Senior Program Manager, Sustainable Agriculture, Food, Land and Water Program, WRI India
Who we are and what we do?
WRI India, an independent charity legally registered as the India Resources Trust, provides objective information and practical proposals to foster environmentally sound and socially equitable development. WRI India’s mission is to move human society to live in ways that protect Earth’s environment and its capacity to provide for the needs and aspirations of current and future generations. Through research, analysis, and recommendations, WRI India puts ideas into action to build transformative solutions to protect the earth, promote livelihoods, and enhance human well-being.
We are inspired by and associated with World Resources Institute (WRI), a global research organization. Currently over 250 researchers are working with WRI India in our offices at Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.
Program Overview for Food, Land and Water:
WRI India’s Food, Land and Water program aims to inform India’s transition towards sustainable and resilient food and land use systems focusing on developing interdisciplinary nature-based solutions like landscape restoration, sustainable agriculture to mitigate climate impacts, enhance jobs and livelihoods and improve nutritional security. To catalyze systems change with a focus on circular food systems in India, we also focus on developing equitable strategies to reduce food loss and food waste and mitigate climate impacts.
With broader systems change and food systems perspective, we work with diverse stakeholders like governments, businesses, civil society partners and farmer producer organizations to inform and develop land use strategies based on robust evidence and analysis to build the resilience of local communities to mitigate climate impacts, bridge capacity gaps, monitor progress, and inform a pathway to building a restoration economy for people, nature, and climate.
About your role:
The program focus is to develop a proof of concept at sub-national agroclimatic zone levels for implementation of the Doubling of Farmer Incomes report and the agriculture support programmes and schemes within the framework of the National Mission for Sustainable agriculture using the agroecological principles, in partnership with select state government and farmers. This program aims to test the proof of concept at landscape level in the identified state to identify the existing barriers, enabling conditions and policy and administrative gaps, etc. for implementing sustainable agriculture in India benefitting the farmers, ecology and dependent population. The project aims to establish a pilot model of developing an integrated and comprehensive state/agro-ecological zone level pathway of bringing cooperation between the contemporary agriculture policies, strategies, recommendations and action plans and agro-ecological systems and practices in India and also carryout cost benefit analysis for repurposing the agriculture incentives for livelihood improvement of farmers using the available tools of economic evaluation of ecosystem services. The position holder must be willing to travel within the country, including in remote areas with difficult terrain. This work is led by WRI India as a project partner along with the FOLU India. You will work with FOLU India and other project partners. You will be someone who has a specialized degree in agriculture and has a passion for working in the sustainability of the production systems in India.
How your day will unfold: Research (35%)
· Provide strategic leadership and design research on policies, schemes and recommendations on sustainable agriculture in India and sub- national level including develop the analytical framework and research design for the study, developing landscape level plans and detailed project reports.
· Incorporate gender and social inclusion in the knowledge products developed for the program
· Works with the team to identify sectors and segments to be included in landscape level sustainable agriculture plans in identified state and districts with a cost-benefit analysis and facilitate research on the sectors and opportunities to repurpose perverse incentives at state level
Partnership engagement and outreach (35%)
· Plan, coordinate strategy and its implementation to achieve program objectives with external partners including government partners and develop governance modality for program implementation
· Develop a network of partners at the sub national level for coordinated understanding on sustainable agriculture practices
· Lead on internal and external communications and outreach for the program
· Strategize on outreach strategy and coordinate outreach efforts on behalf of program and anchor partner engagement activities with the team
· Responsible for landscape level implementation plans in select districts and developing success stories, case studies, process documentation, etc. through interaction with the partners and field visits.
Program Management, coordination and reporting (30%)
· Develop a detailed program implementation framework with the sectoral experts and other core partners
· Coordinate the program activities and reporting to ensure the achievements of milestones within the planned timeline and reporting to steering committee, etc.
· Support with fundraising and scaling up of the program
· Steer development of measurements for monitoring, evaluation and learning
Qualifications and requirements we seek:
· Master's or equivalent degree in agriculture. Understanding of sustainable agricultural practices and familiarity with related policies, schemes and programs in India and at sub national level especially for central India
· At least 10 to 12 years of experience with government or civil society dealing with program management on agriculture.
· Experience in managing multi-partner programs and demonstrated ability to work with efficiency, as part of team effort and experience of working with diverse partners
· Demonstrated ability to work both independently and part of an interdisciplinary team
· You are expected to bring research and communication skills and be comfortable with interdisciplinary, inter-programmatic, geographically dispersed teams.
· Participating in shaping of a collegial, quality driven and professional program of work.
· Demonstrated skills of engaging in participatory approaches, and high levels of comfort in working with scientific data and local knowledge. Proficiency in quantitative and qualitative data analysis is a requirement with an ability to problem-solving, with a focus on strategic challenges.
· Ability to present complex information
· Track record in partner engagement, preparing program reports and developing work plans.
· Demonstrated skills preparing program documents, reports, policy briefs etc.
· Experience in preparing project proposals with partners
· Relationship management skills, at a senior state and landscape levels
· Excellent/ Strong research, interpersonal/ written/ communication skills
· Full fluency in written English and Hindi essential
· Strong entrepreneurial spirit with the ability to establish and nurture partnerships.
Comfortable with intensive travel within India when it’s safe to do so.
Salary and Benefits: INR 20,00,000 to INR 24,00,000 CTC
Salary shall be commensurate with experience and skills. WRI offers a generous and comprehensive benefits package.
Location: New Delhi, India
Duration: The position is a one year position (extendable based on performance and project requirements). The start date is as soon as possible.
List of Documents to be attached:
Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for interview purpose.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) @WRI India
WRI India values and promotes diversity, equity and inclusion across all areas of our work and workforce. Integrating these values into our actions fosters a progressive and collaborative culture and can also enhance our impact. It is our responsibility to create a welcoming working environment for people of diverse cultures, backgrounds and experience to learn together. We are responsible for fostering a safe and inclusive workplace where questions, concerns and information about diversity, equity and inclusion are part of our ongoing dialogue and development.
Learn more about WRI India’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Click Here People-centric to the core:
We keep our people at the centre of everything we do - from a welcoming work environment to benefits and a culture that encourages staff to stay healthy, happy, engaged, and growing.
Some of the non-monetary benefits that our staff get:
Health benefits: We cover health insurance for you and your loved ones for up to INR 8 lakhs
Term Insurance: Our term insurance policy covers life coverage of 50 lakhs per staff member
Employee Assistance program: Promoting mental well-being and supporting staff in achieving a satisfying work-life balance
Health & Nutrition: Personalized diet recommendation from a certified dietitian based on the physical health condition and lifestyle
Flexible work schedule: Alternative work arrangements for all who are eligible by nature of their job
Learning culture: Workshops and trainings to empower staff, encourage new learning opportunities
Rest and Recharge weeks: We encourage staff to take time off to rest, rejuvenate, upskill, and pursue their interests.
Our leave policy: Avail personal time off at 36 per year, along with public holidays, maternity, paternity, and adoption leaves.
Equal employment @WRI India
We believe in equal employment, it is our policy to recruit, and provide opportunities for advancement in all job classifications without regard to caste, religion, sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation, parental status, or disability.
