transportation and CXR/NAAT access where these impede TPT eligibility closure
- Collaborate with NTEP, NHM, and PPSA teams to strengthen data quality and address gaps in Nikshay reporting related to contact management and TPT services.
- Proactively identify operational risks and implementation challenges and lead the development of mitigation strategies to ensure uninterrupted project delivery.
Monitoring and Reporting
- Lead regular district performance reviews to assess implementation progress, monitor key indicators, and drive corrective actions.
- Work closely with state team to conduct performance assessments, identify gaps, implement course corrections, and optimize workflows.
- Conduct field monitoring visits to ensure quality implementation, provide supportive supervision, and strengthen accountability.
- Promote cross-district learning by facilitating knowledge sharing, replication of best practices, and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Deliver high-quality reports and represent the project in state and national review forums as required.
- Analyze district and regional performance data to identify trends, gaps, and opportunities, and drive evidence-based decision-making and targeted interventions.
Additional Responsibilities
- Undertake other strategic and operational responsibilities as required to support project objectives and organizational priorities.
Desired Skills and Experience:
- Graduate or Post Graduate degree in Social work, public health or Business administration, or a related field
- Minimum eight to ten years of experience, including at least six years in public health.
- Strong written and oral communication skills
- In-depth understanding of development principles, development sector landscape and technical sector updates
- Proven ability to build and maintain successful collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including private and government sectors.
- Ability to multitask, set priorities, and be effective under tight deadlines and in high-pressure situations
- Cross–cultural experience for health will be an added advantage
- Experience of working with the National TB/ HIV program will be an advantage
- Willingness to travel extensively within the program state
Please note that we will be able to communicate only with shortlisted candidates at every stage of selection process.
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