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 Gurgaon.

As Program Manager, you will get an opportunity to implement interventions which operate at scale and positively impact the air in Delhi-NCR.

Key responsibilities

As a part of the team leading A-PAG’s interventions in Delhi-NCR, it will be your responsibility to ensure the successful implementation of our programs. To do this, you will work closely with the leadership at municipal corporations in the NCR. Implementation of A-PAG’s dispersed sources program would be a priority; in addition to this you would have the opportunity to devise and pilot new interventions which are scalable and target other sources of air pollution in the region.

The critical functions to manage your area successfully will include the following:

Program Strategy and Implementation: Working with leadership in your zones you would need to ensure all processes are put into place and all planned actions are carried out in a time bound manner. You will engage very closely with the leadership within the MCs to identify any problem areas, share recommendations and ensure corrective action is implemented.
Team Management: You would be supported by a Program Associate(s) to achieve the intended outcomes of the project and would be responsible for their guidance and development.
Stakeholder Management: You will be expected to build relationships with officials ranging from the operational levels of these organizations (Ex. Junior Engineers, Sanitary Inspectors) to the leadership (Ex. Deputy Commissioners, Chairmen) and drive these engagements to ensure success. You will also support the MCs in coordinating with other agencies in the region (Ex. PWD, CPWD, DDA).
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 area in order to make progress towards resolving the issues identified on ground.
Program Expansion: While engaging with leadership across multiple government organizations you would have visibility to understand problem areas and develop deep insights. You would be expected to translate these into action and pilot new initiatives which target air pollution in the NCR.
Vendor Management: The project is supported by third parties at multiple levels. You will be responsible to guide and overseez the functioning of these third-party vendors.

Eligibility

Masters’ or equivalent degree from a tier-1 institute with a strong track record of outstanding academic performance
4-6 years of work experience in a role with a client-facing component, project-based assignments, and substantial analytical requirements
Have displayed instances of quick thinking and entrepreneurial nature in previous projects/ work assignment
Work experience in the space of environment/ solid waste management, program implementation 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 (2-4 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 nature – success in this role depends heavily on your ability to make 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/ Gurgaon

Compensation

Will be commensurate with the best among social sector norms

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