Senior Programme Lead

Senior Programme Lead

Reporting to: Director of Programmes

Location: New Delhi

Purpose:

The multi-disciplinary Clean Air team generates data and evidence to drive scalable action and strengthen the capacity of governments and industries through institutional collaborations towards improving Indias air quality. The CA team works across seven different verticals: crop residue management, clean cooking, solid waste management, industrial pollution management, clean construction, air quality governance, and air quality data analytics & forecasting. The teams research work is supported by five levers of change: building the capacity of government agencies, generating transparent and credible data, developing innovative solutions, demonstrating industrial leadership and raising public demand for clean air.

The CA team seeks to hire a seasoned expert as a Senior Programme Lead to build and expand our work on air quality governance and data analytics at the national, state, and city levels. The candidate would also be required to support work in other verticals as needed. This role involves a mix of managerial, technical and networking skills. The ideal candidate should have a deep understanding of the air quality policy frameworks and data infrastructure in India, as well as technical skills to do a deep dive into air quality and meteorology data. Further, the candidate should have excellent oral and written communication skills. An ideal candidate would have the capacity and experience to drive government engagements independently and can draft briefing notes and policy documents under tight deadlines.

Job Duties and Accountabilities

Strategy

• Contribute to the development of strategy and plan for the Clean Air programme at the organisation that aligns with institutional and national priorities
• Engage with current and potential funders and stakeholders (relevant central/ state/ city level entities, other policy/ academic research institutions) for partnerships and resource mobilisation
• Develop and maintain networks within all key government ministries to drive the clean air agenda

Research

• End-to-end ownership of a few flagship team projects/products and lead at least two proposals under competitive grants
• Generate and pursue independent and original research ideas and curate projects that are both policy-relevant and align with the teams vision and mission
• Generate and disseminate knowledge and findings from studies and implementations by way of policy reports, presentations, memos, short reports, opinion pieces, videos, etc., with the help of the organisation's outreach team. Periodically, publish in high quality peer reviewed national and international journals.
• Evaluate the quality of draft data analyses and reports prepared by direct reports as well as all research products under the air quality governance and data analytics & forecasting verticals
• Proactively participate in knowledge-transfer activities, including collaborative meetings, conferences, and training workshops with other research groups and institutions.
• Travel to project sites, when required, to conduct interviews or collect data for different research projects

Project and People Management

• Manage a multi-disciplinary sub-team of Programme Lead, Programme Associates and Research Analysts on a day-to-day basis
• Expand the Clean Air team by assisting in hiring the right set of people at various levels to drive the strategy and execute the plan
• Ensure timely project deliverables, financial reporting and budgeting for specific projects
• Present results of research at national and international conferences, meetings, seminars and workshops and through personal contacts and networks
• Perform other duties occasionally, which are not included above but which would be consistent with the role

Shortlisting Criteria

Education

• PhD or master's degree in environmental studies, environmental engineering or other related fields.
• Sound understanding of Indias air quality policy and regulatory environment
• Strong research background with an adequate understanding of research methods and quantitative skills

Work Experience

• 10-15 years of experience in the air quality domain, especially in data analytics and policy governance
• Prior experience working on projects focussing on air quality management, air pollution and urban governance.
• Proven track record of publications in high-impact journals, policy memos and reports

Key Skills

• Excellent project management skills.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Competent in using statistical and spatial analytical tools. Knowledge of languages such as R/Python will be an advantage.
• Demonstrated abilities to manage multiple priorities, projects and internal/external resources in a fast-paced environment while meeting deadlines and quality standards.
• Striving for rigour in research and quality in work output.
• Ability to work in an interdisciplinary and multicultural environment and being able to independently drive research with minimum assistance.
• The candidate should be willing to travel frequently.

Personality

• Willingness to learn new (research and project management) skills
• Ability to adapt to the new environment and deliver under tight deadlines in a professional environment
• Striving for rigour in research and quality in work output
• Ability to effectively work in a team while being able to independently drive research with minimum assistance, when time demands
• Ability to dig deeper into details, while also keeping a sense of the broader objectives and big picture
• Willingness to learn, grow and develop on personal and professional front, at a rapid pace with a steep learning curve
• Ability to work in an interdisciplinary and multicultural environment

The organisation operates in a dynamic environment and the candidate will be required to show flexibility in undertaking a variety of tasks.