Job Opportunity for District Associate (Bihar) at ChangeInkk in New Delhi

About ChangeINKK

As humans, we are genetically different in terms of our race, gender, and ethnicity, among other things, but also in the way our brains are wired. Neurodiversity is the concept that diverse neurological conditions impact the way our brains are wired, and neurodivergent individuals possess a variety of diverse skills that can drive innovation and creativity.

Our aim at ChangeINKK is to remove the stigma around neurodiversity and learning disabilities, starting with dyslexia. Approximately 1 in 5 people globally are dyslexic; they have average or above average IQ but struggle with reading, writing, spelling, and sometimes maths. In India alone, over 35 million children struggle with a learning disability and there is strong social stigma around learning disabilities. Children are accused of being lazy, are bullied, and have low self-esteem and motivation, leading to high dropout rates from school. We believe that early identification is the key to success in education, in preserving a child’s self-esteem, and in ensuring viable higher education and employment opportunities later in life.

ChangeINKK is a new organisation committed to working on causes of inclusion of persons with disabilities, gender equality, and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. We collaborate with diverse stakeholders including youth, parents, educators, private sector, civil society, and government to ink sustainable change.

ChangeINKK will be led by Noopur Jhunjhunwala, a parent advocate, who has 20 years of experience working with the government, private sector, and development agencies across policy, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation. The organisation is being incubated by The Convergence Foundation, which is a grantmaking-incubation organisation that builds institutions in key white spaces of the development sector in India. The Convergence Foundation’s portfolio includes Ashoka University, Central Square Foundation, India Leaders for Social Sector, and other organisations working on system-reform.

Position Summary

We are looking for an exceptional District Associate in Bihar, Patna to join the team in an exciting time of organisational growth and development. As a district associate, you will be participating in organisation’s pathway to scale up in designing interventions to build an inclusive society, beginning with measures to spread awareness on specific learning disabilities in the country.

As an essential part of ChangeInkk, you will act the on-ground representation to ChangeInkk. Beginning from understanding the criticality of the situation to strategizing innovative measures to create a long-lasting impact on the ground. On ground associates are sharp communicators/representors of ChangeInkk’s vision and mission with an institution of creating a sustainable mechanism.

This is a great opportunity for those who like working in a start-up environment, enjoy building and scaling organisations, and care deeply about removing the stigma around learning disabilities in the education space.

Roles and responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Work with senior team members to lead operations in the state of Bihar, with the aim of achieving the agreed outcomes in different districts
• Support the leadership team with research and insight, recommending an appropriate approach
• Undertake primary and secondary research with respect to ongoing projects or introducing new projects for preparation of successful impact stories
• Managing stakeholder relationships on the ground in the rural landscape of the country; stakeholder mapping/ providing inputs into advocacy plans
• Assist the leadership team with creating and maintaining deep engagement with beneficiaries and maintaining transparency about the accuracy of the situation on ground
• Develop and implement activities and programs to build the organisation’s goodwill through networking and strong verbal/written communication in the district
• Take on diverse operational tasks to ensure organisational success

Required qualifications, skills, and abilities

• Undergraduate 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
• 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

Remuneration

Remuneration will be competitive with Indian philanthropy pay scales and with organisations working with a similar mandate

Location

Delhi NCR