Job Description

About the Organization:

Air Pollution Action Group (A-PAG) was set up in 2019 by Ashish Dhawan (Founder and Chairperson, Ashoka University and Central Square Foundation), Vijay Chadda (previously CEO of Bharti Foundation) and Mohit Beotra (previously Chief Brand Officer of Airtel).

Ashish is a member of the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and adjoining regions.

A-PAG is focused on the strategic implementation of solutions to combat air pollution and has created a niche for itself within the broader ecosystem in the last 3 years. During this time, A-PAG has made significant progress in its quest with a focus on supporting the Governments at the national & state level. Some of the major projects include:

1. A-PAG has worked on several programs in Delhi. Currently, we are engaged with the MCD and the New Delhi Municipal Council on a massive program aimed at dispersed sources. This covers all 250 wards across the city as well as the area under NDMC.

2. In Uttar Pradesh (UP) we are retained by the UP-Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) to help reduce air pollution in the state across multiple cities.

3. In Punjab, A-PAG is supporting the government to combat stubble burning. Our efforts are focused on convincing farmers to adopt alternative in-situ solutions.

4. A-PAG has also launched the dispersed sources program covering Patna, Muzaffarpur and Gaya. This is part of our program with the Bihar State Pollution Control Board (BPSCB) to address air pollution across the state.

All our support to Government is offered on a pro-bono basis. About the role The role is a dynamic opportunity for someone who is passionate about environmental issues and wants to work on key policy reforms to mitigate air pollution. You will work on building evidence around policy reforms that have worked and will work for Indian states, and develop a larger perspective of your own on what it takes to tackle the air pollution crisis in India.

A-PAG has partnered with the Governments of Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi, and Haryana to help the states implement action plans that mitigate air pollution. Various project management units have been set up in each state to coordinate efforts. You will be expected to provide research-driven insights that will aid project implementation in these states. You will also have the opportunity to build relationships with experts and policy makers to increase salience for key policy reforms that have the potential to solve the air pollution crisis in India. The Team Lead will report to the Associate Director in Delhi.

Another aspect of the role is providing policy support to the recently established Commission on Air Quality Management, NCR that was instituted under a central Ordinance in October 2020. The Commission is responsible for coordinating action between the Governments of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh to reduce air pollution. A-PAG is one of three non-Governmental members that has been appointed to the Commission. You will play an instrumental role in providing analytical and policy support across pollution sources to the Commission.

Key Responsibilities:

The critical functions to manage your area successfully will include the following:

1. Policy landscape understanding:
You should have good knowledge of and will be required to stay abreast of the ever- changing policy landscape, including laws, regulations, and industry standards relevant to air pollution. You should be able to monitor and analyze political, economic, social, and technological trends that might impact policy development and identify policy gaps which need to be addressed at the center or state.

2. Research Skills:
You will be required to conduct in-depth research on policy issues, market trends, and best practices and utilize research findings to develop evidence-based policies and strategies. You will develop position papers, policy briefs, concept notes and other research documents etc.

3. Project Strategy and Design: You will support with the design and planning of pilot projects related to policy development and strategic initiatives while defining pilot goals, objectives, and key performance indicators (KPIs) to facilitate implementation of clean air City Action Plans under NCAP. You will help in developing a roadmap for implementation of the identified reforms and designing interventions that can bring about reduction in air pollution.

4. Stakeholder Engagement: You will identify and build relationships with government officials, climate or environment policy experts, researchers, citizen groups, think tanks and other relevant organizations/bodies who have a definitive role to play in shaping strategic policy mandates in the air pollution landscape. You will collaborate with stakeholders to ensure policy alignment and garner support for proposed initiatives.

Eligibility:

1. A Masters degree in Public Policy, Environment Policy, and the Social Sciences is preferred. A Bachelors degree from a recognized university with a strong record of academic performance is required.

2. Prior experience of 6-8 years working in policy research with the government or development sector.

3. Fluency in Hindi and English is a must.

4. Experience working in the space of environment/ air pollution would be preferred but is not essential however, passion to solve the air pollution crisis in India is critical.

Skill Sets Required:

1. Strong research skills and analytical skills; you will need to think through problems and help the team arrive at an accurate assessment of key issues

2. Understanding the exact policy landscape is key to the role

3. An ability to develop and manage projects; and set priorities and timelines.

4. Great interpersonal and communication skills with ability to work with senior Government officials, while being able to convince them to accept recommendations

5. Ability to learn quickly; air pollution is a relatively nascent space and new knowledge is constantly emerging which we need to understand & utilize to our benefit.

Location New Delhi

Compensation Will be commensurate with the best among social sector norms