Over the past 25 years, Praja Foundation has worked to enable accountable urban governance in India. We partnered with the Mumbai Corporation to develop its first Citizen Charter and revamp the citizen grievance mechanism, including Complaint 1916. Praja’s pioneering study on urban governance reforms led to the creation of the Urban Governance Index (UGI), a tool used by MoHUA, NITI Aayog, and NIUA to inform policy. In 2024, UGI 2.0 mapped governance across 31 cities, strengthening transparency and service delivery. Praja also collaborates with state and city governments to drive reforms and build capacity that improve council deliberations, leadership skills of elected representatives, financial management, and citizen participation in local decision-making.
The Role
Praja’s continuous engagement with local elected representatives (ERs) and administration through capacity building, research and advocacy has had a positive impact on city governance. This role primarily focuses on research and outreach for urban reforms in Maharashtra.
The individual will be responsible for outreach and capacity building of stakeholders such as ERs, administration, and civil society, on issues related to urban governance and engage with various colleges,
academia, and CSOs for capacity building on urban governance. He/she will also be responsible for (a) research and analysis to help build the case for introducing a coherent package of reforms to transform the way urban governments function to make them more accountable, transparent and responsive to the needs of the citizens, (b) assist in building a network of organisations and individuals that have a deep knowledge of urban governance issues and are willing to partner with Praja to take this initiative forward.
This role also involves fieldwork and travel to different cities on short notice.
Main Responsibilities
Work closely with the Municipal Corporations and other key city government stakeholders in Maharashtra.
Conduct research and collect data on various governance and service delivery issues.
Coordinate and run the Maharashtra Governance Fellowship program of Praja Foundation.
Cultivate and maintain relationships with a diverse array of stakeholders to ensure effective dissemination of Praja’s advocacy messages.
Create strategic outreach strategies aimed at raising awareness of Praja's research findings among elected officials in specific cities and states.
Coordinate the planning and execution of workshops, training sessions, and capacity-building programs for diverse stakeholders.
Source and manage a roster of experts to facilitate workshops and training sessions.
Foster ongoing collaboration and follow-up efforts with key stakeholders and partners.
Cultivate a network of project collaborators at the local, regional, and national levels to facilitate networking opportunities and partnerships among civil society organizations (CSOs), youth groups, and governmental bodies, fostering dialogue on governance issues.
Contribute to the preparation of promotional materials for the project, such as pamphlets and videos.
Engage extensively with elected representatives & officials from city & state govt., educational institutions, and CSOs.
Oversee communications and outreach efforts with all project stakeholders.
Compile comprehensive reports detailing event outcomes and activities.
Willing to travel extensively within the city and outstation as required (approximately 70% time will be spent on the field; 30% within the office).
Qualification, Experience and Competencies
Graduate/ Postgraduate in Public Administration/ Social work/ Development Studies any other relevant course.
Proven working experience (1-2years) in the social sector or (2-3 years) from other sectors (open to people from corporate/education sectors)
Strong research and analytical skills.
Conduct in-depth research and data collection on urban governance, municipal finance, public service delivery and other urban governance components.
Ability to read and comprehend complex literature such as Municipal Acts, Municipal Budgets, state & union government policies, etc.
Proficiency in writing detailed reports and developing content for capacity-building based on research.
Ability to clearly articulate views in both written form and through presentations.
Comfortable and adept at building strong relationships with a wide range of stakeholders including elected representatives, bureaucrats, civil society organisations, various colleges, academia and NGOs.
Excellent spoken and written communication skills in English, Hindi and Marathi.
Should be ready to travel at short notice.
Self-motivated with a strong sense of commitment and ability to work under minimal supervision.
Good knowledge of Microsoft Word/Excel/ PowerPoint and Internet/social media.
People management, Training, Analytics & Process Orientation skill
Location
Mumbai (Only city residents eligible)
Compensation
The annual compensation will range from 6 lakhs to 6.5 lakhs, depending on qualification and experience.