Strategy & Innovation Associate

IAC Patrons Foundation; Kolkata Metropolitan Area; On-site; INR 630,000 - 770,000; Full time

Job summary

India Autism Center (IAC) is a not-for-profit organisation aiming to build a comprehensive ecosystem of support, training, research, and lifelong residential living solutions for individuals on the autism spectrum and their families. The Associate role in the CEO’s Office will explore emerging opportunities, develop ideas and test pilots to shape IAC’s future.

The role will collaborate across the organisation to identify opportunities, translate promising ideas into scalable initiatives and

Qualifications

• 0–2 years of experience; Freshers may apply.
• MBA freshers with strong academic/project experience and a demonstrated problem-solving and strategic thinking mindset may be considered.
• Strong research, analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Able to challenge assumptions, connect ideas and develop new perspectives.
• Comfortable with ambiguity, unfamiliar subjects and working across different functions.
• Strong written and verbal communication.
• Takes ownership and initiative without requiring detailed instructions.
• Comfortable working with senior leadership and across multiple departments.
• Proficient in Excel/Google Sheets, presentations, and project-management tools.

Responsibilities

• Research emerging trends, technologies, practices and models relevant to IAC and identify their potential implications for the organisation.
• Think ahead and identify opportunities, risks and possibilities that could shape IAC over the next 3–5 years.
• Conduct research, benchmarking and comparative analysis of relevant organisations, sectors and models.
• Identify opportunities for process, service and organisational innovation across IAC.
• Develop ideas into structured concepts, proposals and pilot projects, defining objectives, approach and expected outcomes.
• Design and support experiments and pilots to test new ideas before wider implementation.
• Evaluate pilot outcomes and recommend whether initiatives should be scaled, modified or discontinued.
• Take ownership of strategic and special projects from idea through execution and evaluation.
• Work across departments to drive implementation, resolve dependencies and maintain momentum on strategic initiatives.
• Convert complex information into clear insights, recommendations and decision briefs for leadership.
• Prepare concept notes, presentations, reports, briefing papers and other materials required for strategic decision-making and reporting.
• Support leadership with structured research, analysis and recommendations on emerging opportunities and strategic initiatives.

Skills

Excel/Google Sheets

Presentations

Project-management tools

Research

Analytical thinking

Problem-solving

Written and verbal communication

Education

MBA freshers

Tools

Excel/Google Sheets

Presentations

Project-management tools

Job description

Department: CEOs Office
Location: Sirakol, West Bengal
Employment Type: Full-Time
Experience: 0–2 years
Compensation: Upto 7 LPA

Role Overview

To serve as a strategic thinking and innovation resource within the CEO’s Office, exploring emerging opportunities, developing new ideas and testing solutions that can shape IAC’s future.

The role will work across the organisation to identify opportunities, challenge existing approaches, develop pilots and translate promising ideas into scalable initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

1. Research, Foresight & Opportunity Identification

• Research emerging trends, technologies, practices and models relevant to IAC and identify their potential implications for the organisation.
• Think ahead and identify opportunities, risks and possibilities that could shape IAC over the next 3–5 years.
• Conduct research, benchmarking and comparative analysis of relevant organisations, sectors and models.
• Identify opportunities for process, service and organisational innovation across IAC.

2. Innovation, Concepts & Pilots

• Develop ideas into structured concepts, proposals and pilot projects, defining objectives, approach and expected outcomes.
• Design and support experiments and pilots to test new ideas before wider implementation.
• Evaluate pilot outcomes and recommend whether initiatives should be scaled, modified or discontinued.

3. Strategic & Special Projects

• Take ownership of strategic and special projects from idea through execution and evaluation.
• Work across departments to drive implementation, resolve dependencies and maintain momentum on strategic initiatives.
• Convert complex information into clear insights, recommendations and decision briefs for leadership.

4. Strategic Communication & Decision Support

• Prepare concept notes, presentations, reports, briefing papers and other materials required for strategic decision-making and reporting.
• Support leadership with structured research, analysis and recommendations on emerging opportunities and strategic initiatives.

Key Outcomes

• Identify and evaluate emerging opportunities, trends and models relevant to IAC's future direction.
• Develop promising ideas into structured concepts, proposals and pilots with clear objectives and expected outcomes.
• Support the successful execution and evaluation of strategic and special projects across departments.
• Provide leadership with clear research-backed insights, recommendations and decision briefs.
• Contribute to identifying and developing scalable process, service and organisational innovations across IAC.

Must-Have Requirements

• 0–2 years of experience; Freshers may apply.
• MBA freshers with strong academic/project experience and a demonstrated problem-solving and strategic thinking mindset may be considered.
• Strong research, analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Able to challenge assumptions, connect ideas and develop new perspectives.
• Comfortable with ambiguity, unfamiliar subjects and working across different functions.
• Strong written and verbal communication.
• Takes ownership and initiative without requiring detailed instructions.
• Comfortable working with senior leadership and across multiple departments.
• Proficient in Excel/Google Sheets, presentations, and project-management tools.

Preferred Skills

• Curious, intellectually agile and naturally inquisitive, with an interest in understanding how things work and how they can be improved.
• Experience or strong academic/project exposure to research, strategy, innovation, consulting, entrepreneurship or special projects.
• Ability to structure ambiguous problems and convert them into actionable concepts or projects.
• Demonstrated ability to independently research unfamiliar subjects and present clear findings.

Growth Opportunity

The role provides exposure to strategic decision-making and cross-functional initiatives within the CEO’s Office.

As the role develops, the Associate may take increasing ownership of strategic initiatives, innovation projects and special projects from research and concept development through implementation, evaluation and potential scale-up.

About India Autism Center

India Autism Center (IAC) is a not-for-profit organisation aiming to build a comprehensive ecosystem of support, training, research, and lifelong residential living solutions for individuals on the autism spectrum and their families. Through our residential facility, professional training initiatives, community engagement efforts, and knowledge development work, we aspire to enable greater independence, dignity, and quality of life for individuals with autism across India