Program Manager, SPARC-AI Fellows

Swaniti Initiative; Delhi; On-site; INR 1,800,000 - 2,400,000; Full time

Job summary

Swaniti Initiative seeks a hands-on Program Manager to lead SPARC-AI Fellows across constituencies, ensuring timely deliverables, non-partisan implementation, and high-quality field research. The role involves coordinating with MPs, district officials, SHG federations, and AI-training for women in last-mile communities.

The ideal candidate brings 5–8 years of programme management, fluency in English and Hindi, familiarity with AI tools, strong writing skills, and willingness to travel across

Qualifications

• 5-8 years of programme management in AI, development, governance, public policy, livelihoods or related fields.
• Familiarity with AI tools and digital inclusion is highly desired.
• Experience managing teams, multi-location programmes or fellowships.
• Familiarity with SHG and livelihood ecosystems.
• Experience working with government departments, district or block administrations, elected representatives or community institutions.
• Strong writing, analytical and reporting skills, with proficiency in spreadsheets.
• Fluency in English and Hindi, willingness to travel regularly to programme locations.
• Strong organisational skills, sound judgement and commitment to political neutrality, data privacy and ethical programme delivery.

Responsibilities

• Programme and Fellow Management: detail each phase, organise Fellow training, track monthly deliverables, organise expert training and cohort reviews.
• Research and Field Implementation: oversee baseline studies, ensure sampling guides are followed, review findings and prepare diagnostic reports.
• MP and Government Engagement: manage relationships with MP offices, coordinate with district officials and SHG federations, ensure non-partisan programming.
• AI Training and Roll-out: develop local training materials, test AI tools, train AISaathis, monitor SHG sessions and follow-ups.
• Monitoring, Research Quality and Reporting: review weekly updates, ensure data quality, maintain dashboards, address AI errors and conduct periodic household checks.
• Ethics and Responsible AI: ensure consent, confidentiality, data protection, and avoid non-credible promises regarding loans or buyers.

Skills

AI tools familiarity

Team management

English and Hindi fluency

Data quality monitoring

Writing and reporting

Tools

AI tools

Job description

Supporting Parliamentarianson Analysis and Research in the Constituency is a flagship program at SwanitiInitiative. The SPARC program aims to improve economic and social outcomes in selectParliamentary constituency by focusing on pointed interventions and leveragingchanges through the office of the Parliamentarian. We believe that working atthe constituency level allows for us to create sandboxes across the country fordevelopmental progress.

In 2026 we plan onfocusing on creating economic opportunities for last mile communities throughthe use of AI. Select Parliamentarians will, through the support of a Fellow,work with last mile communities such as SHGs, artisans and weavers, in order to improve economic opportunities. The programme works with women’s Self-HelpGroups (SHGs) to help them use AI tools for their businesses, improve businesspractices and access new opportunities.

The interventions willfocus on working with SHG women where we will identify points of entry for AI,develop appropriate interventions, train local master trainers called AISaathis, track the use of AI tools and document the delta of impact thatwill take place. The programme follows a common methodology across allconstituencies to ensure reliable and comparable findings. The intervention aswell as the documented takeaways from each intervention will be critical to thesuccess of the program.

About the Role

The Program Manager willlead oversee the interventions of the SPARC-AI Fellows across selectedconstituencies and will work with them to ensure that key metrics are met. Therole involves -

• Connectingperiodically with Fellows in order to assess how they are completing theirmarked deliverables.
• SupportingFellows in order to complete program deliverables, including in areas ofdocumentation, guidance on how to develop interventions etc.
• Coordinatingwith Hon’ble MP offices and government officials to ensure programs arecompleted.
• Ensuringthe quality of research and documentation areimpact.
• Whenappropriate, conduct field visits to understand where programs currently stand
• Coursecorrect interventions, when needed.

Key Responsibilities

1. Programme and Fellow Management

• Detailing each phase ofthe program which would include a constituency wise intervention timeline forprograms, deliverables expected and possible risks (based on geographies).
• Organise Fellow trainingon field research, surveys, data collection, AI tools, informed consent anddata protection.
• Track monthlydeliverables and support Fellows in resolving implementation challenges.
• Organiseexpert training sessions and regular cohort reviews.

2. Research and Field Implementation

• Oversee the baselinestudy in all constituencies, including surveys of SHG women, in-depthinterviews and consultations with relevant stakeholders.
• Ensure Fellows follow thecommon sampling guide, questionnaire and data collection methods.
• Review baseline findingsand oversee the preparation of constituency-level diagnostic reports.
• Follow up and ensure thecompletion of periodic documentation (including mid-term) and ensure accuracyand detailing.
• Ensure the findings inform the selection of suitable AI applications and trainingpriorities for each block.
• Oversee limitations including in areas of data safety and security.

3. MP and Government Engagement

• Manage relationships withparticipating Hon’ble MP offices and coordinate regular progress reviews.
• Support Fellows inidentifying focus blocks and obtaining the necessary support from district andblock officials and SHG federations.
• Ensure the programmeremains non-partisan and consistent across constituencies.
• Coordinate presentations of programme findings to MP offices and, where appropriate, through districtlevel meetings.
• Ensurehandover arrangements are in place by Month 11 so that AI Saathis can continuesupporting women after the fellowship.

4. AI Training and Roll-out

• Oversee the developmentand local testing, along with short training videos and printed materials.
• Coordinate with the relevant team to ensure AI tools are tested before they are introduced to SHGwomen.
• Ensure Fellows train AISaathis to conduct hands-on sessions and support women in using AI toolsindependently.
• Trackmonthly SHG sessions and follow-up activities, including support for women whoface difficulties using the tools.

5. Monitoring, Research Quality and Reporting

• Review Fellows’ weeklyupdates and monthly monitoring reports to track participation, independentusage, skills and changes in business practices.
• Ensure data qualitythrough questionnaire checks, back-checks and field-level verification.
• Maintain a programme-widedashboard showing implementation progress and SHGs requiring additionalsupport.
• Ensure problems areaddressed promptly, particularly recurring AI errors or SHGs showing low usagefor two consecutive months.
• Oversee household checksof trained women during Months 8–10 to assess actual usage and changes inbusiness practices.
• Coordinate the 20 constituency reports and the national report, State of Last-Mile AIin India.

6. Ethics and Responsible AI

• Ensure Fellows and AISaathis follow informed-consent, confidentiality and data-protection requirements.
• Ensure women are advisednot to share Aadhaar numbers, bank details, PINs or OTPs with AI tools.
• Ensure AI-generatedfinancial information is checked and that errors or harmful responses arereported and addressed.
• Ensure no unauthorised promises are made regarding loans, grants or buyers.

Requirements

Qualifications and Experience

• 5 - 8 years of experiencein programme management, AI, development, livelihoods, governance, publicpolicy, digital tools or related fields.
• Familiarity with AItools, digital inclusion or technology-led development is highly desired
• Experience managing teams, multi-location programmes or fellowships.
• Familiarity with SHG andlivelihood ecosystems
• Experience working withgovernment departments, district or block administrations, electedrepresentatives or community institutions.
• Understanding of fieldresearch, sampling, data quality and monitoring systems.
• Strong writing,analytical and reporting skills, with proficiency in spreadsheets.
• Fluency in English andHindi, and willingness to travel regularly to programme locations.
• Strongorganisational skills, sound judgement and a commitment to politicalneutrality, data privacy and ethical programme delivery.

Ideal Candidate

A hands-on programmemanager who can manage multiple stakeholders and locations, support a distributed team, solve field-level problems and ensure that programme resultsare supported by credible evidence.

Application Deadline: Interested candidates are encouraged to apply by 10 November 2026.