State Operations

Job Description About the Organization Swaniti Initiative is a social enterprise that works at the intersection of climate, governance and last mile delivery. We believe that while the will and resources exist, there are fundamental gaps in execution within communities that is the biggest crisis in the climate movement. Accordingly, Swaniti works with sub-national governments to conduct micro-planning exercises with consultations with communities and key stakeholders to understand the pathways forward, provide technical assistance to sub-national governments to provide support in program implementation and support in monitoring and delivery of programs. Swaniti has been working across multiple geographies in the global south to unlock capital. Our three core metrics include unlocking public capital, ensuring last mile communities are directly benefited and creating systemic changes in the public service systems. While we are continuing to focus on impact, it is critical to have a lead who has a deep understanding of monitoring, evaluation and learning. Our intention is to create an institutional capability to measure and document the scale of our impact and look at how learning can be replicated across the institution. Role Overview The State Program Lead will anchor all state-level programs, ensure high-quality delivery of government engagements, and manage a team of fellows working across departments. This role requires a dynamic leader who can navigate government systems, support on-ground execution, and ensure that Swaniti's interventions create meaningful, sustainable impact. Key Responsibilities Program Delivery & Government Engagement - Lead implementation of all programs within the state, ensuring alignment with government priorities and Swaniti's mission. - Serve as the primary point of coordination with state departments, district administrations, and other government stakeholders. - Ensure timely submission of reports, dashboards, and program outputs to government partners. - Support government officials with data insights, research inputs, and operational coordination. - Facilitate smooth execution of government requests, consultations, and field activities. Team Management (Fellows & Field Teams) - Manage, mentor, and support fellows placed across districts and departments. - Conduct regular check-ins, performance reviews, and capacity-building sessions. - Troubleshoot challenges faced by field teams and ensure cohesion across all locations. - Build a collaborative, accountable, and learning-oriented culture across the team. Strategy, Planning & Monitoring - Develop state Workplans, milestones, and delivery timelines based on program objectives. - Monitor progress using clear indicators and ensure high-quality implementation. - Identify risks and bottlenecks early, and design mitigation strategies. - Ensure documentation, process tracking, and operational excellence across all projects. Stakeholder Coordination & Partnerships - Foster relationships with government officials, development partners, civil society, and local institutions. - Represent the organization in high-level meetings, workshops, and review forums. - Identify new collaboration opportunities with state departments and partners. - Work closely with central teams to align state-level insights with national strategy. Reporting & Communication - Prepare periodic progress reports, briefs, and presentations for internal and government stakeholders. - Ensure that insights, learnings, and field-level innovations are captured and communicated. - Support proposal writing and pitch decks for state-specific opportunities. Requirements Experience - 10-12 years of experience in program management, government advisory, social sector work, or public policy. - Prior experience working with state or district administrations is strongly preferred. - Experience in managing field teams or fellows is a plus. Skills & Competencies - Strong relationship-building skills with government stakeholders. - Excellent team management and people leadership capabilities. - Ability to translate program goals into actionable plans. - Strong communication, presentation, and problem-solving skills. - Comfort with data, dashboards, and evidence-based reporting. - Ability to work independently and handle complexity in dynamic environments. Education - Bachelor's or Master's in Public Policy, Development Studies, Social Sciences, Management, or related fields. Benefits - Opportunity to lead large-scale government programs impacting citizens at the state level. - Collaborative, mission-driven work environment. - Exposure to senior government officials and development partners. - Professional growth through leadership responsibilities and cross-state learning. - Competitive compensation based on experience. If you do not hear from us within 30 days, please consider your application to be unsuccessful, and your application has been retained in our database for future opportunities.