About Arghyam
Arghyam is a charitable organization set up in 2005 with an endowment from Rohini Nilekani with the vision of Safe Sustainable Water for All. Over the last 18 years, Arghyam has supported Govt and civil society organizations in 140 projects in 22 states across the country in diverse areas of groundwater, springs, water quality and rural sanitation. The work and body of knowledge generated by partnerships has shaped policy narratives, launched national and state level programs while directly impacting the lives of over 6 million people. Arghyam also runs the India Water Portal, an open knowledge bank for the sector with over 8 million readers.
Climate change will primarily be felt by humanity through water. The impact of climate change on water resources will lead to reduced freshwater availability, alteration of rainfall patterns, rising sea levels and saltwater intrusion, degraded water quality, impact on sanitation & health resulting in huge socio-economic impacts. These will be felt primarily by the most poor and vulnerable population. There is an urgent need to work towards climate resilience with a focus on water on a scale.
Arghyam’s approach for achieving its vision is to work on strengthening government systems using technology to implement participatory water security programs at scale.
About the Position
Arghyam is seeking a dynamic and dedicated State Engagement Manager to oversee the successful implementation of strategic initiatives taken up by Arghyam in Bihar to strengthen the State’s Mukhya Mantri Gramin Peyjal Nishchay Yojna (MGPNY). The MGPNY is a flagship program of Government of Bihar aimed at providing Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTCs) to every rural household of the State with defined service level benchmarks (SLB). It focuses on ensuring sustainable water supply infrastructure and water quality, while emphasizing community involvement, capacity building, and community contributions to achieve its objectives.
Over the last two years Arghyam has partnered with Aga Khan Rural Support Programme – India (AKRSPI) and Water For People in Muzaffarpur district of Bihar to demonstrate a model of community led operation and maintenance of piped water supply schemes that integrates digital tools and technology solutions to enable transparency and observability of ongoing activities. The current role involves working in close coordination with and creating buy-in from the government system, i.e. the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED), Government of Bihar for adoption of the approach at scale across the State of Bihar. It will involve supporting state actors in visualizing the trajectory of technology as an enabler to the MGPNY, and designing a strategy/program for the State in coordinating with various stakeholders, including government entities and civil society organizations (CSOs) to amplify and widen its impact.
Join us at Arghyam for a transformative opportunity that not only promises professional growth but also the chance to make a profound societal impact, as we embark on designing and implementing tech-based solutions that are sustainable and scalable at the national level for the Government of India’s National Jal Jeevan Mission. Your role as a State Engagement Manager will be at the heart of innovation and developing proof of concepts for MGPNY Bihar in achieving the MGPNY vision of safe sustainable domestic water to all rural households across the state.
Positioned within the PHED team in Patna, this role offers a chance to closely engage with government operations while driving a high-impact technology initiative forward.
Responsibilities
1. Government Relationship Building
- Establish and nurture a strong, trust-based relationship with senior officials and bureaucrats within the PHED.
- Act as the primary liaison with the PHED ensuring open lines of communication and collaboration.
- Facilitate regular meetings and discussions with senior bureaucrats of PHED to evangelize technology solutions tested by Arghyam and develop a shared vision and strategic plan for leveraging technology in the O&M of water supply systems.
- Proactively explore opportunities to deploy solutions tested in Muzaffarpur across different parts of the state in order to create a culture of data based governance and technology as an enabler.
2. Project Implementation and Management
- Support the rollout of tested on ground technology solutions that positively impact the O&M ecosystem in the pilot districts.
- Support the rollout of innovative technology solutions like ECHO platform for capacity building platform, dashboards and Whatsapp chatbot in line with project goals and outcomes.
- Facilitate day-to-day operations in the pilot district by reporting on bottlenecks and ensuring required government communication and support is issued for timely and effective implementation of project activities.
- Act as Point of Contact (POC) for Arghyam in the State and liaison with stakeholders effectively to provide monthly updates on the progress and achievements made in the pilot areas.
3. Monitoring, Learning & Evaluation (MLE)
- Work closely with the implementing partners’ teams and the MLE consultants appointed by Arghyam to roll out the MLE plan in the pilot areas.
- Undertake regular field visits and participate in critical program activities to get a firsthand experience of the initiatives, particularly to understand the rollout of technology solutions and their effectiveness.
- Support the gleaning of learning from the field and the MLE initiatives and utilize data and insights to continuously improve project strategies and outcomes.
- Collaborate with PHED to understand their existing policies, processes, MIS and other technology initiatives to assess outcomes and sustainability of FHTCs and PWS schemes.
- Support PHED in strengthening existing MIS to bring in better transparency , accountability and effectiveness.
4. Partnerships & Knowledge Management
- Represent the organization and the project at various national and state-level platforms, sharing insights and promoting collaboration.
- Contribute to the development of templates, tools, concept notes, proposals, financial and narrative reports, and evaluation studies etc.
- Document lessons learned and best practices from the pilot project for dissemination and to inform future scale-up efforts.
- Proactively create opportunities to showcase the initiatives and achievements of PHED Bihar.
Skills and Qualifications
Skills
- Stakeholder Management: Proven ability to inspire and gain the confidence of senior government officials, and manage relationships with officials at different levels.
- Collaboration: Ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders and navigate complex environments.
- Project Management: Strong organizational and project management skills to handle multiple tasks and priorities effectively.
- Analytical Skills: Ability to analyze data, draw insights, and apply findings to improve project outcomes.
- Communication skills: Excellent communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills.
Qualifications
- Experience: Minimum of 8-12 years of experience in project management and MLE, preferably in the not-for-profit sector and with governments, with a focus on technology-driven solutions.
- Education: A Masters/Bachelors degree in development management, social work, rural management or a related field.
- Technical Knowledge: Familiarity with digital technologies and their applications in social sector projects.
- Passion for Water Security: A deep commitment to addressing water security challenges and improving community resilience. Should have experience of working in the water sector.
- Language: Proficiency in Hindi and English.
Join us in our mission to make a lasting impact on India’s water security landscape. Your expertise and dedication will be pivotal in driving positive change and improving the lives of millions. If you are a dynamic leader committed to driving transformational change, we encourage you to apply for this role and be part of our journey towards a water-secure future for all.
Preference will be given to those who can join immediately. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
Compensation: Competitive and commensurate with experience and abilities.
Location: Patna , Bihar
Reporting: Senior Manager – Programs
Last date to apply :- 25th July 2024
To apply for this post, please email your updated resume to: jobs@arghyam.org with a mandatory subject line “Application for the post of State Engagement Manager – Bihar”
Job Email id: jobs(at)arghyam.org