Field & Community Manager

Location of work:
New Delhi, with travel as required

Location of experience: Preference for candidates with extensive experience in
Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Odisha. Sector:
Socio-Economic & Agriculture Research

About Us

Arcus Policy Research is a socio-economic and agricultural research company committed to generating evidence-driven insights for policy, practice, and innovation. We work across diverse sectors, including
bioenergy, health, climate change, gender, and rural livelihoods
, collaborating with government agencies, development organizations, and private sector partners.

Role Overview

We are seeking a
Field & Community Manager
with a strong background in socio-economic and agricultural field research. The ideal candidate will bring hands-on experience in
primary data collection, community engagement, farmer/non-farmer interactions, and coordination with government departments and third-party research partners
. The manager will be responsible for creating and leading a team of
field executives (30–40)
and interns, ensuring high-quality data collection and smooth execution of field studies.

Key Responsibilities

• Field Operations Management
• Oversee design and execution of fieldwork across assigned regions (UP, Bihar, Odisha). Experience in other states within India, and experience in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh would be an added advantage.
• Supervise and support field executives and interns in day-to-day data collection and engagement activities.
• Ensure adherence to research protocols, data quality standards, and ethical guidelines.
• Community & Stakeholder Engagement
• Build and maintain relationships with farmers, non-farmers, community leaders, and local institutions.
• Engage with
  government departments
  and local authorities for permissions, partnerships, and facilitation of field activities.
• Represent Arcus Research at local meetings, workshops, and consultations.
• Partner Coordination
• Manage relationships with third-party agencies/partners engaged in data collection or community programs.
• Monitor partner deliverables and ensure alignment with project timelines and objectives.
• Leadership & Team Development
• Train, mentor, and manage a team of 3–4 field executives and project interns.
• Create work plans, allocate responsibilities, and monitor performance.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous learning.
• Research Support
• Provide field insights to inform research design, sampling strategies, and survey tools.
• Assist with pilot testing and refinement of data collection methodologies.
• Contribute to project reporting, field notes, and documentation of community learnings.

Qualifications & Experience

• Education:
  Bachelor's or Master's in Social Sciences, Agriculture, Rural Development, Economics, or related fields.
• Experience:
• Minimum
  10 years
  of progressive fieldwork and research management experience.
• Proven experience working in
  Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Odisha
  .
• Track record of managing
  field teams (8–10 people)
  and interns.
• Hands-on experience in socio-economic surveys, agricultural field studies, and community-based projects.
• Prior work in
  bioenergy, health, climate, and gender-focused research
  preferred.
• Skills:
• Strong leadership and team management skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities.
• Comfort with digital data collection tools (SurveyCTO, etc.).
• Ability to travel extensively to field sites.
• Fluency in
  Hindi, Bhojpuri/Magahi/Odia
  (preferred), along with strong English writing and reporting skills.

What We Offer

• Opportunity to work on
  cutting-edge socio-economic and agricultural research
  projects with national and global relevance.
• A collaborative and learning-oriented environment.
• Scope to grow into
  senior research management and policy advisory roles
  .