Website India Health Action Trust

About IHAT:

India Health Action Trust (IHAT) aims at improving public health initiatives by supporting programs nationally and globally through providing comprehensive technical assistance in program planning, management and monitoring. IHAT has set up a Technical Support Unit (TSU) for the Government of Uttar Pradesh to provide techno-managerial assistance to improve the coverage of key reproductive, maternal, new-born, child health and nutrition (RMNCHA+) interventions and services in the state from the funding support of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) through University of Manitoba (UOM), Canada.

The Uttar Pradesh Technical Support Unit (UP TSU) was formed in 2013 to provide techno-managerial support to the Government of Uttar Pradesh (GoUP) pursuant to the Memorandum of Cooperation between the GoUP and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The University of Manitoba (UoM) leads the program and has partnered with IHAT to support the government in strengthening its Reproductive, Maternal, New-born and Child Health (RMNCH) and Nutrition programs.

About Program:

Reporting to:

Executive Director – UPTSU or a person designated by him

Travel Requirements:

Yes

Job Summary :

The Deputy Director / Senior Specialist / Specialist – Disease Surveillance & One Health will provide strategic leadership and direction in developing, implementing, and overseeing disease surveillance programs and initiatives, with a focus on the One Health approach. S/he will collaborate with relevant internal and external stakeholders to ensure effective coordination and integration of efforts to design systems that detect, respond to, and prevent infectious diseases that impact human, animal, and environmental health.

Key Responsibilities:

Key Deliverables expected from the Job Role

Develop and implement a comprehensive and integrated One Health disease surveillance strategy that addresses human, animal, and environmental health.
Lead the design and establishment of surveillance tools and protocols for early detection and response to emerging and seasonal infectious diseases.
Collaborate with relevant departments and external partners to collect, analyse, and interpret data for identifying disease trends and potential outbreaks.
Foster cross-sectoral collaboration and information sharing among human health, animal health, and environmental agencies.
Contribute to the collection, analysis, and interpretation of disease-related data, and assist in generating actionable insights and recommendations.
Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, including epidemiologists, veterinarians, public health professionals, and environmental to facilitate cross-sectoral collaboration and knowledge exchange.
Develop and maintain effective partnerships with governmental agencies, international organisations, research institutions, and non-governmental organisations to advance One Health initiatives.
Lead the preparation and submission of regular progress reports and relevant documents.

Key Inputs expected from the Job Role

Provide technical assistance in designing, implementing, and maintaining disease surveillance systems, protocols, and methodologies.
Provide technical expertise and guidance to support capacity-building initiatives for disease surveillance and response at local, national, and regional levels.
Stay informed about advancements in infectious disease surveillance, One Health principles, and relevant developments.

Miscellaneous

Any other work given by the line manager or the organization from time to time.
Additional tasks as may be added to the Job Description as and when required.

Work Experience:

Essential experience – Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in disease surveillance, public health, or related fields, with a strong emphasis on One Health approaches.

Preferred experience – In-depth knowledge of infectious disease epidemiology, zoonotic diseases, and their impact on human and animal health.

Education:

Required Qualification – MBBS
Preferred Qualification – A relevant advanced degree (e.g., MD, DrPH/MPH, DVM, PhD) in public health, veterinary medicine, epidemiology, or a related field.

Key Competencies:

Behavioral