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

About EAII 

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 11 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. 

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. 

About India Safe Water Now

Evidence Action’s Safe Water Now program provides safe drinking water to over 10 million people across rural Uganda, Malawi, and Kenya. Recent evidence highlights that water treatment may be among the most cost-effective interventions available to save young children's lives, reducing all-cause child mortality by about 25%. The Dispensers for Safe Water (DSW) program, based on research by a Nobel-winning economist, utilizes an innovative and human-centric design to deliver clean water at the source in rural settings, achieving usage rates which are 5x that of comparable interventions. Evidence Action recently launched a next generation technology, In-Line Chlorination (ILC) in Uganda and Malawi, targeting rural, peri-urban, and urban communities, which has the potential to be even more cost-effective. Over the past year, we’ve more than doubled our footprint in East Africa and are actively exploring opportunities for expansion into new countries. 

In addition to its longstanding work in East Africa, Evidence Action, through its technical partner in India, EAII Advisors, is launching a major technical assistance program to help the government of India reach 17.5 million people across multiple states with safe water. This complements the Indian government’s effort to bring water access to every household in the country.

About the Role

The Deputy Director, Strategy and Special Projects will support high-priority complex projects across the organization, with an initial focus on Evidence Action’s India Safe Water (ISW) program, while also contributing to other strategic initiatives across the organization. Reporting to EAII’s Chief of Staff, your role blends strategic planning and hands-on program management, requiring strong analytical decision-making skills across multiple programs. 

Working closely within the office of India Regional EVP, you will provide strategic support to program teams, ensuring effective internal coordination, work planning, and management of diverse workstreams. Your key responsibility will be maintaining a comprehensive understanding of all ongoing work, offering guidance to team leaders on a range of topics—from technical challenges and operational priorities to recruitment strategies and long-term planning. This position demands a strong mix of strategic thinking, project management expertise, and interpersonal skills to drive organizational impact. 

Roles & Responsibilities of the position

Strategic Leadership and Planning

●        Facilitate strategic decision-making processes and support implementation of program priorities, with an emphasis on ISW initiatives.

●        Lead efforts to implement change management initiatives, ensuring smooth transitions for stakeholders, while addressing critical risks.

●        Develop and optimize market shaping strategies for program interventions, focusing on scalability and sustainability.

●        Support the integration of operations into broader organizational strategies, ensuring alignment across functions.

Support Strategic Program Growth and New Program Development

●        Drive strategic expansion of EAII’s programs, identifying new geographic areas and opportunities for strategic program growth.

●        Support feasibility assessments and pilot programs for potential new interventions.

●        Develop scaling strategies, in consultation with other stakeholders, for successful pilot programs, including resource requirements and implementation roadmaps.

●        Support the design and execution of new program initiatives and collaborate with the Monitoring, Learning and Evaluation (MLE) teams to evaluate program effectiveness and incorporate learnings into growth strategies.

Special Projects and Implementation

●        Responsible for special projects, such as but not limited to, the design of a Water Quality Index (WQI), implementation, quality standards development and program delivery optimization across geographies.

●        Lead technical teams in developing practical solutions to implementation challenges, with focus on field-level execution.

●        Guide program teams in developing robust monitoring frameworks, in conjunction with the Monitoring, Learning and Evaluation (MLE) team.

●        Analyze program data to identify operational bottlenecks and implement performance improvements.

Stakeholder Management & Surge Support

●        Build collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

●        Engage with various stakeholders within the ISW and nutrition programs - suppliers, distributors, and other market actors.

●        Represent the organization in key forums, as needed in consultation with the Country Director’s office.

●        Provide surge support across the organization as directed by the Senior Leadership Team at EAII.