Team Lead - Lucknow Foundation for Economic Development

The Convergence Foundation; Lucknow; On-site; INR 2,000,000 - 3,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Foundation for Economic Development (FED) in Uttar Pradesh is hiring a Team Lead to drive reform work from Lucknow. You will build trusted relationships with senior government and industry leaders, scope reform opportunities, and turn priorities into action and high-quality outputs.

This is a high-ownership, entrepreneurial role with direct access to top decision-makers in India's most populous state. You'll guide research, advocacy and implementation to accelerate policy reforms and economic

Qualifications

• Masters or bachelor's degree from a top-tier institution; high-performing courses preferred.
• 6 to 8 years of relevant experience.
• Solid planning and organisational skills with high attention to detail, accuracy, protocol and deadline.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and stakeholder-facing skills including solid presentation and facilitation skills.
• High level of flexibility and responsiveness with the ability to shift priorities quickly as organisational demands require.
• Comfortable managing and working with data.
• Ability to work independently and proactively, with minimal supervision.
• 'Can-do' attitude and openness to learn in ambiguous situations.

Responsibilities

• Own the UP workplan: scope reform priorities, drive execution and deliver reform outcomes.
• Build deep relationships with state departments, agencies and industry leaders.
• Produce top-quality policy notes, decks, and progress reviews.

Skills

Communication skills

Stakeholder management

Planning & organisation

Data analysis

Independent work

Ambiguity tolerance

Education

Masters/Bachelors degree from a top-tier institution

Job description

Foundation for Economic Development (FED) is a non-profit organisation that aims to bring about a sustained and broad-based economic growth of over 10% in India. The evidence clearly shows that economic growth is the best tool to lift people out of poverty and improve quality of life for all. Post the 1991 reforms, poverty reduced from ~50% to ~20% with 35 crore (350 million) fewer people living in abject poverty. Since 2010, sustaining fast growth has been challenging as the easy gains have been realised.

Our mission

FED works at the with State and Central Governments to improve competitiveness of Indian firms in the sectors with highest job-creation and growth potential. The organisation has illustrious leaders like Dr Arvind Panagariya, Naushad Forbes, Gurcharan Das, Jerry Rao, Banmali Agrawala and Ashish Dhawan on our advisory board and governing council who are helping shape the thinking and execution.

Our Work

FED works extensively with the central government and leading states – currently UP, AP, MH and OD - to drive policy and regulatory reforms that accelerate manufacturing exports. Driving reforms across policy areas like Labour, Cost of Capital, EODB and others can be politically challenging, and FED aims to create exemplars of reform that subsequently be cascaded across the country.

Currently, FED is also a key knowledge partner to central government committees driving reforms at both the central and state level. FED also works with key line ministries like Electronics, Textiles, Sports and others to champion our reform and policy agenda.

Our Approach

FED work streams are divided into three primary areas. Research and Strategy: Deep dive into identified verticals/horizontals, engage with i ndustry stakeholders and policymakers, benchmark international best practices and build evidence for action backed by data. Communication and Advocacy: Build salience for opportunity in target sectors and need for reforms through op-eds in relevant channels as well as one on one engagement with key bureaucrats and policymakers in central and state governments.

Implementation Support: Work with central and state governments in helping drive reform.

Vinay Ramesh (Managing Partner)

Position Summary

Uttar Pradesh has set itself one of India's boldest goals: a One Trillion Dollar Economy. FED is one of five members of the Committee of Experts (CoE) that steers this flagship mission for the state government, reviewing progress every fortnight with the CM's Advisor and the Planning Department.

We are hiring a Team Lead (TL) to drive this work from Lucknow. You will build trusted relationships with senior government and industry leaders, help research and scope opportunities for reform, and take ownership for turning opportunities and priorities into sharp plans, high-quality outputs, and reform outcomes. This is a high-ownership, entrepreneurial role: a rare chance to shape reform in India's most populous state, with direct access to its top decisionmakers.

Key Responsibilities

• Own the UP workplan: scope reform priorities, drive execution and deliver reform outcomes
• Build deep relationships with state departments, agencies and industry leaders
• Produce top-quality policy notes, decks, and progress reviews.

Required Qualifications, Skills and Abilities:

• Masters/bachelors degree from a top-tier institution, preferably in high-performing courses
• 6 to 8 years of relevant experience.
• Solid planning and organisational skills with high attention to detail, accuracy, protocol and deadline.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and stakeholder-facing skills including solid presentation and facilitation skills.
• High level of flexibility and responsiveness with the ability to shift priorities quickly and as organisational demands require.
• Comfortable managing and working with data.
• Ability to work independently and proactively, with minimal supervision
• 'Can-do' attitude and openness to learn in ambiguous situations