Work With Us

Position

Program Officer - Strategic Partnership

Experience

2-3 years (preferably from the social sector)

Reporting To

Associate Manager, Praja Foundation

Location

Dibrugarh, Assam

 

About Praja

Over the last 25 years, Praja Foundation has been working towards enabling accountable governance. In the past we have partnered with the Mumbai Corporation to come up with its first Citizen Charter to revamp their Citizens’ Complaint Grievances Mechanism (GRM). The complaint number 1916 is still functional with some enhancements.

 

Praja conducted an Urban Governance Reforms Study to map the implementation status of 74th Constitution Amendment Act. The first of its kind study, led to developing an ‘Urban Governance Index’ (UGI) with the larger goal of forging a network of key influencers, thought leaders and local government bodies to democratize city governments and improve delivery of services. The data and information from the UGI are regularly used by Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) and NITI Aayog.

 

Currently, Praja has multiple partnerships with state governments for initiatives such as capacity building of elected representatives, advisory support on enhancing municipal finances, etc. We have worked with the Urban Development Department, Jammu & Kashmir to give advisory support on policies and programs such as Aspirational Town Planning Program, implementation of Property Tax, etc. We are also working with the Directorate of Urban Local Bodies (DULB), Uttar Pradesh to strengthen urban governance. Praja Foundation, recently has also signed MoU with Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) as a knowledge partner for various urban governance issues like Training of Elected Representatives, Strengthening Corporation Procedure Rule, Strengthening Municipal Finance and other governance reform.

 

Praja has also partnered with the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) on multiple projects and programs including a pan India study on Fiscal Empowerment of City Governments which covers 44 cities across 28 states and 2 UTs and Prajatantra, a National Youth Festival of Democracy where more than 1000 youth from across the country come together and function as a model city government, deliberating on policies and vision for the city

 

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. This role primarily focuses on research and outreach for urban reforms in Dibrugarh, Assam.

 

The individual will be responsible for outreach and capacity building of stakeholders such as ERs, administration, and civil society, on issues related to urban governance and engage with various colleges, academia, and CSOs for capacity building on 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 role also involves fieldwork and travel to different cities on short notice.

 

Main Responsibilities

 

  • Work closely with the Assam Urban Infrastructure Development and Finance Corporation Ltd (AUIDFCL), Dibrugarh Municipal Corporation (DMC).
  • Conduct research and collect data on various governance and service delivery issues.
  • Coordinate and run Governance Fellowship program of Praja Foundation in Dibrugarh.
  • Cultivate and maintain relationships with a diverse array of stakeholders to ensure effective dissemination of Praja’s advocacy messages.
  • Create strategic outreach strategies aimed at raising awareness of Praja's research findings among elected officials in specific cities and states
  • Coordinate the planning and execution of workshops, training sessions, and capacity-building programs for diverse stakeholders.
  • Source and manage a roster of experts to facilitate workshops and training sessions.
  • Foster ongoing collaboration and follow-up efforts with key stakeholders and partners.
  • Cultivate a network of project collaborators at the local, regional, and national levels to facilitate networking opportunities and partnerships among civil society organizations (CSOs), youth groups, and governmental bodies, fostering dialogue on governance issues.
  • Contribute in the preparation of promotional materials for the project, such as pamphlets and videos.
  • Engage extensively with elected representatives & officials from city & state govt., educational institutions, and CSOs.
  • Oversee communications and outreach efforts with all project stakeholders.
  • Compile comprehensive reports detailing event outcomes and activities.
  • Willing to travel extensively within the city and outstation as required (approximately 70% time will be spent on the field; 30% within the office).

 

Qualification, Experience and Competencies

 

  • Graduate/ Postgraduate in Public Administration/ Social work/ Development Studies any other relevant course.
  • Proven working experience (1-2years) in the social sector or (2-3 years) from other sectors (open to people from corporate/education sectors)
  • Strong research and analytical skills.
  • Conduct in-depth research and data collection on urban governance, municipal finance, public service delivery and other urban governance components.
  • Ability to read and comprehend complex literature such as Municipal Acts, Municipal Budgets, state & union government policies.
  • Proficiency in writing detailed reports and developing content for capacity-building based on research.
  • 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, various colleges, academia and NGOs.
  • Excellent spoken and written communication skills in English, Hindi and Assamese.
  • Should be ready to travel at short notice.
  • Self-motivated with a strong sense of commitment and ability to work under minimal supervision.
  • Good knowledge of Microsoft Word/Excel/ PowerPoint and Internet/social media.
  • People Management, Training, Analytics & Process Orientation skill

 

 

Please send your resume to hr@praja.org  with a cover letter why you wish to join Praja Foundation and how the work profile will help you to achieve you goal.

 

While applying for the position, kindly keep the email subject as “Applying for Program Officer – Strategic Partnership (Dibrugarh)”