Program Manager; Village Poverty Graduation Program

**About The/Nudge**

Our economic inclusion journey for 25 million Indians, has reached 10 states with $250M of government funding to cover 1.25M people. Our incubator, accelerator and grand challenges have supported 200+ social entrepreneurs including 17 Forbes 30U30, 3 EarthShot Prize winners, 1 Time Magazine cover and more.

**About the Program**

The/Nudge Village Poverty Graduation Program aims to design a village-level poverty graduation model that is intuitive, locally rooted, and lifts the income levels of the entire village, while building climate resilience in the community. It will have to combine intensive graduation support for the most vulnerable (consumption stipends, asset transfer, coaching) while simultaneously investing in village-wide assets such as irrigation, market linkages, climate-smart agriculture, health and education services. By coupling household-level “big-push” interventions with community-level systems change, every socio-economic segment advances together, ensuring no one is left behind.

**What are we solving for?**

Rural poverty in India is stubbornly multidimensional and is often rooted in a complex set of interrelated challenges, including inadequate infrastructure, limited access to education and healthcare, agricultural unproductivity and water resources, fragmented markets, and environmental vulnerability exacerbated by climate change-induced erratic rainfall patterns, water scarcity, and extreme weather events.

**Who are we solving for?**

The/Nudge aims to design a village-level poverty graduation model that is intuitive, locally rooted, and lifts the income levels of the entire village, while building climate resilience in the community. It will have to combine intensive graduation support for the most vulnerable (consumption stipends, asset transfer, coaching) while simultaneously investing in village-wide assets such as irrigation, market linkages, climate-smart agriculture, health and education services. By coupling household-level “big-push” interventions with community-level systems change, every socio-economic segment advances together, ensuring no one is left behind.

At its core, this model envisions a resilient and collaborative ecosystem—where progress in agriculture, livestock, natural resources, health, and livelihoods reinforces one another.
- Sustained impact - Lasting gains for the most vulnerable households depend on village-level resources and economy - fixing these for the entire community keeps households climbing sustainably and increases stickiness of solutions.
- Lower blended costs and more value for money - Village-level models typically offer a more cost-effective pathway to development, with a lower blended cost per household. Shared assets and services cut fixed costs 30-40 % versus one-household programmes, lowering the blended spend per household. This makes them not only financially efficient but also more appealing for long-term investment and scale.
- Policy alignment & scale - As Government schemes are budgeted at a Gram-Panchayat/block level; the village model fits this administrative unit, unlocking co-funding and easier replication.
- Spillover benefits - When all segments advance together, local trade, savings groups, and social cohesion grow, compounding the original intervention’s effect.

**What will you do**
- Project Planning & Implementation: Design and implement program activities in line with objectives; develop project plans, timelines, budgets, and business cases for new initiatives or expansions.
- Core Operations: Manage state and district teams, oversee program delivery, and establish processes to ensure smooth execution.
- Operational Excellence & Quality Assurance: Identify process improvements, establish monitoring & evaluation frameworks, and conduct regular field visits to ensure adherence to standards.
- Project Management & Tracking: Define KPIs and operational metrics, monitor progress, and provide leadership with insights for decision-making.
- Training & Capacity Building: Strengthen internal teams and partner capabilities through training and coaching.
- Documentation & Reporting: Maintain program documentation, dashboards, and progress reports, capturing lessons learned.
- Collaboration & Stakeholder Management: Work with program heads, enabling teams, and external stakeholders to align strategies and achieve goals. Lead induction and onboarding for new hires and support field teams to overcome challenges. Self-starter with high ownership.

**Who are we looking for in this role?**
- Experience: 7-10 years in program/project management and operations, preferably with exposure to the social sector.
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in Business, Economics, Engineering, Social Sciences, or related field; Master’s (e.g., MBA) preferred.
- Technical Skills: Proficiency in Excel, MS Office, and project management tools.
- Desirable: Understanding of rural development or Agri Sector. Ability to work in ambiguity