State Consultants

1. POSITION VACANT: State Consultants – One Health, SAMS, Hyderabad (Telangana) & Chennai (Tamil Nadu); (Two Vacancies)

2. ORGANISATIONAL BACKGROUND:

Our Client, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), works in about 170 countries and territories, helping to eradicate poverty, reduce inequalities and exclusion, and build resilience so countries can sustain progress. As the UN’s development agency, UNDP plays a critical role in helping countries achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

UNDP has been working in India since 1951 in almost all areas of human development - from systems and institutional strengthening to inclusive growth and sustainable livelihoods, as well as sustainable energy, environment and resilience. With projects and programmes in every state and union territory in India, UNDP works with national and subnational government, and diverse development actors to deliver people-centric results, particularly for the most vulnerable and marginalized communities. As the integrator for collective action on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within the UN system, we are committed to support the Government of India’s national development vision and priorities and accelerate the achievement of the SDGs for the people and the planet.

For more information about UNDP India, please visit https://www.undp.org/india

PROJECT BACKGROUND:

UNDP India’s new Country Programme (2023-2027) builds on our prior work and aims to provide an integrated approach to development solutions in three strategic portfolios:

(1) Strong, accountable and evidence-led institutions for accelerated achievement of the SDGs; 

(2) Enhanced economic opportunities and social protection to reduce inequality, with a focus on the marginalized; 

(3) Climate-smart solutions, sustainable ecosystems and resilient development for reduced vulnerability; 

(4) South-South cooperation, gender equality and social inclusion are promoted across the pillars. The programme is supported by a framework of renewed partnerships and blended finance solutions, strategic innovation and accelerator labs, and data and digital architecture. 

Under UNDPs Country programme document for India (2023–2027), Health Systems Strengthening is ensuring equitable access to basic healthcare services and leaving no one behind. Over the years, Health Systems Strengthening unit is contributing towards developing and implementing flagship initiatives with innovation and sustainability.

India continues to confront significant public health challenges arising from infectious and zoonotic diseases, with the states of Tamil Nadu and Telangana frequently experiencing seasonal zoonotic outbreaks that underscore the urgency of integrated response mechanisms. To address these epidemiological threats, the proposed initiative seeks to operationalize a comprehensive One Health approach, prioritizing preventive strategies, predictive early warning systems, and synchronized intersectoral response protocols. The project is designed to establish a scalable and adaptable implementation framework suitable for replication across diverse epidemiological settings.

Within this framework, the State Consultants will provide strategic support to the Government of Tamil Nadu/ Telangana in facilitating the execution of the project. This role encompasses technical advisory, operational oversight, and interdepartmental coordination to strengthen integrated surveillance architecture, enhance outbreak preparedness, and institutionalize interoperable digital platforms for data exchange across the human, animal, and environmental health domains.

The Consultants will also support State-level One Health Secretariat and the development of a robust digital surveillance ecosystem to enable real-time analytics and informed decision-making.

3. JOB PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF WORK (SOW):

Reporting to the Programme Analyst, the State Consultants will work closely under the guidance of State Health Department and Programme Analyst at UNDP. The State Consultants will be directly responsible for the One Health Project-related project activities.

Duties and Responsibilities:

(A) Programme Planning & Implementation:

(1) Provide strategic and technical assistance to operationalize the One Health Secretariat at the state level;

(2) Planning, implementation and reporting of the Project activities;

(3) Coordinate with the National UNDP team, MoHFW, NCDC, Centre for One Health, various State Departments involved in health risk associated parameters and other stakeholders for the smooth implementation of Project activities.

(4) Facilitate inter-departmental coordination among health, animal husbandry, forest, environment, and urban governance departments;

(5) Support the design and implementation of a real-time digital surveillance and predictive modelling platform;

(6) Coordinate with district teams and ensure consistency in project roll-out;

(7) Conduct field visits for monitoring and hand-holding of project implementation partners at the State and District levels;

(8) Facilitate stakeholder consultations, state-level training, and cross-sectoral meetings;

(9) Prepare reports, policy briefs, and contribute to documentation of best practices and lessons learned and share with the National team on successes, challenges and their solutions as part of the project implementation;

(10) Support the integration of disease surveillance data into existing state health systems and GIS mapping tools;

(11) Support the quality documentation of the Project activities through field stories, photos, videos, case studies, etc.

(B) Capacity Building & Technical Assistance:

(1) Provide technical & capacity support to partners at state and district levels under guidance from NCDC, State Government, and UNDP;

(2) Participate in national-level project trainings and meetings; contribute to their successful execution;

(3) Based on assessed needs, support capacity building at district level.

(C) Data Quality, Monitoring & Learning:

(1) Undertake field visits to monitor implementation of activities; provide technical inputs to address gaps and bottlenecks;

(2) Assist, support and monitor implementing agencies in implementation of activities at district & sub-district levels;

(3) Document implementation processes and analytical learnings; share them with national team.

4. QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE AND COMPETENCIES: 

Qualification:

(1) Master’s degree or higher in Public Health, Preventive Medicine, Community Medicine, Management Studies or related field with relevant work experience;

(2) Bachelor’s degree or higher in above with additional years of relevant experience.

Experience:
(1) With Master’s degree: minimum 2 years relevant experience in health systems, zoonotic disease management, or public health policy;

(2) With Bachelor’s degree: minimum 4 years relevant experience.

(3) Prior experience working with government stakeholders or multilateral agencies on One Health or disease surveillance is desirable.

Skills and Competencies:
(1) Experience managing and implementing programmes in coordination with State/National Governments;

(2) Analytical, negotiating, communication and advocacy skills;

(3) Experience in capacity building of state and district level functionaries;

(4) Experience working with international development organizations is an asset;

(5) Proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel etc.), spreadsheets, databases; experience with web-based management systems.

Languages:
(1) Excellent written and spoken English;

(2) Good working knowledge of Hindi;

(3) Knowledge of Tamil and Telugu will be appreciated.

Competencies:

Functional Competencies:

(1) Identifies problems and proposes solutions;

(2) Ensures gender inclusion and gender parity in the team;

(3) Generates new ideas, researches best practices, proposes more effective approaches;

(4) Makes case for innovative ideas to supervisor;

(5) Approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;

(6) Promotes knowledge sharing and learning culture;

(7) Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities;

(8) Ability to conceptualize, innovate, plan and execute ideas; impart knowledge and teach skills;

(9) Ability to manage stakeholder relationships; perform status reporting; resolve project issues;

(10) Prioritize assignments, multitask as needed; work independently with limited instruction;

(11) Advocate and provide policy advice;

(12) Lead strategic planning, results-based management and reporting;

(13) Aptitude for technical innovations and data analytics.

5. CONSULTANCY FEE:

The monthly consultancy fee for the position shall be commensurate with applicable government norms. The professional fee will be subject to withholding taxes, as applicable.

6. NATURE OF ENGAGEMENT:

The selected candidate shall be engaged as a Consultant on the rolls of SAMS, a third-party payrolling agency, for a full-time consultancy engagement for a period of one year. It is explicitly clarified that this consultancy engagement does not constitute a promise or guarantee of future employment, with SAMS, or our client, or any other organization associated with the project.

7. LOCATION: Hyderabad (Telangana) & Chennai (Tamil Nadu)

8. REFERENCE: SC-OHP-SAMS

9. CONTACT INFORMATION:

Team SAMS
Strategic Alliance Management Services P Ltd.
1/1B, Choudhary Hetram House, Bharat Nagar
New Friends Colony, New Delhi 110 025
Phone Nos.: 011- 4081 9900; 4165 3612

www.sams.co.in

10. APPLICATION PROCESS:

Eligible candidates interested in the position are requested to apply on or before October 23, 2025.