Engagement Lead – Sustainable Water Programme (India)

The Council On Energy Environment And Water is seeking an Engagement Lead for their Sustainable Water Programme in India. This role involves building relationships with government, industry, and civil society to inform policy-making on sustainable water management. Key responsibilities include developing advocacy strategies, facilitating communication, organizing events, and establishing research networks. Candidates should have relevant experience and a strong understanding of the water sector.
At CEEW, we are deliberate about what we stand for (and what we don’t stand for!) as an employer. So, if the below description strikes a chord, we would love to hear from you!

At CEEW, we build careers in public policy

- We offer strong visionary leadership – with emphasis on research and impact at scale
- We actively promote leadership by initiative
- We celebrate talent and ambition
- You will be surrounded by smart people who will challenge you and help you grow
- You will learn faster than your peers in other organisations
- Curiosity and irreverence, as well as responsibility, come together at CEEW
- You will get above-market remuneration
- We provide a safe space for all
- At CEEW, your life is your example for others

Designation offered
Engagement Lead

Team
Sustainable Water

Location
New Delhi

Reporting to
Fellow and Lead, Sustainable Water Programme

Purpose

The CEEW’s sustainable water programme informs policy-making for the sustainable development of water resources and their effective management through research in the areas of: mainstreaming circular economy in used water management through planning for treated water reuse and water bodies rejuvenation; enabling water security under changing climate through developing pathways for resilient water systems and assessing policy coherence for inclusive water and allied resources governance; and water accounting based planning.

For its sustainable water programme, CEEW seeks to hire an Engagement Lead (EL). The individual would be responsible for actively engaging while strengthening and building trusted relationships with government (central, state and local), industry, academia, civil society and other stakeholders. The successful applicant will track developments pertaining to India’s water supply and used water sector and inform respective research teams. The EL will be responsible for preparing the engagement and advocacy strategy for the water programme’s initiatives across various states and implementing it through intensive consultations with major stakeholders.

We are looking for an experienced professional with hands-on experience and deep sectoral understanding, to build and expand CEEW’s work on informing policy-making for the sustainable development of water resources and their effective management. The candidate should be able to connect the dots across many moving parts and look for innovative ways to conduct and socialise research with the key decision makers.

Job duties and Accountabilities:

- Represent CEEW and build networks: represent CEEW at relevant meetings and events, and strengthen relationships with governmental and non-governmental stakeholders.
- Develop state-level strategies: Support the design and implementation of the water programme’s engagement and advocacy strategy.
- Facilitate communication and coordination: Act as the primary point of contact for technical exchanges and communication between CEEW and stakeholders and prepare meeting notes.
- Organise strategic events: Plan, minute and manage meetings, consultations, and events in collaboration with stakeholders.
- Build research networks: Establish and maintain local, national, and international research collaborations to support program goals.
- Work closely with senior researchers to develop short briefs/presentations with research insights and support revenue generation.
- Present research findings: Share research outcomes with key stakeholders, advisory bodies, and at conferences.
- Any other responsibilities related to the work profile.

Selection Criteria

Education and Experience

- Master’s degree in Water Resources Management/Public Policy/Governance/Climate Change /Environment Management/Urban Planning or any other relevant field.
- At least 8 years of relevant work experience in research/consulting, policy engagement and project management, preferably in water resources sector.

Key skills

- Comprehensive understanding of India’s water governance system.
- Demonstrate strong networking skills and ability to represent the organisation on national and international platforms.
- Ability to summarise and communicate research insights/findings as briefs and presentations.
- Must leverage his/her stakeholder network in the water sector to keep a tab on the latest trends.
- Strong written and oral communication skills.
- Proficiency in MS Office application suite.

Personality

- Willingness to learn new skills.
- Ability to adapt and deliver under tight deadlines in a professional setting.
- Striving for rigour and quality in work output.
- Ability to effectively work in a team.
- Ability to dig deeper into details while understanding the big picture.
- Ability to work in an interdisciplinary and multicultural environment.
- Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
- Good organisational skills are desirable.

Compensation:

Competitive compensation – commensurate to the experience and matching the best of standards adopted by industry or other similar organisations for similar roles.

Application Process

CEEW is an equal opportunity employer and the selection process does not discriminate on the basis of age, gender, caste, ethnicity, religion, or sexuality. Female candidates are encouraged to apply.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Interested applicants are advised to apply at the earliest possible.

Only shortlisted candidates will be notified by us. We appreciate your interest.

CEEW operates in a dynamic environment and the candidate will be required to show flexibility in undertaking a variety of tasks.