Job Opportunity for Program Associate at World Resources Institute (WRI) India in New Delhi, India

## Program Associate – Urban Designer 

**About World Resources Institute (WRI) India:**

World Resources Institute (WRI) India, an independent charity registered as the India Resources Trust, is dedicated to fostering environmentally sound and socially equitable development. WRI India’s mission is to guide human society towards sustainable living practices that protect Earth’s environment and ensure its capacity to meet the needs of current and future generations. Through robust research, in-depth analysis, and impactful recommendations, WRI India translates ideas into practical solutions that protect the planet, promote livelihoods, and enhance human well-being.

Inspired by and associated with the global research organization, WRI, WRI India employs over 300 researchers across its offices in Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru.

**Job Overview:**

WRI India is seeking a Program Associate – Urban Designer to join the Eco City-Regions (ECR) Project, based in New Delhi. This role will provide technical support to ECR team members and city partners/stakeholders across various project locations. The ideal candidate will possess a strong foundation in water sensitive planning, urban design, environmental management, and climate resilience, and contribute to ongoing and upcoming research and implementation efforts under the ECR initiative. 

**Responsibilities:**

* Provide design support for WRI India’s initiatives on climate resilience, environmental governance and management, urban ecology, water sensitive planning, and landscape design.

* Assist in coordinating the smooth execution of the ‘Thriving Eco City-regions’ initiative, working closely with internal teams and stakeholders across multiple city-regions.

* Organize and manage activities for coalitions, platforms, forums, workshops, and conferences as needed.

* Contribute to project deliverables through conceptual designs, reviews, and analyses of existing and/or upcoming initiatives, including layout designs, review summaries, recommendations, reports, visual analytics, and dashboards.

* Maintain clear communication with WRI India internal team members, ensuring project objectives are met and progress is consistently reported.

* Provide technical design support for deliverables related to planned project activities with all project partners and stakeholders. This includes undertaking and/or supervising design layouts, primary and secondary research and writing, on-site project activities (convenings, stakeholder dialogues, project implementation, technical reviews, and inputs).

* Assist in relationship management with donors, implementation partners, and other stakeholders as needed for efficient project execution.

* Contribute to organizing and administering technical trainings and capacity building for various stakeholders on government missions such as AMRUT 2.0, Jal Jeevan Mission, Swachh Bharat Mission, and Smart Cities Mission.

**Qualifications and Requirements:**

* PhD/Masters/Equivalent Post Graduate degree in water sensitive urban planning, landscape, urban design, water resources management, urban ecology, or related disciplines is highly desirable.

* Minimum 2 years of relevant work experience with city/state/regional planning initiatives, including implementation and management of large-scale action research projects related to climate resilience, water sensitive urban planning, urban ecology, environmental governance and management, etc.

* Specialization or work experience demonstrated in the areas of climate resilience, ecologically driven urban planning, and regional or sub-regional water management is preferred.

* A strong understanding of Indian urban development, climate, and environment paradigms, policies, current and future trends, innovations, and practices related to water resilience and sponge cities. 

* Research and design experience using tools and methods for network analysis, integrated modeling solutions for catchments, and strategies for ensuring sustainable water systems at the watershed and neighborhood levels. Knowledge of advanced GIS tools is a significant advantage.

* Demonstrated experience in designing climate resilient solutions, managing implementation projects, and conducting quantitative and qualitative data analysis.

* Proven experience in managing teams and/or stakeholder relationships, along with excellent task management skills.

* Experience working with Government ministries/departments and other non-government stakeholders such as local academic/research institutes and civil society organizations.

* Excellent facilitation, communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills for effective team coordination.

* Detail-oriented, able to manage multiple priorities, and maintain the highest standards of ethics and consistency in work.

* Experience working effectively and respectfully in diverse teams and communities.

* Strong critical thinking skills with the ability to assess situational needs, develop problem-solving strategies, and implement sustainable solutions.

**Location:** New Delhi, India

**Start Date:** At the earliest

**WRI India is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity at our organization. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.**