Chief of Staff

Who are we

Prosperiti builds state capacity to increase economic freedom in India. We produce insights on state-level regulation, identify opportunities for reforms, help build policy consensus, and assist in implementation. We release issue-specific State of Regulation reports and bi-weekly broadcasts (insights and explainers) to help states make informed decisions. In partner states, we provide design, drafting, and execution support. For the near term, our focus is to reform labour regulations and building regulations. 

We have thus far supported five states in their reform journey. In Uttar Pradesh, we are assisting the state to introduce reforms to labour regulations. In Punjab and Odisha, we are supporting five departments to reform building standards. In Telangana, we have helped the state draft its MSME policy. In Tamil Nadu, we assisted the MSME department to draft a chapter on EoDB for the MSME Report. Our research insights have been featured prominently in the Economic Survey 2023-24 and 2024-25 and were shared during the Chief Secretaries’ Conference 2024.

We are supported by philanthropic foundations and patrons: The Convergence Foundation, Nudge Institute, Azim Premji University, Godrej Foundation, Harish Bina Shah Foundation, Lal Family Foundation, and Tree of Life Foundation.

Who leads us

• Bhuvana Anand, Co-Founder: 18+ years in better regulation, governance, public finance, and political economy, at Centre for Civil Society, DFID, JPAL, and the UN.
• Baishali Bomjan, Co-Founder: 20+ years in business development, strategy, communications, organisation development, at Centre for Civil Society, Atlas Network, Centre for Indonesia Policy Studies, and Agaati Foundation.

Who we are looking for

The Development team is the backbone of the organisation—securing mission-aligned resources and building systems that drive scale and efficiency. Through strategic fundraising, process discipline, and data-driven problem solving, they power Prosperiti’s long-term delivery and impact.

The Chief of Staff will play a key support role to the Co-Founders on organisational management, efficiency and growth. At Prosperiti, we prioritise building mission-aligned partnerships and a strong, systematic operational engine. Our early successes stem from a sharp execution philosophy, and we seek an ambitious, skilled, and energetic Chief of Staff to uphold and enhance this standard. The Chief of Staff will play a critical role in improving our talent acquisition and onboarding, streamlining performance tracking, enhancing brand visibility, ensuring financial and compliance integrity, and embedding a data-driven, high-performance system.

Qualifications and hard skills for this role include a background in business administration, finance and management, mass media and communication, or human resource management. Obviously, we are looking at experienced folks for this role (at least 8 years of experience, ideally in fast-paced or mission-driven organisations). Proven experience in driving organisational efficiency through systems development, exposure to working with funders and partners, understanding of financial and regulatory compliances, and executing communication initiatives will be essential for success in this role. In addition, a basic grounding in liberal philosophy (why economic freedom matters) will help us align at the starting point.

A Chief of Staff at Prosperiti is a systems thinker, highly organised, agile and diplomatic. They are sharp problem-solvers, can distill complex issues into actionable steps, and enable leadership to operate at their highest efficiency while fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and impact.  

For us, an ideal team member can shapeshift into various roles to achieve project objectives. S/he can balance opposites—can run solo or in a team, do small tasks or deep uninterrupted work. Our culture prizes openness to ideas, antifragility, honesty, drive for self-improvement, adaptiveness, and collaborative working. This is of course the dream; each of our team members is different in temperament and skills. What they do share is curiosity about the world, a passion for what they choose to do, and an ability to relay with others. 

Your profile today

• Masters in business and management, accounting/finance, human resource, mass media and communications, IT or any equivalent combination of training and experience.
• 8+ years of experience in strategy, operations, management consulting, or a mid-tier leadership role in a high-growth organisation.
• Strong analytical, written and verbal communication skills and the ability to convey complex ideas clearly to influence decision-making.
• Track record of streamlining processes, improving efficiency, and driving results, especially with the use of new tech and programme management software and tools.
• Proficiency in Excel/Google Sheets for data analysis, Airtable, and Notion, etc for programme management, and a solid understanding of budgeting, planning, and resource optimisation.
• Deep intellectual curiosity, entrepreneurial spirit and ‘can-do’ attitude, and with an enthusiasm for details, minutiae, and work process hygiene.
• Strong understanding of India’s policy, economic, and governance landscape would be a plus.

Your role tomorrow

1. Talent management:

   As Chief of Staff, you will work with leadership to define talent needs, streamline hiring, and attract top-tier candidates. You will lead onboarding and immersion to ensure new hires integrate smoothly into our culture and ways of working. You will engage with hiring partners, placement cells, and our network to position Prosperiti as a top recruiter and build a future-ready team. You will support performance reviews, implement learning and development plans, and ensure timely, thoughtful exits. You will also design and lead our annual internship/apprenticeship programme to nurture emerging talent.

2. Systems management:

   As Chief of Staff, you will drive organisational performance by building a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and high-impact execution. You will audit and upgrade existing systems, streamline workflows, track efficiency metrics, and implement tools that enable real-time, data-driven decision-making. As a systems-first, process-driven organisation, we are proud of our early digital infrastructure—your role is to take it to the next level by identifying gaps, adopting best practices, and ensuring seamless team adoption as we scale.

3. Fundraising

   : As Chief of Staff, you will support Prosperiti’s fundraising efforts by ensuring timely follow-ups with donors and coordinating internal tasks to keep us on track. You will help prepare for donor meetings—ensuring decks, proposals, and other materials are well-crafted and ready. You will also support donor documentation, reporting, utilisation certificates, and compliance filings. This role requires strong execution, attention to detail, and cross-team coordination.

4. Finance and compliance

   : As Chief of Staff, you will work with leadership to strengthen internal controls, ensure financial discipline, and maintain regulatory compliance. You will coordinate with accountants, auditors, and company secretaries to review and consolidate financial statements and compliance reports. You will also oversee FCRA and CSR readiness, ensure timely certification and KYC renewals, and lead the trademark application process. This role demands a sharp eye for detail, proactive error detection, and the ability to streamline workflows and deliver clear, data-driven insights to leadership.

5. Communications:

   As Chief of Staff, you will work with programme teams to craft compelling messaging that amplifies Prosperiti’s voice. You will distil complex research into clear, persuasive content across digital platforms, reports, and presentations. You will also build visibility by securing placements in policy forums, media, events, and publications. We’re looking for someone who brings fresh storytelling and sharp ideas to make Prosperiti stand out.

6. Team management:

   As Chief of Staff, you will lead and grow a small team of 1–2 associates, coaching them to manage tasks, solve problems, and strengthen both outputs and work styles. A key expectation is your ability to give and receive immediate, tone-neutral feedback to drive continuous improvement. You will also oversee a range of service providers—including accountants, auditors, secretaries, creative agencies, and consultants—ensuring they deliver timely, high-quality work.

What do you need to know about us

At Prosperiti, culture fit is a priority.

Our principles

• Nothing persuades like the truth.
• Eternal vigilance is sine qua non for liberty. 
• Democracy is government by discussion.

Our values

• Work for a cause, not for applause.
• Knowledge first. Facts over opinion. 
• Mutual enrichment over crude competition. 
• Don’t raise your voice, improve your argument.
• Great works are performed, not by strength, but by perseverance. 

What's our offer

• Competitive compensation benchmarked to top think tanks, research institutions, and non-profit organisations in India.
• Sponsorship for executive training, leadership programs and opportunities to represent Prosperiti at national and international conferences.
• Opportunity to work with the Co-founders, Advisors and leadership to build a fast-growing organisation.

How to apply

Location:

Interview and offer process:

• Expression of interest here
• A 30-minute introductory conversation with our Co-founder or Vishal Doshi, our Talent Acquisition Partner to understand your background, motivations, initial fit for the role
• An assignment based on a pre-decided topic
• Presentation of assignment to the team, Q&A, feedback
• Interview with Co-founders on work history, ambition, interests, reading habit, leadership model, failure/success
• Reference check
• Offer email with details of role, and compensation
• Final offer discussion with the Co-founders and terms of employment

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis.