Technical Lead – Tribal Health Programme

Organization Profile

History: Founded in 1986 by doctor couple Abhay and Rani Bang, inspired by Mahatma Gandhi and trained in public health at Johns Hopkins University, SEARCH (Society for Education, Action and Research in Community Health) is an NGO working in Gadchiroli, a poor, semi-tribal district of Maharashtra.

Vision: ‘Aarogya-Swaraj’ – People’s Health in People’s Hands: empowering communities to take charge of their own health and achieve freedom from disease and dependence.

Mission: Service, training, empowerment and research in community health.

Headquarters: Shodhgram, 17 km from Gadchiroli town – a 46-acre campus blending a Gandhian ashram, tribal village and modern facilities, with a hospital, research and training centres, and staff residences.

Our work: With 100+ professionals and 150+ Community Health Workers, SEARCH runs a hospital serving 1,400 villages, community health care in 125 villages, a Mobile Medical Unit in 58 villages, and alcohol and tobacco de-addiction across 1,400 villages. It also conducts reproductive health education, rural health research, policy advocacy and the NIRMAN youth change-maker programme. Its Home-Based Newborn Care model is India’s national policy, implemented through 8 lakh ASHAs, and a global policy.

For more information, please visit: www.searchforhealth.ngo

Job Specifications:

1)    Position: Technical Lead – Tribal Health Programme

2)    Reporting to: Director

3)    Location: Gadchiroli (Shodhgram, HQ of SEARCH)

4)    Direct Reports: Tribal Health Programme team – Medical Officer In-Charge (Mobile Medical Unit) and Community Health Workers in tribal villages

Job Overview

The Technical Lead will provide technical and strategic leadership to SEARCH’s Tribal Health Programme, which serves 58 villages through the Mobile Medical Unit and community-based care. Working closely with the Director, the incumbent will strengthen programme quality, guide research on tribal health, mobilize communities, and build a replicable model of tribal health care, advocating for it with evidence from Gadchiroli.

Key Deliverables

1. Programme Leadership & Operations:

• • Prepare annual plans, budgets and monthly operational plans; review progress through weekly team meetings and report to the Director.

• • Oversee Mobile Medical Unit and community-based care, including medicines, equipment, supply chain and field records.

• • Ensure service quality through field supervision and timely corrective action.

• • Work with SMED Dept on surveys, data management, analysis and MIS

2. Community Mobilization:

• • Engage Gram Sabhas, village leaders, youth and women’s groups and CHWs, including the annual Tribal Health Parliament.

3. Research & Evidence:

• • Develop or supervise research protocols and ethics approvals; guide data collection, analysis and interpretation.

• • Co-author papers, manage journal submissions and present findings at scientific meetings.

4. Financial Management & Reporting:

• • Ensure sound budgeting and monitor expenditure against grants.

• • Prepare quarterly and annual progress reports for internal review and funding agencies.

5. Partnerships & Advocacy:

• • Liaise with the district health system and administration.

• • Host visitors, interns and students; document case studies to advocate the Tribal Health model.

Candidate Profile

Qualification & experience (any one of the following):

• • MD (Community Medicine); Or

• • MBBS / BAMS (or other health background) with MPH  at least 8 years of field experience implementing public health programmes.

• • Preferably Marthi speaking

Competencies:

• • Strong problem-solving, decision-making and team leadership skills.

• • Sound understanding of research methods: epidemiology, statistics, data management and analysis.

• • Hands-on field programme management experience.

• • Alignment with SEARCH’s tribal-friendly values, a passion for service and willingness to work long term in Gadchiroli.

Benefit package:

Compensation: As per organisation norms and commensurate as per candidate’s experience

Health Care: Primary health care free in the Hospital of SEARCH

Accommodation: Will be provided in the campus

Leaves: 15 Days summer vacation + 7 days Diwali vacation +  Casual Leaves : 7