Head of Programme Delivery

Suvita

Suvita is a nonprofit startup working to increase the uptake of children’s vaccinations in India. We are impact-focused and scale-focused, delivering two evidence-based programmes in collaboration with state governments to boost attendance at vaccination appointments.

We are on a rapidly growing trajectory and seek a Head of Programme Delivery to play a key role in ramping up our scale of delivery. We just scaled our SMS reminders programme across all of Maharashtra; we have MoUs with both Bihar and Maharashtra State Governments to target state-wide delivery of our programmes; and we have been incubated and funded by sector leaders like The/Nudge Foundation, Charity Entrepreneurship, Mulago Foundation and GiveWell. We’ve reached almost 3.5 million families to date but are just getting started. 

We are seeking someone to play a core role in exponentially scaling our programmes to reach their full potential. Now is a really exciting time to join the Suvita team.?

About the role

In this pivotal and new role, you will drive programme delivery, optimisation and scale-up, leading our Programme Delivery team and in close coordination with the Co-Founders as well as our Tech and Monitoring Evaluation & Learning teams. 

Your work can be divided into several categories: 

• Ensure high-quality execution of key programme priorities - by managing the programme team, lead the execution of priority projects to improve the efficiency, quality and scalability of our programmes, and to deliver on our organisational targets/commitments. Act as a flagbearer for focus.
• Develop and coach the programme team - continuously strengthen the programme team to excel as a collective unit. Support them and hold them accountable to hit their OKRs. Ensure roles & responsibilities within the team are well-configured to contribute optimally towards programme outcomes. Building upon our existing programme monitoring systems & dashboards, foster a data-driven learning culture, focused on key programme priorities (e.g. “Field Officer time per ambassador recruited” or “% of SMS users enrolled in time for their 1st vaccine reminder”), so that we make the most of ideas and insights from across the Programme team. Coach and mentor your managees to foster their professional development as individuals.
• Drive programme expansion to new states - in close coordination with the co-founders, set up programming in new states. Your responsibilities will include identifying the optimum programme delivery model according to the context; engaging with government and other partners as needed; and hiring and setting up a team in the state.
• Lead on optimisation of programme delivery - identify and test new ways to make our programmes better (more efficient, higher quality, more scalable). These can range from marginal improvements on existing processes (e.g. “rework a survey form to make it easier to fill in”) to larger innovations (e.g. “revamp our data collection model in Bihar so that a key step, currently responsible for 40% of the cost, is completely outsourced to government partners”) and you will need to work closely with co-founders to strategically prioritise the top ideas.
• Hold government relationships - engage with the government and other key partners as needed, at the state and national levels.?

How will you fit into the team structure?

You will report to a Co-Founder. You will manage our state Programme Managers (currently 2, expected to expand to a few more as our programmes grow), who in turn manage the programme teams in each state.  

You will work closely with both Co-Founders for strategic decision-making. You will also need to frequently coordinate with other team members whose work interacts with and supports programmes (e.g. in Tech and Monitoring Evaluation & Learning).

Why is this a brilliant opportunity?

• Your work will save lives. You’ll be part of a mission-driven, impact-focused organisation, delivering programmes grounded in evidence.
• We have just begun a multi-year phase of accelerated growth so it’s a high-leverage role in a fast-growing organisation, with plenty of opportunities for outsized personal impact. You’ll play a key role in shaping Suvita’s culture and trajectory.
• We are an org with strong values where everyone is pulling in the same direction.

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for someone who 

1. has previously demonstrated ability to manage and execute through a team
2. is a data-driven decision-maker 
3. and is excellent at planning and project management
4. and is motivated by the opportunity to save and improve lives

This means that you must be:

• Analytical and detail-oriented
• A systems thinker
• Strong at quantitative reasoning
• Skilled in the fundamentals of operations management and project management
• An outstanding communicator
• Excellent at self-management and the management & development of others
• Excellent at prioritising and ensuring that energy is focused on top priorities
• Relentlessly impact-focused - not easily distracted from impact as the priority
• A true team player whose success is achieved through the success of others
• Calm and comfortable with a high-task variety
• Dependable and highly conscientious
• Someone who leads with a scout mindset
• Excellent judgement about when to do more learning/thinking and when to take action
• Someone who embodies Suvita’s values

Additional requirements:

• Fluent in Hindi & English
• Based in India and committed to staying in India for the next 2+ years
• Willing to commit to this role for at least 2-3 years
• Available for program-related travel 

Other details

• Hours: Full-time
• Salary range: Rs 20-34 Lakh per annum, (compensation negotiable for outstanding candidates demonstrating exceptional skills and experience).

Benefits include:

1. 30 days paid holiday leave per year plus 12 days sick leave at full pay.
2. Health insurance policy for all India-based team members.

Location: Must be based in India. We have offices in Pune and Patna and would ideally prefer those locations but are open to fully remote or hybrid work models within India.

Travel: Availability for programme-related travel is expected

Reports to: Co-founder

Application Deadline: We will review applications on an ongoing basis until the position is filled. To ensure consideration, please submit your application by 21 August 2024.

Do you aim to have an outsized positive impact on the world? Are you an analytical problem solver with excellent, demonstrated management skills? We’re seeking an ambitious programme leader who will manage our entrepreneurial programme team to take Suvita’s programmes in India to the next level of efficiency, quality, and scalability. 

The right person in this role could help us to reach millions more families in the next five years, supporting lakhs more children to achieve full immunisation status and saving thousands of lives.?

If this all sounds exciting, please apply using the link below