About the organisation

Air Pollution Action Group (A-PAG) was set up in 2019 by Ashish Dhawan (Founder and Chairperson, Ashoka University and Central Square Foundation), Vijay Chadda (previously CEO of Bharti Foundation) and Mohit Beotra (previously Chief Brand Officer of Airtel). Ashish is a member of the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and adjoining regions.

A-PAG is focused on strategic implementation of solutions to combat air pollution and has created a niche for itself within the broader ecosystem in the last 2.5 years. In this time, A-PAG has made significant progress in its quest with a focus on supporting Government at the national & state level. Some of the major project’s A-PAG is driving are as follow:

A-PAG has worked on several programs in Delhi. Currently, we are engaged with the MCD and the New Delhi Municipal Council on a massive program aimed at dispersed sources. This covers all 272 wards across the city as well as the area under NDMC.
In Punjab, A-PAG is supporting the government to combat stubble burning. Our efforts are focused on convincing farmers to adopt alternative in-situ solutions.
In Uttar Pradesh (UP) we are retained by the UP-Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) to help reduce air pollution in the state. We are soon launching our 1st initiative in Lucknow.
A-PAG has just launched an initiative covering Patna, Muzaffarpur and Gaya. This is part of our program with Bihar State Pollution Control Board (BPSCB) to address air pollution across the state.
All our support to Government is offered on a pro-bono basis.

About the role

A-PAG’s project in Delhi-NCR aims at improving air quality by tackling issues which contribute to air pollution. Based on our work with the erstwhile South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) the project has been scaled up to include all areas of the MCD and the New Delhi municipal body as well, which together oversee 95% of the area in Delhi. The program will now be rolled out in Gurugram.

As a Program Associate in team Delhi, you will be a critical part of the team leading the on-ground implementation and operations of the program.

Working with your Program Manager you will be required to engage closely with Deputy Commissioners within the MCD. You would work closely with Middle and Senior level managers in their team to successfully implement the program in their jurisdiction.

Key responsibilities

As a Program Associate, you would be expected to carry out the following key functions in your area:

Project Management: Working with officials in your area to put in place the processes and ensuring all planned actions of the project are carried out in a time bound manner. You will need to engage very closely with the management within the MCD to identify any problem areas, share recommendations and ensure corrective action is implemented.
Stakeholder Management: Engaging and liaising with officials at the MCD to ensure smooth functioning of the program and ensuring that they view A-PAG’s contribution in a positive light. You will also support the MCD in coordinating with senior level officials of other agencies that operate in Delhi.
Monitoring and Review: Putting in place a robust monitoring and review process will be a key priority. You will be responsible to ensure structured reviews are held in your zone in order to make progress towards resolving the issues identified on ground.
Vendor Management: The project is supported by third parties at multiple levels. You will be responsible to guide and oversee the functioning of these third-party vendors in your area.
Process Improvement: While engaging with officials across multiple organizations you would be in a key position with visibility to understand problem areas and develop insights and solutions for them. You would be expected to translate these insights into action in order to improve the processes undertaken throughout the program.

Eligibility

Masters’ or equivalent degree from a tier-1 institute with a strong track record of outstanding academic performance
1-3 years of work experience in a role with project-based assignments, substantial analytical requirements, and client-facing component
Have displayed instances of quick thinking and entrepreneurial nature in previous projects/ work assignment
Work experience in the space of environment/ air pollution, program implementation, development or implementation of IT dashboards would be preferred but is not essential – however, passion to solve the air pollution crisis in India is critical
IMP: If you do not have a Masters’ degree but have highly relevant work experience (1-3 years); Do write to us; we could have a role for exceptionally bright, but younger individuals

Skill sets required

Analytical bent of mind is key – you will need to think through problems and help the team arrive at an accurate assessment of the key issues to be addressed.
Entrepreneurial ability– success in this role depends heavily on your making things happen on the ground.
Ability to work alongside senior Government officials, while being able to convince them to accept our recommendations.
Program management skills are needed to ensure programs are delivered against agreed timelines with requisite quality.
Ability to learn quickly – air pollution is a relatively nascent space and new knowledge is constantly emerging which we need to understand & utilize to our benefit.

Location

Delhi

Compensation

Will be commensurate with the best among social sector norms

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