Job Position: Director – Operations & Maintenance and Water Quality
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 10 million people. Arghyam also runs the India Water Portal, an open knowledge bank for the sector with over 8 million readers.
Arghyam’s approach for achieving its vision is to work on strengthening government systems using technology to implement participatory water security programs at scale.
We are driving a transformative opportunity to create large-scale societal impact by developing a unified national technology infrastructure for the Government of India’s National Jal Jeevan Mission. As a recognized Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) partner in the WASH sector, Arghyam is collaborating with the Government of India to advance digital water governance through participatory, technology-driven solutions.
By adopting a DPI approach—built on common registries, standards, and open, interoperable APIs—this initiative fosters innovation while strengthening state institutions and empowering communities. The focus is on leveraging digital infrastructure to scale participatory models for sustainable water management, ensuring transparency and inclusivity across all stakeholders, from local communities to the central government.
About the Position
Arghyam seeks a hands-on Director to address India’s water challenges under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM). Effective Operations & Maintenance of rural water infrastructure is critical for sustainability, tackling issues like leakages, poor treatment and lack of community ownership. Over 70% of surface water is contaminated, threatening public health. Ensuring service delivery at scale, similar to the power sector, requires O&M to be efficient, reliable, and well-structured. Strengthening decentralized and participatory governance of water structures is essential by promoting community-led O&M through local participation, reducing dependency on external agencies.
Regular infrastructure maintenance is necessary to ensure sustainability and cost-effectiveness, while robust water quality solutions, including monitoring, technology-driven interventions, and capacity building for local stakeholders, must be prioritized. Additionally, strong policy advocacy is needed to reinforce institutional frameworks for participatory decision-making and sustainable water management.
We are seeking a dynamic leader to design, develop and implement scalable, high-impact solutions in water quality and O&M ensuring the sustainability of rural water supply. This position plays a key role in aligning strategies with JJM initiatives, strengthening systems, driving systemic change and multi-stakeholder collaboration to secure safe, reliable, and sustainable drinking water access.
Role of Director – Operations & Maintenance and Water Quality
The ideal candidate will engage closely with water quality experts, O&M professionals, government agencies, and key ecosystem players to drive meaningful change, transform the sector, and safeguard India’s water future. S/he will also be responsible for building and leading the O&M and Water Quality team.
1. Strategic Management for Effective Implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission
- Develop a comprehensive understanding of the national Water Quality Landscape, and Operations & Maintenance frameworks, identifying critical issues and fostering collaboration among stakeholders from civil society, government and the market to address water quality and O & M challenges.
- Cultivate and maintain partnerships with the ecosystem, potential funders, identify opportunities and evaluate proposals for strategic alignment.
2. Program Management:
- Oversee the development and implementation of annual plans and budgets, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives and protocols.
- Provide extensive support to partner NGOs, enhancing their programmatic capacities, deploying technology solutions, and facilitating organizational development.
- Lead monitoring and evaluation activities, use internal and third-party assessments to track project progress, integrate lessons learned, and implement corrective measures
3. Policy Convergence, Thought Leadership and Collaborative Advocacy
- Advocate for sustainable water management by engaging with policymakers and stakeholders.
- Contribute thought leadership through publications and public forums.
- Build synergies across programs like JJM to influence policy outcomes
4. Research, Innovation and Knowledge Sharing:
- Stay updated on emerging trends and technologies in water sustainability.
- Foster partnerships with research institutions for innovative pilot projects.
- Lead knowledge-sharing initiatives to scale successful practices.
Skills and Qualifications:
- Over 15 years of experience Masters in Environmental Engineering/Sciences, Chemistry, Water quality or related fields.
- Deep understanding of water quality, water supply systems, government systems and processes and CSO ecosystem.
- Exposure to the Gram Panchayat processes and to build local governance institutions is preferred.
- Strong project management skills, including the ability to design for scale
- Foster collaborative culture with strong interpersonal skills and networking
- Attention to detail and the capacity for continuous learning.
- Exposure to leverage digital technology for distributed operational water supply services.
- Multilingual knowledge is a plus.
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.
Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
Compensation: Competitive and commensurate with experience and abilities.
Location: Bangalore
Last Date of Application: 5th May 2025
To apply for this post, please e-mail your updated resume to: jobs@arghyam.org with a mandatory subject line “Application for the post of Director-Operations & Maintenance and Water Quality” .
Job Email ID: jobs(at)arghyam.org
