Senior Associate, India (Vijayawada)
Location: Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, India

About IDinsight

We amplify social impact by partnering with leaders to develop tailored solutions. Our mission is to use data and evidence to help leaders combat poverty worldwide.

IDinsight is a mission-driven global advisory, data analytics, and research organisation that helps global development leaders maximise their social impact. We tailor a wide range of data and evidence tools to help decision-makers design effective programs and rigorously test what works to support communities. We work with governments, multilateral agencies, foundations, and innovative non-profit organizations in Asia and Africa. Our work spans various sectors, including agriculture, education, health, governance, sanitation, financial inclusion, and others.

We are a team of economists, statisticians, data scientists, data engineers, and data collection experts. Our goal as an organisation is to make sure that data and evidence are used for making decisions -- this is why we invest a lot of time and energy in understanding the institutional constraints within which our partners operate and what decisions they need to take, so that we can focus on generating only that data which is genuinely required to help inform decisions.

IDinsight is committed to non-discrimination in our recruitment, employment practices, and organisational culture, regardless of people’s age, disability, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation, or any other status protected by applicable law.

Our diverse, growing team of roughly 200 outstanding colleagues operates in nearly two dozen countries worldwide.  Learn more about our mission and values at www.IDinsight.org.  

About our governance portfolio in India

In India, we have worked with several union and state government organisations over the past 13 years. We are currently the M&E partner for Mission Karmayogi, working closely with both the Capacity Building Commission and the Karmayogi Bharat, and have previously worked with NITI Aayog on the Aspirational Districts Program and NDAP. We also have active engagements with the Planning Departments in different states. In Telangana, we conducted the annual KPI survey for the government, as part of which we have built a representative panel for ~50,000 households and used that panel to collect data on health, nutrition and learning outcomes. In Uttar Pradesh, we are supporting the Planning Department to generate high-frequency estimates of economic activity as well as supporting capacity building efforts in the department. In our previous engagements, we have supported state governments in similar ways in Punjab, Bihar, Delhi and Meghalaya. Our work is typically funded by philanthropic organisations such as the Gates Foundation, the Veddis Foundation, the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation (MSDF), and Co-Impact.

About the Senior Associate Position

Senior Associates at IDinsight are high-performing early-career professionals passionate about experiencing the front-line realities of evidence-informed decision-making. These roles provide a rich, varied experience with responsibilities ranging from in-depth research and analysis, data collection management, client interactions, and internal team building.  We seek intellectually curious, resilient, and team-oriented individuals who, in addition to developing professional and technical skills, are highly motivated to grapple with the difficulties and unpredictability of trying to improve lives at scale.

We are looking for an experienced Senior Associate with a proven track record of working with Indian governments. The ideal candidate will bring expertise in public policy, governance reforms, and stakeholder relationship management. In addition, the ideal Senior Associate will have sectoral expertise in health. This role requires the candidate to be based in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, as they will engage extensively with government stakeholders in an embedded manner.

The individual will support a project to help government organisations implement a goal-oriented HR management approach in priority areas of health and nutrition. This approach is expected to enable the organisation to link its goals with individual capacity and performance, bringing observability to what each individual needs to do and is able to do. Thus, decision-makers at different levels will be able to effectively identify problems in service delivery and provide targeted support to improve capacity and performance. More information about this approach is documented here.

Key Responsibilities:

Managing project team workflow, systems, and deliverables

• Driving the day-to-day execution of the project work according to project plans and leading internal coordination efforts for their team; big picture thinking about the project, our impact and higher-level implications of our work
• Update project teams regularly on project progress, key outcomes, and insights to ensure alignment with their goals and expectations

• Creating client deliverables, including reports, slide decks, and oral presentations to inform the decisions and actions of clients
• Use a broad set of data and evidence tools to help answer the clients’ questions
• Developing strategic communications to build awareness of IDinsight projects and learnings, contribute to sectoral knowledge, and shift the sector towards more evidence-informed policy and practices

Client relationships

• Work closely with government officials every day in an embedded manner
• Preparing talking points and presentations for client and partner meetings
• Serve as an important team contact for government officials, building and maintaining strong, trust-based relationships

Organisation building

• Developing, piloting, and implementing internal systems or other organisational contributions (e.g., event management) for IDinsight, in coordination with functional teams such as Operations, Communications, Finance, etc.
• Contributing to office life and culture building, especially in Vijayawada. This can include facilitating All Hands Meetings; leading team building efforts at team retreats; participating in and organizing Social Cultural Committee events.

The role is not a typical “9-5” job and can require early mornings and late nights to accommodate client requirements, the time zone differences of a dispersed team, and busy periods within project workflows. IDinsight encourages balance with flexible work hours and wellness benefits, including comprehensive mental health care support and organisation-wide wellness days off. Many find this balance to yield rich professional and personal rewards and, therefore, progress to more senior roles with IDinsight.   

While we expect the candidate to be staffed on the project in Vijayawada, the staffing can change later in their tenure. The candidate’s staffing will depend on various factors, including organisational need, timeline and availability, team dynamics, skills optimisation, and professional development. While we aim to factor in individual preferences whenever possible in staffing decisions, they are one of many factors in the project staffing process. 

Qualifications

• 2-5 years of relevant work experience, including working with Indian government departments
• Ability to navigate complex government structures and build trusted relationships with government officials
• Sectoral experience in health and nutrition
• Strong writing skills with the ability to translate technical jargon into well-structured, writing-based deliverables (e.g., policy briefs, project memos, analytical reports, external blog posts, and more)
• Ability to understand complex concepts and topics quickly even with limited prior knowledge or exposure and a willingness to invest in learning new concepts, skills, and methods without being prompted
• Strong analytical skills, with exposure to (either via professional work experience or academic coursework) the basics of econometrics, data, and research analysis tools, and quantitative and qualitative research processes or an ability to quickly understand these topics

• Highly organised, attentive to deadlines, and able to efficiently manage a high volume of work. Past experience in independently managing multiple workstreams is desirable.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, can effectively engage with stakeholders ranging from school children to senior government officials to internal colleagues, and places a high value on being a team player

• Demonstrated ability to be a self-starter and fast learner; resourceful and resilient in the face of challenges
• Intellectually curious and a willingness to share your opinions with the team, question the status quo, and encourage others to expand their perspectives
• Embodies our organizational values and demonstrates a steadfast commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in their daily interactions
• Deep passion to improve lives around the world

• Familiarity with local context as well as working proficiency in the local language, Telugu

Professional development

Skill and career development are core to IDinsight's values and long-term impact strategy. Senior Associates receive significant mentorship from IDinsight leadership, support from talented peers, and considerable autonomy in their work. They maintain professional development plans and are given "stretch" opportunities designed to strengthen a variety of skills. Real-time feedback and structured reviews are regularly provided to enable maximum professional growth. Additionally, Senior Associates have access to an annual professional development stipend that they are encouraged to utilize to explore their career interests and develop their skills.

Nuts & bolts

Location

Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh

Start date

There is a preference for candidates who can start immediately. 

Compensation
Compensation and benefits are commensurate with the qualifications and experiences IDinsight is hiring for. We are especially proud of the people-focused benefits we offer, including comprehensive international health insurance with mental health coverage, paid vacation, sick leave, parental leave, relocation benefits, a travel stipend, technology and work-from-home stipends, a professional development budget, and more.

How to apply

Please click the "Apply for this job online" button at the top right. [Applications are rolling and considered as they are submitted.] The application asks various questions in order for us to get to know you and requires a CV and cover letter. 

Please ensure that your CV includes relevant professional and personal experience as well as details on academic qualifications. CVs can range from one to two pages. Please note that headshot photographs, parental details, birth dates, marital status, and other personal information not relevant to the application do not need to be included in your CV. Additionally, we strongly encourage you to use your cover letter to highlight why you want to work for IDinsight and what has prepared you to succeed in the role you’re applying for. A customized cover letter is an important part of IDinsight’s recruiting process as it allows us to understand your motivations for the position, relevant skills, and clarity of writing.

If you’ve previously applied to an IDinsight Associate/Senior Associate role, we encourage you to reapply only if you’ve gained additional relevant experience to strengthen your application since your previous application. More information, including details on IDinsight’s hiring process and frequently asked questions, can be found online at IDinsight Careers. Any questions should be directed to careers@IDinsight.org. 

IDinsight’s commitment to reducing power asymmetries

IDinsight is committed to reducing power asymmetries in the social sector. Our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion reflects our understanding of the need for the sector to abandon unhealthy practices of the past. We wish to be part of a new generation of international NGOs who are honest about this history and transparent about our role in the present. Our commitment is also aligned with the impact of our work. 

We seek a diverse workforce that inherently embodies our commitment to fostering inclusivity. This also helps us refine and improve our methods and relationships and strengthen the services we provide our clients and their communities or constituencies. The following commitments represent our vision for the IDinsight team:

1. IDinsight will have greater representation from the populations with whom we work and the clients we serve.
2. IDinsight will have greater representation from the countries in which we work.
3. Across all countries in which we recruit, we will seek greater representation from historically excluded communities.
4. IDinsight will foster an inclusive work culture that empowers a diverse team to do their best work.

IDinsight is committed to non-discrimination in our recruitment, employment practices, and organizational culture, regardless of people’s age, disability, gender identity, national origin, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, or any other status protected by applicable law.