Evidence Action Vacancy: Senior Associate, Innovation and Field Operations, Mbale, Uganda | UNjobs Toggle navigation Latest Duty Stations Organizations Closing Soon Senior Associate, Innovation and Field Operations, Mbale, Uganda Organization: Evidence Action Country: Uganda Field location: Mbale Office: Evidence Action in Mbale Description About Evidence Action At Evidence Action, we deliver data-driven interventions that transform lives at an unprecedented scale. We identify neglected global health issues and deploy proven solutions, forging healthier futures for generations. Our model operationalizes leading academic research (including from Nobel-winning economists). We measure progress and outcomes at every stage to ensure we're making a real impact for people living in poverty and suffering from preventable or treatable health issues. Operating across 9 countries, our team of 800+ has reached over 500 million people, working closely with governments to scale these interventions. Our Deworm the World program has delivered over 2 billion treatments, significantly reducing worm prevalence and generating more than $23 billion in lifetime productivity gains. Through Safe Water Now, we've saved the lives of over 15,000 children. Our Accelerator explores untapped opportunities in global health, testing low-cost interventions with the greatest potential to save and improve lives. At Evidence Action, your colleagues are your greatest asset. You'll partner with high-caliber colleagues in an environment blending innovation, autonomy, and teamwork. Our team excels in disruptive thinking and believes in rolling up our sleeves to get things done. If you're looking to work flexibly and with purpose, join a team that delivers measurable change for millions. The Role You will oversee Field Operations for Evidence Action's new In-Line Chlorination Innovation Team, under the Safe Water Now Program. Evidence Action's Safe Water Now program provides access to safe drinking water across Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, and India through water chlorination. Backed by rigorous research showing chlorination can reduce child mortality by more than 20%, safe water is one of the most cost-effective health interventions globally. The program's newest intervention, In-Line Chlorination (ILC), automatically treats water as it flows through piped systems, requiring less behavior change from end users than existing solutions. As ILC scales up, core questions remain about how to optimize device performance, reduce operational costs, and strengthen community engagement. Answering these questions well will shape whether ILC can become a scalable, cost-effective model reaching millions more people. Evidence Action is investing in a dedicated Innovation team to find those answers. This new team will conduct rapid field pilots to test the most promising improvements to the ILC model, including modifications to the device itself, operational adjustments, and even entirely new approaches to the delivery model. Reporting to the Manager, Innovation & Learning, you will oversee these field pilots directly. You will be the primary technical presence in the field, supervising technicians as they install, modify, and test device configurations, ensuring data collection and testing protocols are followed rigorously, and feeding field learnings back into pilot design in real time. Based in Mbale, Uganda, this is a hands-on role suited to someone who is as comfortable diagnosing a device problem as managing a team schedule. Direct Reports Field Technicians Responsibilities Field Pilot Execution: Translate pilot designs into disciplined field implementation and oversee day-to-day execution across pilot sites Convert high-level learning goals into actionable field plans with clear protocols and timelines Monitor pilot performance daily and recommend adjustments to protocols, device configurations, or testing approaches based on emerging results Coordinate device retrofits, installations, and configuration changes at pilot sites Ensure pilot results and operational learnings are documented clearly Support prioritization of field pilots based on feasibility and potential of innovation ideas Field Team Standards and Operations: Maintain high standards of technical execution, data quality, and safety across the field team Foster a learning-first team culture where generating reliable evidence is prioritized alongside keeping devices running Conduct regular spot checks to verify technicians are following technical and testing protocols correctly Review incoming field data for accuracy and conduct regular spot checks. Embed data into decision-making to improve operations Oversee field logistics including equipment, retrofit materials, and transport coordination Technical Ownership of ILC: Serve as a technical resource on ILC device performance and infrastructure, working closely with Evidence Action's engineering team Develop strong working knowledge of device types a
