Programme Lead - Clean Air

Council on Energy, Environment and Water; India; On-site; INR 2,200,000 - 4,200,000; Full time

Job summary

The Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) invites applications for a driven Programme Lead in the Clean Air vertical, to spearhead governance frameworks and strengthen institutional capacity for air quality management at national, state, and city levels.

The role requires deep knowledge of India’s air quality policy, strong stakeholder engagement, and the ability to lead multi-disciplinary teams on large-scale research and policy-driven projects. Willingness to travel is expected.

Qualifications

• 8–15 years of experience in the air quality domain, with governance, policy frameworks, and institutional capacity building.
• Strong research background with quantitative methods; policy briefs and reports.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills; ability to draft policy recommendations.

Responsibilities

• Support strategy development for the Clean Air programme aligning with national priorities.
• Engage funders, government entities, and policy/research institutions to establish partnerships and resources.
• Build strategic networks across government ministries and regulatory bodies to advance air quality governance.
• Lead flagship projects end-to-end within the air quality governance vertical.

Skills

Stakeholder engagement

Policy analysis

Project management

Research leadership

Communication skills

Education

Master’s or PhD in environmental studies or related field

Job description

Council on Energy, Environment and Water | Full time

Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW),

Terms of Reference

At CEEW, we are deliberate about what we stand for (and what we don’t stand for!) as an employer. So, ifthe below description strikes a chord, we would love to hear from you!

At CEEW, we build careers in public policy

• We offer strong visionary leadership – with emphasis on research and impact at scale
• We actively promote leadership by initiative
• We celebrate talent and ambition
• You will be surrounded by smart people who will challenge you and help you grow
• You will learn faster than your peers in other organisations
• Curiosity and irreverence, as well as responsibility, come together at CEEW
• You will get above-market remuneration
• We provide a safe space for all
• At CEEW, your life is your example for others

Designation offered

Team/Focus Area

Clean Air

Location

Reporting to

Purpose

The multi-disciplinary Clean Air team at CEEW generates data and evidence to drive scalable action andstrengthen the capacity of governments and industries through institutional collaborations to improveIndia’s air quality. The team’s work spans diverse verticals, including crop residue management, cleancooking, solid waste management, industrial pollution management, clean construction, air qualitygovernance, and air quality data analytics & forecasting. Its research is guided by five levers of change:capacity building for government agencies, generating transparent and credible data, developinginnovative solutions, demonstrating industrial leadership, and raising public demand for clean air.

CEEW’s Clean Air team seeks to hire a driven and passionate Programme Lead to spearhead our work ongovernance frameworks and institutional strengthening for air quality management at the national, state,and city levels. The candidate will be pivotal in identifying gaps in existing governance mechanisms,designing evidence-based solutions, and driving impactful collaborations with key stakeholders. Expertiseor experience in behavioural economics is highly desirable.

This role demands a blend of managerial, technical, and strategic communication skills. The idealcandidate will have a deep understanding of India's air quality governance, regulatory frameworks, and1institutional arrangements. Strong experience in stakeholder engagement, drafting policyrecommendations, and managing large-scale research projects is essential. Excellent communicationskills, both written and verbal, are critical for preparing concise briefing notes, policy reports, andpresentations for diverse audiences under tight deadlines.

Job Duties and Accountabilities

• Support the Senior Programme Lead in developing a strategy for the Clean Air programme thataligns with institutional goals and national priorities in air quality governance.
• Engage with current and potential funders and stakeholders, including central, state, andcity-level government entities, as well as policy and research institutions, to establishpartnerships and secure resources.
• Build and maintain strategic networks across key government ministries and regulatory bodies toadvance the air quality governance agenda.

Research

• Take end-to-end ownership of flagship projects within the air quality governance vertical andlead at least two proposals under competitive grant opportunities.
• Develop independent and original research ideas that are both policy-relevant and aligned withthe team’s goals, particularly in air quality governance and enforcement mechanisms.
• Oversee the quality and coherence of draft reports, data analyses, and research outputsproduced by the team, ensuring alignment with high-impact deliverables.
• Travel to project sites, as necessary, to conduct interviews, collect data, or engage with localstakeholders to strengthen evidence-based research.

Project and People Management

• Manage a multi-disciplinary team of Programme Associates and Research Analysts, ensuring highperformance and alignment with project goals.
• Drive team expansion efforts by assisting in recruitment at the Research Analyst and ProgrammeAssociate levels to support the air quality governance vertical.
• Ensure timely submission of project deliverables while maintaining high-quality standards.
• Represent the Clean Air team’s work at national and international platforms, includingconferences, workshops, and stakeholder meetings.
• Support financial reporting, budgeting, and resource allocation for projects under the air qualitygovernance sub-vertical.
• Perform additional duties as required to fulfil the Clean Air team’s objectives.

Selection Criteria

Education

• Master’s or PhD in environmental studies, public policy, environmental engineering, urbangovernance, environmental law, or other relevant fields.
• Comprehensive understanding of India’s air quality policy frameworks, governance structures,and regulatory environment.
• Strong academic and research background, with expertise in research methods and quantitativeanalysis. Specialisation in public policy or environmental law is highly desirable

Work Experience

• 8–15 years of experience in the air quality domain, with a strong focus on governance, policyframeworks, and institutional capacity building.
• Demonstrated expertise in leading projects on air quality management, urban governance, andregulatory compliance mechanisms.
• Proven record of producing high-quality publications in peer-reviewed journals, policy briefs, andactionable reports.
• Experience in engaging with policymakers, government stakeholders, and funders to driveevidence-based solutions.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Demonstrated abilities to manage multiple priorities, projects and internal/external resources ina fast-paced environment while meeting deadlines and quality standards.
• Striving for rigour in research and quality in work output.
• Ability to work in an interdisciplinary and multicultural environment and being able toindependently drive research with minimum assistance.
• The candidate should be willing to travel frequently.
• CEEW operates in a dynamic environment, and the candidate will be required to show flexibility inundertaking a variety of tasks

Personality

• Willingness to learn new (research and project management) skills
• Ability to adapt to the new environment and deliver under tight deadlines in a professionalenvironment
• Striving for rigour in research and quality in work output
• Ability to effectively work in a team while being able to independently drive research withminimum assistance, when time demands
• Ability to dig deeper into details, while also keeping a sense of the broader objectives and bigpicture
• Willingness to learn, grow and develop on personal and professional front, at a rapid pace with asteep learning curve
• Ability to work in an interdisciplinary and multicultural environment

Compensation

Competitive compensation – commensurate to the experience and matching the best of standardsadopted by industry or other similar organizations for similar roles.

Application Process

CEEW is an equal opportunity employer and the selection process does not discriminate on the basis ofage, gender, caste, ethnicity, religion, or sexuality.