State Programme Lead, Women's Leadership and Governance
Transforming Rural India (TRI)
Location:Chhattisgarh [preferably in a CAL* block of choice, which is central to the select districts] (Person is responsible for Jharkhand & Chhattisgarh)
Duration:20 months (with possibility of extension)
Position Type: This is a third party payroll position (Open to women only)
Last Date to Apply:21st August 2026
ABOUT THE PROJECT
The project draws on concepts and practices of gender-responsive programming, facilitation of change, and strengthening women's leadership within the framework of decentralisation.
VOICES is a multi-state initiative led by Transforming Rural India Foundation (TRI) in partnership with Stanford University and IIT Gandhinagar. It pilots, at scale, three mutually reinforcing interventions that strengthen women sarpanches and their responsiveness and engagement with women citizens, and social capital already existing in the villages. It involves a 4-phased training programme for women sarpanches; peer networks that enable these sarpanches to act collectively; and Mahila Sabhas that create structured dialogue spaces between women citizens and their sarpanches.
ROLE PURPOSE
The State Programme Lead is responsible for setting up and spearheading the implementation architecture for the project across Chhattisgarh and anchoring the ongoing work in Jharkhand.
The role involves a strong grasp of the designed interventions, and leading their rollout with the team of District Programme Leads and local Community Resource persons within each block. This also involves keeping in touch and liaising with the administration, securing necessary permissions, liaising with state, district, and block-level government offices, collaborating with the institutional ecosystem alongside the TRI operations team, and monitoring the overall progress of interventions. She is also a key link between the project and integrates with the research team.
KEY RESPONSIBILITY AREAS
- Lead Programme Rollout and Implementation Across Districts: Ensure smooth setting up and roll out of all the project across districts in the state (recruitment and selection of staff, system setting, putting required processes in place, etc.). Supervising, guiding, and supporting the District Programme Leads and their teams of Community Resource Persons (Sushasan Saathis, etc.). Coordinate closely with the project manager and research team at the central and state level.
- Liaise with State and Local Government: Secure all required programme permissions and maintain ongoing liaison with state, district, and block government offices. Engage with Panchayati Raj Institutions and community stakeholders to facilitate seamless programme operations.
- Monitor and Report on Project Progress: Maintain accurate records of programme activities, including training, participation, network meeting outputs, and community mobilisation results. Use TRI's Knowledge Archiving and Management System (KAMS) for documentation and periodic progress reporting.
- Support Institutional Engagement and Activation: Lead collaboration with government bodies at the state, district, and block levels in coordination with the TRI CAL team. Ensure smooth administration and integration of interventions with local governance structures and the research team. Coordinate with the Janpad Panchayat, CEO, BMMU, and CLF/VO systems to support district-level execution.
KEY COMPETENCIES
- Knowledge and experience of developmental processes in the local area and training, facilitation, and management of programmes related to women's leadership and agency.
- Familiarity with functioning of Panchayati Raj Institutions, with particular focus on state and district governance systems.
- Experience in programme implementation, government liaison, and permission processes at the state level.
- Familiarity with Chhattisgarh/the project areas.
- Programme management and coordination skills across multiple districts and teams.
- Supervisory and coaching skills—able to develop and support field implementation teams.
- Written and oral communication in Hindi and English; ability to engage senior government officials.
- Digital familiarity, comfortable using devices, platforms, and data systems for documentation and reporting.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
- Gender: This position is open to women only.
- Education: Graduate (4-year degree) or postgraduate, with a preference for candidates with a background in social sciences, public policy, development studies, or a related field.
- Experience: Minimum 5 years of relevant work experience, with at least 2 years in a senior field coordination or programme management role.
- Demonstrated Skills: Demonstrated experience in development projects, training, and facilitating gender sensitivity and mainstreaming, and engaging with state or district government officials and navigating administrative processes.
- Team Management: Prior experience supervising field teams across multiple locations.
- Rural Exposure: Experience of living or working in rural settings for sustained periods, preferably in the project areas.
- Language Proficiency: Proficiency in English and Hindi (reading, writing, and speaking); knowledge of Chhattisgarhi or relevant local dialects is an advantage.
Digital Skills: Proficiency in using digital devices and software to complete day-to-day management and documentation tasks.
WHAT THIS ROLE OFFERS
This is a senior leadership opportunity for a professional committed to women and local governance, and gender training, facilitation, and mainstreaming. Over 20 months, the State Programme Lead will lead the rollout of a rigorous, evidence-based programme focused on Women Sarpanches across Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand. This would form the basis for a larger multi-state initiative with direct research and policy relevance.
The role offers the opportunity to work at the intersection of state government, civil society, and academic research—collaborating directly with TRI, the Department of Panchayat and Rural Development, and a research team from Stanford University and IIT Gandhinagar. The programme invests in professional development through structured learning, peer exchange, and mentoring.
Experience in this role provides a strong foundation for senior positions in governance and policy consulting, programme leadership in civil society or government, and specialist roles in gender, training and capacity development, or development research.
*CAL: Community Action Lab
Selection decision are made on a rolling basis. Interested candidates are encouraged to apply ASAP
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