Job Description

About CEGIS

The Centre for Effective Governance of Indian States (CEGIS Foundation pronounced See-Jis) ) was co-founded by private equity investor turned philanthropist Ashish Dhawan and economist Karthik Muralidharan in 2019 to improve millions of lives by helping Indian state governments work better. CEGIS aims to enable a transformative improvement in the functioning of the Indian state in the coming decade. Informed by cutting-edge research and evidence as well as a practical orientation toward implementable ideas, CEGIS aims to provide Indian states with both an analytical roadmap for governance and expenditure reforms as well as strategic implementation support to deliver on this vision.

The organization has a sharp focus on improving the quality of public expenditure, and through it, develops templates for achieving a step-function improvement in development outcomes across India. We strive to produce high-quality economic analysis to inform state-level policy-making and work closely with the Chief Secretary, and Principal Secretaries of Finance/Planning, with guidance from and close coordination with the Chief Minister and Finance Minister. Based on consultations with top officials in several states, we believe that there is a very high demand for such support especially when backed by world-leading technical expertise and a deep understanding of service delivery in India.

CEGIS believes that states are the most important unit for addressing these issues. Therefore, we work with state governments to generate actionable insights, formulate effective solutions and facilitate measurable impact in terms of developmental outcomes. Currently, CEGIS is working with the governments of Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Bodoland Territorial Council, NCT of Delhi and a few Government of India entities. At the state level, CEGIS identifies sectoral priorities jointly with the state government, and then aims to integrate its four verticals (Outcome Measurement, Personnel Management, Public Finance, State(s) and Market into specific projects to improve governance, service delivery, and development outcomes.

CEGIS Approach and Model of Functioning

Four key characteristics of high-performing organizations are (a) measuring outcomes for goal setting and monitoring progress towards these goals, (b) strategic use of personnel policy including competency based hiring and training, skilling, and performance appraisals to determine job assignments, pay, and promotions to achieve the goals above, (c) strategic budgeting where resource allocation is based on evidence and cost-effectiveness; (d) and creating efficient systems to leverage external actors (including for-profit and nonprofit organizations). The Indian state performs weakly on all four fronts above. CEGIS helps to improve the functioning of the Indian state by focusing on the four principles above.

CEGIS works with state governments through a dedicated state office that is co-created with the state and integrated with their Finance and Planning Departments. The staffing model includes CEGIS personnel as well as staff seconded by the state and fellows, if any. Thus, instead of being another Delhi-based policy think tank, we are building the organization in a state-led way, where we focus on deep partnerships with states with an iterative cycle of thinking and doing. We support states in implementing evidence-based ideas for improving state effectiveness while also continuously learning from state-level experiences of implementing these ideas. Each state-level CEGIS engagement features some core themes that are common to all state-level engagements, and others that vary by state. State-level delivery teams are supported by central technical teams that curate ideas based on both evidence and experience, support state-level experimentation, and accelerate adoption of successful practices across states.

Overview:

Within CEGIS, the Outcome Measurement (OM) teams role is to support the institutionalisation of data-driven decision-making by setting up the required infrastructure and technical capacity with the Planning department and relevant line departments in the state. The Program Managers (OM) will play a crucial role in executing this vision in the state, working closely with both the OM technical team and the State team.

Position Summary:

As a Senior Program Manager (SPM) in OM, you will lead and manage complex digital data collection operations, collaborating closely with senior academics and government stakeholders to customize research design and protocols to local contexts. Your role will encompass ensuring adherence to stringent data quality protocols and overseeing the development of high-quality outputs summarizing project progress, data analyses, and research findings for dissemination at various forums.

Roles and Responsibilities:

Data Analysis Oversight:

• Evaluate and review pre-analysis plans to ensure comprehensive and precise data analysis procedures.

• Regularly check progress on data analysis and provide necessary inputs for improvement.

Research and Data Management:

• Oversee accuracy and validity of data collected to inform decision making

• Enhance accuracy, validity, and completeness of collected research and data.

• Develop protocols and guidelines for managing data quality, access, verification, and validation.

Solution Design and Technical Expertise:

• Contribute technical and operational insights to solution design.

• Ensure adherence to best practices and established protocols.

• Provide expertise for new or pilot projects during the diagnosis and solution design process.

• Guides interpretation and meaning making

Project Management:

• Align project activities with Objectives and Key Results (OKRs).

• Oversees comprehensive project management, spanning from conceptualization and resource allocation to briefing and execution.

• Manage project outputs and ensure successful completion.

• Support budgeting process for interventions.

• Ensure quality and technical integrity of project outputs.

• Oversee technical evaluations and quality control processes to align to ToC

• Prepare and pitch proposals to donors and stakeholders.

Communication and Stakeholder Engagement:

• Identify and cultivate strategic partnerships with external stakeholders.

• Synthesize stakeholders' feedback to develop strategic communication strategies.

• Shapes stakeholder perceptions through engagement and relationship building

• Fosters internal alignment to meet project priorities and Organisational goals

Knowledge Product Development:

• Collaborates with team members to develop impactful knowledge products, such as policy notes, analysis reports, and frameworks and contributes to knowledge sharing.

• Transform insights and findings into actionable knowledge products.

• Facilitate knowledge sharing and collaboration

Qualifications and Attributes:

• 8 to 12 years of progressive work experience, including field research, managing evaluations, and quantitative analysis and team.

• Masters or advanced degree in economics, statistics, public policy, engineering, or related fields from a prestigious institution.

• Proficiency in quantitative data management and analysis using STATA, R, or Python programming.

• Strong research aptitude to analyze complex data and formulate innovative solutions.

• Strong planning and organizational skills, adept at setting priorities and meeting deadlines.

• Deep passion for enhancing the effectiveness of Indian States, with an operating style conducive to autonomy and adaptability.

• Proven ability to manage competing priorities and deliver high-quality outputs consistently.

• A creative mindset and willingness to experiment with new ideas.

• Exceptional collaboration and active listening skills, fostering an inclusive environment.

• Adaptability to transition between projects and sectors, demonstrating versatility and agility.

• Superior problem-solving, strategic thinking, and research acumen for analyzing complex data.

• Excellent proficiency in English, with exceptional writing and communication skills tailored to diverse audiences.

• Advanced planning and organizational skills, including effective team management and collaboration with stakeholders.

• Unwavering dedication to improving Indian states, in line with organizational goals.

• Operating style characterized by autonomy, adaptability, and resourcefulness under pressure.

• Proven ability to consistently deliver high-quality results and innovate new initiatives.

• Adaptability to embrace diverse projects and rapidly integrate into new sectors.

Compensation:

Remuneration will be competitive with Indian philanthropy and social sector pay scales and will depend on the candidates experience levels.

Pre-reads for the application process

Please go through the following materials before sending in your application:

Concept note on CEGIS

Podcast episodes with Prof. Karthik Muralidharan one each on education and healthcare in India.

You are also encouraged to read more of Prof. Karthik Muralidharans work here