Manager - Grassroots Innovations

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1. Role Summary

The Manager Grassroots Innovations will build, strengthen, and manage RTIH's outreach to grassroots innovators, rural entrepreneurs, NGOs, livelihoods organisations, and community-based institutions across Andhra Pradesh. The role aims to identify promising frugal innovations, enable their validation and growth, and integrate grassroots innovators into RTIH's incubation, prototyping, and challenge programmes.

The role will serve as RTIH's primary interface with the grassroots innovation ecosystem and ensure equitable, inclusive participation from rural and tribal communities across the state.

2. Key Responsibilities

A. Grassroots Innovator Identification & Scouting

Design and run statewide scouting programmes across villages, mandals, districts, and tribal regions.

Work with universities, ITIs, polytechnics, rural makerspaces, FabLabs, and community institutions to identify frugal solutions and local innovations.

Conduct field visits to validate innovations and document use-cases and impact stories.

B. Partnership Development

Build partnerships with NGOs and institutions working in:

oGrassroots innovation (e.g., Palle Srujana, NIF partners)

oLivelihoods & rural enterprise development

oWomen Self-Help Groups (SHGs)

oTribal development organisations

Create structured collaboration frameworks for scouting, co-hosted programmes, and local capacity building.

Coordinate with district administrations (DRDA, ITDA, Collectorates).

C. Programme Design & Execution

Design grassroots-focused programmes:

oInnovation scouting drives

oRural innovation camps

oVillage-level demo days

oThematic challenges in agriculture, crafts, climate, livelihoods, and rural problems

Facilitate the onboarding of grassroots innovators into RTIH's incubation channels and RTIH Spoke programmes.

Work with Hackathons Manager to create rural problem statements.

D. Support for Innovators

Facilitate prototyping support through:

oFabLabs

oTechnical universities

oMentors

oDomain experts

Assist with:

oTechnology refinement

oPilot deployments in villages

oField testing with relevant govt. departments

Guide innovators on accessing schemes, financial incentives, and market linkages.

E. Coordination with Hub & Spokes

Work closely with Spoke CEOs/ Teams to ensure their regional scouting programmes are active.

Build district-wise yearly outreach plans and impact dashboards.

Conduct training sessions for Spoke teams to work with grassroots innovators.

F. Monitoring, Documentation & Reporting

Maintain a statewide pipeline of grassroots innovators with progress stages.

Document case studies, field learning, challenges, and impact metrics.

Submit monthly progress reports and quarterly dashboards to Strategic Initiatives Lead.

3. Qualifications & Experience

Essential

Bachelor's degree in any field; preference for social sciences, rural development, engineering, or equivalent.

36 years of experience in:

oGrassroots innovation

oRural livelihoods

oNGO partnerships

oCSR implementation

oCommunity development programmes

Strong familiarity with Andhra Pradesh's rural and tribal contexts.

Preferred

Experience with frugal innovation or social enterprise ecosystems.

Work experience with government departments (ITDA, DRDA, SERP, NREGS, MSME, Agriculture, Panchayat Raj).

Telugu fluency; ability to travel extensively.

4. Skills & Competencies

Strong relationship-building with NGOs, community institutions, and line departments.

Comfort with fieldwork: village visits, community interactions, field testing.

Ability to identify, evaluate, and nurture grassroots innovations.

Programme design and execution skills.

Good documentation and storytelling ability.

Empathy, cultural sensitivity, and on-ground problem solving.

Ability to independently manage statewide work with minimal supervision.

5. KPIs (First 12 Months)

200+ grassroots innovations scouted across districts.

4060 innovations technically validated/documented.

20+ innovators enrolled into incubation or challenge programmes.

10+ partnerships with NGOs and livelihoods organisations.

35 rural innovation events (district-level demo days, camps).

Consistent monthly dashboards and case stories from the field.

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