Junior Program Associate - Urban Development

Embarq India; Chennai District; On-site; INR 450,000 - 600,000; Full time

Job summary

WRI India is seeking a candidate based in Chennai to support urban development initiatives, including stakeholder engagement, data collection, GIS analysis, and reporting. The role involves collaboration with state government, academic partners, and local authorities over a 1-year term with potential extension based on performance.

The ideal candidate holds a Master’s in a planning-related field, has 0–2 years of relevant experience, and is fluent in Tamil and English.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in a relevant planning/environment field.
• 0–2 years of urban development or regional planning experience.
• Experience coordinating with government agencies, local bodies and stakeholders.
• Basic GIS and spatial analysis skills using GIS software.
• Strong written and spoken Tamil and English.

Responsibilities

• Support stakeholder consultations, workshops, and meetings with government and partners.
• Assist in primary and secondary data collection, field visits, and documentation.
• Perform basic spatial and GIS-based analysis to support planning decisions.
• Prepare project reports, briefs, case studies, and presentations.
• Monitor progress and help identify and address implementation challenges.
• Travel to pilot study areas as required.

Skills

Stakeholder engagement

GIS basics

Data collection and analysis

Tamil and English communication

Report writing and documentation

Coordination and facilitation

Education

Master's degree in Urban Planning, Environmental Planning, Environmental Science, Geography, Regional Planning, or related discipline

Tools

ArcGIS or QGIS

Job description

Job Summary

Job Highlight: You will be based in Chennai and will support WRI India's work on sustainable urban development, rural-urban transition, regional planning, and multi-hazard geography, and climate-resilient development in Tamil Nadu. The position will involve assisting the team in coordination and interactions with various state government departments, local governments, academic institutions, subject experts and other stakeholders to support the initiatives undertaken in Tamil Nadu. The selected candidate will support the team in stakeholder engagement, data collection and analysis, preparation of project reports and communication materials, and delivery of research and technical assistance activities. The candidate will work under the supervision of WRI India's Cities team and in close collaboration with government partners.

What you will do

• Support stakeholder consultations, workshops, meetings, training programs, and capacity-building activities and represent WRI India in meetings and stakeholder engagements along with the team, as required.
• Support in primary and secondary data collection, field visits, surveys and documentation of project findings and assist in managing project database and datasets.
• Support in basic spatial and GIS-based analysis to support planning and decision-making processes.
• Assist in preparing project reports, policy briefs and concept notes, case studies, presentations, meeting records, and communication materials and knowledge products for government and project partners.
• Support monitoring of project progress, identify implementation challenges, and assist in developing corrective actions where required.
• Travel to pilot study areas as needed.

What you will need

• Master's degree in Urban Planning, Environmental Planning, Environmental Science, Geography, Regional Planning, or related discipline.
• 0 to 2 years of relevant professional experience in urban development, regional planning, environmental management, sustainable development, or related fields.
• Demonstrated experience in stakeholder engagement and coordination with government agencies, local governments, academic institutions, and civil society organizations.
• Working knowledge of urban and regional planning processes, governance systems, and development programmes in Tamil Nadu
• Basic GIS and spatial analysis skills, including experience with GIS software such as ArcGIS or QGIS are recommended.
• Experience in primary and secondary data collection, compilation, and analysis.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in Tamil and English. Strong report-writing and documentation skills, including preparation of study reports, technical notes, presentations, and meeting documentation.
• Excellent facilitation, organizational, interpersonal, and coordination skills.

Location: Chennai

Duration: 1 Year (Extendable based on performance and project requirements)

Start As soon as possible