Program Associate Air Pollution Action Group (A-PAG)

The Convergence Foundation; Delhi; On-site; INR 350,000 - 480,000; Full time

Job summary

Air Pollution Action Group (A-PAG) is seeking a Program Associate to work with Municipal Corporations and government stakeholders to drive the dispersed-source programme in Delhi and expanding cities. You will manage on-ground implementation, monitoring, and problem-solving, while identifying scalable pilot solutions to address air pollution.

The role demands a Master's degree and 2–4 years of relevant experience, with strong analytical skills and the ability to engage senior officials.

Qualifications

• Strong analytical mindset with the ability to interpret data and derive insights.
• Entrepreneurial mindset and proactive approach to drive on-ground initiatives.
• Experience engaging with government officials and managing complex stakeholder networks.
• Proven program management skills with the ability to deliver projects on time and with quality.
• Ability to learn quickly in a nascent policy-space and adapt to changing environments.

Responsibilities

• Drive implementation with Municipal Corporations and government stakeholders.
• Manage on-ground activities, monitor progress, and identify bottlenecks.
• Coordinate with third-party vendors and internal teams to ensure timely delivery.
• Develop actionable insights to improve processes and scale pilot programs.
• Support reporting, documentation, and knowledge sharing across cities.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Entrepreneurial mindset

Stakeholder engagement

Program management

Quick learner

Education

Master's degree

Job description

(Supporting Municipal Corporations in NCR)

Air Pollution Action Group (A-PAG) was set up in 2019 by Ashish Dhawan (Founder and Chairperson, Ashoka University and Central Square Foundation), Vijay Chadda (previously CEO of Bharti Foundation) and Mohit Beotra (previously Chief Brand Officer of Airtel). A-PAG is a past member of the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and adjoining regions.

A-PAG is focused on strategic implementation of solutions to combat air pollution and has created a niche for itself within the broader ecosystem in the last 2 years. A-PAG works with the Government on a pro-bono basis; we have made significant progress with programs at the National as well as State level. Some of our projects are as follows:

Some of our projects are as follows:

1. 1. In Delhi, we are engaged with the Municipal Corporation on a massive program aimed at dispersed sources. This covers all ~250 wards across the city. 2. In Uttar Pradesh (UP) we have programs running in 11 cities across the state. 3. As part of our program with Bihar State Pollution Control Board (BPSCB), we are active in Patna, Muzaffarpur, Gayaji & Biharsharif.


2. 4. In Haryana, we work in Gurgaon & Faridabad in partnership with the Municipal Corporation.


3. 5. We have recently launched programs in AP and Odisha.


4. 6. We have a PMU based at the Central Pollution Control Board, which is helping drive the effectiveness of the National Clean Air Program (NCAP). We are currently 49 people strong with teams in 20 cities.

A-PAG is an FCRA registered organisation with the ability to receive both domestic and foreign funding. This enables us to work with a diverse set of partners and mobilise resources to scale high-impact programmes across India.

About the role

A-PAG's project in Delhi aims at improving air quality by tackling issues which contribute to air pollution. Based on our pilot work with the Municipal Corporation Delhi the project will now be rolled out in the city of Ghaziabad, Noida, Gurugram and Faridabad.

As a Program Associate, you will work closely with Municipal Corporations and other government stakeholders to drive the implementation of A-PAG's dispersed-source programme. The role involves managing on-ground implementation, stakeholder engagement, monitoring and problem-solving, while also identifying opportunities to pilot scalable solutions to address air pollution.

Key responsibilities

The critical functions to manage your area successfully will include the following:

1. 1. Program Strategy and Implementation: Working with ULBs in your district, you would need to ensure all processes are put into place and all planned actions are carried out in a time-bound manner. This involves planning for an on-ground survey, creating route maps, ensuring IT systems are ready, etc.


2. 2. Stakeholder Management: You will be expected to build relationships with officials ranging from the operational levels of these organizations (Ex. Junior Engineers, Sanitary Inspectors) to the leadership (Ex. District Magistrate, Municipal Commissioners) and drive these engagements to ensure success. You will also support the ULBs in coordinating with each other. This is a key deliverable for ensuring the program's success.


3. 3. Monitoring and Review: Putting in place a robust monitoring and review process will be a key priority. You will be responsible to ensure structured reviews are held in your area in order to make progress toward resolving the issues identified on the ground.


4. 4. Vendor Management: The project is supported by third parties at multiple levels. You will be responsible to guide and oversee the functioning of these third-party vendors. These include survey agencies, IT vendors, etc.


5. 5. Process Improvement: While engaging with officials across multiple organizations you would be in a key position with visibility to understand problem areas and develop insights and solutions for them. You would be expected to translate these insights into action in order to improve the processes undertaken throughout the program.

Eligibility

1. 1. Master's degree from a tier-1 institute with a strong track record of outstanding academic performance


2. 2. 2–4 years of experience in a client-facing, project-based or programme implementation role with significant analytical responsibilities.


3. 3. Experience in environment, solid waste management, programme implementation or technology/IT dashboards is preferred but not essential.


4. 4. Demonstrated ability to take initiative, think independently and solve problems in dynamic environments.


5. 5. Passion for addressing India's air pollution challenge.

Skill Sets Required

1. 1. Analytical bent of mind is key – you will need to think through problems and help the team arrive at an accurate assessment of the key issues to be addressed.


2. 2. Entrepreneurial nature – success in this role depends heavily on your ability to make things happen on the ground.


3. 3. Ability to work alongside senior Government officials, while being able to convince them to accept our recommendations.


4. 4. Program management skills are needed to ensure programs are delivered against agreed timelines with requisite quality.


5. 5. Ability to learn quickly – air pollution is a relatively nascent space and new knowledge is constantly emerging which we need to understand & utilize to our benefit.