(Senior) Program Associate - Project Delivery - Chennai

Position Summary

The Program Associate will work on projects across the life cycle (concept notes, department

level diagnostics, solution identification and pilot development, pilot implementation and

scale up support). Typically these projects will involve frontline service delivery

departments (e.g. local governance, nutrition, education etc.). The Program Associate will

report to the respective Project Lead(s) and significantly contribute to analytical aspects of

the project.

Role and Responsibilities

Develop end to end understanding of project across various modules
Literature review, review of relevant legislation/ GOs pertinent to the project
Own secondary data analysis (capture, data preparation, analysis, and inference/ hypothesis testing
Basis the secondary data analysis, provide insights that will guide the team’s primary outreach
Own interface with client-side stakeholders across the data process cycle
Develop a sound understanding of the client (Government)’s issues and understand the relevance of the interventions (project) to these issues
Participate actively in larger ideation sessions and client meetings and contribute to the overall project progress

Required Qualifications, Skills and Abilities

Education and Experience
- Bachelor’s degree (Master’s degree or equivalent preferred) in Economics, Public Policy, Social Science or related fields from a reputed institution
- 0 to 3 years work experience in India with organizations working in related fields of work i.e. research agencies, policy think-tanks, government or private sector organizations working on government advisory or consulting
Data analysis - expertise in STATA, Excel
Report writing

Personal Characteristics and Desired Qualities

Fluency in English and basic to intermediate proficiency in Tamil
Excellent problem-solving skills, with an aptitude for research to formulate solutions
Excellent writing and communication skills (ability to communicate complex ideas in a meaningful way and across different audiences)
Ability to be able to set priorities, plan timelines and meet deadlines
Ability to think creatively, willing to take risks to experiment with new ideas and the ability to turn ideas into action
High ability to collaborate and actively listen to others, understanding and valuing others’ views
Operating style suited to working independently and in a small organization setting, where teamwork and resourcefulness are highly valued

Location and Compensation

Location: Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Remuneration will be competitive with Indian philanthropy and social sector pay scales and will depend on the candidate’s experience levels.

Interested candidates are requested to submit their application here.

Pre-reads for the application process

To learn more about the type of reforms CEGIS is seeking to implement in states, please go through the following materials before sending in your application:

Concept note on CEGIS

Podcast episodes with Prof. Karthik Muralidharan – one each on education and healthcare in India.
Collection of Prof. Karthik Muralidharan’s work here.