Position: Consultant - Climate & Livelihoods (MERL)
Location: Remote from India (Candidates based out of Delhi, Chennai or Bengaluru are strongly preferred)
Job Type: Full Time
Start Date: 15
th
December 2025
About Us
Celebrating over fifteen years of innovative and collaborative work, Athena Infonomics has established itself as a data-driven global consultancy that leverages social science research, data science, and technology to provide user-centric, context-specific solutions and advice to decision makers.
Our multidisciplinary and multi-cultural team of 75+ professionals spread across Asia, Africa, US and the UK
have extensive experience in designing and applying research methods to co-design and co-produce useful research that is inclusive and relevant.The international business community is taking notice of this unique approach: in 2021 alone, Athena Infonomics was recognized on
The Financial Times, Nikkei Asia, and Statista’s High-Growth Companies Asia-Pacific 2021 and 2022 ranking, and was selected as one of
The Economic Times and Statista’s 2021, 2022 and 2023 India Growth Champions.
Why Athena
At Athena, we function in an outcomes-based work environment with flexible hours and a high level of autonomy. Professional development and thought leadership are key elements of our business model: we support our team members' professional growth through on-the-job training, and we encourage the cultivation of our colleagues’ personal brands through participation in panels, events, publications, and other thought-leadership opportunities. We embrace a transparent, open work environment with meaningful leadership pathways for those with inventive ideas and initiatives.
The Role
The Consultant role presents an opportunity to support the strengthening and expansion of the footprint and impact of the ‘Climate and Livelihoods’ Strategic Business Unit (SBU). It requires working collaboratively with public, private and civil society actors across different industries and geographies in the domains of climate change and natural resource sustainability. A ‘start-up’, working in the SBU calls for innovation, creativity and entrepreneurial zeal! It also calls for personal commitment and passion to sustainable development issues and working closely with a dynamic team.
Programme Design, Execution and Management (60% Of The Function)
- Keep abreast with the new and innovative sectoral development, new findings, research and programme pieces etc., in the climate and sustainability sectoral growth and opportunities. Deep dive into the climate, natural resource, and livelihoods landscape in India and globally through review of literature, policies, schemes etc.
- Coordinate and support external partners (e.g., SMEs, CSOs & NGOs), as needed.
- Ensure proactive communication, transparency, and management expectations of all programme stakeholders, including enterprises, donors, policymakers, partners, and ecosystem stakeholders.
- Work with the team to ideate, design and deploy cutting-edge monitoring and evaluation tools and techniques across projects and proposals.
- Design data collection tools (quantitative and qualitative), ethical data protocols, support field teams to execute data collection.
- Undertake analysis of data (quantitative and qualitative), glean insights and ‘join the dots’ for comprehensive sense-making. Orchestrate the compilation, analysis and reporting of data to explain programme performance, effectiveness and impact, applying various techniques.
- Support in preparing documents and presentations in preparing documents and presentations for client reporting and dissemination activities, prioritizing and managing project deliverables, and ensuring timeliness.
- Provide support for op-eds, learning pieces, and briefs across relative sectors, functions and typologies of research and programming. Prepare study reports, memoranda, briefs, testimonies, or other written materials to inform the government, investor groups, funders or practitioners.
Support to Build the Roadmap, Strategy and Footprint Of The SBU (30% Of The Function)
- Lead/support generation of business for the SBU– either through responding to ‘calls for proposals’ or proactively through engagement with potential national and global clients. For the latter, lead/support exploration of potential new studies and evaluations with donors, and support efforts to secure funding for the SBU.
- Proactively engage to improve culture, procedures and policies of the SBU.
- Build and maintain collaborations and partnerships with high priority and SBU relevant organisations/institutions and key experts as partners on mandates.
- Develop approaches to the solution of groups' problems based on evidence and data in the social development sector and related disciplines.
Organizational Learning and Representation (10% Of The Function)
- Represent and the build the brand of the SBU in critical platforms, convenings and other networking opportunities.
- Support efforts to use new media platforms for the wide dissemination of the SBU’s outputs.
- Assist effective outreach of research and programme outputs through coordination with the outreach team, engagement with a broader network of stakeholders, and concerned policymakers.
- Participate in relevant conferences, workshops, and training programmes to comprehensively understand developments relevant to the climate and sustainability sector.
- Work closely with the Communications team to plan internal and external communications and engagement plans relating to the strategic plan.
Key Activities
- Communicating with stakeholders outside the organization — Communicating with professionals outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
- Communicating with supervisors, peers, or subordinates — Collating and providing relevant information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
- Updating and using relevant knowledge — Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
- Interpreting the meaning of information for others — Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
- Making decisions and solving problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
- Developing objectives and strategies — Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
- Organizing, planning, and prioritizing work — Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
- Establishing and maintaining interpersonal relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others and maintaining them over time.
- Providing consultation and advice to others — Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
- Developing and building teams — Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
- Coordinating the work and activities of others — Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks; Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
Required Skills
- Systems analysis — Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
- Complex problem solving — Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Critical thinking — Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Social perceptiveness — Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Negotiation & persuasion — Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences & Persuading others to change their minds or behaviour.
- Service orientation — Actively looking for ways to help people.
Technology Skills
Desired
- G-Suite/Office suite — Google suits and Microsoft Office 365.
- Geographic information system — ESRI ArcGIS software; ESRI ArcSDE; ESRI ArcView.
- Analytical or scientific software — StataCorp - STATA, IBM SPSS Statistics, The MathWorks – MATLAB.
- Qualitative or keyword analytical software - QSR International NVivo, Qualtrics Research Suite, Thomson Reuters EndNote.
- Database user interface and query software — SurveyCTO/ODK/CommCares.
Qualifications
- A master’s degree in climate, sustainability, environment, development studies, public policy education and/or related fields.
- Minimum 2 years of relevant experience in the social development sector across the relevant domains and functions. Ideal experience 3-4 years.
- Interest and experience in Climate & Sustainability sector is an added advantage.
What We Offer
- Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package.
- Flexible, hybrid work model.
- Opportunities for professional growth in a supportive and dynamic environment.
- Access to cutting-edge tools and technologies.
Additional Requirements
- This position requires successful completion of a reference check and employment verification.
- The successful candidate must not be subject to employment restrictions from a former employer (such as a non-compete) that would prevent the candidate from performing the job responsibilities as described.
- Only candidates who have India work authorization will be considered.
Athena Infonomics is an Equal Opportunities Employer
Athena Infonomics is an equal opportunity employer with a commitment to diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran status, or disability status.
