Program Associate - Urban Designer
Who we are and what we do?
World Resources Institute (WRI) India, an independent charity legally registered as the India Resources Trust, provides objective information and practical proposals to foster environmentally sound and socially equitable development. WRI India’s mission is to move human society to live in ways that protect Earth’s environment and its capacity to provide for the needs and aspirations of current and future generations. Through research, analysis, and recommendations, WRI India puts ideas into action to build transformative solutions to protect the earth, promote livelihoods, and enhance human well-being.
We are inspired by and associated with WRI, a global research organization. Currently over 300 researchers are working with WRI India in our offices at Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.
About your role:
The Program Associate for the Eco City-Regions (ECR) Project will be based in New Delhi and would provide technical support to ECR team members as well as city partners/ stakeholders across the geographies where ECR projects are currently active on need basis. Through their knowledge and work experience in domains of water sensitive planning and or urban design, environmental management, and climate resilience, the selected candidate will contribute towards current and proposed research and implementation efforts under ECR initiative. They will report to Manager, Urban Development, WRI India.
‘Eco City-regions are envisioned as ecologically resilient and economically productive regions, that uphold the principles of regenerative development and social well-being for all.’
How your day will unfold:
· Provide design support to WRI India’s initiatives on climate resilience/ environmental governance and management/ urban ecology/ water sensitive planning/ and landscape design.
· Support coordination as required for smooth execution of the ‘Thriving Eco City-regions’ initiative in close consultation with internal teams and various other stakeholders across multiple city-regions.
· Organize and manage activities towards running coalitions/platforms/forums/ workshops/ and conferences based on project need and relevance.
· Support through conceptual designs, reviews and analysis of existing and/or upcoming initiatives and contribute towards shaping deliverables under the relevant projects such as layout designs, review summaries, recommendations, reports, visual analytics, and dashboards.
· Communicate closely with WRI India internal team members towards meeting objectives of the project and constant progress reporting.
· Provide technical design support for deliverables related to planned project activities with all project partners and relevant stakeholders. This includes undertaking and/or supervising design layouts, primary and secondary research and writing, on-site project activities including convenings, stakeholder dialogues, project implementation, technical reviews and inputs etc.
· Support in relationship management with donors/ implementation partners/ others as needed for better execution of various activities planned under the subject project.
· Contribute towards organizing and administering technical trainings and capacity building to various stakeholders on various government missions such as AMRUT 2.0, Jal Jeevan Mission, Swachh Bharat Mission, and Smart Cities Mission.
Qualifications and Requirements we seek:
· PhD/Masters/Equivalent Post Graduate degree in water sensitive urban planning/ landscape / urban design/ water resources management/ urban ecology/ or related disciplines is desirable.
· Minimum of 2 years of relevant work experience with city/ state/ regional planning initiatives; implementation and management of largescale action research projects related to climate resilience, water sensitive urban planning, urban ecology, environmental governance and management, etc.
· Specialization or work experience demonstrated in the areas of climate resilience, ecologically driven urban planning, and regional or sub-regional water management is preferrable.
· A high-level knowledge of the Indian urban development, climate, and environment paradigms, policies; current and future trends; innovations and practices related to water resilience and sponge cities.
· Research and design experience using relevant tools and methods for network analysis, integrated modelling solutions for catchments, strategies for ensuring sustainable water systems at the watershed and neighborhood levels will be preferred. Knowledge of advanced GIS tools is a strong plus.
· Demonstrated experience in designing climate resilient solutions, managing implementation projects, quantitative and qualitative data analysis.
· Should have demonstrated experience in managing teams and/or stakeholder relationships and task management.
· Should have experience in working with the Government/ ministries/ departments and other non-government stakeholders such as local academic/ research institutes, civil society organizations etc.
· Excellent facilitation, communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills for overall team coordination
· Detail oriented, able to manage multiple priorities, ensure highest standards of ethics and consistency of work.
· Experience in working effectively and respectfully in diverse teams and communities.
· Strong critical thinking capabilities with an ability to rapidly assess situational needs, develop problem solving strategies, and implement sustainable solutions.
Salary and Benefits: INR 8,00,000 to INR 9,00,000 CTC
Salary shall be commensurate with experience and skills. WRI offers a generous and comprehensive benefits package.
Duration: 2 year (extendable based on performance and project requirements)
Location: New Delhi, India
Start Date: At the earliest
List of Documents to be attached:
- Cover Letter (outlining your interest and suitability for the position)
- Resume
Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for an interview.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) @WRI India
WRI India values and promotes diversity, equity and inclusion across all areas of our work and workforce. Integrating these values into our actions fosters a progressive and collaborative culture and can also enhance our impact. It is our responsibility to create a welcoming working environment for people of diverse cultures, backgrounds and experience to learn together. We are responsible for fostering a safe and inclusive workplace where questions, concerns and information about diversity, equity and inclusion are part of our ongoing dialogue and development.
Learn more about WRI India’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Click Here
People-centric to the core:
We keep our people at the centre of everything we do - from a welcoming work environment to benefits and a culture that encourages staff to stay healthy, happy, engaged, and growing.
Some of the non-monetary benefits that our staff get:
Health benefits: We cover health insurance for you and your loved ones for up to INR 8 lakhs
Term Insurance: Our term insurance policy covers life coverage of 50 lakhs per staff member
Employee Assistance program: Promoting mental well-being and supporting staff in achieving a satisfying work-life balance
Health & Nutrition: Personalized diet recommendation from a certified dietitian based on the physical health condition and lifestyle
Flexible work schedule: Alternative work arrangements for all who are eligible by nature of their job
Learning culture: Workshops and trainings to empower staff, encourage new learning opportunities
Rest and Recharge weeks: We encourage staff to take time off to rest, rejuvenate, upskill, and pursue their interests.
Our leave policy: Avail personal time off at 36 per year, along with public holidays, maternity, paternity, and adoption leaves.
Equal employment @WRI India
We believe in equal employment, it is our policy to recruit, and provide opportunities for advancement in all job classifications without regard to caste, religion, sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation, parental status, or disability.
