Program Associate

Job Description

The Program Associate will offer administrative, operational, and logistical support to the State Program Manager including procuring and contracting goods and services, scheduling meetings and maintaining calendars, coordinating travel and logistics, and planning events, among other duties. This role involves coordinating with the program team, government officials (as needed for operations), and field surveillance teams. Program Operations: Assist the State program team in operations and procurement including venue selection, and logistical arrangements for meetings and events and ensuring all necessary arrangements are in place ; Assist in coordinating participant invitations, managing attendance lists, and preparing meeting materials to ensure smooth execution; Facilitate communication with stakeholders, the printing of materials, and coordinate travel and logistics (hotel booking, transport, and reimbursements) for in-person meetings, trainings, and workshops. Administrative Support: Provide administrative support to the state program team, including processing correspondence and filing procurement requisitions as per organizational protocols; Assist with coordinating procurement and the distribution of field supplies, equipment, and training materials; Draft correspondence independently or based on instructions and redirect as appropriate, bringing urgent matters to the attention of the supervisor. Financial Coordination: Coordinate the processing of invoices for state program team members and vendors, working closely with the Finance and Operations teams of the Vital Strategies India office; Track invoice submissions, liaise with Finance and Accounting, and address any questions or issues related to payments; Compile support documentation for financial payments, process purchase orders, and submit them to the central office; Ensure compilation of bank details of government staff attending in-person training workshops and involved in carrying out surveillance activities; Provide administrative support to relevant government officials and the finance team for timely reimbursements, payments, and incentive distribution at pre-decided rates. Stakeholder Coordination: Manage travel arrangements for the team, including handling cancellations or changes in travel plans; Assist in follow-up with vendors, government agencies, and field teams to ensure smooth operations. Documentation: Maintain detailed program records and documentation, ensuring all records are accurate and up to date; Support the team by suggesting some administrative improvements in line with program norms; Conduct data entry as and when needed to support the program activities , reporting, monitoring, and evaluation; Assist with additional tasks as assigned by the supervisor to support overall program effectiveness. Qualifications: Education: bachelors degree in a related field required. Experience: Required Minimum three years of work experience in general administration, or operations, preferably in the public health, governmental, or non-profit sector, (eg, environmental, energy, livelihood, education); Experience in invoice tracking, processing, and managing including- invoice processing, tracking payments, and managing purchase orders. Ability to assist with budget planning and procurement coordination for program activities. Preferred At least 1 year of work experience with the government; Experience working collaboratively and remotely with internal and external team members to provide administrative support on time; Experience using platforms such as DocuSign, CLM, NetSuite, Monday, Airtable, and Slack is a plus; Ability to draft official correspondence independently is a plus. Skills Abilities Strong organizational and time management skills to manage program activities, logistics, and documentation. Experience in record-keeping and filing systems to ensure accurate data management; Excellent written and verbal communication skills to interact professionally with government officials, program partners, and vendors. Professional oral and written proficiency in English, Hindi, and the state s native language; Exceptional attention to detail to ensure accuracy in documentation, financial processing, and logistical arrangements; Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and other relevant administrative tools; Ability to collaboratively work with cross-cultural and cross-functional internal teams and external partners in various time zones; Working Conditions and Physical Requirements: Flexibility to collaborate with colleagues across time zones; Field-based role with a preference for local candidates with state-level experience; Willingness to limited travel within the state for field visits, meetings, and program activities as needed.