Description

Senior Program Associate - Transport, WRI India

Who we are and what we do?

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 World Resources Institute (WRI), a global research organization. Currently over 150 researchers are working with WRI India in our offices at Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. 

Program Overview for Sustainable Cities and Transport

At WRI India Ross Center we focus on 10 integrated solutions to urban challenges. Through applied research, tools, hands-on advice, and by tapping our network of global experts, we accelerate transformative urban initiatives that have the power to change Indian cities into thriving, equitable and low-carbon places that are good for people and the planet.

Working at WRI India Ross Center offers you the unique opportunity to learn and grow as you collaborate with a diverse set of change agents across Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai. As India’s biggest urban focused think and do tank, we seek thoughtful, enterprise-minded and sensitive individuals who can help us support this transformation and make a positive difference to citizens’ everyday lives.

About your role:

WRI India is seeking a candidate with research experience on urban transport to take the role of a senior associate in our Integrated Transport team under the Sustainable Cities Program. The candidate will support the team on projects under WRI India’s Bus Karo platform, working with closely Government and other stakeholders to implement sustainable transport practices through data collection, secondary data analysis and development of policy inputs. The candidate will work closely with the other members of the team and the Head of the Integrated Transport team to liaise with government stakeholders, prepare deliverables, communicate results, and support the internal team across projects.

How your day will unfold:

The selected candidate will have the following responsibilities:

• Contribute actively to ideating and brainstorming, both for immediate project delivery, as well as long term strategic development
• Take charge of various technical aspects of project delivery, such as research, analysis, design, writing, presentation, etc.
• Represent the Organization at various forums, conferences and meetings
• Support supervisor on various activities related to strategy development, work advancement and/or grant initiation
• Carry out a significant amount of onsite work, including but not limited to site inspections, traffic studies, road safety inspections, etc.
• Carry out a significant amount of desk work, including but not limited to report writing, analysis, design preparation, presentation making, etc.
• Liaise with government representatives on a regular basis to develop and maintain relations
• Identify areas of support and avenues of engagement with public transit agencies.
• Coordinate communications and project activities between external stakeholders and WRI India’s internal team.
• Analyze and interpret public transport operations data and other traffic data, conducting scenario analysis and developing sustainable transportation options.
• Support the preparation of internal and external communications of the projects.
• Lead outreach efforts on behalf of program/projects and anchor partner engagement activities.
• Lead the team in writing reports, preparing presentations and other communication material
• Carry out a significant amount of people engagement, through meetings, online communication, event participation, etc., with government officials, donors, international colleagues, partners, vendors, etc.
• Be willing and able to take on assignments that require a fair amount of short-term travel, both within India and internationally.

Qualifications and Requirements we seek:

• Minimum Master Degree in Transport Engineering, Transport Planning or Urban Design.
• 4 to 7 years of work experience in the area of transport planning, including public transport, para-transit, non-motorized transport, travel demand management.
• Fluency in Kannada and English is required for this position.
• Experience working with Government, civic groups, research institutions and private sector on urban transport projects.
• Be able to take on the Responsibilities described above with a high level of independence.
• Be well-versed with the analytical tools, computer software, literature, they and current developments in the areas of sustainable urban transport and road safety
• Important attributes for this position are innovativeness, independence, confidence, passion, analytical mindset, structured thinking, research-oriented, team-player, strong communication skills
• Lastly, the candidate must strongly subscribe to the principles of sustainable transport and sustainable development

Technical Skills

• Experience with qualitative and quantitative research methods including primary and secondary data collection and analysis.
• Prior experience in transport planning, public transport, built environment, urban design, non-motorized transit planning, urban traffic and transportation engineering projects
• Knowledge of policy analysis methodologies to identify gaps and potential areas of reform
• Working knowledge of GIS, Adobe Creative Suite, and data analysis software (Advanced Excel, SPSS, MySQL, R) is required.
• Proficiency in MS Office and at least one data visualization tool.
• Experience in academic writing and publishing to produce high quality research publications.

Other Skills

• Ability to work individually and in team, highly responsible and self-motivated, excellent time management skills.
• Strong organizational and verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to present complex information in a clear and concise manner, think creatively, work calmly and enthusiastically under high pressure.
• Willing to learn quickly, work in fast-paced constantly changing environment, work with tight deadlines and willing to travel on work at short notice.

Salary and Benefits: 11,00,000 to 13,00,000 CTC PA

Salary shall be commensurate with experience and skills. WRI offers a generous and comprehensive benefits package.

Duration: 1 year (Extendable based on performance and project requirements)

Location: Bengaluru, India 

List of Documents to be attached:

• Cover Letter
• Resume

Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for interview purpose. 

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

Digital healthcare service: Online doctor consultations for your primary healthcare needs

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.

Click here to know more about our benefits Careers | WRI INDIA (wri-india.org)

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 preference, parental status, or disability.