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 which 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
Proficiency in English and the local language of the state where CEGIS has partnerships

Personal Characteristics and Desired Qualities

Excellent problem-solving skills, with an aptitude for research to formulate solutions
Fluency in English and 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
Candidates with home base in Hyderabad, Chennai or Delhi are preferred. In addition to providing remote support to the state teams, the candidate should be willing to travel, as required, to the states that CEGIS will have a presence in.

Remuneration will be competitive with Indian philanthropy and social sector pay scales and
will depend on the candidate’s experience levels.

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:

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

To apply for this job please visit docs.google.com.