Government Consultant- Systems Strengthening

Catalysts for Social Action(CSA); Pune District; On-site; INR 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Job summary

Catalysts for Social Action (CSA) invites applications for the Government Consultant - Systems Strengthening based in Pune. The role focuses on strengthening child protection systems through strategic engagement with state departments and government bodies.

The consultant will support inter-departmental coordination, advocacy, policy engagement, and development of institutional care pathways, with emphasis on CNCP/CCL, aftercare, and family-based care.

Qualifications

• Masters Degree in Social Work (MSW) or equivalent postgraduate degree in Social Work, Child Development, Psychology or related Social Sciences.
• 5-7 years of relevant professional experience in child protection, child rights or social development programmes.
• Experience strengthening Child Care Institutions (CCIs) and institutional care systems.
• Experience with state departments and statutory child protection bodies; advocacy and policy engagement.

Responsibilities

• Facilitate inter-departmental coordination and convergence among key government departments.
• Support advocacy, policy engagement and systems strengthening initiatives to improve child protection outcomes.
• Strengthen aftercare systems and pathways for youth transitioning out of institutional care.
• Contribute to evidence-based planning, documentation and development of strategic recommendations for child protection interventions.
• Facilitate multi-stakeholder consultations and partnerships to improve coordination and accountability.
• Support capacity building and knowledge strengthening of key stakeholders within the child protection ecosystem.

Skills

Inter-department coordination

Stakeholder management

Policy engagement

Negotiation

Communication

Education

MSW or related Social Sciences

Tools

MS Office

Job description

Job Summary

Position Title: Government Consultant - Systems Strengthening

Contract Type: One-year contractual.

Contract Duration: 1 Year

Location: Pune

Reporting To: Director - Systems Strengthening

Background

Strengthening child protection systems requires a coordinated and sustainable approach that goes beyond individual interventions and institutional responses. Children in Need of Care and Protection (CNCP) and Children in Conflict with Law (CCL) often face multiple and intersecting vulnerabilities that require integrated responses across child protection systems, statutory mechanisms and government departments.

While existing child protection frameworks and programmes provide important structures for care and rehabilitation, challenges remain in ensuring effective implementation, stronger inter-departmental convergence, and coordinated responses across stakeholders. Areas such as strengthening Child Care Institutions (CCIs), improving aftercare mechanisms and services for youths transitioning from institutional care, and promoting family-based care approaches require greater systems-level support and collaboration.

The Government Consultant will contribute towards strengthening the child protection ecosystem through strategic engagement with state departments, statutory bodies and key stakeholders. The position will support systems strengthening efforts by facilitating convergence, strengthening institutional and community-based care mechanisms, promoting family-based care and enhancing sustainable pathways for rehabilitation and reintegration of children and youth.

Aim

The purpose of this position is to strengthen child protection systems through strategic engagement with government stakeholders with a focus on:

• Facilitating inter-departmental coordination and convergence among key government departments and statutory bodies.
• Supporting advocacy, policy engagement and systems strengthening initiatives to improve child protection outcomes.
• Strengthening aftercare systems and pathways for youth transitioning out of institutional care.
• Supporting evidence-based planning, documentation and development of strategic recommendations for child protection interventions.
• Facilitating multi-stakeholder consultations and partnerships to improve coordination and accountability within child protection systems.
• Supporting capacity building and knowledge strengthening of key stakeholders within the child protection ecosystem.

Requirements and Experience

Education

Masters Degree in Social Work (MSW) or equivalent postgraduate degree in Social Work, Child Development, Psychology or related Social Sciences.

Experience

• 5-7 years of relevant professional experience in child protection, child rights or social development programmes.
• Prior experience of working with children and young people, particularly in the areas of child protection, Juvenile Justice, institutional care and rehabilitation.
• Demonstrated experience in strengthening Child Care Institutions (CCIs) and institutional care systems.
• Experience of working in child protection programmes with specific exposure to Child Care Institutions (CCIs), aftercare systems, transition support for youth leaving institutional care, and family-based care approaches including foster care, sponsorship and kinship care.
• Prior experience of working with the State Department of Women and Child Development and statutory child protection bodies.
• Experience in facilitating inter-departmental coordination and convergence among multiple stakeholders.
• Experience in advocacy, systems strengthening and policy engagement at state or district level.
• Experience in preparing reports, policy briefs, concept notes, documentation and presentations for government and programme stakeholders.

Knowledge and Skills

• Strong understanding of child protection systems, Juvenile Justice framework and institutional care mechanisms.
• Excellent communication, negotiation and relationship-building skills.
• Strong stakeholder management and partnership-building abilities.
• Proficiency in MS Office applications (Word, Excel and PowerPoint).

Language Proficiency

• Marathi - Full professional proficiency
• English - Full professional proficiency
• Hindi - Working proficiency

Selection Procedure

The selection process will consist of two rounds of interviews followed by an assignment to evaluate the candidate s relevant experience, competencies and suitability for the role.

The ideal candidate should demonstrate a strong commitment to child rights and well-being and be aligned with the vision of building a nation where every vulnerable child is nurtured to become a happy and contributing member of society.