Project Associate, Early Childhood Friendly Cities (Nurturing Neighborhoods Challenge)

What is WRI?

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.

Position Overview:

WRI India is seeking creative and multi-talented urban designers for position of Project Associate to work on enhancing public spaces, transport and streets of Indian cities as part of the Nurturing Neighbourhoods Challenge. Reporting to the Project Manager you will lead engagement with cities in preparing comprehensive and compelling solutions to help governments, civic groups, professionals and other stakeholders to develop and implement projects to enhance opportunities for early childhood development in Indian cities. This would be achieved through a systematic enhancement of public domain and environment of cities by engaging with them to formulate projects and help get them implemented; data-oriented decision making; and induce policy, regulatory and institutional changes towards achieving the goal.

The Project Associate will conduct all project related activities such as surveys, collect data, engage with stakeholders, prepare analysis, co-create solutions with stakeholders and help them implemented and work towards institutionalization of the solutions in the Government agencies.

The Project Associate will be involved in research on various topics related to work area of integrated transport including road safety, demography of children in the city, public spaces and public life, non-motorised transport, accessibility and public transport, policies and regulatory provisions related to early childhood development. The Project Associate need to be equally good in engaging with partners and stakeholders, support conducting discussions and workshops, conducting qualitative and quantitative analysis, need to prepare clearly communicating drawings, visualisations, written reports and communication material. The Project Associate needs to be energetic and agile, willing to learn and respond quickly, outcome oriented, team player and available to travel at short notice are essential characteristics. The Project Associate will also assist Integrated Transport team in various other projects or tasks as required time to time.

The Project:

The Nurturing Neighbourhoods Challenge is a 3-year initiative hosted by the Smart Cities Mission, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India, in collaboration with the Bernard van Leer Foundation and with the technical support of WRI India. This Challenge will support Indian cities to implement integrated, neighbourhood-level solutions in the public domain that promote healthy early childhood development (0-5-year-old children). It is premised on the understanding that by shaping urban neighbourhoods to work well for pregnant women, young children, and their families, cities can nurture strong communities, economic development, and better quality of life for all.  

Through this phased initiative, selected Indian cities and their partners will receive technical support and capacity-building to pilot and scale improvements in public space, mobility, neighbourhood planning, access to early childhood services and data management across city agencies to enhance the physical and psychological health of young children and their caregivers. Following an open call for applications from city agencies, the selected cohort will receive technical assistance to implement pilots.

Responsibilities:

Co-ordination of project work

• Responsible for all engagement with the City Government and stakeholders to coordinate towards achieving project objectives.
• Coordinate and prepare technical documents for the projects including data collection, conduct or coordinate surveys, compilation, analysis, base maps, design drawings, 3D visualizations, reports, presentations, general graphics and info graphics, etc.
• Lead conducting focused group discussions with Local Government agencies, local community groups, NGOs, experts, private agencies such as Schools, etc. and record their inputs towards the objectives.
• Build consensus for solution by conducting trials of solutions on-ground and record their impacts through surveys and prepare reports.
• Support WRI India in any other research or projects related to urban development related areas.

Communications and partnership

• Coordinate and schedule meetings regarding projects, make presentations, assist in conducting stakeholder consultations, focused group discussions and workshops.
• Communicate closely with WRI India internal team members towards meeting objectives of the project and constant progress reporting.
• Support the preparation of internal and external communications and media such as brochures and web content.

Research

• Focus on early childhood development, attention to vulnerable groups, gender and poverty.
• Support development of process guides, and toolkits.

Qualifications and Requirements

• Post-graduation in Urban Design (strongly preferred) / Urban Planning with Architecture background
• 2 – 3 years of experience in relevant field, with experience of leading responsibility of all deliverables related to designing of streets, public spaces and related projects.
• Passionate about enhancing quality of life of children in Indian cities, familiar with sustainable urban design principles, urban mobility in Indian cities, policies, general awareness of environment and climate change.
• Good understanding of transport related issues, comfortable in quantitative and qualitative data analysis is a requirement.
• Strong design skills, understanding of landscaping, construction materials, specifications and procurement processes.
• Proficiency in AutoCAD, Adobe package, 3D visualization Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint is a requirement.
• Strong drawing and presentation skills, ability to present complex information in a clear and concise manner.
• Working knowledge of GIS is preferred.
• Ability to work individually and with the team and enthusiastically work under pressure situations
• Willingness to travel for work on short notice
• For the Project Associate based in Coimbatore / Salem / Erode / Tiruppur: Fluency in Tamil required.
• For the Project Associate based in Jabalpur / Indore: Fluency in Hindi is required.
• For the Project Associate based in Kolkata / Kohima / Agartala: Fluency in Bengali or Nagamese is a plus.

Number of positions: 3

Location: 

• Coimbatore / Salem/ Erode / Tiruppur
• Jabalpur / Indore
• Kolkata /Agartala /Kohima

The candidate may be asked to relocate based on the project requirements after the initial 6 months.

Start date: March 2021

Duration: 1-year contract with possibility of extension

To Apply:

Only Qualified applicants should apply online at https://jobs.jobvite.com/wri/jobs. All applications must be submitted online through this career portal in order to be formally considered. 

Please specify your current and preferred locations.

List of Documents to be attached:

• Resume with cover letter
• Personal work portfolio, writing samples or reports

Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for interview purpose.

We believe in equal employment, it is our policy to recruit, and provide opportunities for advancement in all job classifications without regard to caste, color, religion, sex, age, marital status, sexual preference, parental status, or disability.

Learn more about our organization at www.wri.org.