Associate - Policy Engagement, Bihar

Ground Zero; Nalanda; On-site; INR 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Job summary

Ground Zero in Bihar seeks an Associate for Policy Engagement to collaborate with state governments on policy making. The role emphasizes literature reviews, budget and policy analysis, and producing actionable insights, briefs, and toolkits.

4+ years of experience and a Master’s degree are preferred. The role includes data-driven research, policy engagement with government stakeholders, and clear communication of findings through decks and reports.

Qualifications

• Education: Master’s degree in Economics, Public Policy, Development Studies, or a related field is strongly preferred.
• Work Experience: 4+ years of full-time, relevant work experience with a Master’s degree.
• Technical Skills: Experience in preparing high-quality policy briefs, research papers, and concept notes.
• Experience with government orders, budgets, and policies is required.
• Experience with quantitative and qualitative research methodologies, data analysis, and interpretation is required.
• Experience working with government stakeholders on a day-to-day basis is highly preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office tools is required.
• Familiarity with major Indian research datasets and experience compiling/using complex, large-scale datasets is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Research and data analysis to inform evidence-based social policy.
• Develop policy briefs, research papers, and concept notes for stakeholders.
• Monitor, evaluate, and analyze program data to assess progress and impact.
• Develop slides, decks, and reports for dissemination to government and partners.
• Disseminate insights on cash transfer programs and inform policy decisions.

Skills

Data analysis

Policy research

Written communication

Public policy knowledge

Education

Master's degree in Economics/Public Policy/Development Studies

Tools

Stata

R

JAMOVI

Tableau

Kobotoolbox

Job description

Role: Associate - Policy Engagement, Bihar

Experience: 4+ years

Salary: 9 to 13 LPA

Role Overview

We seek individuals to work in our Policy Engagement vertical and collaborate with the State governments on effective policy making. This will involve conducting literature reviews, analyzing government budgets, policies, and programs, reviewing existing evidence, monitoring and evaluation with strong data analysis & research skills and liaising with academics and experts to produce sharp insights, policy briefs, and actionable toolkits. This role requires a solid understanding of public policy in India, social research methodologies, and program evaluation. Most importantly, the ideal candidate must have a strong belief that cash transfers empower people with choice, dignity, and the ability to carve their own path out of poverty.

Key Responsibilities

1. Research & Data Analysis

• Work closely with the policy research and program teams to conduct evidence-based research on social policies and author articles and briefs.
• Conduct data analysis on primary and administrative datasets to identify insights that can inform policies.
• Support monitoring, evaluation, and data analysis efforts by developing research and M&E tools, defining indicators and measurement frameworks, establishing data collection mechanisms, and analysing program data to assess progress, outcomes, and impact.
• Develop concept notes and decks for proposed ideas and programs. Support in producing comprehensive research reports, whitepapers, and presentations for stakeholders.
• Ensure wide dissemination of insights into the cash transfer movement, including existing schemes, internal implementation, and global research.
• Track program implementation against defined objectives and indicators, identify trends, gaps, and areas for improvement, and translate findings into actionable recommendations for program and policy teams.
• Contribute to designing and implementing surveys, assessments, feedback mechanisms, and other data-collection exercises to generate evidence on program effectiveness and inform decision-making.

2. Policy Engagement

• Liaise with government and other relevant stakeholders on data collation, co-creation of documents, sharing of insights and building solutions.
• Support the team in developing and executing a policy engagement plan to engage with relevant stakeholders, including governments.
• Use findings from monitoring, evaluation, and program data to inform policy recommendations, stakeholder discussions, and opportunities for strengthening program design and implementation.

3. Communication

• Effectively communicate research findings to stakeholders through slide decks, concept notes, policy briefs, op-eds, newspaper articles, and journals.

Qualifications and Experience

• Education: A Master's degree in Economics, Public Policy, Development Studies, or a related field is strongly preferred.
• Work Experience: At least 4 years of full-time, relevant work experience with a Master's degree.
• Technical Skills:Experience in preparing high-quality policy briefs, research papers, and concept notes is required.
• Experience working with government orders, budgets, and policies is required.
• Experience with quantitative and qualitative research methodologies, data analysis, and interpretation is required.
• Experience working with government stakeholders on a day-to-day basis are highly preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office tools is required.
• Prior experience with data analysis software such as Stata, R, JAMOVI, or Tableau, Kobotool Box is highly preferred.
• Familiarity with major Indian research datasets and experience compiling/using complex, large-scale datasets is preferred.

Knowledge & Competencies

• Familiarity with cash transfer programs, poverty dynamics, social security systems, and fieldwork is a strong plus.
• Understanding of macroeconomics, public policy, and development economics is a strong plus.
• Demonstrated commitment to ethical research practices and a passion for social justice.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to convey complex research findings to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment, handling uncertainties, and adapting quickly to organizational needs.

Hiring Process

Step 1: R1 with co-founder

Step 2: Assignment

Step 3: R2 with other co-founder

Hiring Note

Applications will be reviewed on rolling basis. This job is posted on September 21, 2026 on Ground Zero

For any questions, ping us on WhatsApp chat: [phone]