1. POSITION VACANT: U-WIN Coordinators – Project Associates (HSS / Improving Efficiency of the Vaccination System in India), SAMS HR Consulting, Kolkata, Siliguri, and Bardhaman, West Bengal

2. NUMBER OF VACANCIES: 03 Vacancies – one each in Kolkata, Siliguri, and Burdwan.

3. 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:

Immunization is a proven success story for global health and development, saving millions of lives every year. Vaccines play a pivotal role in prevention and control of many communicable diseases and have attributed to the reduction in the number of deaths from infectious diseases, dramatically. Since vaccines also prevent disability, which can impair children’s growth and cognitive development, vaccination ensures that the child not only survives but also flourishes.

Vaccinating this cohort is significantly important considering the generalised vulnerability and the evidence that communities with zero dose children also have a significant number of under vaccinated children. Zero-dose children are more likely to experience early childhood nutritional failures linked to high risk of morbidity and mortality in childhood, poor growth trajectories, and poor health outcomes over the life course.

Missed communities, which are home to clusters of zero-dose and under vaccinated children, are vulnerable to recurrent vaccine preventable disease outbreaks, such as measles, which spread rapidly, worsening health and development outcomes. These missed communities often face multiple deprivations and vulnerabilities, including inadequate access to basic services like water and sanitation, socio-economic inequities, and often gender related barriers (like mother’s access to education, lack of household decision making for healthcare, gender based violence, child marriages and teenage pregnancies). The deprivations exist across multiple geographic settings, predominantly in urban/peri-urban, remote rural or conflict settings. Thus, reaching zero-dose and under vaccinated children would mean reaching the missed communities they are part of and building the link to the healthcare system and essential services. Thus, the imperative of reaching and ensuring complete immunization for zero-dose children becomes pressing.

Under Zero Governments Strategic Approach for reaching zero dose children, Ministry of Health mandated UNDP India to provide technical and implementation support for nationwide roll-out of U-WIN. U-WIN is world’s largest Electronic Immunization Registry for registering pregnant woman and children and further established digital tracking mechanism for vaccination status to reach and reduce zero dose children.

To support this roll-out, Project Associates (U-WIN Coordinators) will be placed at the state level to coordinate with State Coordinators and officials for implementation and monitoring.

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

The Project Associate will be positioned at the State Headquarters and will coordinate the roll-out of U-WIN and other flagship UNDP initiatives, including eVIN and CoWIN. The State Coordinator will manage a team comprising U-WIN Coordinators and Vaccine and Cold Chain Managers.

Duties and Responsibilities:

(A) Programme Planning and Implementation of U-WIN in the Division:
Provides advice and support to the development and phased implementation of the U-WIN that includes Vaccine coverage reporting on one single information system platform in the state. This activity will involve a systematic and phased scale up of a system for SMS-enabled real time Management Information system (MIS) for cold chain and vaccine logistics management at the respective district level. Also support the implementation of upgrades related to eVIN and CoWIN platform.

(B) Liasoning & Advocacy with the Government & other Development Partners:
Partners with regional and district level health vaccine structures to assess and understand the capacity needs and support required for the effective and timely implementation of the U-WIN in select states. This activity will involve working closely with divisional and districts Level Health officials, coordinating with the development partners working on immunization.

(C) Capacity Building and Technical Assistance for Government:

Assists the State coordinator to identify capacity-building needs on U-WIN and undertake capacity-building activities at the district level.

(D) Monitoring and Evaluation of U-WIN Delivery in the Respective Region:

Facilitates the review of the system and capacities relating to the delivery of U-WIN in conjunction with State Health Mission. This will include:
(a) Undertake extensive field visits to monitor the implementation of the system and providing technical inputs to address gaps and bottlenecks;
(b) The project officers will be required to carefully monitor the U-WIN system and alert designated authorities at the district level with regards to vaccine inventory and cold chain management;
(c) The project officer will assist, support and monitor the identified implementing agency in the implementation of the system at the district and sub district level. This includes the capacity building initiatives at the regional and district level;
(d) Document the implementation process and analytical learnings from the implementation to feedback into the effective scale up in all the districts of State.

(E) Report Writing:

Prepares periodic status reports, annual reports, case studies, etc. in a qualitative and timely manner. Perform any other tasks assigned from time to time by the State Project Officer.

5. QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE AND COMPETENCIES:

Qualification:

Bachelor’s degree in Dental Surgery (BDS) / AYUSH disciplines (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Homeopathy) / Health Sciences / Public Health / Health Administration / Hospital Management / Material Management / Supply Chain Management / Nutrition / Social Sciences from a reputed University or Institution.

Experience:
Minimum 4 years of experience in Public Health, preferably in Routine Immunization, including vaccine logistics and cold chain management.

Required Skills:

(1) Experience managing IT-driven projects is a plus;
(2) Strong analytical, communication, negotiation, and advocacy skills;
(3) Proficiency in MS Office and related applications;
(4) Proven experience managing and scaling large health-sector projects;
(5) Prior experience working with State Governments or international development organizations is desirable.

Required Languages:
(1) Good knowledge of written and spoken English is required;
(2) A good working knowledge of local language of the duty station will be needed..

COMPETENCIES:

(A) Job Knowledge and Technical Expertise:

(1) Strong knowledge of project area and keeps abreast with new developments in areas of professional discipline and seeks to develop herself/ himself professionally;
(2) Sound knowledge of project management tools and utilises these regularly in work and assignments.

(B) Results-Based Management:

(1) Leads and facilitates work planning, identifies potential obstacles, and proposes alternatives;
(2) Takes accountability for delivery of agreed results;
(3) Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.

(C) Building and Managing Strategic Partnerships:

(1) Identifies common interest and goals and carries out joint initiatives with partners;

(2) Makes effective use of resources and comparative advantage to strengthen partnerships.

(D) Advocacy:

(1) Brings visibility, promotes ideas and develops partnerships to advance the organisation’s work;

(2) Recognises key players in decision making, engaging them and building consensus for final decisions.

(E) Client Orientation:

(1) Demonstrates an understanding of client / partner / donor perspective and strives for high quality client-oriented services;

(2) Establishes smooth relationship and enabling environment between clients and service providers.

6. CONSULTANCY FEE:

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

7. 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 and the duration of engagement shall be driven by project priorities. 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. 

8. LOCATION:  Kolkata, Siliguri, and Burdwan

9. REFERENCE: UWINCO-PA-SAMS

10. 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

11. APPLICATION PROCESS:

Eligible candidates interested in the position are requested to apply, on or before October 29, 2025.