Senior Associate - Policy and Insights

Janaagraha; Delhi; On-site; INR 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Job summary

Janaagraha in India seeks an Associate / Senior Associate – Policy & Insights (Union Ministry Engagement). You will report to Manager/Senior Manager and support research, analysis, coordination and documentation, working closely with policy professionals and engaging with government counterparts.

The role offers exposure to evidence-based reform work across decentralisation, city data systems and municipal governance, with opportunities to develop briefs, policy notes and stakeholder materials

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Public Policy or related field.
• 2–5 years’ experience in public policy or government engagement.
• Experience with government departments or public institutions.
• Strong understanding of public policy and urban governance.
• Experience developing briefs, reports and policy materials.
• Excellent written and spoken English; Hindi knowledge preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide research and analytical support on urban governance topics.
• Support government engagement and project coordination.
• Contribute to team outputs and documentation.
• Prepare background notes, presentations and policy briefs.
• Maintain trackers and ensure orderly records.

Skills

Research skills

Policy analysis

Stakeholder engagement

Writing & communication

Education

Master’s degree in Public Policy

Tools

MS Word

PowerPoint

Excel

Job description

India is at a pivotal moment in its urban journey. The quality of governance in our cities will determine not only economic growth, but also inclusion, climate resilience, public health and the everyday dignity of urban life. Janaagraha believes that strengthening municipal institutions, deepening decentralisation and building accountable, citizen-centric city systems are among the most important reform priorities for the country.

The Policy & Insights (P&I) team is Janaagraha’s core research and thought leadership team, generating evidence and insights to inform programme teams, shape public policy, and advance governance reforms. The team also incubates emerging areas of intersectional work and develops them into programmes for reform design and implementation. Through policy advocacy and engagement with Union and State governments and other key institutions, the team works to build support for and advance Janaagraha’s reform agenda.

As Associate / Senior Associate – Policy & Insights (Union Ministry Engagement), you will report to Manager / Senior Manager and support this work through focused research, analysis, coordination and documentation. The role offers an opportunity to work closely with experienced policy professionals and contribute to engagements with senior government counterparts.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Provide research and analytical support

• Conduct desk research on particular topics within urban governance and reform, including decentralization, strengthening municipal institutions and State capacities, city data systems, and related areas
• Review government policies, legislation, reports, guidelines, datasets and relevant research, and summarise key information for the team.
• Prepare concise research notes, background papers, presentations, policy briefs and other materials aligning the above research with Janaagraha’s principles and house-views.
• Track relevant policy developments, government announcements and emerging issues in the urban sector, and share updates with the team.
• Support basic data collection, organisation and analysis, and ensure that sources and references are clearly documented.

2. Support government engagement and project coordination

• Support the preparation for meetings and consultations with government officials by compiling background information, preparing agendas and organising relevant materials.
• Draft meeting notes, record decisions and action points, and follow up with internal teams on assigned tasks.
• Maintain trackers for workplans, deliverables, timelines, meetings and follow-up actions across the engagement.
• Coordinate with colleagues across Policy & Insights, Policy Engagement and programme teams to collect information and inputs required for ongoing work.
• Support the organisation of consultations, roundtables and other meetings, including coordination with participants and preparation of materials.

3. Contribute to team outputs and day-to-day work

• Work with the Manager to complete assigned research and project tasks accurately and within agreed timelines.
• Help convert research findings and technical inputs into clear, accessible content for different audiences.
• Maintain organised records of research, correspondence, meeting notes and project documents.
• Undertake other research, coordination and documentation tasks relevant to Janaagraha’s engagement with the Ministry.
• Build and maintain working relationships with government officials, researchers, practitioners and other stakeholders to facilitate institutional engagement.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• A Master’s degree (or higher) in Public Policy, Development, Management, Economics, Political Science, Public Administration, Urban Development, Urban Planning, or related field.
• 2-5 years of relevant relevant professional experience across public policy, government engagement, government advisory, policy advocacy, institutional partnerships, urban governance or related fields.
• Experience working with government departments, public institutions or other institutional stakeholders will be an advantage.
• A sound understanding of public policy and government functioning, with an interest in urban governance and institutional reforms.
• Familiarity with India’s urban governance and institutional, legislative and planning frameworks that shape how cities and towns are governed and managed will be an added advantage.
• Experience supporting projects, consultations, stakeholder meetings or research assignments and developing briefs, reports, presentations and other knowledge products.
• Strong writing, communication and presentation skills and strong working knowledge of MS Word, PowerPoint and Excel.

KEY COMPETENCIES

• Logical thinking, Inquiry and desire to understand public institutions and policy processes.
• Research, analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Communication of complex ideas clearly and effectively, both in writing and verbally.
• Builds and maintains productive working relationships with diverse stakeholders.
• Works collaboratively across teams and coordinate multiple stakeholders and workstreams.
• Demonstrates basic initiative, integrity, diligence, ownership and attention to detail in managing responsibilities and deliverables.
• Remains adaptable and effective in a dynamic policy environment.
• Has good written and spoken English and Hindi; proficiency in additional Indian languages would be an advantage.