Senior Program Associate - Food, Land and Water

Senior Program Associate - Food, Land and Water About usWRI 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. 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 250 researchers are working with WRI India in our offices at Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.

Our mission and values:WRI’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.Our values are shared ideals that bind us together: Integrity, Innovation, Urgency, Independence and Respect.

Our culture:WRI is committed to advancing gender and social equity for human well-being in our mission including equal opportunities in employment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, caste, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, or protected Veteran status Program Overview for Food, Land and Water: WRI India’s Food, Land and Water program aims to inform India’s transition towards sustainable and resilient food and land use systems focusing on developing interdisciplinary nature-based solutions like landscape restoration, sustainable agriculture to mitigate climate impacts, enhance jobs and livelihoods and improve nutritional security. To catalyse systems, change with a focus on circular food systems in India, we also focus on developing equitable strategies to reduce food loss and food waste and mitigate climate impacts.With broader systems change and food systems perspective, we work with diverse stakeholders like governments, businesses, civil society partners and farmer producer organizations to inform and develop land use strategies based on robust evidence and analysis to build the resilience of local communities to mitigate climate impacts, bridge capacity gaps, monitor progress, and inform a pathway to building a restoration economy for people, nature, and climate. Job Highlight:Landscape approach to restoration is gaining momentum in India as a strategy that delivers multiple benefits, including food and water security, biodiversity enhancement, job creation, livelihood improvements and climate change mitigation and adaptation. To achieve impact at scale, restoration efforts need to be funded by philanthropy, CSR, bilateral grants, and private finance. This requires a blended finance approach to mitigate the risks inherent in this early sector, and to ensure available finance is appropriate for restoration business models. Restoration businesses deliver a range of products (e.g., fruits, bamboo) and services (e.g., water, carbon, biodiversity).
Housed under the FLW program, Land Accelerator India is a catalytic initiative to strengthen India’s restoration economy by supporting early-stage entrepreneurs - or ‘restoration champions’ - pioneering innovative land restoration solutions. By bridging capacity gaps and improving access to finance, this initiative aims to scale market-driven solutions that restore degraded land, enhance livelihoods, and contribute to India’s climate and development goals.
As part of this initiative, WRI India is seeking a highly motivated and detail-oriented Senior Program Associate to manage the end-to-end execution of the program, ensuring seamless coordination with internal and external stakeholders to achieve the program objectives. You will support enterprise acceleration and contribute to strengthening India’s land restoration economy. It is ideal for someone passionate about working closely with impact-driven local enterprises and farmer producer companies, supporting women and rural entrepreneurs, improving rural livelihoods, boosting food and nutrition security, restoring natural ecosystems, and contributing to building climate resilience.
What you will do: 1. Program Management (60%)
o Drive end-to-end implementation of the accelerator program in collaboration with the program partner/s, including managing logistics, timelines, and delivery of all virtual and in-person activities.
o Support the accelerator application and selection process, including enterprise outreach, screening, and light-touch due diligence based on pre-defined criteria and processes.
o Serve as an internal mentor to cohort entrepreneurs, providing regular handholding support and helping them navigate and maximize the benefits of the program’s offerings.
o Coordinate with internal teams (e.g., communications, operations, finance) and external stakeholders (e.g., cohort entrepreneurs, program partners, mentors, service providers) to ensure smooth execution of program deliverables, achieving high-quality engagement and planned outcomes.
o Plan and execute key events (in-person, virtual and hybrid) such as workshops, field visits, stakeholder meets, and Demo Days, including all operational and partner coordination.
o Conduct periodic meets, calls and site visits with each enterprise to monitor progress, review impacts, understand and address individual needs, and arrange tailored support.
o Support program documentation, including meeting notes, partner updates, and donor reports; ensure follow-through on action items across stakeholders.
o Assist in monitoring budgets, reviewing monthly expenditures and variances, and flagging financial risks proactively.
o Identify operational challenges or gaps in delivery and recommend improvements to enhance the effectiveness of the program.
o Collaborate with the broader FLW team to contribute to other landscape restoration initiatives as needed.2. Research & Communications (25%)
o Drive communications planning for Land Accelerator activities (in coordination with the program communications team), including event content, program updates, outreach materials, and other external and internal communications.
o Write and edit a range of content, such as blog posts, case studies, brochures, and compendiums, that distils technical insights for diverse audiences.
o Ensure ongoing communication support through strategic media outreach to enhance the visibility of participating innovators, potentially helping them unlock further opportunities, while raising awareness about the critical role of innovation in addressing restoration challenges.
o Conduct in-depth desk research on land restoration business models, market trends, and ecosystem mechanics to inform evolving capacity building strategy and knowledge resources.
o Contribute to the development and dissemination of knowledge products, ensuring alignment with WRI’s Research, Data, and Innovation standards.3. Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL) (15%)
o Support the design and implementation of MEL frameworks, including surveys and other data collection methods, to measure program KPIs, report impact and inform adaptive program management.
o Track and evaluate program performance against targets; maintain accurate records of outputs, outcomes, and lessons learned.
o Assist in compiling and analyzing data, including cleaning, formatting, and synthesizing insights for reporting and decision-making.
o Contribute to donor reporting through data inputs and narrative summaries aligned with reporting formats and standards.
o Learn and adopt new monitoring tools and platforms as needed to strengthen project tracking and performance management.
o Ensure consistent documentation and reporting of KPI progress and proactively support improvements to MEL systems and processes. What you will need:o Postgraduate degree or specialization in business, economics, entrepreneurship, development studies, environmental studies, or a related field (relevant work experience may substitute).
o 4 to 7 years of full-time professional experience, preferably in the startup ecosystem, accelerators, incubators, CSR, corporate innovation, consulting, government advisory, and/or local community-based organizations.
o Proven project management skills with experience in delivering multi-stakeholder programs on time and within scope.
o Familiarity with sectors such as land restoration, sustainable livelihoods, rural development, climate action, or green economy is desirable.
o Experience managing CSR initiatives is a plus.
o Strong analytical and research skills to evaluate markets, trends, business models, and program performance against pre-defined KPIs.
o Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English, and a working knowledge of Hindi.
o Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
o Strong interpersonal skills with a collaborative and solutions-oriented mindset.
o Proficiency in Microsoft Office; familiarity with survey tools and collaboration platforms (e.g., Slack, Airtable, Google Workspace) is desirable.
o Experience in budget tracking and basic financial oversight is desirable.
o Willingness to travel across India, including to rural and peri-urban field locations in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra. Prior field experience in these states is desirable.Potential Salary and Benefits: 14,00,000 to 18,00,000 CTC Per AnnumSalary shall be commensurate with experience and skills. WRI offers a generous and comprehensive benefits package. Location: New Delhi India Duration: 1 Year (extendable based on performance and project requirements). The start date is as soon as possible.List of Documents to be attached:

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. 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 orientation, parental status, or disability.