Introduction
KHPT is a not-for-profit charitable entity that spearheads focused initiatives to improve the health and wellbeing of communities in India. In 2003, KHPT was founded with a mission to enhance the health and wellbeing of vulnerable communities and our journey started with the focus on reducing the prevalence of HIV in Karnataka, specifically among most at-risk populations. These interventions were evidence-driven, systematically planned, rigorously implemented, and monitored. We succeeded in scaling impact well beyond Karnataka and KHPT became a learning site for innovative approaches. We work primarily in the fields of Maternal, Neonatal & Child Health (MNCH), Tuberculosis (TB), Adolescent Health (AH), and Comprehensive Primary Health Care (CPHC).
Karnataka Health Promotion Trust (KHPT) is working with GAIN on scaling up edible oil, Milk and Wheat flour fortification in eighteen states of India. With technical and financial support from GAIN, KHPT will operate a Technical Assistance Unit (TAU) to support these state governments. Further, work closely with industry stakeholders, in these states, to promote and strengthen fortification of edible oil, milk and wheat flour as per FSSAI standards and in alignment with the national agenda for fortification of staples. The proposed project is aimed at reducing Micronutrient deficiencies at a population wide scale in the select states of India.
KHPT is seeking application for the following position.
State Consultant
Positions: 1
Location: Rajasthan
Project: Fortification Project
Qualification, Skills & Competencies
- Person with post-graduation in any relevant field or Management degree is desirable.
- Minimum of 4 to 5 years of progressively responsible professional experience in project and field implementation.
- Knowledge of MNCH, Nutrition, Food technology and Food fortification is desirable.
- Excellent contact within state government preferably with department health, women child welfare, food and civil supplies department.
- Prior working experience with state food safety authority is desirable.
- Understanding of program planning, review and strategy development is essential.
- Excellent understanding on local context, practices and ability to liaise with state governments.
- Willingness, flexible and ability to work in a challenging environment. Hands on experience in documentation.
- Ability to anticipate the challenges/issues and initiate appropriate actions.
- Excellent spoken and written skills in English, Hindi and dominant language of the state is highly desirable.
Roles and Responsibilities
- Edible oil and Milk Industry engagement
Training the key personnel of edible oil mills and milk dairy is a critical factor for success of this program. Regular trainings and support visits to be configured to oil millers and milk dairy
to orient the staff involved with management, production and laboratory personnel on:
- Identify eligible edible oil mills and milk dairies which can adopt fortification. Organise trainings to oil mills and milk processing units on fortification process and follow up to promote early adoption of fortification process.
- Engage with trained oil mills and milk processing units, provide hand holding support to adopt fortification, ensure quantitative analysis of fortified oil and milk samples and industry obtain endorsement from FSSAI.
- Collect, compile, maintain requisite data / information, generate reports as per need relevant to the area of responsibility in the project.
- Wheat Flour Fortification:
- To develop key government partnerships and facilitate key stakeholder alignment
- To develop contacts and liaise with State Governments/Policy makers.
- Support government agencies to draft and invite tenders (technical and financial) along with preparation of ToR for the technical part.
- To conduct assessment of wheat flour mills selected as per the technical bid.
- To organise the training workshops in implementing states for sensitizing and orienting the wheat flour mills
- To ensure linkages of wheat flour millers with accredited and FSSAI notified premix suppliers
- To ensure quality assurance and quality control of fortified wheat flour by picking up samples and getting them tested from a NABL accredited laboratory at a regular frequency.
- Collect, compile, maintain requisite data / information, generate reports as per need relevant to the area of responsibility in the project.
- Government engagement
Increase awareness about malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies among policy makers leading to enabling environment for fortification of oil and milk. Activities to be organized related to this component:
- Engage with Food Safety Commissionerate (FSC) of the state, appraise about the importance of fortification
- Organize a round table /sensitization meeting to discuss fortification strategy implementation in the state to be called under the leadership of FSC. Participants of the round table would include Govt. officials at the state level from relevant departments, Industry leaders from state and development partners.
- Organize training of Food Safety Officers (FSO) on food fortification and quality evaluation of fortified food.
- Support for state level launch event of fortification of food in partnership with government
departments – especially Food Safety Commissioner
- Follow up of concerned staff of department like Food and Civil Supplies, Women and Child Department, Education, Health and Family Welfare for follow up on inclusion of fortified oil and milk into current schemes likes the ICDS, mid-day meal.
- Involve actively in the procurement and tendering process of the Department of Women and Child Department and Health and Family Welfare for current schemes likes the ICDS, mid-day meal.
- Individual level meetings with the key leadership of these Departments to advocate for policy level change and inclusion into state programs.
- Facilitating the issuance of circulars from Principal Secretary, Food and Civil Supplies on the fortification policy.
- Community engagement:
The objective of communication strategy is to reach consumers with key messages on oil fortification through innovative cost effective means. The focus will be to promote government of India approved fortification logo “+F” as the mark and symbol of complete nutrition and healthy living along with specific messaging on benefits of using fortified oil for the entire family
- Provide support and inputs in developing/adapting the state specific communication material.
- Facilitate connecting with government departments and assist in sharing and using the communication tools developed by the project.
Reporting
The State Project Coordinator / Consultant will be reporting to Program Manager – Delhi, KHPT.
Remuneration
The compensation for the above-mentioned position/s will adhere to internal policies and market standards, determined by qualifications, relevant experience, budget availability, internal parity, and interview performance
KHPT is committed to providing a safe and supportive work environment for all employees. We uphold the principle of equal opportunity and actively welcome female applicants. In addition, we encourage individuals with physical challenges, provided they possess the necessary skills and knowledge, and are willing to travel to apply. We seek candidates who can seamlessly integrate into our non-discriminatory, inclusive, and equitable organizational culture.
We will follow a systematic selection process to fill this position, taking into account experience, competency, suitability, aptitude to work with our health programs, and extensive knowledge of the areas we work in. Only candidates who meet our shortlisting criteria will be invited for an interview.
The above position demands excellent communication, interpersonal and computer skills and also involves travel. Preference will be given to candidates who have work experience in the relevant field and local candidates with required experience and skillsets.
The above-mentioned position requires outstanding communication, interpersonal, and computer skills, as well as the willingness to travel. Preference will be given to candidates with work experience in the relevant field and local candidates who possess the necessary experience and skill sets
How to apply
Prospective candidates should submit their applications by clicking the "Apply Online" button next to the relevant vacancy on our current openings page at https://www.khpt.org/work-with-us/.
The deadline for submissions is 7th June 2025.
