Senior Program Associate - Sustainable Agriculture at WRI India

Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

02 May, 26

Salary

1800000.0

Posted On

01 Feb, 26

Experience

5 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

Sustainable Agriculture, Research, Policy Analysis, Data Collection, Project Management, Communication, Interpersonal Skills, Capacity Building, Monitoring, Report Writing, Stakeholder Engagement, Quantitative Research, Qualitative Research, Team Collaboration, Problem Solving, Flexibility

Industry

Think Tanks

Description

About us WRI India, an independent charity legally registered as the India Resources Trust, provides objective information and practical proposals to foster environmentally sound and socially equitable development. Through research, analysis, and recommendations, WRI India puts ideas into action to build transformative solutions to protect the earth, promote livelihoods, and enhance human well-being. Know more: https://wri-india.org/ Program Overview for Food, Land and Water: WRI India’s Food, Land and Water program aims to inform India’s transition towards sustainable and resilient food and land use systems focusing on developing interdisciplinary nature-based solutions like sustainable agriculture and landscape restoration to mitigate climate impacts, enhance jobs and livelihoods and improve nutritional security. To catalyze systems, change with a focus on circular food systems in India, we also focus on developing equitable strategies to reduce food loss and food waste and mitigate climate impacts. With broader systems change and food systems perspective, we work with diverse stakeholders like governments, businesses, civil society partners and farmer producer organizations to inform and develop land use strategies based on robust evidence and analysis to build the resilience of local communities to mitigate climate impacts, bridge capacity gaps, monitor progress, and inform a pathway to building a restoration economy for people, nature, and climate. Job Highlight: The Food, Land and Water Program at WRI India is seeking a Senior Program Associate to support the ongoing work on food system transition in India. Larger focus of the work is to enable a transition of Indian agriculture towards more sustainable agricultural practices, improved rural jobs and livelihoods, enhanced food and nutrition security, build sustainable food systems, and mitigate climate change impacts by protecting and restoring natural ecosystems and biodiversity. We are seeking an exceptional candidate for the work to be undertaken in Madhya Pradesh. With focus on equity and inclusion, your role would be to conduct research on aspects of sustainable agricultural practices which can inform investments and policy decisions, reduce policy barriers and design incentives that can have widescale social, environmental, and economic impacts. Based in Madhya Pradesh, you will be working closely with Farmer Welfare and Agriculture Development and other allied départements, Government of Madhya Pradesh. You will be someone who has an advanced degree in development studies, environmental governance, public policy, or related fields and 5 years of full-time, relevant post-study work experience. Interdisciplinary research background in agriculture, environment studies, public policy is welcome. What you will do: You will be an important member of Project Implementation Unit (PIU) that will be set-up at state level in Bhopal and will undertake series of activities listed below: Coordination and Research (60%) You will work closely with Farmer Welfare and Agriculture Development department and other line departments at state and district level to help fine tune the state level roadmap to the needs of selected districts You will be key link between the department in Bhopal and the larger program team Coordinate with State agriculture universities, Krishi Vigyan Kendra’s and local communities to understand local cropping systems, agriculture practices, soil health and agricultural information dissemination networks Coordinate with concerned person in the department for important schemes/ programmes promoting sustainable agriculture and improve farmer’s income Work with selected district’s administration to explore areas of convergence Support in conducting participatory exercises with the key actors, networks, institutions, farmers groups and other stakeholders to capture ground realities, challenges, and opportunities for scaling-up sustainable agricultural practices. Support in desk-based review of government data, published literature, and help in primary data collection from key stakeholders. Support in monitoring the project’s progress as per project indicators and develop high quality progress reports. Support in writing, data analysis, and developing knowledge products (reports, policy briefs) that encapsulate action research findings Assist in project management and related work as per the discretion of the programme manager. Partnerships and communication (20%) Develop networks with important partners including governments, research organizations and universities, civil society organizations, and corporate sector for implementing and upscaling sustainable agriculture and building sustainable landscapes in India Support with development of communication and outreach strategy and material like brochures, web content, op-eds, blogs with the communications team Provide capacity-building support to programme partners, when needed, in understanding frameworks and tools developed for landscape level interventions around sustainable agriculture. Administrative support (10%) Take active part in program related events and support in organizing program related stakeholders convening, events, training, field demonstration, field visits etc. Support in timely progress reporting Support team in organizing flagship events of Food, Land and Water program for fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange with different actors and stakeholders Training and Capacity Building (10%) Identify the capacity building support and training required by farmers in selected districts on sustainable agricultural practices for successful implementation of the programme Contribute to development of high-quality knowledge products (reports, policy briefs, working papers) that encapsulate research findings and communicate these to diverse audiences, to strengthen the enabling (policy) ecosystem and incentives for scaling up of sustainable agriculture practices in India. What you will need: Master's degree in agriculture, development studies, environmental studies, natural resource management, or similar fields. At least 5 years of experience of working in areas related to food, agriculture, and natural resource management sector. Knowledge of sustainable agriculture and landscape restoration is essential. Knowledge of quantitative and qualitative research methods is desirable with strong interpersonal, written communication skills Ability to present complex information both in writing and in conversations in a simple, easy to understand way Demonstrated skills in preparing program documents, reports, policy briefs etc. Fluency in spoken and written English and Hindi is essential. Take the initiative, brainstorm, think creatively, juggle multiple priorities and work under pressure with tight deadlines. You must be willing to try new approaches and ideas. Flexible to multi-task and prioritize and have the ability to manage the tasks with minimum guidance Proficiency in Microsoft Suite is a requirement. Potential Salary and Benefits: INR 14,00,000 to 18,00,000 Salary shall be commensurate with experience and skills. WRI offers a generous and comprehensive benefits package. Location: Bhopal Duration: 1 year Start date: As soon as possible List of Documents to be attached: Cover Letter Resume Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for interview purpose. How to Apply Qualified applicants should apply online at www.wri.org/careers. All applications must be submitted online through this career portal in order to be formally considered. Only select applicants will be contacted for interview. There will be a writing test conducted with final candidates. Please do not contact program staff directly for this position. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) @WRI India WRI India values and promotes diversity, equity and inclusion across all areas of our work and workforce. Integrating these values into our actions fosters a progressive and collaborative culture and can also enhance our impact. It is our responsibility to create a welcoming working environment for people of diverse cultures, backgrounds and experience to learn together. We are responsible for fostering a safe and inclusive workplace where questions, concerns and information about diversity, equity and inclusion are part of our ongoing dialogue and development. Learn more about WRI India’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Click Here People-centric to the core: We keep our people at the center of everything we do - from a welcoming work environment to benefits and a culture that encourages staff to stay healthy, happy, engaged, and growing. Some of the non-monetary benefits that our staff get: Health benefits: We cover health insurance for you and your loved ones for up to INR 8 lakhs Term Insurance: Our term insurance policy covers life coverage of 50 lakhs per staff member Employee Assistance program: Promoting mental well-being and supporting staff in achieving a satisfying work-life balance Health & Nutrition: Personalized diet recommendation from a certified dietitian based on the physical health condition and lifestyle Flexible work schedule: Alternative work arrangements for all who are eligible by nature of their job Learning culture: Workshops and trainings to empower staff, encourage new learning opportunities Rest and Recharge weeks: We encourage staff to take time off to rest, rejuvenate, upskill, and pursue their interests. Our leave policy: Avail personal time off at 36 per year, along with public holidays, maternity, paternity, and adoption leaves. Click here to know more about our benefits Careers | WRI INDIA (wri-india.org) Equal employment @WRI India We believe in equal employment, it is our policy to recruit and provide opportunities for advancement in all job classifications without regard to caste, religion, sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation, parental status, or disability. WRI India works to improve people’s lives, protect and restore nature, and address climate change. As an independent research organization, we leverage our data and expertise to catalyze change across systems like food, land and water; energy and cities.

Responsibilities

The Senior Program Associate will support the Food, Land and Water Program by conducting research on sustainable agricultural practices and coordinating with various stakeholders to enhance food systems in Madhya Pradesh. This role involves project management, data analysis, and developing knowledge products to inform policy decisions.