Work With Us

 Position

Program Coordinator – Outreach, Transforming Urban Governance

Experience

5 years

Reporting To

Director Programs

Organisation

Praja Foundation

Location

Mumbai

 

 About Praja

Founded in 1998, Praja is a non-partisan organization enabling accountability in governance. Praja empowers citizens to participate in governance by providing knowledge and perspective so that they can become politically active and involved beyond the ballot box. It undertakes extensive research and highlights civic issues to build the awareness of and mobilize action by the government and elected representatives. Praja conducts research on functions, powers and capacity of municipal corporations. It works closely with elected representatives, administration, civil society organisations and youth towards empowerment and strengthening of the grassroots democracy. It does this by collecting, analysing, and presenting data on the state of various municipal services – civic services, health, education, crime and policing, housing & transport. Over the years, Praja has expanded to publish report cards on the performance of councillors and MLAs, conducting capacity building workshops for elected representatives and launching initiatives to engage with citizens.

The Opportunity

Are you are interested in transforming the way Indian cities work in making them more efficient, resilient and sustainable? Here is an opportunity to work with top policy makers in the country at the national, state and city level and influence urban governance policies to make our cities more liveable.

The Role

Praja’s continuous engagement with local elected representatives (ERs) and administration through capacity building, research and advocacy has had a positive impact on city governance. To begin with, the Program Coordinator will focus on outreach for urban reforms in Maharashtra and subsequently other cities in India.

The individual will be primarily responsible for coordinating and managing Outreach and Capacity Building of stakeholders such as ERs, administration and civil society, on issues related to urban governance. He/she will also be responsible for (a) research and analysis to help build the case for introducing a coherent package of reforms to transform the way urban governments function to make them more accountable, transparent and responsive to the needs of the citizens, (b) assist in building a network of organisations and individuals that have a deep knowledge of urban governance issues and are willing to partner with Praja to take this initiative forward.

This is a People Manager role reporting directly to the Director Programs and will involve field work and travel to different cities on short notice.

Key Responsibilities

  • Facilitate relationships with a broad range of stakeholders to ensure that advocacy messages are disseminated in an effective manner.
  • Identify good governance practices both from India and globally that can be deployed more widely.
  • Increase the awareness of program objectives and goals.
  • Initiate and maintain collaboration and follow-up of initiatives with key program stakeholders and partners.
  • Identify relevant information for advocacy for a variety of audiences.
  • Bolster program advocacy drives to facilitate and accelerate resource mobilization to effectively support the achievement of program and Praja’s goals.
  • Organize internal and external networks or communities of practice covering prominent experts in government, non-government, think tanks, private companies, and international development organizations.
  • Establish a network of project partners at municipal, state and national level to create a professional platform for further networking and partnership between CSOs, youths and government at all levels to initiate dialogue on governance matters.
  • Research and prepare list of contacts in the media, government, private sector, donors for the program’s advocacy efforts.
  • Develop and implement strategies to increase and improve citizen outreach.
  • Prepare promotional material on the project, including pamphlets, videos.
  • Work extensively and engage with elected representatives, executives, colleges, academia and CSOs.
  • Coordinate and conduct workshops, trainings and other capacity building programs for all stakeholders. Identify, create and manage a pool of resource persons for workshops and training programs.
  • Handle communications and related outreach activities with all stakeholders.
  • Prepare and submit detailed event and activity reports.
  • Conduct research and collect data on various governance and service delivery issues.
  • Willing to travel extensively within the city and outstation as required.

 

Educational Qualification and Required Skills

  • Graduate/ Post graduate in Public Administration/ Social work/ Development Studies
  • At least five years’ experience in a managerial role in a non-profit entity.
  • Ability to understand, read and interpret documents such as Municipal Corporation Act, Municipal Budget document etc.
  • Knowledge and understanding of urban governance systems, practices and issues.
  • Prior experience of working with elected representatives, administration in the government.
  • Experience of conducting workshops, trainings, moderation and facilitation.
  • Strong research & analysis skills.
  • Effective communication skills, both verbal and written, in English, Hindi and Marathi.
  • Ability to clearly articulate his/her views in both written form and through presentations.
  • Comfortable and adept at building strong relationships with a wide range of stakeholders including elected representatives, bureaucrats, civil society organisations, think tanks, and NGOs.
  • Ability to filter information and think critically about issues.

 

Mindset

  • Collaborative (ability to build and nurture relationships with a diverse set of stakeholders.
  • Ability to work under pressure
  • Problem Solver
  • Getting IT done
  • Attention to Detail
  • Focus on building a team

 

Compensation

6.60 – 7.20 Lakhs per annum, commensurate with skill and experience

 

Please send your resume to hr@praja.org